Happy Spring! In name, if not in weather… No, nothing spring-themed to post today; everything I’ve got is autumn/early winter.
I’d have liked to post something from chapter 20 for you, what with it being the 20th and all; it’s a particular favourite of mine. But spoilers (serious ones) are abundant, so just in case anyone ever wants to read the whole thing…
Here’s twenty lines (in my word program, anyway) from chapter eight. Yay!
Context: Rowan doesn’t know much about magic or the creatures that exist within its influence, and her curiousity tends to bite her in the ass… so she wandered into a dragon cave she thought was abandoned, and of course it wasn’t. Aren (him again, though most of the book is told by Rowan) went after her, and now they’re kind of stuck- she can’t get out, he can’t help her, and the heat in there’s making everything weird. The dragon’s name is Ruby… This scene still needs work, but here’s a bit for you, anyway.
–
Rowan sighed. “I told you not to come in.” If she was afraid, she was hiding it well. “Are you going to kill me?” she asked the dragon.
“Yes. You’re not much, but I’m hungry. My young are hungry.” I hadn’t noticed the pool of still water between the massive creature’s forelegs. Beneath the dark surface I could just make out the shapes of a trio of dragonlings, still too young and soft to survive the air their mother’s heat made so dry. That explained why the path appeared unused; mother dragons guard their eggs and young more carefully than any other creature, forgoing food and exercise in order to protect them. Having young in the nest also makes them more dangerous, less predictable. “Your story has entertained me, and I thank you,” the dragon continued. “But I have no reason to spare you. Or him.” She leaned her head in closer to Rowan. “But I’ll let you choose flames or claws. By way of thanks.”
The sounds of the dragon’s breath and her tail stroking across the cave’s stone floor were drowned out by my heartbeat as Rowan stood, slowly and unsteadily. Her legs shook as she reached out and placed a hand on the glowing red snout. “I think you should let us go.”
It was a lucky thing that Ruby didn’t snort in surprise; it might have cooked Rowan where she stood. “Why ever would I do that?”
Rowan swallowed hard. Come on, I thought. She’d have to use magic again. I didn’t know what she could do, but we were both going to be eaten if she didn’t come up with something. “Because…” she began, then hesitated. “Because
–
Oops, that’s all we have space for! Wheeeee!
*evil laugh*
Make sure you check out the rest of the bloggers participating in WIPpet Wednesday, hosted by K.L Schwengel at My Random Muse!
disregard the prologue 
March 20th, 2013 at 7:38 am
No fair! I protest. 😉 I love it, a choice between claws and flame. Hee, hee. Flambe or kibob.
March 20th, 2013 at 7:44 am
Neither option seems particularly appealing to me. Glad I’m not the one being offered that choice. 🙂
March 20th, 2013 at 9:12 am
Love this! Fabulous description of the dragon and her dragonlings. Death by dragon really doesn’t sound like fun… Cliffhanger of an ending and ever so slightly mean running out of space like that…
March 20th, 2013 at 9:14 am
Blame Scrivener- wouldn’t want to cheat on the line count. I’m sure they’ll get out somehow. 🙂
Thanks for stopping by!
March 20th, 2013 at 11:58 am
Holy cliffhanger, Batman! I really want to know how they get out of this one. Excellent job! 🙂
March 20th, 2013 at 12:30 pm
I never thought of mother dragons and how they’d take care of their babies. Is the water thing part of dragon lore or did you come up with it? Very creative!
March 20th, 2013 at 12:38 pm
That was mine- at least, I haven’t seen it anywhere else. I liked the idea of them being so fragile when they’re young, considering what they turn into. Maybe some time I’ll post the part where Aren explains dragons to Rowan. I was surprised by some of it, stuff about their development and their importance in human history. It was really fun to work out. 🙂
Thanks for commenting!
March 20th, 2013 at 1:18 pm
This is a really fun passage. I like how the dragon has her own personality. I certainly wouldn’t want to be in the same cave!
March 20th, 2013 at 4:12 pm
You are very very mean – but at least you know how to work a teaser. I love that the dragon has a soft spot for Rowan. It must have been some story…
March 20th, 2013 at 4:48 pm
Don’t say that in front of the dragon…
March 20th, 2013 at 5:51 pm
I do like that a dragon’s “soft spot” still involves killing someone. 😀
March 20th, 2013 at 6:59 pm
Yes, but she seems to be so polite about it!
March 20th, 2013 at 8:09 pm
Yeah, I find that creepy. XD
March 20th, 2013 at 9:07 pm
oooooo Tantilizing! I love that your dragon is named Ruby!! I hope Noah doesn’t find out or she will want a Pegasus named after her! lol
March 21st, 2013 at 5:35 am
Dude, my dragon was named Ruby long before Katelyn get pregnant- it’s in the draft of the book I sent you and Mike way back when. I mentioned it when you told me what they were calling the baby… 😛
I do think it’s fun, though. 🙂
March 20th, 2013 at 9:23 pm
Now there’s a cliff-hanger if ever I saw one. Good tease!
March 21st, 2013 at 5:58 am
Thanks. 🙂
January 19th, 2014 at 2:01 pm
[…] we’re talking DRAGONS. Red ones, too, which is kind of perfect for […]