The Dark Home

As Talander’s eyes adjusted to the blackness of the lava tunnel, Bleak led him down the corridor from the point of their entry with a firm grip on his arm. If the dragon had wanted to bolt, it would have been impossible. Talander’s assistance as a healer was requested, and an oath he had taken long ago prevented his running. A dragon’s oath was binding under any circumstances and his services as healer did not discriminate by race.

The demon wizard’s home fulfilled Talander’s expectations. It was hot, dark, and he could smell a subtlety sulfurous order in the air. The great wizard kept his opinions to himself as they entered a birth chamber. He wondered if he would have survived the trip had he been human—being dragon-kind in human form had some small advantages.