Page 38 of Courting the Dragon Prince

“Are you going to shift anytime soon?” Onyx yelled, jerking Luther back to the present. “We could really use dragonfire right now!” Onyx threw more rocks. “Or are you just going to stand there and watch me fight?”

Some rocks hit their target with a nasty squelching noise, but others cracked and splintered, echoing in the enclosed space.

Luther gritted his teeth. “You don’t think I thought of that?”

“Then why the fuck aren’t you doing it?” Onyx barked.

“It’s not big enough in this cave. I’d probably end up hurting myself and maybe even crushing you!” Luther yelled. “Is that how you want to fucking die? Crushed by a dragon?”

“Shit.” Onyx pelted more boulders. And still, more snails kept coming, replacing those he’d killed.

“Can’t you cave in that spot where the snails are coming from? Or bring in the roof above their heads?” Luther’s hands curled and bile rose in his throat even as he suggested it. “Isn’t that what you earth elementals do?” Luther screamed.

“I could try and collapse the hole.” Onyx kept pelting the snails with rocks.

Another snail spat the fluorescent goo at them. They jumped back, just dodging it. Luther’s back hit the pillar.

“Then hurry the fuck up and do that!” Luther yelled.

Onyx shook his head. “I’ve never been very precise with my channelling. It’s not what I’m good at. I might bring down the whole cave roof. We could end up buried alive.”

Luther’s whole body spasmed.Buried alive. Crushed by stone. Buried and dead.

Luther shook his head, trying to clear his mind. “Well, we need to do something!” Luther cried out.

Panicked, and without thinking, Luther lunged forward towards a snail, holding the torch in front of him. He shoved the flames towards it. The snail curled back, dodging the flame and partially retreating into the shell.

But there were too many snails already undulating towards him. Luther pulled back, coming up beside Onyx. They backed up against the cave wall.

Luther’s eyes flicked over the convulsing mass of snails. “I have an idea.”

“I’m listening,” Onyx said.

“You throw rocks, all at once. Hurl as many as you can towards the snails near the tunnel entrance. Knock down as many as possible.” Luther swallowed. “Then we run for the tunnel, me at the front, shoving the flame against any fucking snail that is still in our way. We enter the tunnel and get out of here.”

Onyx didn’t respond straight away. Finally he spoke, “Well, I haven’t got a better idea. So let’s do this.” He took a deep breath as if gathering strength. He stretched out his arms to the sides.

The earth grumbled as boulders, rocks, gravel, and dirt rose from the floor. They trembled, vibrating mid-air.

Onyx grunted. “Ready?”

Luther nodded. “Ready.”

Sweat glistened on Onyx’s forehead. The veins in his neck stood out with strain. “Now!”

He flung both arms forward. All the boulders, rocks, gravel, and dirt flew towards the tunnel entrance. Smashed by debris, some of the snails squelched and dropped to the floor. Others contracted, pulling into their protective shells to dodge the attack. They fell to the floor.

One shell rolled in front of Onyx and Luther, the snail curled up safely inside.

Immediately, Luther sprinted forward, running around the snail shell. Already, several of the snails turned towards them.

One spat. Luther lurched to the side, out of its way. He could hear Onyx’s boots pounding on the dirt behind him.

As he approached the tunnel entrance, he shoved his torch into the only snail still practically guarding it. It cowered back. He darted past. He spun around, looking to Onyx.

The man had almost made it to the tunnel. But the snail that had withdrawn into its shell had unfurled. It turned towards Onyx’s back. The snail opened its mouth, about to spit at Onyx.

Without hesitating, Luther flung his torch at the snail. Flames hit the snail’s face directly. The snail screeched, body writhing and flailing.