Chapter 14: Pet

The trip to Killashandra took three days. She had no gold to hire a horse, and though she lacked the physical stamina she had when she first made this journey, the weather was beautiful, in contrast to the ice storm she and her friends endured the first time they found Asha.

Siannon had promised to give the dragon her life in return for Asha’s help in defeating the Norse who lay siege to the king’s castle at Llanfyllin. Siannon fulfilled that promise in helping Asha find her stolen children. After Babylon, Asha came to live in the cave on the cliffs, and Siannon’s legend throughout the kingdom grew, with people describing her as “the kira with the pet dragon.”

She smiled at this thought. No person could claim to keep an interdimensional magical creature with powers and intelligence far exceeding most humans as a pet. Asha was much more than that to Siannon. Her best friend, her confidant, like an older sister in wisdom and care, Asha was part of her family and loved as deeply.

The dolmen was there as she remembered, its massive stones forming a small passage. She sprinkled the powdered dragon bone on the ground and called Asha by her true name, “Baraxia Perditrix Meticulosa!” The ground shook as pillars of fire opened the entrance to Asha’s cave. Siannon felt her pulse quicken with excitement at the thought of finding Asha. She found the dragon asleep, hanging from the ceiling of the cave.

“Asha! I’m here!”