Page 74 of Redeeming the Dragon

To my astonishment…she retreated a step.

“I order you to stop, Peddler,” she demanded, even as she backed away. “Cease your scrubbing.”

The soft green glow in the water spread. As it did, the stain on the shirt receded. It was back to the original, accidental drops. That feeling inside me flourished. I scrubbed and scrubbed. The soft green intensified. I could not stop. I would not. Here was the crux. If the curse was to be reversed, here was my chance to do it.

“I will not stop,” I said, louder this time. “Please back away. Let me work.”

“What is she doing, Mother?”

Atora cried the words even as murmurs raced around the room, spread by the crowd of servants and guards.

“Magic!” hissed the Scraggen. She bolted towards me. “Stop that!”

“Why? You used magic. Do you think us fools?” Kidron slammed in front of her before I had the chance to order her back. “If you can use it, so can she.”

“Move, dragon prince,” snarled the Scraggen. “Or this day will be the last your eyes shall ever see.”

That did it. I’d had my fill of this woman. My fill of her threats and curses, taunts and hunger for power. I jumped to my feet, snapping out the shirt to show it off.

“See there? It is clean! I have won the wager. I have defeated your daughter in the contest. I have redeemed the dragon. I demand you give him to me. I’ll have my prize, please.”

The murmurings from the onlookers grew even louder as I held up the shirt, spinning in a slow circle to show it off. When I faced the Scraggen, I stepped around Kidron and threw it right at her chest. She caught it, tossed it to the floor, and stomped on it.

“No!” she screeched. “I will not have it end so.”

Chapter 43

I’d scarcely begun to relish my victory when the witch-woman threw up a hand.

“Either you relinquish your claim on the dragon prince and leave Moonswept at once, or I kill you here and now,” she warned. A black funnel of wind, glittering with deadly shards of magic, sharp as glass, swirled about her hand. “Go, Peddler.”

“Lorna!” Kidron shouted and dove for the Scraggen, intending to grab her hand or arm. As he did, I shouted his name, and in that instant of confusion and threat and motion, the Scraggen flung out her hand. Shiny black magic burst in a deadly gout of flame…directly at the Warkin prince.

“Kidron!” I screamed. My shriek was drowned out by the stupendous roar issuing not from the dragon prince, but the dragon himself.

Instantly, the hall of Moonswept was filled with a tremendous black dragon. His golden eyes gleamed in rage, and he opened his mouth, releasing a roar that shook the timbers over our heads.

“Kidron!” I pleaded, darting in front of him. To my horror, the dragon lowered his head and belched a gust of flame directly at me. I threw myself to the ground, rolling to avoid it, coming up on my hands and knees, hearing the Scraggen laugh.

“Did you think your little cleaning trick would defeat me, Peddler? I know not who you are, but it doesn’t matter. This ends now.”

The witch-woman jerked her hand again, and the dragon’s head bobbed in time to it.

“Kidron,” I pleaded, “stop!”

He couldn’t hear me. The Scraggen had not only morphed him into his dragon, she’d assumed complete control over him. Once more, the beast released a belch of flame that skidded across the stone floor. Bystanders shrieked and dove out of the way. I also dove. This time, I didn’t quite make it in time. The flames snagged my trousers. I yelped, beating at them with my hands even as one of the maids cried,

“Peddler, look out!”

Light preserve me.

I barely had time to think the words before yet another ball of flame assaulted me. Instinct took over, causing me to twist my body and fall to the side. I crawled behind a stone pillar, hearing the Scraggen cackle, “Give up, Peddler! Relinquish the Warkin prince and I’ll save your life.”

“Never!” I shouted back, even as my brain whirled.

What to do? I didn’t think she would unleash Kidron’s full power, either by flame or the beast itself. Although the dragon was under her control, she risked it accidentally consuming Moonswept, so I figured I was safe from that. However, it would hardly take all of the dragon’s might or even a full gout of flame to kill me. I had to think quickly.

“Scraggen,” I shouted, “restrain the dragon. I’ll makeyou an offer.”

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