Roya was to it. It was locked. Racing her hands to find the releasing mechanism, she listened to the commotion outside. Every Dragon Man and Boy and winged reptile must be searching the pit!
The door abruptly gave out from Roya's desperately searching hands! But she shocked back as the King of the Dragon Men strode in. His adroit tail flicked the door shut. Roya was behind a nearby chair. Ophid turned to finger the latch. With strength born of new hope, Roya grasped the chair and leaped. Ophid whirled and tried to convulse away. The chair missed his head but slammed down on his arms and staggered him.
Glimpsing success, Roya flailed the chair again. But Ophid whipped his tail around her ankle and threw her off balance as he tore the chair from her hands.
Roya contorted to sink her teeth into that tail coiled around her ankle. Ophid hissed with pain. Leaping free, Roya snatched the other chair as she dodged around the table. Ophid only stood before the door—his red eyes burning unwinkingly. Roya knew he was trying to hypnotize her again. But if she didn't let herself watch him....
Roya centered her gaze on his redly mottled black torso. But Ophid was swaying in a slow sinuous rhythm. Roya felt herself begin swaying with him. In violent desperation Roya hurled her chair. Ophid only caught it and set it down softly. There were no more this side of the table.
Ophid began moving slowly toward Roya. His hissing voice was like his eyes—impelling. "There are no warriors from your Outer World. There is no one...."
In desperation Roya upended the table and darted for the door. Only reaching out, Ophid eased the table to the floor. Roya fumbled frantically at the latch—but couldn't release it! Feeling Ophid's eyes burning over her, she whirled. Rippling sinuously, tail swaying in rhythm, Ophid was moving slowly backward.
His hissing voice was an opiate. "It is useless, fair one. You cannot resist what is to be...."
Had Toka and the others not really come!
Ophid was standing by his filthy nest now. "Come, fair one," he bid softly. "Come, fair one ... come...."