Стража! Стража!

           Veryseniorlibrarians,however,oncetheyhaveprovedthemselvesworthybyperformingsomevaliantactoflibrarianship,areacceptedintoasecretorderandaretaughttherawartsofsurvivalbeyondtheShelvesWeKnow.TheLibrarianwashighlyskilledinallofthem,butwhathewasattemptingnowwouldn’tjustgethimthrownoutoftheOrderbutprobablyoutoflifeitself.

           AlllibrarieseverywhereareconnectedinL-space.Alllibraries.Everywhere.AndtheLibrarian,navigatingbybooksigncarvedonshelvesbypastexplorers,navigatingbysmell,navigatingevenbythesirenwhisperingsofnostalgia,washeadingpurposelyforoneveryspecialone.

           Therewasoneconsolation.Ifhegotitwrong,he’dneverknowit.

           Somehowthedragonwasworseontheground.Intheairitwasanelementalthing,gracefulevenwhenitwastryingtoburnyoutoyourboots.Onthegrounditwasjustadamngreatanimal.

           Itshugeheadrearedagainstthegreyofdawn,turningslowly.

           LadyRamkinandVimespeeredcautiouslyfrombehindawatertrough.VimeshadhishandclampedoverErrol’smuzzle.Thelittledragonwaswhimperinglikeakickedpuppy,andfightingtogetaway.

           "It’samagnificentbrute,"saidLadyRamkin,inwhatsheprobablythoughtwasawhisper.

           "Idowishyouwouldn’tkeepsayingthat,"saidVimes.

           Therewasascrapingnoiseasthedragondraggeditselfoverthestones.

           "Iknewitwasn’tkilled,"growledVimes."Therewerenobits.Itwastooneat.Itwassentsomewherebysomesortofmagic,Ibet.Lookatit.