Page 141 of Tiger's Voyage

You could just admit defeat now. I may even allow you to live on the otherisland. I’d hunt you, of course, but you would at least be alive.

“I’m not interested in being your pet tiger.”

Very well.

The dragon sucked in a deep breath and blasted fire over the tower. Kishan staggered and ran, but the fire followed. He jumped and pulled himself up a wall, armor and all, using just the strength of his arms. He dropped over the side to land one level up from the dragon and lay there gasping for breath. Tearing off his smoking gloves, he reached for a weapon but found they all lay on the rooftop below. The dragon sniggered and wound around the turret.

Do you have any last words before I eat you?

“Sure.” Kishan circled the turret to stay out of the dragon’s range. “I hope you choke.”

He leapt off the turret to the stone below, and the dragon bellowed and followed after him, jaws wide open. Kishan hit the rooftop and rolled but slammed his head against a broken stone. I heard a roar of triumph from Lsèlóng as he descended, prepared to snap up Kishan in its jaws. Suddenly, it screamed, stopped in midair, and fell with a deafening crash next to Kishan. Nothing moved for a moment, and I sat on the bed with my hand over my mouth. Then something stirred near the turret.

A figure staggered away from the dragon’s body and headed toward Kishan. It was Ren. His breastplate and helmet were gone. A long bloody gash across his chest had just started healing. I asked the mirror to show me the other side of the dragon. Ren had run the dragon through the heart with the spear. Not even I had seen Ren leap back to the tower, creep up, and hide in the shadows of the turret. Ignoring him had been the dragon’s fatal error.

Ren unbuckled and threw off the rest of his armor, and then knelt to take off Kishan’s. Kishan was alive. He moaned and blinked open his eyes.

“It’s over,” Ren said. “The dragon is defeated.”

The body of the dragon shimmered and disappeared.

“Come on, I know where she is.”

He helped Kishan stand, and then the two brothers, leaning heavily on each other, made their way down the tower and through the keep until Ren found the stairs leading to my lonely tower on the other side of the castle. They started up the steps but Kishan couldn’t lift his feet after the first step.

I heard the dragon’s voice.Only the winner may claim the prize.

Kishan braced his back against the stair wall and panted heavily. He nodded, indicating that Ren should go ahead. Ren turned and hurried up the long circular stairway. He twisted the handle, but the door wouldn’t open.

“Kells? Can you hear me?”

“Yes! I’m here. It’s locked. I can’t open it.”

“Stand back.”

He took a few steps and slammed into the door. It wouldn’t budge. Again and again he threw himself against it, but it still wouldn’t open.

The dragon laughed.It’s not my doing, tiger.Sheis the one keepingyou out.

“What do you mean?” I hollered.

You aren’t letting him in.

“Of course, I am!”

You aren’t. The hero wins the prize, and you are a prize who doesn’t wantto be won,deti dama.If you want him to save you, open the door.

“I can’t!”

I don’t mean the door to the room, the dragon spoke in my mind,Imean the door to your heart.

“What are youtalkingabout? Why are you doing this?” I sobbed.

I heard Ren’s concern through the door. “Kelsey? Are you okay?”

The dragon’s voice pierced through me.Let … him … in.

I suddenly understood. I knew what he meant, and the knowledge made me tremble. He wanted me to feel all the things that I’d been ignoring. He wanted me to unleash all of the pent-up emotions and suffering. I banged a fist softly against the wooden door, cried, and pleaded quietly with the dragon, “Don’t make me do this. Please leave things as they are.”