deep breath, he blew out a raging river of fire. Then, slowly at first and still breathing fire, he moved forward into the stream, floating easily on the cushion of flaming air. As they passed through the tunnel, accelerating as they traveled, Merlin peered through the passing inferno. Flames bounced in all directions, and two shadows dove for cover in the rocks. Within seconds, Clefspeare burst into the open and launched into the clear, night sky.
Arthur gripped Clefspeare’s spine with both hands. “Amazing!”
“Hang on!” Merlin called. “We have to get higher than their arrows can reach.”
When their angle of ascent tapered off and they reached a safe altitude, Clefspeare snorted a final puff of smoke. “I apologize, Your Highness, for the rough ride.”
The king took a deep breath in the cold, thin air. “It was exhilarating! A masterful escape!”
“Could you tell if Sir Devin was among the attackers?” Merlin asked.
Arthur shook his head. “I saw only shadows.”
“I saw him,” Clefspeare said. “His lust for my blood is stronger than ever.”
Merlin looked out over the scene far below, a shifting gray canvas with firelight speckling the shadows cast by the ghostly moon. “The drug I slipped into Devin’s mead wasn’t timed as well as I had hoped, but at least he will be far from Bald Top while we take the next step in my plan.”
The light of two flashing torches filled the cave, and a pair of shifting shadows crawled along the walls. With every step of the dark images, an echoing clop replied, but there was more silence than echo. The wary travelers made their way ever so slowly toward the center of the main chamber.
“There is no hint of fresh kill to guide us,” Sir Devin said.
Palin sniffed the air. “No, my liege. In fact, the air is very clean, but I am sure his bed must be right in front of us. I see flashes of light.”
Palin stooped over a pile of gems and swung a pair of saddlebags to the ground. “All is not lost. We have the treasure.”
Devin knelt and scooped up a handful of glittering stones. “It is much smaller than Goliath’s.” He grinned at Palin. “May his dragon soul rest in peace.”
Palin opened the saddlebags. “It was so kind of him to designate us as heirs to his fortune.”
Devin let the gems spill back to the ground. “Split it up in my presence and reserve the proper portions for God and for the king.”
“Of course, my liege.” Palin deposited the stones into the saddlebags piece by piece, cycling through the bags to make an even disbursement. “You are most gracious to give equal shares to us all, even though the others wait outside in fear.”
Devin held his torch close to the ground and surveyed the cave floor. “What does the census say now?”
The squire pulled a scrap of parchment from his tunic and studied it for a moment before looking up again. “After your valiant conquest of Maven last week, and your extraordinary slaying of Goliath this morning, I know of only ten remaining. The Demon Witch, Hartanna, is next. She will pay for wounding you.”
“All in good time, my friend.” He stalked across the floor, kicking the pebbles in front of him. “By our count, only ten of the devils are left, and now that the king knows of Merlin’s conspiracy with them, I shall have the old wizard’s head by noon tomorrow.”
“What if Morgan is right? What will you do if the king betrays you and sides with Merlin?”
“Then we will proceed with Morgan’s rebellion plan. I don’t like the idea of the unusual marriage arrangement she proposed, but having that kind of power would be worth putting up with her.” After sweeping more rocks to the side, Devin stopped suddenly and stooped close to a flat rock near the wall. “Palin, what is this?”
“Where, my liege?”
“This glowing pebble.” Devin picked up the stone by its attached string. As the surrounding light grew dim, he drew the stone closer to his face.
“Our torches are going out,” Palin said.
“No. The flame lives; only the light dies. It is drawn to this gem.”
Devin closed his hand over the stone. Instantly, the light from the flames scattered throughout the cave. “I have heard legends about such a gem, but why would it be here, in a dragon’s lair?”
“What have you heard about it?”
“An ancestor of mine told a story of Nimrod, the king of Shinar, and how he used a light-absorbing gem as a