Page 81 of The Infirmary for Dragon Burns and Midair Mishaps

I felt Vaela’s hand wrap around my collar a second before she dragged me to the ground. The torrent of flame that exploded overhead was hot enough to shatter windows.

“The infirmary!” I shouted, getting back to my feet.

Vaela latched onto my wrist. “Eden, no! Don’t be ridiculous!”

“The store cupboards,” Nisse said, clutching her head. “All our supplies. Everything.”

“It’s not worth it,” Vaela said to us. “Whatever you lose can be replaced.”

A light flickered in one of the downstairs windows, moving the way a candle flame might. “There’s someone inside!” I shouted. It had to be Gunther. My heart lurched so hard I thought I might be sick.

I broke free of Vaela’s hold and raced up the porch steps. I threw myself through the door. The building already groaned under the assault of the flames.

“Gunther!” I screamed, hacking on the tarry black clouds that quickly filled the space.

Vaela tugged on the back of my tunic. “Get below the smoke.”

I wafted my hands in front of my face, lungs already screaming for fresh air as I raced in the direction of Gunther’s office. The door was stuck when I reached it. I shoved against it with my shoulder. Vaela did, too. Finally, the door released, flying open under our combined weight, and there Gunther was, slumped over on his writing desk. I crouched at his side, pressing my fingers to his neck, swearing in relief when I felt the unsteady thump of his pulse.

“He’s alive,” I croaked.

Vaela took one of his arms while I grabbed the other, and together we hoisted Gunther up between us, dragging him toward the front door of the infirmary. The ceiling creaked ominously above us, red flames licking down from overhead. I shoved dark memories of swirling infernos aside. Now was not the time to panic and freeze.

“Wait a second,” Vaela screamed, her voice drowned out by the crash of the ceiling dropping down in the middle of the exam room, spitting sparks at us. A wall of fire roared up, blocking the door.

I squinted my eyes against the heat.

“Turn back,” I cried, dragging Vaela and Gunther into the office.

“Hold him,” Vaela said, and I sagged under Gunther’s full weight. She picked up his wooden chair and tossed it out the window.

The glass shattered. A wave of heat billowed from behind us, the flames in the exam room intensifying.

Vaela came back to help me with Gunther. “Watch the glass. Let’s go.”

We shoved his unconscious body out the window first. He hit the ground with a thud. Then we jumped out behind him. I fell to my knees, feeling for a pulse again.

“Are you two okay?” Nisse cried, skidding down next to us. She grabbed Vaela’s hand. “You’re bleeding.”

“I’m fine.”

“Gunther!” I barked, shaking his shoulders. My pulse rushed in my ears like a torrent of water, panic bubbling in my gut. I reared up and jammed the heels of my palms into his sternum. Hard. “Gunther, wake up!”

His eyes snapped open, and he sucked in a sharp breath. I pressed my hand to his cheek. Bless the stars.

“Oh, thank you!” Nisse said, fat tears rolling down her cheeks.

A roar thundered across the sky. This time it wasn’t the Wretch. It was Min. She collided with the collapsing chimney on the roof, knocking it aside before it could come crashing down on our heads.

“Move!” Vaela shouted, grabbing Gunther by the shoulders and hauling him further away from the burning infirmary. We scrambled to help.

Min touched down and Vaela threw herself onto her back. Before they could take off again, she turned to me, reaching out her hand. “Are you coming?”

My mouth dropped open. “What?”

Panic seized my muscles. I’d never been on a dragon before. I wasn’t even sure how to ride a dragon. But I wasn’t about to let Vaela fly toward all that fire alone.

I couldn’t wait around with bated breath to see if she’d come back to me, dreading every moment. And perhaps she knew that, and that’s why she’d asked.