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You know the dragon can kill you in an instant, so that’s where you focus your efforts. It won’t matter who’s controlling it when it’s dead.

Shielding one another’s backs, you and Tarquin press in closer, trying to land blows with your blades while Ashur and Dorian aim spells and throw up barriers whenever a crushing bite or a flamethrower blast comes a little too close.

“Aim for the eyes!” Tarquin says. It’s good advice, but the dragon is moving too quickly for you to get any real aim, so you do the best you can and spend the rest of your time hacking at the softer parts on the underside of its neck.

Even together, though, you’re no match for a dragon, especially one this size. And with Neve tied up and Venatori on all sides, you’re starting to think maybe you made the wrong decision going for the dragon instead of the presumably much softer, weaker human mage.

Oh, well. At least, between the dragon and the Venatori, you don’t have to regret your choice for long.

• THE END.