The Captive Flame

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Ananta woke. From a nightmare, surely, although nothing remained of it but a choking sense of dread. Heart pounding, she took a deep breath and looked around the dark cave.

Two luminous red eyes looked back from the entrance.

The body in which they were set was big enough to fill the space and occlude the night sky behind it. Rattled as she was, Ananta had to remind herself that the newcomer’s hugeness wasn’t cause for alarm. To the contrary. It likely meant the creature belonged in this place.

She rose and bowed. “Hail, my lord.”

“Good evening.” The dragon’s sibilant voice was surprisingly soft for something so huge, virtually a whisper, and to her surprise, she’d never heard it before. “Do you live here all alone? I couldn’t sniff out anyone else.”

“I’m the only guardian, yes.”

“Well, that has its good side. There’s plenty of room for both of us.”

She blinked. “My lord?” she asked.

“Come outside and we’ll discuss it at a more comfortable distance.” He backed out of the entrance.

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