My heart hammered in my chest as he climbed higher and higher, until eventually the well beneath us was just a speck—and the gorgeous, lush landscape was visible.

I strained my eyes and saw far in the distance, a range of mountains emitting steam.

Volcanoes? All this greenery certainly wasn’t the landscape I would have imagined dragons living on.

I would have expected a scorched realm, devoid of any signs of life.

Perhaps the dragons saved their fire for attacks on enemies.

It was clear to me now where the dragons made their homes—there were no buildings, just caves bored into hills and mountains, similar to the one I’d fallen into.

There were sparkling lakes in between the valleys, and acres of lush flowers.

But I wasn’t taking in many of the details Charis was pointing out to me as we flew.

My mind was whirring as to how I was going to use this advantage I’d stumbled into before it was too late.

I didn’t know if they’d figure out that there was nothing auspicious about me, but I had to get out of here before they did.

I thought suddenly of Bella.

“And where do you keep your enemies?” I asked, after he’d paused for a breath.

He slowed and began flying in the opposite direction.

He nodded toward what looked like a giant pit dug out in the center of a valley.

Reaching it, he hovered directly over it.

I found myself staring down into a giant dirt pit.

Its walls were steep, and high—it was dug perhaps a few hundred feet into the ground, too high for any ogre to climb out from, and there were no notches in the walls.

There was a group of perhaps fifty ogres in there now.

I wondered if they’d all been from the fresh catch today.

“Please lower us further,” I said.

Charis did as I’d requested and lowered us.

I asked him to stoop lower and lower until we were close enough for me to be able to make out the faces.

Bella wasn’t there.

In fact, I couldn’t see a single female ogre down there.

Perhaps she’d been killed already.

I’d hardly known her long, but I couldn’t help but feel morose.

I’d wanted to see her live a life better than the one she’d been dealt, even though I wasn’t sure how I’d ever give it to her.

I’d wanted a better fate for her than in the belly of some dragon.

“Where to now?” Charis asked, breaking through my thoughts.

How about… back to the human realm? I was so tempted to just blurt it out, but I wasn’t sure if I was to be obeyed to such an extent.

Still, I had to try.

I was at least in a better position now than I had been back in the ogres’ kingdom.

I wasn’t cooped up in some room.

“Or would you like to rest?” Charis was still hovering in the air, waiting for my answer.

“Yes,” I said.

“I’d like that.” At least it would give me some time to think out how to broach the subject.

As soon as I said the words, he swooped down into the valley below and glided along until we reached the entrance to a cave in the side of a particularly wide mountain.

He landed inside it, folded his wings, and raised his hand for me to step onto so he could lower me back to the ground.

I stared into the cave.

“Through here.” The voice that spoke now was less deep and rasping than just a couple of minutes ago.

I turned around to see that Charis had resumed his human form.

He moved in front of me, leading the way deeper into the cave.

I couldn’t help but admire the beauty of his body.

He positively glided even when he walked, all his limbs working in perfect rhythm, his smooth muscles rippling beneath his tan skin.

The sunshine became fainter and fainter the deeper we walked into the cave until he stopped and pointed to the back of the cavern.

I was surprised to see a bed there, covered with some kind of dark animal skin for blankets, the frame made of what looked like carved silver.

Other than the bed, there wasn’t much other furniture to be seen in this cave.

It was quite plain.

“The dragon who lived here before died recently in battle.

This can be your new home.

Erisard will issue orders that no other dragons disturb you.

So you can sleep peacefully.” Erisard.

I guessed that was the dragon who’d appeared to be the leader among them.

“Erisard is your leader?” I asked, as he motioned to leave me alone in the cave.

Charis nodded.

“Our king.” “Oh… And you are?” He looked at me curiously.

I grew nervous suddenly, wondering whether, as a “good omen,” he’d expect me to know more about them.

“I am part of his council.

There are seven of us altogether, including the king himself.

You met us all during a rite we were holding.” “I see… And, since you have accepted me as a gift, what do you intend to do with me?” “You are to remain with us and be treated with respect.” I swallowed hard, bracing myself for my next words.

“Since Erisard also stated that I am not to be displeased, may I ask a favor of you?” “What?” It was time to just spit it out.

I hoped that the worst thing that could happen was him refusing.

“I need to return to the human realm.” He paused, then to my astonishment, he nodded.

But my relief lasted for but a second when he said: “I can escort you there, but you must understand that I must also escort you back.