15
THE FORCE OF the explosion of flame picked up Gathren and threw her backwards.
She landed hard on her back, and pain radiated through her whole body. She set her teeth, scrambling to stand, drawing her sword.
Iahir?
He was next to her, taking her by the arm, dragging her towards the entrance.
She fought him. “Let go,” she said, or tried to say, but she only coughed. Too much smoke, perhaps, too much heat? Her throat was raw.
He tugged.
She struggled.
Another tongue of flame seared over their heads, and they both had to duck. He half-dragged, half-carried her out of the cavern.
She lay on the ground outside, coughing hard.
Iahir’s face was covered in soot. He was panting, also coughing.
Smoke poured out of the entrance to the cavern.
Gathren started to go back inside.
Iahir stopped her. “Are you mad?” he said, his voice strained.
She shoved him off, but she did not attempt to go back inside.
From within, a voice, a dark and garbled voice with an accent that she could not quite place, cried, “Take thee this, then, and be on thy way!” From within the cavern, several jeweled goblets were flung out and landed at their feet.
Gathren looked at Iahir, who looked back at her.
She got up and picked up both the goblets. She flung them back inside. “We are looking for Kadrai ap Nalreg. We don’t want your filthy treasure.”
In response, there was another wall of bright orange flame. It came out far enough to singe her clothes, and she had to beat out the hem of her tunic, which caught fire.
Iahir yanked her away from the entrance, made her retreat.
They staggered down the mountain over a path that was visible, not the hidden way they had sneaked up on through the trees. All the time, they looked over their shoulders, looked to the sky, waiting for the dragon to come after them.
But the dragon did not come.
They got to their encampment and the horses were skittish, pounding their hooves and shaking their heads. Her horse scented the dragon’s smoke on her and it whinnied and recoiled.
Iahir swore softly. “Even the horses know to steer clear of a dragon.”
“We cannot,” she said. “We do not know if my mother is alive or not.”
“No, I know,” he said, letting out long, noisy breaths. “I know.”