A sigh of agreement ran through the crowd. Ronica moved her own head in a slow nod.

“Malta,” Keffria said quietly beside her. The word disturbed Ronica. It had grown so quiet within the Concourse that the sound was like a pebble dropped in a still pool. A few heads turned toward them. Her daughter took a deep breath and spoke the name louder. “Malta.”

The dragon turned to regard them, and her eyes were not pleased. “What is it?” she demanded.

Keffria stepped toward the dragon, aggression in her stride. “Malta!” she shouted the name. “Malta was my daughter. I am told you lured her to her death. And now, by some wicked magery, my son, my last child, stands before you and praises you. All my people murmur and smile at sight of you, like babies entranced with a shiny dangle.”

As Keffria spoke, Ronica felt a strange agitation. How dare she speak so to this glorious and benevolent creature, the creature who had rescued all of Bingtown-the creature responsible for Malta’s death? Ronica felt an instant of disorientation as if she woke from a deep sleep.

“BUT MOTHER-” SELDEN BEGAN PLEADINGLY, TAKING HER ARM. KEFFRIA SET her son firmly aside, out of harm’s way, and spoke on. Her rising anger at how the dragon manipulated the crowd had cracked her frozen heart. Fury poured out with her pain.

“I do not succumb to your glamour. I do contemplate how I could take revenge on you. If it is so unthinkable that I will not worship the one who let my daughter die, then you had best slay me now. Breathe on me and melt the flesh from my bones. It will be worth it if it opens my son’s eyes to you, and the eyes of those others willing to grovel before you.” She spat her final words. Her eyes swept the gathered folk. “You refused to heed the words of Reyn Khuprus. Watch now, and see what this creature truly is.”

The dragon drew back her head. The faint luminescence of the creature’s silver eyes made them pale stars. Her great jaws opened wide, but Keffria had finally found her courage. Selden stood, stricken by horror, eyes darting from his mother to the dragon. It cut her that he seemed unable to choose, but she stood her ground. All the other folk crowded back and away from Keffria as the dragon drew breath. Then, pushing her way forward, her mother stepped to her side. Ronica took her arm. Together they stared defiantly up at the creature that had taken Malta’s life and Selden’s heart. Keffria found her voice again. “Give me back my children! Or give me my death!”

From somewhere, Reyn Khuprus hurtled into them, jostling them all aside. Keffria staggered to her knees and Ronica went down beside her. She heard Jani Khuprus’ cry of horror from the dais. The young Rain Wilder stood alone where they had been. “Run!” he ordered them, then spun to face the dragon, his scaled face contorted with fury. “Tintaglia!” he roared. “Stop!” A sword was bared in his hand.

For a wonder, the dragon froze. Her jaws still gaped. A single drop of liquid formed on one of her myriad teeth. When it dripped to the stone floor of the Concourse, the stone sizzled and gave way to it.

But Reyn had not stopped her. Selden had. He had stepped quietly forward, to crane his neck up at Tintaglia. His words and manner healed Keffria’s heart. “Please, don’t hurt them!” the boy begged shrilly, his courtier’s manners fled. “Please, dragon, they are my family, as dear to me as yours are to you. All we want is to have my sister back. Mighty as you are, can’t you give that to us? Can’t you bring her back?”

Reyn seized Selden by his shoulders, thrust him toward his mother. Keffria caught hold of him in numbed silence. Her son, truly hers still, no matter how scales lined his face. She held him tight to her, and felt her mother’s grip on her arm tighten. The Vestrits stood together, no matter what else might come.

“No one can bring back the dead, Selden,” Reyn said flatly. “It is useless to ask that of her. Malta is dead.” As he flung back his head to confront the dragon, a trick of the torches sent light dancing along his scaled face, making Reyn appear as dragonlike as Tintaglia. “Keffria is right. I will not be seduced. No matter what you can do for Bingtown, you should be revealed for what you are, to keep others from falling to your wiles.” He turned to the gathered folk and opened wide his arms. “Hear me, people of Bingtown! She has entranced you with her glamour. You cannot believe or trust this creature. She will not keep her word. When the time suits her, she will throw aside all bargains, and claim one so great as herself cannot be bound in agreement by beings as insignificant as we are. Aid her, and you restore to life a race of tyrants! Oppose her now, while there is only one to fight.”