The fire streamed over the creature. Its tufts of white fur ignited, but the fire flowed harmlessly across its scales. It kept soaring, reached her, and snapped its beaks. Laira yowled as one beak closed around her shoulder, cracking scales, trying to reach her flesh. Another beak closed around her tail.

"Fight it, Laira!" Jeid's voice rose from below.

Her blood dripped. Her wings beat against the ceiling. Pain fueled her, and she thrust her claws into the head that bit her shoulder. The claws drove through flesh, and the beak opened, releasing her.

I defeated Zerra. I can defeat this creature.

She grabbed a neck between her jaws, bit and twisted, and tore off the eagle head. It tumbled down to the sound of cheers, leaving a severed stalk.

The other two heads still bit at her scales, struggling to reach the flesh. One beak grabbed her tail, and the other clutched her leg. The creature's wings beat madly, holding it aloft, pinning Laira to the chamber ceiling. Far below on the cavern floor, the tribesmen waved their spears and roared. Laira blasted more fire, baking the hydragrif. It released her tail, and she swung that tail, driving the spikes into the beast's neck. With another bite, she tore off a second head. Spurting blood, the head tumbled down.

Only one head remained, gnawing on Laira's foot. Its bite worked through her scales, and her blood dripped. She thrust her claws, tore through its muscles and tendons, and ripped off the last head. She tossed it down.

The creature hovered below her, wings beating. It flew in circles, headless.

Laira breathed out in relief.

"I beat it!" she cried out. "I defeated the hydragrif! I—"

She bit down on her words. She stared in horror.

Three new heads sprouted from the severed necks.

Healed, the hydragrif flew back toward her, its three new beaks clattering.

"Oh bloody mammoth shite," Laira cursed, shocked at her words; she must have picked up a thing or two from Dorvin. She winced, beat her wings, and skittered across the ceiling. The hydragrif slammed into the stone, cracking a mural of racing bison. Bits of painted stone fell into the pit.

Laira flew toward one of the cavern walls, spun around, and reared in the air. When the hydragrif charged toward her, she bathed the beast with fire. The flames raced over it harmlessly. All around the pteros shrieked, clinging to the walls like bats, and below hundreds of voices rang out.

The creature passed through the flames, its three beaks snapping, and barreled into Laira. Hydragrif and dragon flew backward. Pteros shrieked and scattered, and Laira slammed into the wall. Torches blazed against her back. She yowled, beating her wings, flailing her tail. The creature's beak drove into her chest, blood spurted, and she screamed. The pain knocked the magic out of her. She returned to human form.