Starlex watched Raki soaring low in swooping, concentric circles above their heads. A boulder tumbled onto the path in a cloud of dust. Stallarion whinnied and reared back. Starlex gripped Bonn's waist tighter to avoid falling off.

Bonn patted the horse's neck to soothe him and craned his neck to gaze at the Great Vulcan looming over them, a craggy silhouette against a red sky. He watched anxiously as the mouth of the volcano coughed out a spray of lava. The stallion pawed the ground.

Bonn Skaard hopped off. "Tear off a piece of your skirt!" he instructed Starlex.

After a moment's confusion, she understood. She ripped off the green velvet underskirt, happy to be rid of its weight, and passed it to Bonn, who used it to cover the horse's eyes.

A breathless Leiffen rode up to them and said, "The Nazeers turned back." He pointed up to the volcano. Its fiery tip lit the sky with red spew. "They're no fools. They're taking cover underground!"

Bells of warning rang from the city.

"We passed a mine shaft on the other side of the volcano," Bonn said, guiding Stellarion around the fallen boulder still steaming from the heat.

"You're mad!" Leiffen pointed at the volcano. "That thing's about to blow!"

"It's either that or return to Nazeera!” Bonn shouted, leading the horse forward.

Raki swooped down again, cawing loudly.

"She's trying to tell us something!" Starlex shouted. A shower of fiery sparks rained down; some of the cinders landed on her tender white skin and burned.

"Here!" Leiffen, riding close behind, tossed her the green wool cape that had belonged to the Nazeer guard.

Starlex took refuge under it, gripping it tightly under her chin. Her violet gaze followed the Lila bird's purple tail feathers as it led the way. Bonn's powerful legs ran in stride with the black horse. Starlex gazed up again. The volcano's rock surface shook, causing more boulders to dislodge and barrel down the jagged face. One landed behind them on the path with a deafening thud.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

"That one nearly brained me!" Leiffen cried as Emberfall kicked out its back legs.

The rocky ground rose to meet them as they climbed, and as they girded the base of the mountain, the path narrowed to a space barely wide enough for the horses to pass. A rock ledge offered some cover against the rolling boulders and fiery rain, but the shaking ground was worrying.

Starlex snuck a peek over the path's edge and shuddered. Inches away from the horses' nervous hooves, sudden death presented itself in a straight drop into the lava-lined canyon. Raki cawed as a shower of red sparks singed her purple wings.

"She's leading us to the mine opening!" Starlex shouted at Bonn, who kept pace with the stallion.

The rock face shook with roaring thunder.

"It's Quetzex!" Leiffen shouted. "And she sounds hungry!"

Raki cawed loudly in agreement.

Starlex knew the stories of the great dragon, Quetzex, from Flenn Illymium's library. She had paged through the great leather-bound tome with the tarnished brass latch, gazing in terrified wonder at the etchings depicting the dragon living in the very volcano now looming above their heads.

The ground tremors grew in intensity. The horses’ flanks quivered as a giant boulder bounced off the rock curtain above their heads and crashed in the canyon below.

"Heavens! That was close!" Leiffen cried.

The path opened at last to a rocky plateau, protected from the Great Vulcan's fiery spew by a ragged ledge of cooled lava.

“My mount’s near played out," Leiffen panted, reining up the horse and sliding off its back.

Flapping back the green wool cape, Starlex dismounted to give her horse a rest. Bonn leaned his muscular back against the rock wall and gazed up anxiously at the mountain peak that now poured out red rivers of molten rock. Smoke blackened the sky in an expanding cloud. Leiffen poured some water from his canteen into his palm and brought it to the horses' parched lips. Raki reappeared above them, flapping her wings frantically like an enormous hummingbird.

A chunk of molten rock dislodged from the volcano's mouth, followed by a whizzing fire shower. The ground rumbled, and the rock floor bulged beneath their feet.

The horses let out terrified whinnies as black soot showered down, blotting out the red sky. The ground shook violently, knocking Starlex to her knees. She felt Bonn Skaard's warm breath against her cheek. He had thrown himself on top of her, his large hands cradling her head from the singeing debris.

After a few moments, the black smoke cleared. Leiffen clamored to his feet and checked on the horses. They were covered in black soot but uninjured.

"Let's get to that mine shaft and quick!" Leiffen cried.

Bonn nodded and pulled Starlex to her feet. She tasted blood, and when she brought her finger to her lips, she saw a glimmer of concern in Bonn's ice-blue eyes.

"I'm all right," she said.

Nodding, Bonn picked up the stallion's reins and led the way. Starlex held onto the tall horse's stirrup and walked along the craggy path. When they turned the corner, she clamped a hand over her mouth to stifle a scream.

Towering three stories above their heads stood the great dragon, Quetzex, blocking the mineshaft entrance.