She beat her wings, rising higher, and returned her eyes to the main battle. The mother octopus still lived, lashing her tentacles; only four of the arms remained. The other three dragons had managed to free themselves, though blood covered them and their scales were chipped.

"Laira!" Maev shouted down to her. Blood and slime filled her mouth and she spat. "You have to bite through the tentacles. Grab them near the body and bite!" With that, the green dragon shot toward the octopus, dodged one tentacle, and grabbed another's base between her jaws. She began to tug like a pup on a rope, tearing off the slimy arm.

The octopus flailed in the sky, spraying black liquid like tar. A stream of the foul ink crashed against Tanin, and the red dragon bellowed and dipped in the sky, wiping off the ooze with his claws. When the octopus spun toward Laira, she banked, dodging most of the attack. The jet of ink sprayed over her head, but some droplets landed against her. They stung like a rain of lava, and she yowled but kept flying.

Hovering before her, the octopus met her gaze. Its mouth opened in a toothy grin. At first, Laira had thought this a mindless beast, but now she saw cunning and recognition in its eyes. A voice emerged from its maw, shrill as trees cracking under ice, as the cries of dead souls, as her innermost nightmares. It licked its chops, tongue long and blue, as words fled between its teeth.

"Laira . . . I recognize you, Laira Seran." It hissed at her, grin widening. "Your father, King Raem Who Lies with Demons, sends his regards."

Laira froze in the sky, terror constricting her.

It knows me. It knows my name.

Its remaining tentacles lashed, holding back the other dragons, as it hovered closer toward her. Its tongue reached out, stretching as long as its arms, blue and dripping saliva. It licked her cheek, then grabbed her horn and tugged her closer. Its mouth opened wider and wider, so large she thought it could swallow her whole. Its uvula swung and its gullet bubbled with acid.

Laira screamed and blew her fire.

Her flames crashed into the creature's mouth, splashed against its palate, and ignited its stomach acid. The creature screamed but would not release her. Its tongue still tugged her horn, dragging her toward the inferno.

She raised her claws, grabbed the tongue, and tore it apart with a shower of blood. Free from its grip, she flew backward a few feet, blew more fire, then drove forward with a scream.

Her horns pierced the creature's eyes with wet pops, sank through flesh, then pulled back coated with jiggling globs of brain.

The misshapen mollusk hovered for a moment longer, staring at Laira with empty eye sockets, then crashed down toward the forest.