THE DRAGON ARMY MASSED ON THE TOPS OF THE HILLS SURROUNDING the castle. At some unheard signal, the warriors began to flow rapidly to the attack. Soldiers watching from the castle walls blinked and rubbed their eyes. They had seen this army once and then it had vanished, and now it had reappeared. Even the stalwart were shaken. Men cursed or trembled. Some fell to their knees. The priest who had called out that God had saved them looked accusingly into the heavens, as though suspecting some sort of cruel joke.

Leaving Gunderson in command, Edward took time to return to the great hall with Marcus, to see for himself what had occurred. He stared in horror and loathing at the carcass of the dead monstrosity that lay on the floor. Following Marcus’s initial strike at the dragon, the knights who’d been paralyzed with shock had come to themselves and obeyed his command to “Finish it.”

They had attacked the monster with sword and knife and spear, stabbing it over and over in their grim determination to slay it. The carcass, riddled with wounds, lay in a vast pool of blood. The eyes still held the fury of the dying dragon. The jaws gaped in a hate-filled grimace. Tragically, some parts of the Lady Izabelle were still visible, and it seemed to Edward that the dragon and the pretty young girl were locked in a lethal embrace.

“Cover it with a sheet or something,” the king ordered, sickened.

“Poor girl,” the Queen murmured softly, weeping. “Poor child.”

“At least she is at peace now,” said Edward. He put his arm around his distraught wife. “Come away.”

“I didn’t know she was . . . was that. . . that evil thing!” Ermintrude cried, sobbing into her husband’s breast.

“None of us knew, Mother,” said Marcus, trying to comfort her. “Don’t blame yourself. Not even another dragon could have seen through the facade. She allowed me to see the truth, but only when she was certain she had a firm hold on me. Then she tortured me with the knowledge of what she planned.”

A squire appeared in the doorway, seeking the king. Edward looked about for someone else to help his wife, who was shivering and sobbing.

“I’ll stay with the Queen, Sire,” Evelina offered in meek tones.

No one had paid any attention to her before this, and she’d taken care to keep well in the background. Now she came hesitantly forward.

Edward glanced at Marcus, who frowned and searched the room for anyone else. Her Majesty had sent most of the servants away for their own safety, keeping only one woman, who had been with her for years. That good woman crouched in a corner, laughing and blubbering hysterically, completely useless to her mistress. Evelina was the only woman remaining.