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attempting your rescue. It may delay them for a minute or two, but no more.”
    Elle was exhausted by terror and confused by the dragon’s calm. The combination made her momentarily reckless, and she said, “Since none of this seems to matter to you, it seems a shame to put them through the trouble. Why don’t I just unbolt it?”
    She had actually taken several steps toward the door and extended her hand to the latch when the dragon, its voice ominously low, said, “I wouldn’t.”
    Elle almost responded, “I know you wouldn’t,” but the threat implicit in the dragon’s voice froze the words in her throat. She turned back to the dragon, her fingers hovering just above the door’s handle. “Why?”
    â€œBecause I am living death. Within me burn the infernal fires, and I will consume any man that enters that door in a hellish fiery doom. And, because we both know that your future husband, the dragonslayer , King William, will be the very first man through that door.”
    That he made these statements as fact lent them greater weight. But even more terrible to Elle was the raw anger in the dragon’s voice when he gave Will’s title. She knew now that this was not about her. The dragon was here for her fiancé.
    In answer to this thought, she heard the sound of men running along the corridor outside, then a hammering at the door. “Elle!” Will’s voice thundered. “Elle, are you alright?”
    Her heart skipped at the sound of his voice, but she dared not answer. Her earlier hope at his coming had turned to a deep dread. Shaking, she pulled her hand back away from the latch.
    She squared her shoulders and stared back across the room at the dragon. The flickering light of the fire cast the dragon’s face in shifting shadows of orange and black, so that it was hard to read his expression, but those flaming eyes—­half-­lidded now—­danced menacingly in silent confirmation that the creature’s threat was not idle. If Will came through that door, he would die.
    Elle knew what she had to do.
    She heard Will just outside the door. He was only a few feet from her. “It’s bolted. Back! Stand back, damn you!”
    She heard him strike the door with a tremendous blow, but though it shuddered, the door held.
    Will’s actions steeled her own resolve. “Wh . . . what are your terms, dragon?” she asked, finally finding her voice.
    The dragon grinned toothily and nodded. “Practical and to the point, I like that. If you will come with me, I will leave and, for the moment, spare King William his doom.”
    Elle hesitated. A thousand doubts flooded her mind, but in the end only one question mattered—­could she trust the dragon to spare Will? She would willingly sacrifice herself if it meant that Will would be safe.
    There was another resounding crash, and the wood of the door trembled but did not yield. She heard Will yell, “Elle! I’m coming!”
    Elle swallowed. “You swear that you will not harm him?”
    The dragon nodded and placed a taloned claw to its chest. “I promise that if you come with me before he breaches this chamber, he will live to see the dawn. I cannot swear that I will be able to stay my wrath if we come face-­to-­face this night. I also cannot vouch for him in the coming days. It seems unlikely that he will let your capture go unavenged. If I mark his character correctly, he will hunt me, and only one of us shall survive the meeting if he should find me.”
    It was as much as she could ask.
    â€œVery well,” she said softly. “Let us go.”
    Another blow came against the door. This time a distinct crack and pop issued from the oaken timbers. Elle knew that time was short, but the knowledge that Will was inches from her and that she was leaving him and that this might be the last time that she was ever this close to him was too