The Hidden Beast by Christopher Pike Page A

carefully. “We just wanted you to know that we’re sorry that we woke you up, and that we didn’t steal your crystals.”
    â€œDo you know who did steal them?” the dragon asked in a soft voice.
    â€œLeah,” Cindy blurted out.
    â€œShh,” Watch whispered. “Be careful.”
    But Slatron was interested. “Who is this Leah?”
    â€œWell,” Watch said, also finding the dragon’s mysterious voice hard to resist, but at least he was aware of the fact. “She’s this girl we know. She’s the one who led us here.”
    â€œWhere is she now?” Slatron asked casually.
    â€œShe’s heading back to town,” Cindy said.
    â€œI told you not to speak,” Watch hissed at her.
    Cindy fidgeted. “I don’t want to lie to it.”
    â€œYou don’t need to lie to me,” Slatron said in her soothing voice. “Just tell me what I need to know, and then there will be no danger for you. Where is this town you speak of?”
    â€œIt’s not far from here,” Watch said vaguely.
    â€œWhat is it called?”
    â€œSpooksville,” Watch said. “At least that’s what all of us kids call it. Its real name is Springville. But like I was saying, the town is not important. Getting your crystals back is all that matters, and we can help you do that.”
    â€œHow can you help me?”
    â€œIf you would just open the door at the end of the tunnel,” Watch said, “we could go out and find our friends.”
    â€œYour friends?” Slatron asked. “You have more than one friend? More than this Leah?”
    â€œLeah is not our friend,” Cindy blurted out.
    â€œYet she led you here you say,” Slatron replied slowly. “Led you here to this place of greatwealth. Are you sure you and your friends are not working with this Leah?”
    â€œWe are sure,” Watch said with great difficulty. It was as if the dragon’s voice were speaking from deep inside his brain, and he couldn’t disagree with what she said, or withhold information from her. Yet he knew it could be dangerous to point the dragon toward Spooksville, or toward his other friends. Clearly the dragon could cause massive destruction with little effort.
    â€œIf you want to leave here,” Slatron said, “I can show you another way out. All you have to do is walk down here.”
    â€œOK,” Cindy said, taking a step forward. Watch grabbed her arm.
    â€œWhat are you doing?” he whispered.
    â€œI want to get out of here,” she said. “The dragon knows another way out.”
    â€œBut if you go down there the dragon might kill you.”
    Cindy seemed puzzled. “It seems friendly enough.”
    â€œYou can trust me,” Slatron said, obviously overhearing them. “My word is as good as gold.Come down here so I can show you the way out. Then we can talk about Leah and your other friends.”
    Watch continued to hold on to Cindy. “No,” he said.
    Slatron paused. “Why do you say no?”
    Watch swallowed. He had to strain to do what he wanted, and not what the dragon wanted.
    â€œWe don’t want to come down there because we fear you might harm us,” Watch explained. “But that doesn’t mean we don’t want to help you.”
    â€œWe can only help each other if we trust each other,” Slatron said. “Come down here now and I will help you in every way I can.”
    â€œNo,” Watch repeated.
    â€œWatch,” Cindy said, trying to pull away. “We should do what she says.”
    He had to pull her back up a step. “No. We can talk to her from up here. We’re safe up here.”
    â€œBut how long can you remain there?” Slatron asked. “Soon you will need food and water. I have both down here, plenty for both of you. Come to me and you can relax and eat and we can talk of the crystals your friends took from me.”
    â€œWe