Gwenevere is a child of infinite possibility, and she has five thousand competitors playing her game. For Eliza, Nox, Zola and Bleidd, this means facing down thirteen floors riddled with dragons, cat kingdoms and cabbages. Yet in a world where anyth...
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Eliza felt rooted to the spot.
She didn't want to make a sound— for all she knew, simply moving might summon the dragon down upon her, and that she most certainly didn't want.
The vanishing sun left the forest in a growing darkness. The shadows slowly reached out her her, and perhaps if she was careful enough, she would be able to slip into them and disappear back into the woods before the dragon could sense her.
Slowly, as quietly as she possibly could, she began to inch back towards the trees, never once taking her eyes off that long tale bathed in the evening violet and amber light.
The trees weren't very far away, just a little farther and she'd be safe—
"CAERWYN! CAERWYYYYYYYN!"
Her heart skipped a beat. Eliza froze, watching as the dragon's tail shifted on the cliff.
"CAERWYN!" The voice cried again, and this time Eliza sought it out. Her eyes darted to the figure of a young girl, standing at the base of the cliff, banging her little fists against the pale stone. She looked hardly seven years old, with long brown hair that went down below her waist and a simple blue nightgown.
The little girl sobbed and opened her mouth, ready to cry out again, and Eliza rushed to intercept her. "CAER—" Eliza reached the girl, and wrapped her arms around her, cutting off the girl mid-cry.
And not a moment too soon. Above, the dragon let out a bellowing roar and turned around to face over the cliff— allowing Eliza to see its face and body. Rapidly she thrust her shielded arm up above her and the girl, praying that the camouflage would do its job. Her heart raced, and the girl had gone completely stiff.
After another roar, the white dragon flared its massive, pale wings and leapt out from the cliff, causing a few stray rocks to tumble down around them. Wind blasted around them from the beating of the great beast's wings, stirring up the leaves and grass. Miraculously, the dragon didn't seem to notice them as it sailed away over the woods, its pale scales glowing in the sunset light.
She sent a silent thanks to Zola for giving her the shield— if it hadn't been for the knight, she would likely have been dragon food by now.
When Eliza estimated that the dragon was far enough away, she took the girl by the arm and pulled her back towards the cover of the trees. To her surprise, the girl resisted. "Wait— wait!"
The girl whined. "Caerwyn! He's leaving! I need to find him!" Tears rolled down her smooth cheeks as she tilted her head back towards the sky. "CAERW—"
"Hush!" Eliza reprimanded, panic surging through her that the dragon would return if they were heard. "Please be calm. We need that dragon not to hear us, okay?"
