Did she protect our exit?
The dragon replied haughtily,I did not gethit by any more arrows.
Elizabeth marvelled, wondering what crime had landed a witch in a demon’s dungeon.
For that matter, where were all the lost mortal souls? It was the Underworld. She’d expected to see ghosts or wandering spirits in the afterlife.I’ll have to ask Asmodeus later.
Caspian groaned and slipped forward, jerking her attention back to him. Worried, Elizabeth spoke with Asmodeus and told the dragon:If we follow Asmodeus, he will lead us to the castle.
The dragon relented and slowed, circling lazily above Asmodeus and often drifting back and forth to remain behind him.
Tell him he flies slowly.
If Caspian had not been hanging by a thread, she would have smiled at the grumbling dragon. As it was, she held him to her waist and hoped he would be alright.
Soon, they passed into another domain, a blood-red sky with jagged black mountains everywhere. The air grew impossibly hotter, and she was surprised to see rivers of molten red and orange moving sluggishly below.
Elizabeth looked up and gasped. What looked like shooting stars arced across the red skies—at least ten bright yellow trajectories filled with light.
“Asmodeus! Are those shooting stars?!” she shouted over the wind.
He cannot hear you over the wind. I, as a being of fire, can answer best. They are firebirds.
Birds? But they are shooting across the skies!
Yes.
But how can that be?
They just are. Here comes another.
Elizabeth turned her head and saw a bird covered in fire. The bird had long feathers on its head with a sharply curved orange beak. Its tail drifted majestically behind it as it flew, edged in brilliant yellow flame.
Another bird joined the first. They arced together and let out soft caws, appearing to glow from within, leaving a trail of flame.
They are … beautiful.
Hmm … they are not so bad. Nothing compared to dragon flame.
Elizabeth grinned.Yes, of course.
The dragon snatched at one of the firebirds.
The firebirds chattered angrily and sped away through the skies.
Hmmph … If I did not care about dropping you, I would eat them for that.
Oh! Please let them go. They are so beautiful. Look at the fire arcing across the skies—like something out of a dream.
Thedragon slowed and took a large breath in, and as she exhaled, she unleashed a torrent of flame above them. The dragon ducked and swerved so the fire didn’t catch them.
Wow.
The dragon inhaled deeply—Elizabeth felt her belly bulge—then blew flames below them this time. The dragon breathed flame for nearly a full minute, fire ranging from bright yellow to flickering orange to blue.
That’s incredible!
The dragon did not deign to reply, but Elizabeth sensed she was pleased.
