Savage Beauty(29)

I smiled and curtseyed to him. “Thank you, Prince.”

He grabbed my upper arm as I stepped away from him, turning me back until our eyes met. “Be careful.”

“Easy, Prince. It almost sounds like you care about me.”

“I do care.”

“You shouldn’t.” And William shouldn’t have, either. Look where caring about me got him. “If something happens, Ember will see you home. I promise, you’ll be fine with or without me.”

His brows furrowed. It was the same look William once gave me before he said something heartfelt and sappy. “Save it for when I return. And be ready with the broom.”

“Don’t you dare send me into the air,” he growled. He was still stewing a little about hovering above while I dealt with the wolf.

“I won’t. But if something does go wrong, take my broom and run.”

“Why would I need the broom? I couldn’t fly with it.”

“No, you couldn’t, but you might have to beat a dragon away with it. Like you walloped the wolf’s paw.” His mouth dropped open. Likely he was contemplating his own death by fire-breathing dragon, and the fact that my broom would do nothing to protect him against a beast ten times larger than the one he’d faced earlier tonight.

I eased from his grip and took a deep breath as I stepped into the cave, skirting along the right side, hopefully blending with the stalagmites. Most dragons slept near the entrances of their cave, but this dragon had to be difficult. This dragon decided to make things complicated by nesting deep inside the cave.

It was dark as pitch, the air damp and chilled. Seeing in the dark had never been an issue and it wasn’t one now, but dragons could also see well in the darkness. They were large and fast, their teeth sharp as razors, their tails as lethal as their fiery breath.

I wound my way through the twisted labyrinth until I could see a large room. The nest lay just ahead. I crouched behind a large formation and watched the beast as it slept.

I just needed it to stay that way. Asleep.

“Weary mother,

Take your sleep,

Ignore your nest,

So I can reap,” I whispered.

The magic flowed from my fingertips, glowing green and swirling around the enormous animal. She breathed in the smoke and fell farther into a sleepy trance.

Dragons’ scales were so hard, even magic sometimes couldn’t penetrate them. But she’d inhaled it, giving me a chance. I just hoped this worked long enough for me to get in and get out.

I eased toward the nest and reached out to take one of the eggs inside. There were several. Surely, she wouldn’t miss just one...

The beast shifted just as I touched one of the eggs. Two great yellow, slitted eyes opened and a thunderous boom burst forth from her chest as she saw me. The scent of smoke filled the room as a rumbling began in her broad chest.

How is she still awake?!

I took the closest of her eggs and ran like the wind. Fire exploded around me, smoke choking my lungs as I pushed harder, faster. She broke through the cave formations as she pursued me and bits of stone stung my skin. She was right on my tail; stumbling and staggering in her exhausted state, but still able to keep up. I would have hated to see her awake and alert. If she let out another fiery breath, I was a goner.

“Run!” Phillip shouted just ahead, holding the broom out for me.

He’s too close! “Run, Phillip! Into the forest!”

He shook his head, knees bent and ready. “I won’t leave you behind!”

Stubborn prince. Damn his morals.

I pumped my arm, clutching the egg tightly, and nearly tackled him.

He took the egg and ran with me at his side. We pumped our arms, our lungs expanding and contracting with every harsh breath, and our feet flew as she chased us into the woods. Right until something jerked me backward.

Chunks of hair tore from my scalp. The dragon’s claw had caught hold of my hair and was tangled in it. She threw me to the ground and roared in my face. Her eyes glanced all around, searching for her egg.

“Let her go!” Phillip shouted. The she-dragon raised her head, spewing a stream of fire at him. He crouched behind a large oak just in time to avoid her flame.

She turned her attention back to me, sniffing me for the scent of her offspring. Her eyes flashed in anger. She knew I’d taken it, but couldn’t find it anywhere.

Footsteps cut through the fallen leaves as Phillip made his way closer to us. His stubborn bravery was going to get him killed. “Stay back!” I shouted.

The loud cracking sound of wood breaking set my teeth on edge. “Was that my broom?” I screeched.

The dragon rose to her full height. She was going to attack him.

I pushed myself up and crouched before her, pushing against her thick, tough scales and willing them to soften. “Throw the broom!”

Phillip hesitated, creeping closer.

“Phillip, for the love of the moon, throw my broom to me now!”

It landed beside me and I angled the now-broken stick at her heart. The great lizard tensed when she felt the sharp edge at her chest. She glanced down at me, her heart racing faster.

“I will kill you now if you don’t stop this,” I said softly, lethally. “You have other eggs, but your offspring will have no mother to help them navigate this world when they hatch if I end you.”

She snorted, her nostrils flaring, smoke trails filtering out of them.