I say, “Not that I think either of us has a chance of defending against these things alone. I’m only at the beginning of learning how to use my magic. It’s not strong enough to use against these things.”
Elan lies on her stomach, and I lean against her, leaving the quiver of rattling arrows on my back. I'm too afraid to take them off, in case we have to move in a hurry. After several uneventful minutes tick past, I rest my head against Elan’s side and gaze up at the large backside—or whatever part of the lava monster that is—blocking the hole. The heat is wearing at me, making me sleepy even though my nerves are fully alert.
After a little while, the air pressure around us shifts as the monster moves from above us, revealing a part of the red-glowing sky. A puff of breeze drifts through the cave, and even though it was warm, the temperature drops slightly, bringing some relief from the trapped hot air and removing some of the stench of the heated minerals.
Elan cranes her neck, looking at the hole. I wish I could see the stars. I miss them already.
Expelling a sigh, I breathe. “Me too. What do you think the lava monster’s doing?”
I don't know, but if that hole remains open, I think I'm going to try to fly out eventually. I’ll wait and see. Hearing her voice inside my head brings me comfort, and my spirit soars over the thought of escape. Hiding my emotions takes an effort. The last thing we need is for the monster holding us captive to be able to read my body language.
Elan rests her head back on her front talons, her eyes trained on the hole. The problem is I can't see if the lava monster is hanging around the outside or if it's gone.
I pick lightly at the edge of one of the scales on her front leg. “That could be a problem.”
We remain huddled together, and the ground beneath us vibrates slightly while rocks tumble from the sides of the cave above us. Our attention is pulled from the gloomy redness illuminating the hole to the cave, and Elan instantly shelters me with her wing. The ground and cave shake in rhythms different from the walking of the lava monster. The ache in my head is almost gone, only to be brought back with each vibration. My weapons rattle against my back, and the ground shakes so much that I have to stand to avert the pain in my bony backside.
With a question in my eyes, I gaze at Elan.
I have no idea. But the closer it seems to be and the more it seems to vibrate, the more I think it's the pace of a giant’s footsteps.
A shudder runs down my spine. “Great! Just what we need.”
The shaking of the ground continues, and I pay attention to the tempo. Elan could be right. It could easily be the even pace of large giant footsteps, except these seem heavier, with a longer time between them than the footsteps of the frost giants we met in Jotunheim.
With wide eyes, I meet Elan’s gaze. “How big would the giant be to make footsteps that far apart and that heavy?”
I don't know. Even in my head, Elan’s voice is a hushed whisper. I thought the lava giant was big enough. These footsteps seem heavier somehow.
Larger rocks clatter off the cave interior and drop down, one narrowly missing my hand resting on a tall boulder. I yank it away and snuggle closer to Elan and the protection she offers with her wing. She wraps her wing around me, tucking me close to her hard scales. The heavier the footsteps become, the larger the rocks that topple from the cave’s sides, some of them half the size of a human. I fret for Elan. Even with her tough scales, if they fell on her, they could still cause her harm.
As I peer out from under her wing, I spot a large human-sized boulder toppling toward us, and I send out a bolt of magic, shattering it and sending slivers of black rock shooting in the opposite direction. I’m tempted to hold the rocks in place with magic, but I want to leave as much of my magic stores as possible ready for whatever is coming. Elan’s wing tightens closer around me, squishing me against her body and tucking me slightly underneath her.
Unable to see much through the tiny crack