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As we near the mountains, Dame shifts course toward a dark spot in the cliff face. Even at a distance, I can tell it’s been widened by dragon claws. Joy erupts in her once more, along with pride at her work.

With a graceful arc, she swoops into the cavernous space, her talons scraping against stone as we alight. The air within the chamber clings to my skin, thick with heat and moisture. It’s as if I’ve stepped into the breath of the dragon herself. It’s an overwhelming sensation, one that has sweat pearling at my brow. The contrast to the cool mountain air outside is jarring, but it’s not the only thing that catches my attention.

My gaze sweeps across the walls, where I’m spellbound by the unearthly light show playing out before me. Thousands of glow worms cluster in colonies, their luminescence painting the cave in hues of blue and purple that shimmer against the rough granite like stars fallen from Nyc’s own domain.

“Beautiful.” My fingers unclench from the ridge of scales near her shoulder, and I slide down her extended foreleg, landing with a soft thud on the rocky ground.

Whatever lies ahead must be of paramount importance to have warranted such an urgent summons.

I take a cautious step forward.

Swiveling my head, I drink in the sights all around me. The light casts strange patterns that dance across my vision. “All right, Dame, show me why we’re here.”

In silent acknowledgment, she gives me a gentle nudge with her snout, urging me deeper into the heart of the chamber. I shuffle sideways, my hand trailing along the jagged stone of the cavern wall as if it might reveal its secrets under my touch.

The heat wraps around me like a cloak, oppressive and insistent, mingling with a humidity that clings to every breath I draw. Magic pulses through this place, so potent I can almost taste it. Metallic, with an undercurrent of something ancient.

The gravel skittering beneath my shoes betrays me, and when I suddenly find no ground under my feet, I flail for balance. Only inches from a precipice, I teeter on the brink, peering down into a vast pool below that’s the same color as the glow worms lining the walls.

It’s wide enough for a dozen people, steaming like a cauldron over a fire…no, not fire. This is the earth’s breath, warmed in its belly, and exhaled into this hidden chamber.

My gaze locks onto the bottom where two black, bulging shapes lie nestled in the liquid embrace. They glint with a slick sheen, like obsidian stones smoothed by the relentless flow of water.

Dragon eggs.

Spinning, I study her belly.

Is it just me, or is she a little narrower now?

It takes a moment for reality to set in.

Two dragon eggs are cradled in the hot spring, safeguarded in nature’s own incubator. Even in the grip of winter, this is a sanctuary that will remain untouched by frost. Here, the hatchlings will know nothing of the cold, nurtured by the earth’s unfailing warmth.

The perfect place.

Consumed with joy and pride, a knot of emotion clogs my throat. “Oh, Dame. They’re beautiful.”

She chuffs in acknowledgment.

The gleam of the glow worms the size of my forearms casts shadows across Dame’s scales, blue and purple playing over her reddish-brown hide. Her feelings ripple through our connection, contentment laced with a thread of unease.

As I stand at the edge of this steaming pool, watching those eggs like submerged treasures, her anxiety seeps into my bones.

Will they be safe?

The drachen have already killed a juvenile dragon. We don’t know if they’re able to kill adult dragons, but they are certainly capable of instilling the majestic creatures with so much fear they flee without thought.

I inspect the well-lit stone walls.

“I will do everything I can to keep your babies safe, Dame. I promise you.” I am certain Dame feels my resolve and intentions through our bond. “We’ll guard them together.”

She chuffs again.

This magnificent, terrifying dragon trusts me.

Something I don’t take lightly.

Dame nudges me gently, her nostril nearly the size of my head. Her breath is warm against my shoulder, and I place a hand upon her jaw, drawing strength from her presence. Outside I can feel Chirean, her mate, approaching.