Prince Danny's Arc

Chapter 8 of 11

The low greeting from the south tower faded. Danny pressed his palm to the warm ring. He needed to know where the dragon was held. Allee answered before he asked. "Not the tower. That's a decoy. My father chained him below. Under the gold." She pulled a loose stone from the tower wall and showed him a small map scratched on its back. A vault. A stair. An arched door beneath the treasure rooms. "He's in the undercroft," she said. "Past the chalices. They wanted him close to what they stole." Outside, far off, came the sound of many boots. Not one patrol. A flood. Green guards spilling from the barracks, filling every hall like a tide. "How long do we have?" Danny asked. Allee looked through the hatch. Torches moved along the lower walls in a long crooked line. "Not long. They'll sweep the west wing first, then down." She did not soften it. "If you go now, you go alone. I keep the children here." Danny kissed each child's head. He left the golden shield leaning where he had set it. He took only the ring and the sheathed sword. The back hatch dropped him into the wild garden. He ran low, past the carved bench, down a servant's stair he had memorized weeks ago. The air grew cold and smelled of old coin. He found the arched door at the bottom. Gold spilled from cracked chests. Cups and plates glinted in the dim. And there, in the middle of the hush, lay the dragon — huge, breathing slow, wrapped neck to tail in glowing green emerald links that pulsed with a sick light. The chains were beautiful. They were also cruel. Danny knelt. The ring on his finger flared, and the nearest link cracked with a sound like ice. One by one, the emerald chains began to fall. The dragon opened one slow eye. Above them, boots hammered the stone. Danny set his hand on the warm scaled jaw. "I'm here," he said. "Get up." The last chain slid free. The dragon drew a long breath that shook dust from the arches. Behind Danny, far back up the stair, the first green shout went up. He was unchained. They were found. There was no going back now.