Young Writers Society

Chapter 28: She's So Hot She Caught on Fire Ba Dm Tsh

(this title is dedicated to @mydwindlingsanity)

Carter was doing something different, and Clandestine didn't know if it was bad or good, but she could only assume he had bad intentions.

She was being moved this time. Not for food, not for water, and not to help her go to the bathroom. The chair was getting taken away, and even though her body was still nearly numb all over, she could feel her joints ache as her arms and legs shifted. The cuffs that held her to the chair were replaced with giant metal gauntlets that swallowed her hands in capsules, and then they did the same thing for her feet.

The new cuffs were chained to the floor, but the chains looked like they would be just long enough for her to move, at least a little bit. Anything at this point would be better. Any amount of freedom for her muscles to stretch, for her body to shake off some of the stiffness. But she wasn't sure how far she'd be able to get.

The cuffs were heavy, and it felt like someone was sitting on her hands and feet to hold her down. She already couldn't move, but now she felt even more helpless.

Once her cuffs were secured, the servants helping her slowly exited the room. Even Carter backed out, only glancing back for a moment before he stepped through the door.

But instead of the solid steel door groaning shut, a different door passed over. One with bars. One she could see through, and Carter stood there, looking in.

He wanted to make her useful? What, by putting her on display, like some zoo?

It wasn't until she slowly started regaining feeling that she realized what was really changing.

He was going to stop drugging her. He was going to let her actually be able to move, even if she was still chained up. Even though she was glad for it she couldn't help but feel like it was an insult of some kind. Like she'd proven herself to not be as dangerous or intimidating as he first assumed. Almost as if he'd overestimated her power, and was now disappointed.

She glared at him.

"I think you deserve a little change of pace," Carter said, tapping his armored fingers against one of the metal bars with a rhythmic clinking.

"See, the king is a little disappointed that you're not all we'd hoped," he said, letting his eyes drag slowly over to her. "But in some ways, that plays into our favor. A weak dragon is easy to kill, and we wouldn't have to worry about that kind of power being in the wrong hands."

He shrugged slightly.

"I'm the only one who wants to keep you alive right now," he said, lowering his voice, and squatting down to look at her closer to her eye level. Because she was lying on the ground.

"If you can't prove yourself useful to me, in a minute, you'll be joining your traitorous friend in the ground."

Clandestine started to feel her blood burn again. The numbness started to peel away from her fingertips as pins and needles started to prick at her nerves. It was painful, but it was the first thing she'd felt in days. Weeks. She still didn't know how long. She wished she could flex her fingers to spread the sensation, but they were pressed securely between two walls of metal.

She took in a deep breath and huffed through her nose.

"Good, that's where I belong," she spat. But she had to swallow a knot threatening to form in her throat. She couldn't cry again. Not for Carter's entertainment.

Another deep breath and she closed her eyes.

She was back there. Back in the cave. Her freed hands slammed against the cavern walls and then she looked to the light ahead and rushed forward. She didn't know when Carter would interrupt her again. She had to hurry.

As she burst out of the cavern tunnel, the inside of the mountain opened up into a massive cave that stretched further and higher than she could comprehend. Ice crystals had formed in the ceiling, in the walls, and grew out of the floor like stone-carved bushes. And in the midst of the crystals, was a dragon.

She filled the whole room, curled in a ball, and a wave of fluttering fire seemed to peek through the cracks of her vibrantly red-orange scales. Her shoulders moved up and down with her slow, steady breaths, but otherwise, she was still.

Her long neck curved around her body and her head was laid in front, facing the place where Clandestine had entered, with her eyes closed. Clandestine stared in awe at the tall, arching horns that curved around her face. They were yellow in hue and almost looked like they were glowing.

Tendrils of smoke came out of her nostrils, and Clandestine couldn't help but feel like... she was waiting for her. But she was asleep.

She could remember the stories Sylva used to tell her about dragons. About their god-like power, and how they could smite you with one breath. Fear gripped her heart, and she shuddered.

Then she took a hesitant step forward.

The dragon's eyes sprung open and stared right into hers.

Svida. That was the dragon's name. Svida, the dragon of fire.

Clandestine let out an audible gasp as she came to once again, back on the cold, hard, dungeon floor. She had feeling in her arms and shoulders now, a buzzing spreading throughout her whole body. She was able to curl forward, just a little, and she was able to feel the sweat sticking her shirt to her back.

She had to go back there. Everything in her mind told her no, to stay away from the dragon, to do the smart thing, but her heart told her to close her eyes again. She was supposed to be there. She was supposed to meet her.

Her eyes snapped shut.

She could feel her heart beating like a drum.

The tendrils of smoke turned into clouds as Svida let out a breath through her nose, and Clandestine felt it enter her lungs as it engulfed her. It was sulfuric, but it didn't sting.

When the smoke cleared, Clandestine saw Svida's bright green eyes were fixated upon her, and she felt glued to the ground.

"Time is running out," the dragon's voice echoed like it was booming throughout the whole room. "I'm sorry I didn't find you sooner." Svida shifted and brought her head closer, so they were looking face to face, with less than a foot between them.

Svida's eyes were bigger than Clandestine's head.

She felt so small.

And yet, Svida's draconic features somehow expressed concern as her scaly brows knitted towards each other.

"I'm sorry, young dragon," she said.

Clandestine felt like her heart could burst out of her chest.

"I won't be around for much longer. Please, find me," the voice rang in her ears. "Before it's too late."

Carter's voice ripped her from the cave, and she came to heaving and sweating even more. She hadn't heard what he said, but it didn't matter. She could feel her strength returning. Something was boiling in her gut, spilling over, ready to burst. She rested her elbows on the ground and pushed herself up, so she was on her hands and knees, facing the door. She couldn't get any higher. Her restraints wouldn't allow it.

Carter was silent now, watching her with a neutral expression, and half-lidded eyes. She looked at him and scowled.

"You can't keep me here," she said, her voice low. Heat was rushing to her face and rising in her chest.

Carter put his hand on something beyond the doorframe.

Fire itched in her throat, and she took in one more deep breath.

She was going to get out of here. She would fight, and she would fight with everything she had.

She could hear the creaking of the metal door sliding shut.

She opened her mouth and let out a roar, and the entire room was engulfed in flames.

Just before the door closed, she thought she caught a glimpse of Carter smiling.