Chapter 1
"Stay behind the safety line, boys," I cautioned, shifting the heavy bag of "Dragon Nip" from one shoulder to the other.
My eldest, nine-year-old Arthur, was already crouched at the edge of the blackened wooden dock, his eyes narrowed with the focus of a seasoned tracker. He held a piece of dried sulfur-bark like it was a prized treasure. Beside him, six-year-old Toby was bouncing on the balls of his feet, his hand gripping your coat hem.
"Mam, look! The water is bubbling!" Toby squealed, pointing to a cluster of heat-rings rising to the surface. "Is it a Flame-Tippet? Can I feed a Flame-Tippet today?"
"If you're patient," you said with a smile, reaching into the bag to hand Toby a scoop of the special glowing embers. "But remember what I told you—don't throw it too far, or the Water-Drakes will snap it up before the little ones get a chance."
Suddenly, the surface of the pond didn't just bubble; it hissed. A long, slender neck plated in copper scales broke the water, followed by a pair of iridescent wings that shook off droplets like diamonds. It wasn't a duck, and it certainly didn't quack. It let out a sound like a tiny silver trumpet.
Arthur didn't flinch. "It’s a Copper-Back, Toby! Look at his snout!" He tossed his bark with a practiced flick. The dragon caught it in a burst of sparks, its tail splashing orange water over the boys’ boots.
"My turn! My turn!" Toby cried, winding up his arm to toss his embers.
