The feel of stony ground beneath her feet woke Iola back to her everyday senses. Tegana released her and backed away, sidling toward a small cave, a gateway in the hill behind her. Iola held out the loaf of bread she’d found by the spring. She had to give the dragon something, and it was the only thing she had. Tegana’s head looped down and she took the bread with her sharp teeth. The teeth were translucent and glowing and the bread disappeared in a puff of smoke, like incense.
The dragon nodded once to Iola then folded her wings back and slipped into the earth. Iola caught a glimpse of the tunnel beyond, a narrow way into the dragons’ realm. Its brightness lingered as the dragon faded down, sending back hints and scents of that other place. As the gate closed, the dragonfire quieted unti
