Wings of Fire; Creature / ✅

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Gleam's eyes widened in shock. Is that even fair? 

Peril had the ability to burn him with only just touching him. Clay had nothing that could beat her. 

What a horrible, horrible way to deem the Dragonets of Destiny's end to.

"I should have guessed," Gleam heard Peril murmur bitterly. "The only dragon here who can touch me. No wonder Scarlet made me stay away from you."

Gleam was shocked. What did Peril mean? Clay was just as flammable as every other dragon, wasn't he? Unless...

Gleam suddenly remembered; sometimes, Scarlet would've thrown her a scroll or two to make up for the lessons Gleam had missed. She learnt how to read on her own, and in one of the science scrolls she had read that every few years, a MudWing in a bloodred egg hatched, and the dragonet who came out of it was immune to fire. Gleam also realised that in the prophecy it hints that, 'for wings of earth search for the mud for the egg colour of dragon blood'. 

"There you go, Peril," Scarlet said somewhat cheerfully from beside Gleam. "The dragon you have to kill before I can set your mother free. Have fun!" 

Peril slowly prowled towards Clay, but Clay turned and sped towards the opposite side of the wall. Peril followed after a moment, chasing after him. When Peril was a footstep away, Clay suddenly turned and hit Peril to the ground. Gleam was shocked into gasping, and the crowd cheered in delight.

Peril's eyes were glazed in shock as she lay there while Clay ran to the other side of the arena again. Clay crouched with his back to the wall, his eyes on Peril. Peril got up slowly and hesitantly moved towards him. Gleam watched her mouth move but didn't hear anything come out. She watched them, frustrated, trying to lipread.

Clay responded something, and Peril talked again, and Clay replied again. Peril said something that seemed sincere and sad, and Clay responded emotionlessly again. Suddenly Peril snarled, as if Clay's response and angered her. She hissed something back and leapt towards him. Clay jumped to meet her attack and threw her over him, and Peril cannoned into the wall. Clay was at the other side of the arena by the time Peril was on her feet again.

Clay called something to Peril. Peril growled another response and stamped her feet, said something again and leapt for him once more, claws reaching towards him. Clay grabbed a talonful of sand and threw it in her eyes, darting away. Peril shrieked and rubbed her eyes, toppling sideways in the air. Clay grabbed her shoulders and flung her to the ground and rolled Peril onto her back. Clay sat on her, staring into her face. 

Clay said something again. Peril responded, trying to push him off her, but Clay's hulking, bigger bodyweight was stronger than her. She gave up easily. 

Clay shook his head to whatever Peril had said, his mouth moving. 

Gleam saw the crowd leaning in, listening to their conversation. Gleam wished she was among them so she could just hear what they were saying. 

"Hurry up and do it, then," Scarlet shouted from the balcony, as if she could hear what they were saying. "You have her at your mercy. Use your venom! That was thrilling, and I didn't even get to see it the first time."

Gleam tried not to flinch. The venom had come from Glory, not Clay. 

Clay and Peril suddenly stared at each other. Suddenly Gleam could hear what they were saying. 

"Did she say what I think she just said?" Clay asked Peril.

"If the venom didn't come from her," Peril responded, "then where-"

Suddenly, Gleam saw motion from the corner of her eye. She turned her head, startled, just as Glory rose from her tree spectacularly in a blaze of rose gold and nebula blue. She snapped her thin chain like a reed and launched herself off the marble tree. Her mouth was open wide like a cobra about to strike, and Gleam knew what was happening before it happened.