The man’s cockiness would have been enough to provoke Leftrin at any time without the threat to his dreams. As he passed Leftrin in the driving rain, Leftrin turned and launched himself at him. He’d beat him senseless and feed him to the dragon. Poor Jess. Must have somehow provoked the dumb beast. Can scarcely blame a dragon for being a dragon, Alise.

But Jess spun to meet him, teeth white in a merry snarl and a shining blade in his hand.

SINTARA WATCHED THE two human females in consternation. Now, what did this mean, this clutching and sharing of tears? It wasn’t hunting, nor fighting, nor mating, nor any sensible activity that she could name. She wanted them to stop. “Did either of you bring me food?” she demanded.

Thymara stepped away from Alise and wiped her sleeve across her wet face. “I didn’t have a chance to hunt today. I think the hunters got some fish.”

“I already ate what Carson said was ‘my share.’ It was pitiful.”

“I suppose I could go and—”

“Quiet!” Sintara barked at her. There was something, a distant noise like the roaring of a huge wind. She sensed distress and anger from the silver dragon. As always, his thoughts were poorly formed, but something was alarming him.

“What is it?” she roared at him and to the other dragons in general. The sound was growing louder now; even the humans could hear it. She saw Thymara turn her head and shout. Alise clutched at her and her head swiveled back and forth, seeking the source of the noise. The roar was coming closer, but she felt no increase in the wind or driving rain. The sound grew louder, with a grinding base to it mixed with sudden cracks and snaps.

“It’s the river! It’s a flood!” Mercor’s bellow slammed into her mind, and with his warning, ancient memories leaped into Sintara’s awareness.

“Fly! Get above the water!” she trumpeted, for in that moment she forgot what she was, half a dragon, bound to the earth. The darkness could not completely mask the danger. She stared upriver and saw white lace on a gray cliff face and tumbling tree trunks in the cliff’s liquid face.

“Run for the trees!” Thymara shouted, but by then only the dragon could hear her small voice through the thundering water. She saw the two women, hands clutched together, turn and begin to run.

“Too late!” she bellowed at them. She stretched out her head, seized Alise by the shoulder and snatched her off her feet. The woman screamed. The dragon paid no attention as she craned her neck and set her down between her wings. “Hold tight!” she warned her.

Thymara was fleeing. Sintara thundered after her.

Then the wave hit them.