Jason stumbled through,Fatespeaker shrinking and staying close to Puck as they moved. Shade had woken,just stayed put and shivered quietly.

Fire exploded down the tunnel, writhing and twisting in a maelstrom of heat and fury, shooting toward them. Flames shot over their heads. Then, after Puck and Ironorse get through, the door slammed shut, cutting off the fire, and they were plunged into darkness.

Jason was frightened as the darkness washed over them and his freckles and wings automatically matched his surroundings. Fatespeaker softly glowed a soft blue and purple-ish hue,smiling happily. She hadn't show it before now,and so she seemed very proud of it.

For a few moments, Puck lay there on the concrete, his body curiously hot and cold at the same time. His neck, my shoulders, and the backs of his legs burned from the fire that had come way too close for comfort. His cheek and stomach were pressed into the cold cement. Puck and Ironhorse struggled to their feet with muffled curses and groans.

"Well, that was fun," Puck muttered, offering to help Jason stand. "I swear, if I ever see those two kids again, were going to have a little chat. If youre going to steal from a fifty-foot, fire-breathing lizard with the memory of an elephant, youd better have a damn impressive riddle, or you wait until it isnt home. "

Jason,rubbing his head with his bound hand,took the help with a thankful nod. "Yeah. I agree,some of us dragons have some interesting things like anger issues. Full blooded dragons have great memory,sadly I have that replaced by human memory." He said,shaking out his tail and sighing as little Shade crawled onto his shoulder and hugged his neck tightly with the soft sound of crunching glass. "Eeee~-!"

Before Puck could respond, a flashlight clicked on in the shadows, blinding them. Shielding his eyes, Puck counted three silhouettes at the end of the beam. Two he recognized; the tiny girl with furry ears and the green-skinned boy they'd met in the Briars. The last, the one holding the flashlight, was tall and skinny, with thick dark hair, a scraggly goatee, and two ridged horns curling up from his brow. He held a cross in the other hand, raised in front of his face like he was warding off a vampire.


Puck laughed. "Hate to break it to you, kid, but unless youre a priest, that isnt going to work. Neither is the salt you have poured across the floor. Im not your average bogey."

Jason smiled a bit as Puck spoke. "Hah." Fatespeaker fluttered over into Jason's arms as he cradled her gently,rubbing her tummy a bit. "You did good." He said to her,then offered a wave with his fractured hand to the three. He didn't realize it but his markings where glowing fully now,emphasizing his features as smooth but strong,calm but seeming to demand elegance and power.

"Darn faeries," spit goatee boy, looking pale. "How did you get in here? Youd better leave right now, if you know whats good for you. Shell tear your guts out and make harp strings with them."

"Well, theres a problem with that," Puck continued with mock regret. "See, right outside that door is a very mad reptile who is eager to turn us into shish kebab, because you three were stupid enough to steal from a dragon." He sighed and shook his head in a disappointed manner. "You know dragons never forget a thief, dont you? So, whatd you take?"

"None of your business, faery," goat boy shot back. "And maybe I wasnt clear when I said youre not welcome here." He reached into his pocket and pulled out three iron nails, holding them between white, shaking knuckles. "Maybe a faceful of iron will convince you otherwise."

Jason saw the iron and his pupils turned slits and he hissed,spreading a wing between Puck and the goat person. "No need for threats,but if you wanna play that way how bout this one for ya? You dare come anywhere near him with anything metal....I'll rip you limb for limb. Maybe you'd like to see what a dragon can do other than stamp around and yell, I mean,I can't breath lava for nothin' right~? So what I'm sayin is...back off buddy." He said,giving a fanged grin as he let silver and gold wash over his freckles and underwings.

"Warren!" gasped the girl, staring at Jason wide-eyed. "Its him!"

All eyes stared at Jason.

"It is you," Warren breathed. "Youre him, arent you? The half-blood. The dragon prince?"