Стража! Стража!

           Whenhewasscreamingatthetopofthearcthegreatmouthcamearoundand-"Gosh!"saidLadyRamkin.

           Therewasagroanfromthewatchers.

           "Thetemperatureofthething!"saidVines."Imean,nothingleft!Justawispofsmoke!"

           Therewasanothermovementintherubble.Anotherfigurepulleditselfuprightandleaneddazedlyagainstabrokenspar.

           ItwasLupineWonse,underacoatingofsoot.

           Vimeswatchedhimlookupintoapairofnostrilsthesizeofdrain-covers.

           Wonsebrokeintoarun.Vimeswonderedwhatitfeltlike,runningawayfromsomethinglikethat,expectinganyminuteyourbackbonetoreach,verybriefly,atemperaturesomewherebeyondthevaporisationpointofiron.Hecouldguess.

           Wonsemadeithalfwayacrossthesquarebeforethedragondartedforwardwithsurprisingagilityforsuchabulkandsnatchedhimup.Thetalonsweptonupwarduntilthestrugglingfigurewasbeingheldafewfeetfromthedragon’sface.

           Itappearedtoexaminehimforsometime,turninghimthiswayandthat.Then,movingonitsthreefreelegsandflappingitswingsoccasionallytohelpwithitsbalance,ittrottedawayacrosstheplazaandheadedtowardsthe-whatoncehadbeenthePatrician’spalace.Towhatoncehadbeentheking’spalace,too.

           Itignoredthefrightenedspectatorssilentlypressingthemselvesagainstthewalls.Thearchedgatewaywasshoulderedasidewithdepressingease.Thedoorsthemselves,tallandiron-boundandsolid,lastedasurprisingtensecondsbeforecollapsingintoaheapofglowingash.

           Thedragonsteppedthrough.