17. Too Quiet

Now that the dragon is gone, the cavern seems cold and empty. I turn to Felicity once we're alone, feeling strangely hollow. "Well. That's that."

"You did it," she says almost numbly. "You saved the dragon."

"To be fair, Lukas did most of the work." I flash her a grin. "But I'm happy to take the credit."

She turns to face me, her face oddly blank. "You said you would, and you did."

"I'm a man of my word, Felicity." I meet her eyes. "I don't make promises I don't intend to keep."

She studies me, looking lost. After a few minutes, she nods, turning away. "I suppose we should get going."

"There's nothing left for us in here," I agree.

A strange look crosses Felicity's face. She pauses, cocking her head to the side. "It's quiet."

She's right. The mole trolls have gone silent.

"What does that mean?" she whispers. "Do they know the dragon escaped?"

I swear under my breath, realizing we're in trouble. Now that the monsters aren't preoccupied with the dragon, they'll spread out in the cavern. How will we get through the bluewood?

"What are we going to do?" Felicity asks, obviously coming to the same conclusion.

I don't have an answer yet, so I shake my head, thinking.

"Are we trapped?" she whispers, fear in her eyes.

Felicity doesn't know how to fight, and I can only take on so many of the monsters by myself.

"Not forever," I promise her. "But for now…it might be best to wait to see if they start beating on the rocks again. They do take occasional breaks."

"And if it's not a break? If they've given up and are now wandering the bluewood?"

"Lukas will find a way to get us out of here."

"How can you be sure?"

"He hasn't abandoned me yet."

Looking a little lightheaded, she goes back to our fire.

I join her. "At least the fish supply will last longer now that we don't have to share it with the dragon."

Felicity pulls her legs up, hugging her knees. I'm beginning to recognize the move—it's a self-defense mechanism, the way she copes.

"It's going to be all right," I assure her.

But for the first time, I have doubts.