toward a huge crack in the ice.
Oskie flung himself toward Albin. But the ice was slippery, and Oskie couldn’t hold on for long. Together, the cousins went tumbling into the dark abyss under the ice.
C HAPTER O NE
Q UEST TO THE N ORTH
“ O F ALL THE PLACES OUR B EAST Q UEST HAS taken us,” Tom said, “this must be the most incredible!” He stared out at the icy plains. They stretched into the distance under a sky of vivid blue.
“It’s so open,” Elenna agreed, pulling her shawl tightly around her. “It looks as if the ice goes on forever.” In one direction, the ice plains seemed to disappear into the horizon. On the other side, snow-capped mountains rose like sharp teeth biting into the sky.
Tom smiled at his friend. Something about the landscape felt magical. Elenna smiled back. Herpet wolf, Silver, pressed up to her, his shiny gray fur speckled with snow. She looked grateful for the warmth of his body against her legs.
“I’ll check the map and see how much farther we have to go,” Tom said. He pulled the well-worn scroll from the saddlebag of his stallion, Storm. The horse stood like a dark shadow against the whiteness all around, and gave a soft nicker as Tom patted his neck.
“We’re close to the northern edge of Avantia. We’ll need to go eastward soon.” Tom pointed to the red path on the map that showed their route. It glowed and pulsed on the parchment paper.
This was no ordinary map. It was a magical map given to them by the wizard Aduro. It guided Tom and Elenna on their quest to rid the kingdom of a deadly threat.
The Beasts.
All his life, Tom had heard stories of the Beaststhat dwelled in the deepest corners of the kingdom of Avantia — dragons, sea serpents, horse-men, and giants, just to name a few. Growing up with his aunt and uncle, he used to think they were fairy tales. He’d certainly never seen a Beast. But then he’d never laid eyes on his father Taladon, either, and Tom believed he’d meet him one day.
Now he knew that the Beasts were real. And a dark wizard named Malvel had enslaved them. He was using them to spread terror and destruction across the land for his own evil ends. King Hugo of Avantia and his wizard, Aduro, had chosen Tom to go on a special quest to set the Beasts free and save the kingdom.
Tom had set off with only Storm, his sword, and his shield for protection. But soon he had met Elenna and Silver, who had joined him on his Quest. Without them, Tom knew he would never have made it this far.
“We’d better get going,” said Elenna, studyingthe map. Tall and thin, she had messy black hair, large brown eyes, and a smile full of warmth — even in the freezing cold of the northern plains. “Looks like there’s a small shelter for travelers an hour’s trek from here. We can stay the night there before continuing on. I’m so tired I could sleep standing up!”
“Me, too,” said Tom. Leading Storm along by his halter, Tom began trudging across the ice once more. He noticed a large bundle of green leaves sprouting up from the icy ground. “Hey, look at that plant. It must be hardy to survive out here.”
“A lot of plants used in medicine are found in the mountains and gullies around here,” Elenna told him. “The nomads collect them and supply the kingdom.”
Tom fingered the key he kept around his neck, the key that could set the Beasts free.
There are so many dangers here
, he thought.
The nomads won’t survive long without Tartok’s protection.
A sharp gust of wind blew up suddenly, making him shiver. He quickened his step. “Come on, the sooner we’re somewhere dry and warm the better.”
Silver yapped suddenly. “He agrees with us,” Elenna joked uneasily. Then she crouched beside him. “Silver? What’s wrong?”
Tom saw the wolf’s eyes narrow. A growl was building in the back of Silver’s throat. “Perhaps he can smell something,” he said.
“Or sense something,” said Elenna, concern in her voice. She looked
Oskie flung himself toward Albin. But the ice was slippery, and Oskie couldn’t hold on for long. Together, the cousins went tumbling into the dark abyss under the ice.
C HAPTER O NE
Q UEST TO THE N ORTH
“ O F ALL THE PLACES OUR B EAST Q UEST HAS taken us,” Tom said, “this must be the most incredible!” He stared out at the icy plains. They stretched into the distance under a sky of vivid blue.
“It’s so open,” Elenna agreed, pulling her shawl tightly around her. “It looks as if the ice goes on forever.” In one direction, the ice plains seemed to disappear into the horizon. On the other side, snow-capped mountains rose like sharp teeth biting into the sky.
Tom smiled at his friend. Something about the landscape felt magical. Elenna smiled back. Herpet wolf, Silver, pressed up to her, his shiny gray fur speckled with snow. She looked grateful for the warmth of his body against her legs.
“I’ll check the map and see how much farther we have to go,” Tom said. He pulled the well-worn scroll from the saddlebag of his stallion, Storm. The horse stood like a dark shadow against the whiteness all around, and gave a soft nicker as Tom patted his neck.
“We’re close to the northern edge of Avantia. We’ll need to go eastward soon.” Tom pointed to the red path on the map that showed their route. It glowed and pulsed on the parchment paper.
This was no ordinary map. It was a magical map given to them by the wizard Aduro. It guided Tom and Elenna on their quest to rid the kingdom of a deadly threat.
The Beasts.
All his life, Tom had heard stories of the Beaststhat dwelled in the deepest corners of the kingdom of Avantia — dragons, sea serpents, horse-men, and giants, just to name a few. Growing up with his aunt and uncle, he used to think they were fairy tales. He’d certainly never seen a Beast. But then he’d never laid eyes on his father Taladon, either, and Tom believed he’d meet him one day.
Now he knew that the Beasts were real. And a dark wizard named Malvel had enslaved them. He was using them to spread terror and destruction across the land for his own evil ends. King Hugo of Avantia and his wizard, Aduro, had chosen Tom to go on a special quest to set the Beasts free and save the kingdom.
Tom had set off with only Storm, his sword, and his shield for protection. But soon he had met Elenna and Silver, who had joined him on his Quest. Without them, Tom knew he would never have made it this far.
“We’d better get going,” said Elenna, studyingthe map. Tall and thin, she had messy black hair, large brown eyes, and a smile full of warmth — even in the freezing cold of the northern plains. “Looks like there’s a small shelter for travelers an hour’s trek from here. We can stay the night there before continuing on. I’m so tired I could sleep standing up!”
“Me, too,” said Tom. Leading Storm along by his halter, Tom began trudging across the ice once more. He noticed a large bundle of green leaves sprouting up from the icy ground. “Hey, look at that plant. It must be hardy to survive out here.”
“A lot of plants used in medicine are found in the mountains and gullies around here,” Elenna told him. “The nomads collect them and supply the kingdom.”
Tom fingered the key he kept around his neck, the key that could set the Beasts free.
There are so many dangers here
, he thought.
The nomads won’t survive long without Tartok’s protection.
A sharp gust of wind blew up suddenly, making him shiver. He quickened his step. “Come on, the sooner we’re somewhere dry and warm the better.”
Silver yapped suddenly. “He agrees with us,” Elenna joked uneasily. Then she crouched beside him. “Silver? What’s wrong?”
Tom saw the wolf’s eyes narrow. A growl was building in the back of Silver’s throat. “Perhaps he can smell something,” he said.
“Or sense something,” said Elenna, concern in her voice. She looked
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