Fibian drove his blade into thedragon’s flesh a second time, cutting a deep trench into his hide. Roaring inpain and fury, Drache bridged and dove headfirst for the water.
“Nooo-”
The pool struck Cyrus in the sidewith a concussive slap. His surroundings became a ringing torrent of swirling bubblesand muffled thunder. Fighting for clarity, he pumped his limbs. He felt trappedin frigid oil.
When his senses gathered, he found himself floating upside down and heavywith clothing. Bewildered, Cyrus kicked and clawed his way through the churningwater, away from the crashing steel. His breath was running out. His handsgrasped stony bottom. He lifted his head and broke the surface. Cyrus stood atthe edge of the pool in waist-high water.
“Edward?”
He felt around his neck. Where was Edward?
Metal smashed against stone. Cyrusturned towards the ruckus. Fibian sailed past hishead and struck a tree on the riverbank. The froskmanclattered to the earth like a bundle of broken kindling.
“No.”
Cyrus splashed through the water and ran to Fibian’sside.
The froskman was groaning, clutching his chestwhere Rorroh’s blade had penetrated his heart. Cyrusheard the dragon nearing behind him. Heturned, his nerves electric, and drew hisblade. The dragon towered over him, ribbons of waterstreaming off his serrated iron frame.
“You’re coming with me,” Drache snarled.
He swiped at Cyrus with a steelyclaw. Cyrus ducked. The dragon missed, catching only Cyrus’ fur hat in his talons.Drache hunched low, exposing his bleeding stump.
“Or would you rather I eat you whole?”
Cyrus was not going back to that twisted Rorrohcreature no matter what. But what was he supposed to do? Run? Fight back? Bothwere suicide. He had to do something. He felt his heart beat as if it were goingto explode. Desperation took hold. Like a trapped mouse, he turned and fled fora small opening between two trees. Maybe he could lose the dragon in theunderbrush. A massive claw smashed the earth, blocking his path. Cyrus cutright, bolting along the water’s edge. He searched for another gap in thevegetation. A second claw struck down in front of him, cutting off his escape.He turned and began to backtrack. The dragon’s tail nearly crushed him. Cyrus was cornered. His lungs drew quick, shallowbreaths. He thought of Rorroh’s slavering maw and heramputated hand. What parts of him would she cut off in retribution? His mindbecame feral.
“So, you wish to be eaten alive, do you?” Dracheasked, closing in.
Again, the serpent hunched low, baring his fleshy stump. I’m notgoing back! Cyrus sprang at the beast like a barn cat. With his knife held high,he dove at the dragon’s exposed flesh. A hulking, armored head struck Cyrus inthe ribs. His world exploded into a massive swirl of stars. Then he crashed back into the shallows, his side screaming andhis thoughts scattered. Like dropped coins, he tried to collect his wits as hecrawled drunkenly through the water.
“Enough of this foolishness,” Drache growled.
Cyrus felt steel clamps grip him around the body, squeezing the windfrom his already battered chest. Panic cleared his vision, and he found himself face to face with theraging serpent.
“I would kill you myself,” Drache snarled,“but she will triple any torture I could think of.”
“You could have been free,” Cyrus wheezed, his blond hair plasteredacross his face, “why betray us?”
“I crossed the Vann Witch once,” Drache said,shaking his head, “Never again.”
The dragon turned to give flight.
“Please don’t,” Cyrus begged, “I’ll do anything.”
He looked around in desperation. The tree where Fibianhad lain was bare. The froskman was gone. Had he abandonedhim? And where was Edward? Dead in the water?
Drache twisted and roared. Fibian appeared on the dragon’s snout. Thank the Angels,Cyrus thought. Fibian unshouldered the bow andnocked an arrow. The dragon whipped his head, but Fibianclung to the beast’s bloody scales and held on. Loweringhimself down to one knee, the froskman drewthe string and fired the projectile point blank into the beast’s eye. The arrowhit the lid and shattered on impact. Again, Drachereeled and shrieked. Fibian nocked another arrow. Drache’s tail whipped past his head. The froskman ducked. He fired a second arrow at close range. ToCyrus’ dismay, the second splintered aswell, but Fibian was not about to give up. He nocked a third arrow.The dragon’s claw caught him clean in the back. Fibianwent sailing, head over heels, through the air.
“Noooo!” Cyrus screamed.
Then, to both Cyrus and Drache’s surprise, thefroskman loosed his bolt mid-flight. The arrow shotstraight amongst the roiling havoc and struck Drachein the exposed right eye.
“Gaaaaaarrrrrr!”
The dragon dropped Cyrus and clawed at his damaged face. Cyrus landed inthe shallows and watched as the beast shrieked and roared, splashing andstumbling through the churning pool. He beat his wings and swung his tail,splitting trees and stone alike. Then, with his good eye, he again caught sightof Cyrus. Cyrus scrambled to his feet.
“I’ll rip you and the froskman in two!” Drache shrieked, the shaft still protruding from his bloodysocket.
The dragon began to charge. Cyrus tried to flee, but the serpent closed the distance. Cyrus fell and curled fetally. Dracheshrieked, then jerked to a halt. He towered over top of Cyrus, frozen as if struck by lightning. Then, like acrumbling statue, the beast began to tip. He splashed into the water with amighty crash, causing plates and scales to fall into jagged heaps amongst thechurning silt. His head fell last. Cyrus winced and drew his legs in as theserpent’s skull smashed down at his feet. A wave of frigid water washed overCyrus’ body, chilling him to the bone.
“Angels,” he cried out, as hescrambled away from the yawning, jagged mouth.
He spotted Fibian lying in the grass, coveredin the dragon’s blood. He rushed to his side.
“Fibian, you okay?” Cyrus asked.
“I will live,” Fibian said, his vibrant voicesounding weak, “Where is the dragon?”
“Dead, I think,” Cyrus said, “You killed him.”
Fibian’s eyes litup, full of confusion.
“Where’s Edward?” Cyrus asked, searching his collar and pockets, “We haveto find him.”
He
