Page 66 of Ava's Legacy of the Dragons
"Put me back in your bag. I'll be safe there."While speaking these words, he smiled at her as if this was just a minor adventure that every young dragon could expect to have immediately after being born.
Lilly quickly jumped up, pulled out the leather bag, and held it out to her. Surprised, Ava took it. "Can you hear him now too?"
"No, but he felt comfortable in there before." Lilly's gaze fell on the sacks of food, but Marcus was already pushing her into the hallway.
"Every second counts. We can get new food, but we don't have second lives."
Grumbling, she ran with him and Ava brought up the rear. She carefully nestled the baby dragon in her bag, making sure he was cushioned by her scarf, and ran after the two of them. The corridors were dark, but Marcus had a small lamp with him that provided enough light for them to distinguish the wall from the path. He led them through the labyrinth as if he too had been there before, away from the main exit where Kilian was fighting against the mages.
How had their opponents found out where they were hiding? Was the guard they had encountered in the dark alley possibly in cahoots with Elora? Had he not crossed their path by chance?
Questions she would have to ask later. First, they had to get the dragon child to safety.
They reached a staircase and Marcus ran up it. They rushed up the steps to the door where he waited until they had all arrived at the top.
With a finger to his lips, he pointed outside. "We're still on the theater grounds, but according to Kilian, thisis the only other exit. And we're just going to believe him on that right now."
"We can believe everything Kilian says!"
Marcus ignored Lilly's objection. "We need to stay low and run along the left side behind the trees. After a few meters, we'll reach the entrance gate."
Lilly nodded in comprehension, with the expression of wild determination on her face that had become second nature to her. She seemed more focused than many adults.
As soon as Ava nodded as well, Marcus extinguished the lamp and pushed open the door without making a sound. They were greeted by the blackness of night, along with the distant clang of swords clashing and the roar of a dragon. How long would it take before the king's soldiers noticed them?
Ava peered in the direction the fighting sounds were coming from, but she couldn't see anything. The shadows of the stands rose between them and denied her any view. With her head ducked, she followed Lilly, who ran to the left, just as planned, and slipped behind the trees. Marcus brought up the rear.
Crouching, they hurried along under the protection of the trunks until they saw the wrought-iron gate looming a few meters away. Its metal reflected the starlight, giving it a mystical quality, as if this gate too was a portal to another world.
The theater courtyard lay mostly in the shadow of the high spectator stands, but nothing stirred in them and all sounds came from afar. Just a few more steps, and they would have made it. But where should they go? Did Marcus have a plan? Had he arranged something with Kilian?
Before she could dwell on these questions anylonger, hooded men jumped out from behind the stands and blocked their path. Armed with swords and daggers, they approached. There were surely more than ten of them.
The mages.
Ava froze. Heavens, why didn't she have a weapon herself? She couldn't constantly rely on others to defend her! To defend the little dragon!
The dragon. The men had come for him.
He seemed to sense her silent warning call, for he didn't move or make a sound. The bag hung motionless at her side, as if it contained lifeless things like pens and a wallet. She turned unobtrusively so the hooded men wouldn't discover the pouch, and pushed Lilly behind her. But the girl tried to pull her back so they could run away. They quickly looked behind them, but hooded figures were also approaching from that direction.
Their opponents had surrounded them.
Marcus pulled a knife from his pocket that he had previously only used for whittling. Nevertheless, he held it determinedly in front of him and positioned himself in front of Ava. How was he supposed to defeat all these men without help, especially since he had no experience in combat? She had to help him somehow.
"Do you have one for me too?"
He shook his head silently.
She surveyed her surroundings hurriedly and spotted a fallen branch. She grabbed it and held it in front of her, while Lilly stooped for some stones and took one in her hand, ready to throw it.
One of the mages laughed. "Do you really think you'll escape me a third time? No, now I've got you!"
She knew the voice. It belonged to the one who had tried to force Ava to choose between Lilly and thedragon egg in the fire dragon's cave. Although the black cloth covered most of his face, she recognized him by his cold eyes.
"Of course we'll escape you again, because we have the dragons on our side!" She sounded more confident than she felt, but she had to prevent the opponents from attacking. Then they might be able to flee at an opportune moment. Or Kilian would come with his fire dragon and drive away the hooded figures. Every second counted.
"I know that trick, Guardian." He said her supposed title derisively, as if it were an insult. He raised his hand. "Attack!"
