Page 77 of Red Dragon’s Flame

After a minute, Devon heard what Michelangela had already picked up with her wolf hearing. The sound of chanting in the distance, low and repetitive and spine-chilling.

The phoenix in the next cage moved restlessly at the sound. Devon broke out into a sweat, her temperature soaring. The chanting was pushing her own phoenix over the edge.

She and Michelangela looked at each other. Devon said, “The cavalry better be on their way.”

“They are,” Mikey said. “But it doesn’t hurt to give them a hand.”

She stood and went to the front of her cage, scanning the pile of ritual equipment. Finally she said softly, “Hey, Ziggy.”

Devon felt a breeze go past her face. “Hold on,” she said. “Has the zefir been with us the whole time?”

“He follows me everywhere. Like a puppy. Ziggy, can you get me one of those fans over there?”

In the center of the row of cauldrons was a fire pit, with a fire already laid. At each of the four corners of the pit sat a large metal cube with an ornamental fan leaning against it—giant versions of old-fashioned ladies’ fans.

After a moment, one of the fans lifted and began to float over to Michelangela’s cage, turning sideways to fit through the bars.

“Thanks.” The parts of the fan that slid behind each other to fold it up were anchored with thin metal strips, coming to a point at the ends. Michelangela bent two of them down at the base, then manifested her wolf claws and slashed them away from the handle. “Excellent, Zig. Can you put it back now?”

The fan obediently floated away. Devon noticed that Ziggy put it back with the damaged end down, so it was less noticeable. Smart zefir.

Michelangela took the thin strips of metal and went to work on the lock of her cage. “Thank the wolf gods these guys are old school, with mechanical locks,” she said as she manipulated the strips.

Because of course she knew how to pick locks.

In a minute she had it open. “Great,” Devon said. Feverish chills wracked her body. “We can get out. Is there anywhere to go?”

“We’ll find out, as soon as I open yours.”

Devon’s lock appeared to be stiffer. As Michelangela worked, the chanting got louder. That couldn’t be a good sign.

Whether it was the chanting or the fact that Devon’s phoenix was getting more active, the male phoenix was definitely waking up. Now he half hopped, half flew to the wall between Devon’s cage and his own, making imperative noises at her, as if he sensed the phoenix inside.

He was wearing some kind of collar and chain, glowing with magic. Because what else could contain a flame?

Michelangela said to the phoenix, “Look, I don’t know if you can understand me. I’ll unlock your cage too. But try to hold off on your orgasmic ecstasy as long as you can, okay? We’re waiting for a rescue, here. Once the cavalry comes and carries us off, you can run away with your beautiful bride and have all the phoenix babies you want.”

“I don’t think they’re going to get to,” Devon said.

“Why not?”

“The Allohim are coming.”

The chanting suddenly grew much louder, echoing through the mouth of the entrance tunnel, and they could hear the tramping of feet. It sounded like a whole army was on its way.

“Go back to your cage,” Devon said. “If they see you out, they’ll kill you.”

Michelangela compressed her lips, hesitated for a moment, and then ran back to her cage, pulling the door shut to make it look as if she were still locked in. She sat down on top of the lockpicks.

She was just in time. Moments later, the first soldiers marched into the room.

They split into two lines and stood against the walls, continuing to chant. Four broke off and headed for the cages. Devon clenched her fists. She wanted to fight them when they came for her, but she felt sick and weak.

And helpless. She hated feeling helpless.

The soldiers stood in front of her cage and the phoenix’s, facing out. Devon let her breath out. She had a little more time.

Come on, Mikah…