They’d both seen Thisbe mount the dragon and speak to him… somehow. Did she have some dragon communication ability that no one knew about? More likely it had to do with the specific instructions the Revinir had given the red dragons. After all, the dragons most certainly weren’t given any pointers on what to do with Dev, since the Revinir thought he was dead. But it was easy to see the Revinir instructing them to take Thisbe to the castle if she asked them to.

Fifer wondered if she would be able to get through to the dragons if she wanted to have them take her somewhere. Did they have instructions to listen to her, too? Was there any safe way out using that method?

She shook her head. What was she thinking? She’d just witnessed Dev getting flambéed! She was not about to have the same thing happen to her—at least not until she knew what rules the dragons were following.

Sitting down at the desk, Fifer took out a piece of paper and began to write down what she knew about the red dragons.

1. Paid no attention when Dev and I spoke to them by river

2. Totally listened when Thisbe roared at them, and did what she wanted them to do

3. Torched my birds and hammock with no warning

4. Burned Dev to a crisp when he tried to do what Thisbe did with the roaring

As Fifer looked up to think about what else to write, she caught sight of something moving outside the window in the darkness. She got up and went to look. It was the remaining front dragon going toward the river, presumably to eat and drink. The dragons did this at some point each day, but Fifer had rarely caught them in the act because they usually did it during the night when she was asleep. But because the other front dragon was away, this move left that entire side of the property unguarded!

Granted, if Fifer were to ever make a run for it, it would take about six gallops for a dragon to catch her. And there was no place to run to that would be safe. But knowing there was a tiny vulnerability here gave Fifer some hope. She had no idea what she might do with that information, but it seemed noteworthy. Perhaps it would allow for people to come in rather than for Fifer and Dev to escape. Which was also something they desperately needed, especially if the people coming in brought components. And maybe some food that wasn’t fish.