She was right. Tristan not surviving this encounter did not excuse me from the fight. I had a responsibility and a duty to keep going until the bitter end, and my ability to do so wouldn’t come from a spell or potion, but from force of will. “I hear you,” I said, lifting my chin. “Now let’s ride.”

But as we turned to the horses, a shriek filled the skies over our heads. A sound like an eagle, but far, far bigger. The horses went wild, tearing free from their pickets and galloping into the trees. The moment I looked up, I wanted to do the same, because cutting across the sky was a dragon.

“I thought Tristan said they couldn’t come back,” Chris shouted as we ran to the trees.

“He did.” Gran stumbled, and I hauled her up, risking a glance back as I did. The dragon had landed in the clearing, golden scales glittering in the sunlight. And I recognized it.

“Winter,” I breathed. “The Winter fey can’t come back.”

Letting go of her arm, I retreated to the clearing.

“Are you mad?” Chris dragged me backwards.

“Let me go,” I said, and his arms fell away.

My pulse roared in my ears as I approached the dragon, my eyes flitting between its enormous claws and teeth the length of my hand. It snorted, and a gout of steam rose into the air. “Are you Melusina?” I asked, flinching as it lowered its massive head until it was only a few feet from my chest. Emerald eyes gleamed and it huffed out another breath that smelled of sulfur and flame.

“Cécile!” Chris hissed my name from behind a tree as though the slender trunk would protect him from the enormous beast.

“There’s a statue of it… of her in Trollus,” I said. “She’s a Summer dragon.” I reached out a hand and, though it was probably not prudent to do so, pressed it against the creature’s hide. Her scales were hard as steel, but through them, I felt the same sort of preternatural heat the trolls exuded. “Are you here to help us?”

Melusina eyed me, then inclined her great head.

“Can you take us to Trianon?” I asked, terrified and excited at the prospect.

Wings snapped out with a crack, then tucked against the dragon’s body as she lowered her bulk to the ground.

“I think we’re going to need some rope,” I said.