As the Dragon Man advanced, Roya command, "We are not of Kosanna! Take us to your master!"
The Dragon Man grinned mockingly. "You, fair one, are for our King Ophid! But you, dark one—" Leaping with startling speed, he bowled Roya and Elees to the scummy floor.
Elees fought to escape the slimy creature. Roya battled to help. But that rattlered tail uncoiled with blinding speed to smash her back and the Dragon Man was carrying the frantically struggling Elees from the cage. Roya leaped to follow—only to have gleeful Dragon Men clang the door in her face. Instantly backing from the snaky fingers clawing through the bars, Roya watched Elees born away into the eddying haze and stench.
Then there was an imperious vibration of rattlers. The mob about Roya's cage instantly backed away and from out of the shifting haze swaggered a giant Dragon Man wearing a spiked collar set with flashing gems.
Flinging the cage door wide, he strode in with his voice hissing, "Ah, the new Queen of King Ophid's realm!"
Roya fought to control her terror. "My friend and I are not of Kosanna! Release us or our people shall destroy you!"
The King of the Dragon Men only reached for her. Roya ducked and leaped. Ophid's claws grazed her back, then she was past him and the door yawned ahead. But with blinding swiftness Ophid's tail whipped around Roya's ankle and crashed her to the floor. Then his sinuous arms wrapped about her and he was carrying her away through the eddying haze and stench to a door above which was sculptured a spiked collar. Two dragons were coiled on guard beside the door.
"Toka!" Roya cried in stark desperation. "Toka!"
There was only hissing laughter, mocking her.
Thrusting Roya free, Ophid fingered the small masonries of the latch area. In the sickly green light cast by the interior stonework, the den was low and huge. As Ophid moved slowly toward her, Roya dodged around the table and grasped the back of a chair. Red eyes staring hypnotically, Ophid slowly rounded the table and came toward her.