›››Climb down my tail

Tab paled. Despite all her recent adventures – or maybe because of them – she still wasn't very fond of heights, and here was a dragon's tail drooping over the edge of a building some two hundred feet above the ground. Uh-oh.

But time was of the essence.

Tab crawled along the dragon's spiny back, reached the tail and, holding on tight, slid slowly over the edge. She risked one glance down. The good news was, yes, there was a balcony. The bad news was, if she missed it then she had a long drop ahead of her.

Dropping lightly onto the balcony, Tab ducked into the room. In the centre was a complicated machine, a pulsating icefire clutched in a metal fist. Tending the machine was a white-haired magician, possibly Kull's master magician himself. With him in attendance was a young woman.

Tab didn't waste any time. ‘There's a dragon on the roof,’ she said. ‘And in about ten seconds she's going to blast this tower to vapour, so my advice is that you run, fast!’

The young woman turned and fled at once, but the white-haired magician just laughed. ‘A ridiculous bit of foolery,’ he said. ‘As if any dragon could escape from the mind-lock which only I control! Get you gone, child, before I blast you into vapour!’

‘Very well,’ said Tab. ‘Have it your way.’

Tab rushed back out. As she did so Kull's lizard rose into view and swiped at her with one bat-winged claw. She ducked, then felt something pluck her from the balcony. It was Melprin. The dragon lifted Tab onto her back, leapt into the air, performed an amazing half-twist, and vomited a fiery torrent at the tower. In seconds, it was an inferno.

Kull, nearby on his lizard, roared, ‘NOOO!’

But it was far too late, and a moment later the tower exploded, raining molten chunks of rock down on the palace grounds.

Kull sent his lizard in a sharp dive towards Tab's dragon, clearly oblivious to the danger, his eyes wild with fury.

As Melprin sideslipped away from the palace and into clearer air, her right wing-tip caught Kull in the chest and lifted him out of his seat. He howled, then plummeted.

Tab watched him fall with mixed feelings. Meanwhile, his lizard dived after him. Whether it reached him in time or not, Tab did not see. A pall of smoke from the fires on Quentaris cut off her view.

Like a trail left by a ship at sea, Tab followed the smoke, and gasped. ‘Quentaris!’ she cried. ‘It's heading for the vortex!’

›››It's too far, child. We will never make it

‘But I must – it's my home!’

›››The great mouth is angry

‘It's a vortex,’ Tab explained. ‘It takes things… elsewhere. To other worlds.’

›››It swallows all. I have lost loved ones thus

‘No! How do you think we got here? It's like a door – a door to other places, other… planes.’

›››None return

‘Your loved ones still live, but not in this world,’ said Tab. ‘Please, please… I must get back.’

Melprin said nothing. Then, very slowly, she folded back her wings, and dived…

Tab tried not to scream.

The dragon was soaring at tremendous speed. Below, Quentaris was revolving faster and faster as it moved deeper into the mouth of the vortex. Her mainsail was double-reefed; sails from the flying jib right through to the spanker were torn asunder. Her skysails were tattered ribbons. And most of the city's rigging was tangled and snarled like a bird's nest.

Down and down into the voracious mouth fell the city, riding the whirlpool walls round and round. High above, falling like an arrow, came the dragon with the tiny speck on her back.

The smoke trail from the fires on Quentaris corkscrewed down after the city. Melprin shot through the centre of the trails. Tab watched, fearful. If Quentaris reached the bottom of the vortex and went through into another world, there was no guarantee that the vortex wouldn't close immediately behind it. Some did, some didn't.

‘Faster!’ yelled Tab frantically.

At the last second, just as the city hit the bottom of the vortex, Melprin and Tab plunged amongst the masts and rigging of upside. Tab whooped and hollered.

›››Hold tight››I cannot pull up in time

As the city shivered, preparatory to transition, Tab's eyes widened. The harbour was rushing up at them awfully fast. Fortunately – or not – at that precise moment, the city and its surrounds blacked out…

Tab woke. For a moment she had absolutely no idea where or who she was.

Then a face swam in and out of focus. She blinked and squinted. It was Torby. He dabbed her forehead with a damp cloth, and grinned when he saw that she was awake.

‘Where am I?’ Tab croaked.

‘In the infirmary. A private room, as befitting a hero.’ This was Verris, who came up behind Torby. Then Amelia and Philmon, and even Fontagu, crowded forward.

‘Hero?’ said Tab, her mind still fuzzy. ‘I think I drowned, didn't I?’

‘A nasty brush with the House of Death,’ Verris agreed. ‘Heroes often die young, but you have a few years ahead of you yet, I suspect.’

‘Hero,’ said Torby, shyly.

Tab reached out, took his hand and squeezed. ‘What happened? I'm a bit hazy on the details.’

Philmon laughed into his hand. ‘Like we're going to stand here and recount all your heroic adventures, just so you get to wallow in them all over again. What I want to know is, how come you left us out of it?’

‘Out of what? Hey, there was a dragon, wasn't there?’

‘Yes, there was a dragon, a dragon that seems oddly fond of you. Nearly burnt the whole place down when we tried to explain that you were indisposed. Had to carry you outside on a stretcher so she could see for herself. Stubborn creatures, dragons, if you ask me – Tolrush is welcome to them. But as for what you did, you single-handedly defeated Tolrush. More or less. Destroying its icefire gave us time to escape. Had Tolrush followed us through the vortex we would have fallen to her by now.’

‘Where are we?’

‘Take a look.’ Verris strode to the window and pulled back the curtains.

Tab's eyes widened. The sky was vermilion. ‘I've never seen anything so beautiful!’ she gasped.

‘A world of bounty. Already the Scouts’ Guild has discovered the sweetest water you've ever tasted; abundant fishing, herds of game as far as you can see. And even the natives are friendly.’

‘How long have I been here?’

‘Several days,’ Verris said. ‘You were in a strange kind of coma. None of the healers could wake you. Funny thing though, as soon as your young friend here arrived, you came out of it at once and began to recover.’ He ruffled Torby's head and gave the boy an odd, quizzical look.

Tab squeezed Torby's hand even harder. He looked down at his feet and squirmed.

Tab sat up, and several hands rushed to plump pillows and make her comfortable. Then hot soup and fresh bread were brought, and she realised she was starving. As she wolfed down the food she suddenly remembered the Grand Council, and her face fell.

She was no longer a magicians’ apprentice.

Just then, the door opened and in strode Stelka. With her was Quartermaster Dorissa. The latter gave Tab a bright smile. Stelka's face, however, was grim.

‘Ah, Stelka, excellent timing,’ said Verris.

Ignoring Verris, Stelka crossed the room and gazed down at Tab. She pressed the back of her hand to Tab's forehead. ‘You still have a touch of fever, child,’ she said sternly. ‘You must eat up and get well. I will expect you at the guild school come Monday morning. Please remember that I do not like tardiness.’

Tab blinked, sure she had misheard the woman. Stelka stalked back to the door. Verris cleared his throat loudly.

Stelka stopped, wincing theatrically.

Tab stared at her wide-eyed.

‘Oh, very well,’ said Stelka, giving Verris an exasperated look. ‘The Magicians’ Guild wishes to express its thanks for your – for your courage and loyalty.’ It was as if the words were being pulled out by tongs. ‘Accordingly, you have been awarded the Medal of Merit, and have been promoted a year. You will restart your studies in year two.’ As a parting shot, she added, ‘And don't forget your new uniform.’