"What was with the trash talk?" Seth inquired.

"I was trying to get some of the heads out of sync,"

Gavin said. "I wanted to identify the g-g-governing head. I think we succeeded. Hespera is ancient. Some of those heads looked unwell. Senile or nuts or something. I hoped some might resent their role as guardian. If we could take out the governing head, and incite the others, the monstrosity might end up trying to go ten different directions at once."

"Trask got an eye," Dougan said. "How's that for marksmanship under pressure?"

"We injured the main head," Gavin agreed. "Might have injured it badly. The second quarrel went in the mouth and out the top of her skull."

Trask crouched, winding and reloading his crossbow. "We'll deal with her when the time comes. Those shrieks alerted everything with ears to our presence. We should keep moving. Stay on your toes."

Trask took the lead again. As Tanu had observed, the passage widened until they were advancing along a broad ravine once again. Seth paid attention to his footing on the uneven floor. The sporadic glowing stones left much of the ground in shadow.

"Who have we here?" uttered a slow, deep voice from a cave in the wall of the ravine about thirty yards ahead. The cave mouth had looked like a patch of shadow until Seth saw a huge gray head emerge.

His mind went blank. He couldn't even clearly see the shadowy eyes, but he found himself stupefied, unable to move. Gavin grabbed his hand and placed it into Kendra's, and the sensation passed.

"Weary travelers," Gavin answered.

"I will give you rest," the morose voice answered.

Opening his mouth wide, Gavin shrieked and squealed. The dragon hooted a brief response.

"Glommus!" Gavin cried. "Run! Hold your breath!"

Trask fired both arrows at the head as it came farther from the hole and swung toward them. Stumbling alongside Kendra, Seth heard a mighty whoosh, then felt a fine spray against his skin. A thick mist muted the light from the glowing stones. Gavin appeared at his side, wrestling the knapsack from Kendra and tugging open the flap.

As commanded, Seth had not inhaled. His eyes were itching, and the strength seemed to be draining out of him. He lost hold of Kendra as Gavin tried to stuff her into the knapsack. Seth had never felt so drowsy. Was there something he was supposed to be doing? Was he on the ground? How did he get there? The rocky floor of the ravine felt like a pillow-top mattress. Wasn't he in the middle of something important?

His lungs clenched insistently. He heard another loud whoosh. His eyes felt heavy, his mind drowsy. Was he holding his breath for a reason? Seemed like it was important. He exhaled what remained in his lungs. Some instinct deep inside warned him not to inhale. But if he didn't inhale, wouldn't he suffocate? He risked a small breath, and oblivion swallowed conscious thought.

Chapter 25 Slayings

Kendra thought she heard a fuzzy voice in the distance. The words made no sense, but the speaker sounded insistent. She wished he would go away. She felt so tired.

One word began to register. The speaker kept repeating her name. She began to notice a sharp, piquant smell. Her eyes started watering and the voice became less muddy. Somebody was slapping her gently.

Her eyes opened and she sat up with a jerk. Tanu held her steady. Her sinuses felt raw. Wetness dribbled from her nostrils. She wiped her nose on her sleeve.

Tanu moved a small bottle away from her nose and capped it.

"What's that?" she asked.

"It's like smelling salts," he explained.

Kendra looked around. They were alone, in a dim ravine. She was forgetting something. "The dragon!" she exclaimed.

Tanu shushed her. "It's all right. I killed it."

The last thing Kendra remembered, Gavin had been trying to force her into the knapsack. She had gone limp, lost contact with him, and dreamless sleep had overwhelmed her.

"Where are the others?" Kendra asked.

"Still out cold," Tanu said. "I dragged you well away from the fumes, but even so it took almost twenty minutes to wake you up."

"The dragon drugged us?"

"Some kind of sleeping gas. Potent stuff. I became alerted when Tanu and Seth fell into a deep sleep at the same time in the middle of the day."

"Tanu fell asleep? But you're--"

Tanu was shaking his head. "Vanessa."

Startled, Kendra reflexively scooted away.

Tanu held up his hands innocently. "Be glad I showed up. That dragon would have killed all of you. Where are we?"

Kendra hesitated. "I probably better not say. Just in case. How did you kill the dragon?"

Tanu grinned. "When they sleep, I can sense everyone I've ever bitten. As I mentioned, I was curious about the unusual way Tanu and Seth had suddenly lost consciousness, so I took control of Tanu, studying the situation through half-closed eyes. At first I was merely investigating a hunch, but once I glimpsed how Dougan lay sprawled next to me, I knew that something was truly wrong. Fine mist permeated the air, and I observed a dragon sniffing around. I would never label myself a dragon tamer, but I have stood in the presence of dragons and kept my wits. The fear assailed me, intense and irrational, but the dragon had not noticed me, and I managed to resist. I noticed a sword beside me on the ground. I've always been useful with a blade in my hand. When the great head swung over to sniff at me and Dougan, I sat up and slashed his throat. Imagine my surprise when the blade cut deep, patting his scales as if they were made of cardboard. I've never wielded such a sword!

"My attack caught the dragon completely off guard. When I rose to my feet and cut him with a return stroke, I left the beast nearly decapitated. The dragon reeled away, belching sweet fog and bleeding profusely. He retreated into a gloomy cave and died. I went in after him to verify his demise, and finished parting his head from his body."

"You killed a dragon," Kendra said in awe.

Tanu laughed. It may have been the Samoan's voice, but the laugh belonged to Vanessa. "I suppose I did." It was strange to hear Tanu speaking with Vanessa's inflexions. "I may be the sole living dragon slayer. Not that I deserve to brag. That was handed to me. You don't often find the exposed neck of a dragon moving sluggishly overhead. And there I was, with a sharp sword in my hand. It hadn't occurred to the beast that any of us could possibly be conscious. He was carelessly taking his time."

"Should I help you get the others?" Kendra asked.

"No. The sleeping gas still hangs heavy in the air. I'll have to bring them. You can wait here and help wake them." Tanu handed Kendra the tiny bottle that had helped her snap awake. He craned his head back to study the lofty ceiling. "This is no simple dragon lair. Where are we? You place us in greater danger by not telling me."

"On what side of the ravine was the dragon's cave?" Kendra asked.

"That side," Tanu pointed. "Back that way."

The answer helped Kendra orient herself. "There's a hydra back beyond the dragon cave. And somewhere up ahead an unknown guardian awaits."

Tanu scowled. "Is this a Dragon Temple? What have you gotten yourselves into?"

"Long story," Kendra said.

"I'm sure you have your reasons," Tanu muttered. "Look, I'll collect the rest of your team. You'd better put in a good word for me with your grandparents when you get home."

"Is it far to the others?" Kendra asked.

"A good distance. The mist is widely dispersed."

"There's a knapsack. It has a room inside. If you're strong enough to carry people down into the room, it might be faster. Maybe not."

"Thanks for the tip. I'll be back."

Kendra waited alone, trying to muster her courage. They had survived a dragon. Maybe they would actually make it out of the Dragon Temple. Uncapping the small bottle, she tried a little sniff and felt a spicy tingle penetrate her sinuses, triggering tears. The invasive smell left a metallic aftertaste on the roof of her mouth. She was just beginning to wonder what was taking so long when she heard Tanu returning. He drug Trask over to her and laid him on his back. The knapsack hung from his shoulder.

"Anybody in the sack?" Kendra asked.

"Mara, Gavin, Seth, and Warren," Tanu said.

"Was Warren asleep as well?"

"And badly wounded. I found him crumpled at the bottom of the ladder."

"He was already injured," Kendra said. "He was inside the knapsack when the dragon put us to sleep. He must have tried to climb out and help us."

"When he tried to emerge, the sleep gas knocked him out and he fell," Tanu finished. "Serves him right. Warren was always so cocky. I'm not going to try to lug any of them back up the ladder"

"Right," Kendra said. "I'll climb down to wake them up."

"I'll go back for Dougan. He was too heavy to move into the knapsack. When we're done, I'll relinquish my hold on Tanu and you can wake him as well."

Tanu walked away.

Kendra squatted beside Trask, uncapping the bottle and waving it beneath his nostrils. She recalled how her name had been the first word to register. "Trask," she said. "Trask, wake up. We're in the temple, Trask. You have to get up. Trask. Come on, Trask."

He did not stir. Kendra took another quick whiff from the bottle. Her eyes immediately teared up and her sinuses burned. How could he sleep through that sensation? Wiping away tears, she returned the mouth of the bottle to his nostrils. He showed no reaction. "Trask! Trask, come on, get up. Trask, dragons! Hurry, Trask, wake up!" She prodded his cheek. She pried open an eye only to see it languidly roll back. She shook him. She shouted. Nothing elicited a response.

Kendra continued to speak and shout persistently. When Tanu returned with Dougan, Trask still had not stirred.

"Is there a trick to this?" Kendra asked.

"It took a good twenty minutes to awaken you," Tanu said. "Time away from the fumes must be part of the equation. Once you get Trask awake, I'm sure the others will rouse faster."

"How did you know which potion to use?" Kendra asked. "Can you see Tanu's thoughts?"

Tanu shook his head. "Trial and error. I knew he must have some compound akin to smelling salts."

Kendra put the bottle beneath Trask's nostrils. "Wake up, Trask. Come on, get up, we have dragons to fight. Trask? Trask?" She jostled his shoulder.

"I'll wait to release Tanu until Trask wakes up," Tanu said. "I don't want to leave you here alone."

"Thanks, Vanessa. I really appreciate it."

"Don't forget to put in a good word with your grandparents."

"I will," Kendra promised. "If we ever make it out of here." She returned to trying to rouse Trask.

Kendra had no way to confirm how long it took for Trask to start awakening. It felt like more than twenty minutes. At last he began to hum and moan as she shook him. Not long after that his eyes opened. With her hand on his shoulder, she felt him tense up. "What happened?" he asked.

Kendra explained. By the time she was done, Trask was on his feet.

"Vanessa Santoro," he said grudgingly, shaking hands with Tanu. "We're indebted."

"Believe it or not, I'm actually on your side these days," Tanu replied. "Now that you're awake, Lieutenant, I'd best return your potion master to you. I'll be watching. If you should fall asleep unnaturally again, I'll be back." Tanu reclined on the ground. "You should have good luck awakening those in the knapsack by now. Save me and Dougan for last. 'Bye, Kendra."

'"Bye."

Tanu closed his eyes and his body slackened into a deep sleep.

Trask stood guard while Kendra descended into the storage room. It took only a few minutes to awaken Seth. Gavin and Mara woke even faster, and Warren sat up on his own. It turned out the fall had broken both bones in his forearm. The others carefully helped him back to his resting place.

After everyone in the storage room understood what had happened, Kendra led the way up the ladder. Using the pungent scent from the little bottle, she awoke Dougan and finally Tanu. The Samoan had a big grin on his face by the time they finished recapping what had transpired.

"Glommus was an old dragon, and blind," Gavin said.

"I had heard of him. His reputation was renowned. He was truly one of a kind. Once I understood who we were facing, I knew we were in trouble. That b-b-breath of his will put anything to sleep--even other dragons!"

"I managed to break a smoke grenade before I went down," Tanu put in.

"Which explains why Glommus had to get so close to smell us," Gavin said. "We really lucked out. Without that narcoblix, we would be dragon food."

"I know Vanessa gets the credit," Tanu said, repressing a grin, "but it's pretty cool to think I took down a dragon. My body, at least."

"Good thing you had one of the adamant-edged swords," Seth observed.

"We're not out of the woods yet," Trask reminded them. "We have another guardian ahead of us, and the hydra behind. We've overcome a major obstacle, but now we have to refocus."

They set about getting their gear in order. Tanu descended into the knapsack to check how Warren was faring and discover what additional attention he might need.

Seth wandered over to Kendra. "So why do you think Vanessa picked Tanu instead of me?"

"Would you have wanted her to pick you?" Kendra asked.

"Well, I would have sort of been a dragon slayer."

"You know, I don't think Vanessa meant it as an insult. She's controlled Tanu before. Plus Tanu is bigger." Seth looked mopey. "She bit me too."