This might actually work, Saina thought privately, hardly daring to hope. Dragons kept promises, but they were masterful at loopholes; that was why they made such terrific lawyers. She kept her chin high and was careful with her words. Dragon expression was hard to read, and she was watching Bastian’s father carefully.

She didn’t see Keylor’s attack until silver claws were slashing at her.

Before she could so much as stagger backwards, Bastian was diving between them, driving into Keylor with a roar. That is my mate!

Saina fell back against a fountain as the two tumbled in a flurry of beating wings and lashing tails. Her hand came away from her chest bloodied, but it was quickly obvious that it was little more than a surface scratch.

She couldn’t hear what Bastian was saying - it was private to Keylor only, and Keylor’s responses were similarly narrow-banded, but the fight intensified. Over and over, Keylor attacked, and Bastian drove him back and released him, withdrawing and giving his brother a chance to surrender.

Keylor wanted no part of surrender.

Keylor sank teeth into Bastian’s shoulder and held on like a pit bull while Bastian shook him, staggering and dragging him along a stone balustrade.

Why won’t you stop them? Saina shrieked at their parents, who were both watching the fight with detachment, stepping back delicately whenever the battle grew too close.

Neither of those are our sons now, Bastian’s father said coldly.

Saina balled her hands in fists at her sides. She wanted to run over and pound them on his uncaring blue scales, but she knew too much about dragon honor to believe that it would make any difference.

Bastian rolled over the cold stone, and Keylor finally let go of his shoulder. Saina was alarmed at the amount of blood, dark against his green scales. I just put him back together, she thought crossly.

The two dragons circled each other, snarling and flaming. Bastian limped slightly on his injured shoulder, but otherwise seemed faster and stronger than his brother.

Then Keylor paused, his attention caught by the forgotten pink suitcase. Saina saw that he was trembling, and knew that he must be feeling the withdrawal from the goldshot fiercely now.

Take the bait, she willed him, but she couldn’t put any magic in it because she had promised not to.

Fortunately, she didn’t have to. Keylor led their circling closer to the suitcase, and dashed at the last moment in, to snatch the plastic-wrapped brick from the top and swallow it in one fast gulp, smashing the suitcase aside.

Bastian darted forward, trying to take advantage of Keylor’s distraction, but Keylor dodged him and leapt to the top of one of the walls. For a moment, Saina thought -- hoped -- that he would simply abandon the battle and flee. Bastian roared at him, but didn’t follow, glancing back instead to assure himself that Saina was safe.

Keylor, his eyes already starting to swirl more red, snarled and jumped down upon him, wicked claws spread.

Bastian reared to meet him, wings beating for additional forward momentum as they clashed.

Saina bit her lip as they tore and flamed at each other, then ducked and took cover behind the fountain as the battle raged closer. Bastian just had to last a short while, but Keylor was stronger and faster now, Bastian’s advantage gone now that Keylor had the goldshot coursing through his system.

Keylor’s attacks grew stronger, and he pinned Bastian, striking dizzying blows at the side of his brother’s head. Bastian flamed and writhed, wrenching free just as Keylor moved to bite him in the already wounded shoulder. His actions became more and more defensive as Keylor stepped up his attacks, darting away at the last moment to slash as he leapt out of the way.

Saina’s nails cut crescents into her palms as she watched through the smoke-hazed courtyard. Each escape was narrower, each attack more enraged, and she had no idea how long Bastian would need to keep dodging.

She couldn’t sing her magic into Keylor, but she could into Bastian, she realized.

She planted her feet and opened her mouth to sing.

Stronger than you’ve ever known,

A king lacking only a throne.

You will always be

Royalty to me.

Saina couldn’t direct their battle, but she could remind Bastian of his strength. Your hoard is better, she whispered at him. Your heart is truer.

Bastian crashed with Keylor into another wall, and they were a snarling, tail-lashing, wing-beating ball of dragon together.

Did Bastian look stronger? Saina sang louder, desperate to help him, wincing at every blow and slash.

Then, just as Keylor turned to bite Bastian’s briefly exposed neck, he shifted, and for one ridiculous moment, was dangling as a human from Bastian’s scales, holding on only by wholly inadequate human teeth as his limbs flailed.