Page 37 of Rapunzel's Gambit (All That Glitters)

My blood turned to ice. “What do you mean?”

Griffin slowly shook his head. “The dragon laid claim to a nearby orphanage. He says it’s part of his hoard now.”

It was impossible to breathe. Pollox wouldn’t do something like that. There must be a mistake. Pollox was kind. He wouldn’t do anything to hurt someone, least of all children.

“Was anyone hurt?”

“I don’t know. When I saw what was happening, I told Ivan we needed to get you immediately. I have this for you. Take it.” He straightened and once again pushed the pouch at me.

Carefully, I tugged it open. Inside, there was a fine purple powder, completely odorless. “Dragonsbane?” I asked, cinching it back up and tucking it into my bodice.

He nodded confirmation. “It was difficult, but we managed to procure some. Keep it safe until the reinforcements come, then throw it on the dragon to weaken him and we’ll be able to kill him.”

I winced slightly, but Griffin didn’t seem to notice. He had looked over the edge of the tower, then quickly retreated back to where I was standing. “This is a lot higher than it looked from the ground.”

“You can’t climb down this soon after climbing up. Your arms must be burning.”

“Not as much as they will be if the dragon finds me here. I don’t know how long he’ll be occupied at the orphanage.”

I shook my head. Did Pollox think me lamenting about the state of my father’s rule was a request for him to take over everything?

“I’ve been worried about you,” Griffin said quietly. His hand lifted to graze across my throat again, pressing along the side of my neck.

Oh scales, how desperately I hoped that Pollox wouldn’t be back for some time. “Can Ivan see us?” I whispered, brushing my hand over Griffin’s chest. His heartbeat had slowed since climbing the rope but was still elevated.

“I don’t think so. But even if he could,” he added defensively, “I’m the one who climbed the tower.”

“Ah,” I teased. “You climbed the tower, so you won the fair maiden? You’re no squire; you’re a knight in shining armor.”

“I wouldn’t say no to earning a kiss from said fair maiden,” Griffin told me, staring steadily at me.

Unprepared for his boldness, I couldn’t resist the smile that spread across my face. “I would like that, too.”

Griffin’s hand crept around to cradle my neck and head while his other arm snuck around to press against the small of my back. I melted against him. How desperately I needed this. “I’m glad you’re here,” I whispered, closing my eyes and waiting for him to kiss me.

“I am, too.” I felt the warmth of his face as he drew nearer.

The kiss never came.

A sudden, powerful burst of air nearly knocked me off my feet, and I dropped to my hands and knees, Griffin falling beside me, as all four of Pollox’s taloned feet hit the tower at the same time, his wings still expanded to their full, and terrifying, size. The normal reddish-brown sheen of his hide had intensified to a deep shade of scarlet, and the heat pouring off him was overwhelming, even for me.

Griffin had no sword, nothing to defend himself against the dragon. The flames in Pollox’s eyes were alive with fury. Even though I knew it was supposed to be an act, a ripple of fear coursed through me. His anger felt real. Steely talons crushed the stone merlon into a fine powder as Pollox advanced, fangs bared and flames licking out of his mouth. Griffin reached for where I’d tucked the dragonsbane out of sight, but before he could lay a hand on it, Pollox attacked. Like a striking serpent, his neck extended and drove his head between me and Griffin, forcing us apart.

“Don’t. Touch. Her.” The grating rasp of Pollox’s voice was amplified to ten times the usual amount, and I found myself trembling with fright as Pollox’s mad eyes drew closer, staring down Griffin. As the dragon loomed over us, his wings nearly blocked out the sun, throwing his form into shadow, lit only by his fiery eyes. Pollox’s tail whipped behind me and gripped Griffin around the middle.

“No! Stop!” I shrieked, but Pollox didn’t appear to have heard me.

With a shout of alarm, Griffin was pulled off his feet and raised to eye level with the dragon. He threw up his hands in a vain attempt to block Pollox’s scorching breath. Pollox shook the squire and hissed, “If you touch her again, it will be the last thing you ever do.” Sparks literally flew from his mouth, and Griffin yelped as the fire singed his hair.

An arrow bounced harmlessly off Pollox’s neck, and I searched for its source. Far below, Prince Ivan had his bow out, valiantly trying to help his squire by loosing arrow after arrow, all of which clattered against the tough dragon hide with no effect. Pollox took off, soaring around the tower as Ivan drew his sword. But it was all for naught. It took Pollox less than a second to shatter the sword with a snap from his massive jaws before he snatched up Ivan as well and flew off over the forest to collect the next ransom, exhaling a long burst of flame as he left.

I ran my fingers over the crushed stone that showed scorch marks from where Pollox had landed in his blaze of anger as a smoky smell filled the air. He had never been so in character before; I still shook from the terror of seeing him as everyone else did.

I pulled the dragonsbane out of my bodice and ran a finger over the bag’s stitching. I’d heard of this substance, but it was extremely expensive and very difficult to come by. I didn’t need it, of course. Pollox would never hurt me. But even so, the image of Pollox’s eyes flaming orange when he snarled at Griffin to keep his hands off me couldn’t be warded off. I had originally thought that it was sweet Griffin was concerned for me, but maybe he was right—having backup security wouldn’t hurt. I stashed it away again, glad of the extra weight that felt like an added protection to me. Even if Pollox did ever try to injure me, at least now I had a way to weaken him.

CHAPTER17

My unease slowly wore off as the room reverted back to my normal quarters and I wiled away the rest of the afternoon, waiting for Pollox to return. Maybe Griffin hadn’t understood what he had seen and Pollox was helping the orphanage. To anyone who didn’t know Pollox like I did, he could certainly appear frightening and intimidating. If only I’d had more time to question Griffin about what he’d seen.

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