The Witch and the Dragon - Beta

Chapter Four

"So?" the dragon asked and she turned from the forest to regard him. "If your village had no princesses, why did they send you? If they wanted you to fight me, they weren't doing you a favour by tying you to a pole. And saddling you with... that." He tilted his horned head at her black corset and the endless satin skirt.

"They knew I couldn't fight you." Her lip curled. "I'm not that good a witch."

The dragon arched his eyebrows but said nothing.

"I was the only one without a family." Her grandmother died years ago, and, apart from William, no one would even notice she was gone, let alone care. She might have done the same thing, if she'd had to make the choice. Maybe. It didn't stop it hurting, though. "And the mayor didn't want to risk his own daughter."

"And these are the people you're so keen to return to?" His mouth curled. "They don't seem to care very much for your welfare, given that they tied you to a stick as dragon bait."

Needled, she shot back, "They wouldn't have had to if you hadn't been terrorising our village. And you were the one who wanted a princess."

"They offered me a princess," he replied. "I didn't ask for anything."

She pressed her lips together and looked away, into the dark velvet sky. For a moment there was silence save for the rustling wind. Alannah smoothed out her hands, grimacing at the dirt caked beneath her fingernails. "What about me?" asked Alannah. "Can't you fly me back?"

The dragon stretched, tendons flexing and going taught. "No. I'm not flying anywhere again tonight."

"Some dragon you are," she muttered. Alannah took another step towards the path and he turned, keeping her in his sight.

"Don't witches usually have familiars? Toads, or owls or something?"

"I'm allergic," she replied.

His eyebrows shot up again. "You are unusual," he murmured.

Something wet landed on her bare shoulder. Startled, Alannah glanced up at the sky and was rewarded with another drop on her nose. "Rain? Now?"

The dragon hissed. She glanced at him and found him standing with his shoulders hunched and his expression twisted. He looked like a giant sleek cat that'd been caught in a downpour.

"I'm guessing dragons aren't all that fond of rain," she said dryly.

"Dragons breathe fire," he said. "Of course we don't like rain."

At that moment, the sky opened. Her stupid silk dress clung to her like a shroud and sent a series of icy shudders to her core. "Where the hell did this come from?" she muttered. She eyed the entrance to the dragon's cave. Well, maybe sticking around for a little longer wasn't such a bad idea. There was no way she could travel in this.

The dragon had already retreated to the cave's entrance and stood, shaking out his hair and scattering drops of water over the ground. Honestly, he barely looked wet. Alannah cast one last glance up at the sky and sighed. She jogged the few steps to the outer rim of the cave.

Alannah tucked herself into a small ball and huddled at the entrance to the cave. From the ground drifted a wet, fresh smell that reminded her of new flowers and overturned soil. A shudder racked her and she curled in a little tighter.

"If you're cold...." came the dragon's voice, loaded with innuendo.

"Don't come a foot closer," she said, "or I'll make you regret it."

"I thought you weren't very good at spells."

"I don't need a spell to kick you where it hurts."

He laughed and slid a few steps closer. Even in his human form, he moved in an unearthly way; as precise and graceful as a snake on the hunt. And that's what he is, she reminded herself. Nothing but a snake on the hunt for a mostly-defenceless mouse. "You'll catch something fatal if you stay in those wet clothes," he purred.

Alannah rubbed her hands together briskly. "Nonsense," she said. "Why don't you start a fire and we can both warm up." Dragon fire had to be good for something.

"I'm starting to see why they tried to get rid of you," said the dragon and it was only with strong control that she managed to suppress a wince.

She avoided his eyes. "Oh, please –"

"Is that a request?" he interrupted and she rolled her eyes.

"I'm starting to see why you have to blackmail people into giving up their princesses. I'd be shocked if you actually managed to get one yourself."

"Certainly not if they're anything like you," he muttered and she threw him a glare. "Have it your way."

A tingle of magic crept up her spine. It felt like the dragon himself; warm, sultry and difficult to ignore. She watched, wide-eyed, as the dragon's human form melted away and he resumed his dark, reptilian shape. The temperature jumped up; as though a furnace had been lit beside her. "That... was actually quite impressive," she admitted.

I'm flattered, he replied caustically. Now that she'd heard his human voice, she recognised it in his mental words. It was the same deep, rough-silk sound. He turned and Alannah ducked to avoid his massive, bat-like wings.

"Where are you going?" she called.

To sleep. The dragon's long tail vanished into the darkness and his voice echoed back through her mind. I trust that you can find your own way back. And just like that he was gone, and she was alone in a damp cave in the middle of nowhere.

Alannah sat back against the rock wall. "I hate dragons," she decided. "Selfish, conceited, arrogant – I hope you can hear me," she added,throwing the words in the direction he'd gone. "I'm going to tell every knight on the continent where you live."

Be my guest.

Exasperated, she dragged her fingers through her hair. The rain didn't look like it was going to let up anytime soon. Which meant that she wasn't going home anytime soon, either. NOt that anyone back home would care.

Not true: William would be missing her. She snorted. "If he's even looking for me." Maybe William had been in on it too. Maybe they all had. Maybe the dragon was right.

No, she thought. I can't think that. They had to be missing her.

But no one came riding to my rescue, did they? said another part of her mind.

Well, so what? She'd been absolutely fine rescuing herself so far, she'd just have to do it again.

She sighed and rested her chin on her knees. Just as soon as this damn rain stopped.

Something glinted among the shattered rocks. Frowning, Alannah reached forward and dug it out. It was a small, oval thing, dark violet and with a faint sheen. It gleamed in the palm of her hand, even in the darkness. Her breath hissed out from between her teeth. A dragon scale. A handful more littered the cave floor. She could make a decent amount of gold from these. Or cast a damn good spell. At least she'd get something out of this whole fiasco. Alannah tucked a handful into a small pocket in her dress and waited for the rain to ease.