Dragon Canyon. Level 1: Fire of Four: Dragon Canyon, #1

By Kristin Glasbergen

Sorrel wants to run around like the other kids, but a foot deformity -- and her hovering mom -- just won't let her.

The only place she feels free is in Dragon Canyon -- a video game where she becomes Cerulean Wave, a strong blue dragon.

But when she meets the rest of her dragon team the four strangers struggle to work together and soon the problems they wanted to escape resurface in the game.

Is it time to turn tail and run? Or take strength from their dragon hearts to discover new possibilities?

Dragon Canyon is a fast-paced middle-grade novel that takes four kids on epic quests. If you like Wings of Fire then you'll love Dragon Canyon.

Get Dragon Canyon, Level 1: Fire of Four and join the adventure!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Nib and Ink Books Inc.
• Release date: May 6, 2019
• ISBN: 9781775092513

Book preview

1

Sorrel’s New Brace

Sorrel grabbed Dragons: A Species Guide off her bookshelf and hurried to meet her mom in the car. She didn’t want to be late, especially today.

When they arrived at the clinic, Dr. O’Brien was waiting for them. Are you ready? he asked Sorrel.

SO ready, Sorrel replied, following Dr. O’Brien to his office.

When they were all sitting, Sorrel’s mother pulled out a paper from her purse and said, I have some concerns about this next step. Sorrel is still struggling with the latest strengthening exercises, and physio is already challenging her. It seems to me that her muscles are doing all they can right now. Are you sure this is the right choice? Shouldn’t we wait a few more weeks?

Sorrel held her breath. Experience had taught her that arguing with her mother only made her argue more, so she gave Dr. O’Brien a pleading look.

He gave a quick nod and answered her mother, Virginia, I’m confident that this is the best choice for Sorrel. And, no, we shouldn’t wait. The smaller brace will allow her muscles to strengthen while giving her more mobility. Strength and mobility are our goals.

Sorrel let our her breath. Dr. O’Brien was always patient with her mom’s questions, but he was firm in his plans for Sorrel and her recovery. Her mother frowned. Dr. O'Brien was the best paediatric orthopaedic surgeon in their area, and even Sorrel’s mom couldn’t argue with his expertise.

Dr. O'Brien looked at Sorrel. Now, to business.

Sorrel hopped up on the cot and slipped off her left shoe. Her current brace was solid plastic, attached just below her knee, and held her foot and ankle stiffly. She undid the Velcro straps and pulled the brace off. It was such a relief to free her foot from the hard brace that Sorrel never minded her strengthening exercises.

Okay, Sorrel, you know the drill, he said.

Forcing herself to take her time, Sorrel went through each of her exercises. Her patience paid off when Dr. O’Brien high-fived her for doing them all correctly.

Finally, he said, Are you ready to see the new one?

Yes! Sorrel answered. She could barely sit still while she waited for him to bring it out.

It’s so small, Sorrel said when she saw it. It looked more like a tensor bandage than a brace.

This brace works differently than the old one. You will need to pull it on rather than strap it on. Give it a try.

Sorrel had to pull hard to get it over her foot. Once it was in place, Sorrel let her pant leg fall over it. Look, Mom—no one will even know it’s there! She wiggled her foot. There was a strained look on her mom’s face, but she gave Sorrel a small smile.

Why don’t you try it out? Dr. O’Brien suggested.

Sorrel walked around the office, doing a few little hops.

How does it feel? he asked.

Great. She snuck a look at her mom, who was looking down at Sorrel’s old brace in her hands, the strained look still on her face.

As they were leaving, Dr. O’Brien extended a hand toward Sorrel’s mother. I’ll hang onto that old brace, just in case.

It took her mother a moment to let it go, but, eventually, she handed it over.

Thanks, Dr. O’Brien! Sorrel said as they left the clinic.

On the ride home, Sorrel studied her mom’s face in the rear-view mirror. She had an important question to ask her mother and even though she was getting impatient, she knew that now was not the right time. Sorrel opened her dragon book and spent the rest of the drive studying the species like there was a test coming up on them.

They arrived home to find Aunt Pru sitting in the kitchen with her feet on the table, tapping on her phone screen.

Mom frowned at her. You’re always looking at that phone. It sets a bad example for Sorrel.

Aunt Pru raised her eyes to her sister over the top of her phone. "This is how I sell my pottery, Virginia." She caught Sorrel’s eye and made a silly face.

Biting her lip to keep from laughing, Sorrel lifted her pant leg to show Aunt Pru her new brace. Aunt Pru jumped up and pumped her arm in the air. YES! she shouted, raising both her hands for a double high five.

Sorrel had to jump a little to reach.

Don’t make her jump like that. She’s only had that brace for an hour. Sorrel’s mother scowled.

Aunt Pru put her arms around her sister. She’s okay, Ginny, she said softly. All the fight went out of her mother then, and tears tumbled down her cheeks. Sorrel slipped out of the room as Aunt Pru said, She’s going to be okay.

Sorrel hated that she made her mom cry. Well, she didn’t, but her condition did, and to Sorrel, that was the same thing. She was born with hip dysplasia and metatarsus adductus, which meant that her left hip wasn’t properly connected to her thigh bone and her left foot turned in severely. The doctors originally missed the hip dysplasia and told her mom that her angled foot would self-correct over time. It didn’t. When Sorrel was two years old, she and her mom moved into her grandparents’ house with Aunt Pru. After a million doctors and tests, they found Dr. O'Brien, and Sorrel’s mobility issues were finally properly diagnosed. Sorrel had surgery when she was three to correct her hip, and two other surgeries since to correct her foot. She had spent a lot of years recovering in a wheelchair. The progress had been slow but steady.

Sorrel rearranged the books on her bookshelf by colour instead of alphabetically. She was still working on it when she heard a knock on the door.

Her mom’s eyes were wet from crying, but she was smiling. Honey, I’m sorry for being such a grump. This is so hard for me. I thought your hip and foot would be fine… they told me it would be fine—

Sorrel interrupted, "Mom, I am fine." She held out her foot with the new brace and wiggled it at her again.

Her mom came over and hugged her. I’m so proud of you. You work so hard, and you never complain.

Sorrel leaned against her mom. I complain sometimes.

When she pulled away, her mother noticed the bookshelf. That looks nice.

By dinner, her mother was back to her cheerful self, and Sorrel was ready to ask her big question. She finished all the food on her plate and even asked for a second helping of green beans to put her mom in an extra good mood.

Mom?

Her mom looked at her. Aunt Pru looked over, too.

Sorrel took a deep breath and said, There’s this video game called Dragon Canyon that I’d really like to try. She saw a frown grow on her mother’s face, so she continued quickly, It’s a team game designed to promote collaboration, and it has daily play limits built in so I can only play for a little while each day.

Aunt Pru jumped in, I’ve been hearing a lot about these new collaborative video games. The reviews are very positive, especially from parents. And, you know, the other day I read an article about a group of kids who got a scholarship to college for winning a video game competition.

Sorrel’s mom raised her eyebrows. A college scholarship for a video game competition?

Aunt Pru nodded and then caught Sorrel’s eye and winked.

Well, her mom said slowly, I suppose you could try it.

A huge smile spread across Sorrel’s face.

But you have to do your homework and all of your strengthening exercises first. Okay? I hear a lot about screen addiction, and I don’t want that happening.

Sorrel couldn’t agree fast enough. Of course.

Her mom turned to Aunt Pru. "Can you oversee