Another short piece (extract, really)

Thess spun to see what had roared so loudly. A black shape winged its way over the trees towards the castle. There was no mistaking the flyer. It was the dragon. But it was supposed to be twenty miles away. Not plunging towards her.

 Thess had only seconds to act before the creature was upon her. Her sister's cry echoed in her ears, as all thoughts of rescue gone, she sprinted for the folly in the middle of the garden.

 She planted herself with the solid stone of the folly between her and the dragon fire that erupted around her. Even protected from its worst by her armour, the heat baked her. Her scream at being cooked alive was drowned out by the triumphant roar of the firedrake as it landed where she'd been moments earlier.

 Under her breath, she panted, "This isn't happening; this isn't happening." But it was.