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.Twenty or thirty citizens were immediately crushed or impaled.Luckily, Amenstar and her friends arrived late and hung back to avoid the press, so they didn't die.When the dragon fanned its powerful, sweeping wings, the blast seemed to sear Star's face like a hurricane.A great tail, long as a camel train and curved like a sickle at the tip, scythed to cut and smash fleeing Cursrahns like mice hiding in wheat.A clawed paw like a trio of pickaxes sank into the ox's body and squirted blood into the air.Another fearsome paw crumpled the awe-stricken acolytes, breaking their backs and skulls.The dragon's maw gaped, and a bolt of lightning sizzled and crackled to scorch another dozen souls, who tumbled and burned as they died, clothing and hair ignited.Twisting, the dragon's clawed feet skidded on cobblestones and gore.The blue tail flexed and upset the huge iron dish of flaming oil.It dropped with an ear-punishing clang, and burning oil bubbled in channels between raised cobblestones.Ox and human blood and fallen bodies were charred as a stomach-turning, iron-stinking smoke rolled across the plaza.The dragon roared, a eerie keen like wind whistling across a lonesome desert, and Cursrahns screamed.Amenstar watched the carnage as blood and dust boiled into the air and blacked out the moon.An ancient prophecy sprang to mind: "The Dragon of the West and the Stallion of the East shall meet, and the dust of their fury shall eclipse the skies."Star was dragged up and backward by her friends.The trio plunged into the panicked crowd, and the men shielded Star from falling under stampeding sandals.Up until now, Amenstar had been too enthralled and too stunned to feel fear, but as she saw the dragon clearly terror chilled her heart.Dragons had plagued Calimshan for centuries, but this grotesque flying giant might have been specially conjured to ravage Cursrah.The dragon was plated with scales of a deep shining black-blue, but the largest scales on its back and haunches were curiously edged in white, as if painted with half-moons.Its tail had been sharpened into a sickle, and even the major horn on the dragon's nose recalled a white crescent moon."It's a moon dragon," Star cried."Surely the gods must curse our moonstruck city! Cursrah is doomed!"Gheqet and Tafir shouldered through the crowd to seek shelter between tall buildings.Behind came a tremendous crunching and shattering as the Temple of Shar was stove in by an errant tail.New shrieks made them look up.Bathed in moonlight, glowing blue and silver as the moon itself, the dragon scooped air with its ragged wings.The sacrificial white ox dangled from curved fore claws.Steadily, the dragon dwindled into the distance."I'm glad to see that thing go," breathed Tafir."It'll be back," Gheqet panted."That's the first dragon attack since the Great Arrival.Jassan, our invisible air guardian, must have deserted us too.All the genies have left Cursrah to its fate!""What fate?" demanded Tafir."Our fates are to separate, for now." Numb to horror, Amenstar straightened her clothes and hair.Forcing calm, the samira announced, "I must return to the palace.My family will need me in these trials.You should return home too, and see what your parents plan.They may wish to—to leave Cursrah." Her voice faltered on the last."Is that wise?" asked Gheqet."Your family might be, uh—""Uh, miffed that you ran off," finished Tafir."When are they not?" breezed Amenstar."They're an unsmiling bunch.I'll just talk quickly, pile on apologies, and be forgiven.There is no time to punish me now."In the moon-striped shadows of the alley, Amenstar spoke lightly, but fear gnawed her belly.For the first time she faced the mind-numbing notion that Cursrah might really fall, cease to exist, and be swept from history.The princess couldn't imagine Cursrah ending any more than the sun winking out, yet it might.She remembered the last time she'd rebelled by spoiling her coming-out ball.Her parents' punishment had been heavy and painful.She shuddered to think of drowning, then shook it off with regal poise."Never fear.We'll meet again soon.Here, hold still." Star surprised both men by catching their faces and pecking their lips.She'd never kissed them before, had barely touched them.Gheqet and Tafir were too stunned to respond, and the lovely young lady laughed at their confusion."Take care, please.You're my best friends, my only friends." Her voice broke.Before they could see her tears, Star dashed off.Panicked citizens ran in all directions, mindless as chickens in the shadow of a hawk.Aloof, Star strode up a short street toward a bridge that gave access to the Palace of the Phoenix.Four glowering guards barred the way.Around the palace, torches glittered redly on the dome's gold roof, and flickered in reflection in the moat, which had sunk so low slimy rocks jutted from the bottom.Almost a peaceful scene, Amenstar thought, but the sparse water spoke of tragedy to come.The princess took a deep breath as she marched up to the guards.Emotions swirled and welled so large in her breast she thought she might choke.If her world ended, what could take its place?A spear-wielding sergeant raised a hand and called, "Halt, citizen, no one is—oh! Your Majesty."Star had dropped her scarf.Immediately the guards snapped to attention, but then, as if confused, stamped forward like automatons to surround the small woman.Puzzled, Star looked at her human prison and asked, "Sergeant, what's the meaning—""Samira Amenstar," interrupted the sergeant, "in the name of the bakkal, I place you under arrest."* * * * *The royal family's compound proved as tumultuous as the streets.In wing after sprawling wing, candlelight was as brilliant as the outside night was black.Star trotted to keep up, for the guards evidently had orders to rush her once found.Clerks and maids and junior officials and vizars hurried hither and thither, aimless as Cursrah's citizens.At a corridor intersection, a tall vase had crashed in porcelain splinters, and no servants cleaned it up, so shards crunched underfoot.Somehow this simple, messy lapse worried Star, for all her life the royal mansions had been immaculate.Her heart began to thump so hard her breath came short.Rounding a corridor, two guards almost overran Tunkeb.Star's second sister was a younger but taller edition of their mother.Tunkeb's head jerked when she beheld the prisoner, then she trotted alongside, happy to needle her worst rival."You're in terrible trouble, Star!" twittered Tunkeb."Papa and Mama are furious
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