Page 104 of Heart of the Summer Queen

Elaric shuts his eyes, reinforcing our shield. Through it, I glimpse the dragon’s jaw unhinging, hurling a barrage of frost at us.

The volley slams into the barrier. One punctures through, and I duck just in time to avoid it. The rest of our shield shatters apart.

Elaric seizes my arm, towing us behind a nearby cart scant seconds before another blast devours our former position. We double over, sheltering heads and necks lest any needles pierce our new cover.

An irritated snort rumbles through the square. The earth trembles as the dragon stalks toward us.

We bolt up and sprint for the inn ahead.

Seeking shelter in a building that those jaws could crush might be foolish, but what choice do we have? Right now, we can’t fight her or flee quickly enough. Even if Elaric conjured a winged steed, we’d never outrace her through the sky.

Isidore lunges, seizing the cart in her massive claws. Another instant, and we’d have been caught with it.

Boards crack and splinter beneath her might, raining on us as we run.

A large plank crashes onto the tavern’s steps, blocking our escape. With Isidore mere paces behind, we’ve no time to clear it or find another path.

“Elaric!” I shout, seizing one end with my free hand. Together, we heave aside the frozen wood.

I glance back, expecting to see fangs snapping for us. Instead, tremendous wings beat, their force nearly toppling us off the stairs.

Isidore takes to the air, her terrifying form eclipsing the moon. But she soars only briefly before angling back, plummeting toward the inn itself.

We scramble clear mere yards away from the collision.

The entire building collapses beneath the dragon’s might. We sprint on through the barrage of debris now pelting our backs.

Ahead lies a gap between the buildings, leading to an alley. Perhaps we can lose Isidore in the side streets? Even if she searches from above, the cluster of roofs should hide us. And with Irremisa masking Elaric’s presence, we could run halfway across the city before she spots us. Granting us enough time to summon a steed for our escape.

But my blooming hope is crushed as Isidore’s tail lashes across the street. It pulverizes the cobblestones, cutting off our path.

The ground heaves with a quake so fierce it splits open in a yawning crevice.

I stumble. As does Elaric. The hilt of my blade slips through my fingers, just as the ground tilts downward.

I lunge, trying to catch it before it’s lost.

But the sword slides too quickly.

I dive forward. My fingers close around the sword, right before it tumbles into the chasm. So much momentum propels me that stopping is impossible. I narrowly slow in time, but then my foot slips over the edge.

And I fall.

thirty-eight

“Adara!” Elaric shouts. Through the wind’s deafening roar, his voice sounds distant.

I glance up, suspended on a ledge jutting out from the smooth chasm wall. My fingers ache from supporting my full weight. I grit my teeth, unsure how long I can hold on.

“Adara!” he calls again. This time his face appears above, gaze frantically scanning the darkness until he spots me clinging halfway down the abyss.

My hand starts to slip, jolting my heart. I tighten my grip with a pained hiss. But no matter how hard I try, exhaustion seeps through me. My strength is swiftly waning.

Elaric takes in my precarious position. He stretches down, leaning out over the edge. Even with his considerable reach, his fingertips hover inches shy of my own.

As he meets my eyes, his jaw sets. “I’ve got you,” he vows.

I stare up at his hand, which is so close yet infinitely far. My only chance at reaching him is releasing my hold on the sword. But without it, how will we defeat Isidore? Or perhaps that no longer matters. Perhaps only fleeing matters now.

---