“Felix, you fool!” His father’s voice growled through the darkness. “Why did you come here?”
Felix blinked, hurt at his father’s tone. But he saw a thin white hand reach between the bars, and he took hold of it in both of his. “I had to come, Father.”
His father’s hand squeezed briefly, but his voice came harsh from the other side of the door. “Go away. Now! Get out before those men return.”
“I have to free you first,” Felix said. Then he stopped and sat up, letting go of his father’s hand. He had overlooked an important detail: the dungeon keys.
–––––––
A shout rang through the courtyard. The dragon girl turned, startled, and saw the Duke of Shippening at the top of the front steps, gesturing toward her and bellowing, “Quick, men! Surround her! All of you!”
The men at work hauling the treasures dropped their burdens, drew their weapons, and rushed toward her. She was surrounded in a moment, one pale girl in a forest of a hundred swords. She stood quietly with her head bowed and did not meet their eyes.
“Let me through!” the duke bellowed, and a ripple moved through the many-layered fence of soldiers as they made way for their overlord. He stood at last before her, his arms crossed, looking down on her.
“Your looks ain’t improved much, wench, and I’ll tell you that straight.” The duke puffed heavily through fat lips. “Well, ’tain’t no difference. He was right anyway. He said you’d come back if we captured your father.”
Her head jerked sharply, though she did not look up. “My father?”
“Wouldn’t let me kill him yet. Said it would be a waste of good bait.” The duke reached out and grabbed her chin roughly. “My, but you’re an ugly thing, like a lizard you are! But you’ll do, little princess. Now I’ll send your father to join your dead brother, and with you as my wife, no one will contest my claim to the throne!”
She raised her eyes to his face, and the duke found himself looking into bottomless depths of molten heat. He screamed as though burned and backed away into his circle of soldiers who, frightened, also stepped back, raising their weapons higher.
The Dragon’s laugh rolled like heat lightning over their heads. The men of Shippening fell away, parting so that a path cleared between her and the Dragon. Their eyes locked across the distance.
“You are much too honest, my child,” the Dragon said, smiling so that she could see the fire between his teeth. “Look at you. Even now you look more dragon than human. Most of my children hide it better.
You will not be able to walk in man’s world like that.”
“I am not your child,” she growled.
He shook his head and strode with a catlike tread down the path between the soldiers until he stood over her. “Of course you are,” he said. “My own pretty child.”
“Dragon!” The Duke of Shippening’s voice quavered, but he coughed and spoke again. “Dragon, honor your promise now. Give her to me.”
“Honor my promise?” The Dragon turned a slow gaze upon the duke. “I don’t recall you honoring yours, Duke Shippening. Did you bring the king here? My memory seems a bit hazy on that score. I could have sworn that was my doing.”
“You have no use for her,” the duke said. “Give her to me, as we agreed!”
The Dragon turned his slow smile back down upon the girl. “Your last brave suitor is most ardent. At least one of them still wants you, little princess.”
She did not break the Dragon’s gaze as she spoke. “Duke Shippening, leave my father’s house immediately.” Her voice hissed with fire.
“Wh-what?” the duke cried.
She turned to him, and her stare could have melted his eyes had he stood closer. “Leave my father’s house.”
The duke paled and stepped back, his hands before him. One by one his men had slipped away, loath to remain so near the Dragon and the strange girl, and now the duke found himself horribly alone. He sought his one ally. “Dragon?”
The Dragon laughed again, turned on his heel, and started toward the sagging front doors of the royal house. “Come with me, daughter. I would have you bear treasures back to my Hoard. I have been considering how I should best transfer them. Your coming is fortunate. There is much more inside, down in the vaults to which you so kindly led me. Once you have borne them to the Village, you will await there my return.”
“Stop,” she said.
The Dragon paused on the threshold and looked back over his shoulder.
She raised her chin. “You will not enter my father’s house again, nor – ” She choked on the flames in her throat. “Nor will you touch his goods with your dirty hands.”