by Karen Frost
~*~
The rat was an excellent guide and they emerged from the endless maze of passageways and corridors only a hundred yards before the castle's heavy doors. Mary Jane stopped and pulled the glowing heartstone from the pouch. She had not known how she would be able to summon Hissarlik, but from the growing sense of delight that she felt radiating from the stone she suspected that the dragon somehow already knew to come and was drawing near. Godrick eyed the gem uneasily.
"What now, Miss?" He asked.
"Come with me," she said. "Don't be afraid."
She pushed the great doors open, struggling against the powerful wind that tried to slam them shut again. The sun was setting and the last of its dying rays smeared crimson and gold like an artist's oil paints across the sky. In the courtyard sat patiently waiting the great dragon Hissarlik. His eyes burned the same fiery red as his heartstone, and he beat his wings with excitement when he saw the stone in Mary Jane's hand. Mary Jane ran towards him, the wind whipping across her face and tangling in her hair. Godrick followed at her heels. Hissarlik stretched out a bony claw.
"Give it to me," he hissed, his breath hot.
The fire in his eyes leaped higher and danced. The stone in Mary Jane's hand felt as though it was pulling toward the dragon. She fought against it by clutching the stone harder.
"Not yet," She said, putting the stone carefully back in the pouch.
The dragon's eyes did not leave the stone.
"I will give it to you, but first you must promise me that you will take us away from here; some place where Mirrin can't find us."
Mary Jane clutched the pouch tightly to stop the stone from trying to reunite with the dragon. Hissarlik screamed in anger and impatience, but he could do nothing while she held the upper hand. He flapped his wings with agitation and snarled, "It will be done."
"Good," Mary Jane said, with more confidence than she felt.
It was at that moment that she saw, from the corner of her eye, the blue flames surrounding Morlach flicker and die soundlessly. The eternal flame was no more.
