sheer rock face. Realization dawned on her frazzled mind. A cave.
It must be taking me to its—Oh, what did they call it?—lair. Yeah, that was it.
This was probably not a good thing.
The creature landed on the ledge, depositing her on the ground with a gentle touch at odds with the brute strength in its grip. The minute the dragon released her, she was on her feet and backing away, looking for any possible avenue of escape.
Stone walls surrounded her on both sides, the jagged, gray rock soaring high above her head. A brief glimpse behind her revealed the vast bowels of a cavern, too dark to see beyond what the fading sunlight could illuminate. Then there was Godzilla in the flesh crouched in front of her, blocking the mouth of the cave.
A low growl rumbled from the dragon as it lumbered toward her. Instinct for self-preservation backed her deeper into the dark inner recesses. This was so not good.
Please, please let there be a back door to this place.
The dragon continued to advance, its large body blocking out what little light there was. Reaching blindly around her, she groped for a hiding place. Could dragons see in the dark? Lord, she hoped not.
She bumped into something heavy, yet not quite solid. It shifted before slithering to the ground beside her. She shrieked and jumped away.
Oh, please don't let it be another dragon.
The beast in front of her roared, its deafening bellow reverberating off the stone walls. Then a bright light flared as fire shot out from its jaws, blinding her. Jill dropped to her knees in a protective crouch, covering her head with her hands as the flame shot over her, instantly heating the cool, damp air.
Long seconds ticked by. When she didn't feel her skin blister and peel from her body or smell the stench of singed hair, Jill raised her head. And her jaw dropped.
Dozens of torches embedded high in the stone walls illuminated the cave's interior with dancing light and shadows. She peeked at the dragon. It still crouched at the entrance, its scales shimmering in the torchlight, watching her. Waiting.
Okay. Why would a dragon need light?
Why, the better to see you so I can eat you, my dear.
Sure, dinner and candlelight—with her as the main course.
The burning torches hissed and somewhere deeper within the cave she heard the sound of trickling water. When the beast made no move to come after her, she rose on unsteady legs.
No quick moves, Jill. Slow and easy.
She'd taken only one step before the beast bolted up and snarled. Startled, Jill stumbled back, falling on her backside amid a mound of cold, shifting metal. Her heart settled in her throat as the dragon lunged at her. She scrambled to her feet and glanced around desperately for a weapon.
She didn't have far to look.
Swords, shields and lances littered the cave. A pile of small, linked metal rings lay in a jumbled heap at her feet. Was that a suit of mail armor she'd just tripped over? Leftovers, no doubt, from some poor, brave knight who tried to slay the dragon and got barbecued instead.
Grabbing the weapon closest at hand, Jill pointed a long sword at the dragon. It stopped, its eyes flaring bright, then frowned at her—or it would have, if it had eyebrows. She managed to hold the sword at chest level for all of five seconds before the weight forced her to lower the point to the ground.
"Damn, that's heavy."
The dragon advanced, a low rumbling growl issuing a dire warning if she ever heard one. Refusing to go down without a fight, Jill gripped the sword with both hands and aimed it at the creature's chest, determined to use it to keep from being lizard lunch if it killed her.
"Stay back or I swear I'll gut you like a biology class frog."
The dragon stopped and tilted its head, then huffed, snorting a tiny puff of smoke out of one nostril. Narrowing its golden eyes at her, the creature eased to its belly. With the sword firmly in her grip, Jill dared to take her eyes off it just long enough to glance around and
It must be taking me to its—Oh, what did they call it?—lair. Yeah, that was it.
This was probably not a good thing.
The creature landed on the ledge, depositing her on the ground with a gentle touch at odds with the brute strength in its grip. The minute the dragon released her, she was on her feet and backing away, looking for any possible avenue of escape.
Stone walls surrounded her on both sides, the jagged, gray rock soaring high above her head. A brief glimpse behind her revealed the vast bowels of a cavern, too dark to see beyond what the fading sunlight could illuminate. Then there was Godzilla in the flesh crouched in front of her, blocking the mouth of the cave.
A low growl rumbled from the dragon as it lumbered toward her. Instinct for self-preservation backed her deeper into the dark inner recesses. This was so not good.
Please, please let there be a back door to this place.
The dragon continued to advance, its large body blocking out what little light there was. Reaching blindly around her, she groped for a hiding place. Could dragons see in the dark? Lord, she hoped not.
She bumped into something heavy, yet not quite solid. It shifted before slithering to the ground beside her. She shrieked and jumped away.
Oh, please don't let it be another dragon.
The beast in front of her roared, its deafening bellow reverberating off the stone walls. Then a bright light flared as fire shot out from its jaws, blinding her. Jill dropped to her knees in a protective crouch, covering her head with her hands as the flame shot over her, instantly heating the cool, damp air.
Long seconds ticked by. When she didn't feel her skin blister and peel from her body or smell the stench of singed hair, Jill raised her head. And her jaw dropped.
Dozens of torches embedded high in the stone walls illuminated the cave's interior with dancing light and shadows. She peeked at the dragon. It still crouched at the entrance, its scales shimmering in the torchlight, watching her. Waiting.
Okay. Why would a dragon need light?
Why, the better to see you so I can eat you, my dear.
Sure, dinner and candlelight—with her as the main course.
The burning torches hissed and somewhere deeper within the cave she heard the sound of trickling water. When the beast made no move to come after her, she rose on unsteady legs.
No quick moves, Jill. Slow and easy.
She'd taken only one step before the beast bolted up and snarled. Startled, Jill stumbled back, falling on her backside amid a mound of cold, shifting metal. Her heart settled in her throat as the dragon lunged at her. She scrambled to her feet and glanced around desperately for a weapon.
She didn't have far to look.
Swords, shields and lances littered the cave. A pile of small, linked metal rings lay in a jumbled heap at her feet. Was that a suit of mail armor she'd just tripped over? Leftovers, no doubt, from some poor, brave knight who tried to slay the dragon and got barbecued instead.
Grabbing the weapon closest at hand, Jill pointed a long sword at the dragon. It stopped, its eyes flaring bright, then frowned at her—or it would have, if it had eyebrows. She managed to hold the sword at chest level for all of five seconds before the weight forced her to lower the point to the ground.
"Damn, that's heavy."
The dragon advanced, a low rumbling growl issuing a dire warning if she ever heard one. Refusing to go down without a fight, Jill gripped the sword with both hands and aimed it at the creature's chest, determined to use it to keep from being lizard lunch if it killed her.
"Stay back or I swear I'll gut you like a biology class frog."
The dragon stopped and tilted its head, then huffed, snorting a tiny puff of smoke out of one nostril. Narrowing its golden eyes at her, the creature eased to its belly. With the sword firmly in her grip, Jill dared to take her eyes off it just long enough to glance around and
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