Page 39 of Cinder's Trial

Killian gaped in my direction, and Hannah turned from the old woman to hide her smirk.

“You’re just saying that to make me go away and steal him for yourself,” huffed the old woman.

“Why would I want to marry a prince? I hate having my picture taken. Not keen on following all kinds of stupid rules about royalty, not to mention I like living here in America and have no interest in relocating.”

The old lady blinked and, for a second, appeared to be wavering before she shook her head and exclaimed. “Liar, liar, pants on fire.”

This would be the point Levi lost his patience. “Listen, lady, I don’t want to shoot you, but I will if you don’t stop this nonsense right this second. Drop the knife and leave before you force me to do something you won’t like.”

“Go ahead and kill me,” snarled the woman. “I have nothing to lose. My stepkids took everything. I’m living in a room barely fit for vermin. The prince is my ticket to the life I deserve.”

“There is help for people in your situation,” I stated, moving closer despite Levi’s warning grumble.

“I don’t want help. I want him!” She aimed her knife at Killian, the moment someone had been waiting for seeing as how a projectile flew past me and hit her in the forehead, stunning her. The water bottle fell to the floor.

The old lady blinked, and her fingers loosened enough the knife fell from her grip. Danger averted.

Or not.

“You’ll pay for that,” the woman spat as Levi moved in her direction.

It should have been an empty threat, only the old lady began to change, her body rippling unnaturally. Her lips moved soundlessly as she began to grow and grow, her body bulking, tearing the seams of the stolen uniform. Her skin darkened to a slate gray as scales formed.

It took Levi shouting, “Dragon!” for me to understand what I saw.

Holy candy corn. The woman shifted into a giant reptile with wings, big enough the hunch of her back almost touched the ceiling, but more worrisome? Her jaw dropped open, and I could see an orange glow in the back of her throat.

Before I could react, Levi did, dragging me to the floor and covering me with his body as a jet of fire shot past where I’d been standing, hot enough that the exposed parts of me ended up with singed hairs.

Levi rolled from atop me and shouted, “Where’s the fucking spear?”

Spear? Oh dear. They were going to kill the woman who never asked for this. There had to be a way to stop the carnage.

At the same time, the dragon was only just beginning her attack.

On me, I should add.

While the dragon lady ignored the prince and his bodyguards, she appeared intent on reaching me. Her neck stretched in my direction, and her teeth clacked. The heat of her breath washed over me, and as I froze in fright, Levi lunged, sword out, stabbing at the chest, only the armored scales deflected the blow. That didn’t stop him from hacking at the beast, trying to distract it.

“Cinder, get out of here. And where’s the fucking spear?” Levi bellowed.

I would have liked to move, but fear had me planted in place as Hannah hollered, “Gerome’s fetching it from his room.”

Which would take time and we didn’t have any. Already a new batch of flames brewed in the dragon’s belly. Steam emerged from her nostrils as she once more opened her maw to spew, with me standing like a statue in her direct line of sight.

A jug of ice water flew right into that opening, startling the dragon, who snapped her jaw shut. A glance showed a cool and composed Killian by the trolley still laden with breakfast.

Despite Levi’s barked, “Get out of here, you fool,” Killian walked toward the dragon and looked it in the eye.

“I am sorry to disappoint, fair lady. Alas, as you might have surmised, I’ve already found my bride.” He reached out a hand to me without ever taking his gaze from the dragon.

What was he doing? Whatever his plan, his words held the beast’s attention, and so I played along, joining him to place my hand in his.

Killian tugged me closer to his side and calmly stated, “The truth is I’ve already placed a lost shoe on my Cinderella, and it was a perfect fit.”

The dragon huffed.

“I know, she shouldn’t have lied. She didn’t want to injure your obviously large and loving heart.”