The cart drew closer to a walled city. Beyond was unclear, but Nikulas got the feeling of many people and houses and whoever knew what else inside.

Two more groups of players sat waiting for him. At a nod from the lady riding, the horses were unharnessed, giving him a clear view of the stone wall in front of him.

The players controlling his frozen state came to a close. The music died away and the force holding him still eased. He stretched his shoulders and rolled his neck, trying to relieve the last stiffness. He drew back his lips to roar, but the music started up again.

While the music held him frozen, two guards cut the net from the wagon. Once that was done, the music changed. Faster, with a higher counter-melody twirling over the top.

To his horror, he rose into the air. He tried to stretch out his wings, to remain on the ground, to claw at the wagon. But his muscles refused to obey anything except the music. His whole body shook with tension as he fought the inexorable rise. He wobbled, but the music held him firm. His heart raced as the ground dropped away, the net hanging down over him an additional encumbrance.

Eyes whirling, he watched the people and wagons shrink as he floated higher. Even though he flew, this was different. He had no control and couldn’t stretch his wings to slow his fall. He had to trust the players to maintain his lift and to take him wherever it was they wanted him. And that was difficult for him to do. He rose over the wall.

Shouts and screams echoed from the streets below, though he was high enough not to care about them. With only control of his sight, he searched for any weakness in the tower as he approached. At the top, part of the wall had been destroyed. A group of players stood inside the gaping hole. Their melody combined with the group below.

There was a moment where control of his ascent passed from one to the other. For half a drib he hung, suspended, but able to breathe freely. Before he could spread his wings, the music took control again. Those below stopped playing, and his body moved towards the hole in the wall. He glared at the new group of players, his wings still in their control, as the music swirled round him.

He reached the opening, which was just about big enough for him. The musicians manoeuvred him to fit through. The scales on his shoulders and hips scraped the edge of the stonework. All he could manage to combat the pain was a whimper.

Then he was inside. The musicians stood within reach of his jaw. They deserved to be flamed, but he had no dragongrass to power that. Hopefully, these humans didn’t know about that. He could threaten to flame them at least. Though with the net still round him, he posed minimal threat.

At a sign from the conductor the music changed, the counter melody fell away, leaving only the same tune which had held him prisoner. Not quite settled on the floor, he dropped the last half span. Landing on the stone floor with a thud, dust ricocheted up into the air. The dust tickled his nose and filled his senses.

Forgetting the people round him, his nose crinkled, and his whole body shook. The sneeze blasted the dust out of his nostrils. The sudden, involuntary movement startled everyone. Even him. The players stopped, guards raised their swords. Before Nikulas could take advantage of the moment’s silence when the magic loosened its hold on him, a player resumed the music. He glared at the players as the others joined the tune. But it wasn’t their fault he was in this predicament. They were following orders. No, the only person to blame was himself.

He turned his thoughts inward, remembering the good things about growing up with his brothers. What would they be doing now? Racing up and down the valley? Checking on the goats? Consoling their mother?

A tear rolled out of the corner of his eye, sizzling when it hit the floor. They should know how much they meant to him, but would he ever be able to tell them that himself?

How could he search for his sister while he was imprisoned here? His mother had warned him of the dangers humans posed. He’d been naïve enough to think it wouldn’t happen to him. Well, now it had. Would she ever fnd out? Part of him wished not, as that would be too much of a disappointment to her. But equally, that would be the easiest way for him to escape. Even if an attack from his brothers would be the very thing she’d worked so hard to stop happening.

A hand on his shoulder brought him back to those around him. Cold metal circled his neck, and a click held both sides of the collar together. His eyes whirled, but he couldn’t see how it closed. Only the thick metal chain running to a stake stuck in the floor. They were taking no chances with him.

The people drew back to the doorway in front of him. And the music came to a halt. His muscles returned to his control. Realising they’d removed the net, Nikulas took two steps forward. He wove his head from side to side, considering which he would attack first. But the chain drew tight, forcing him to stop. All he could do was roar as they left him there.

If that was all he could do, then he would keep doing it. Let everyone he’d seen cowering below him tremble in fear at the beast they’d contained.

But there was a limit to how long he could keep that up. After a drogue, it bored him. Roaring at a locked door gave him little satisfaction. The imagined terror of the people beyond lacked any sense of accomplishment. And really, what did he gain from it?

With a deep breath, he considered the room he was in. The hole they had brought him through was now covered with a canvas held in place with ropes. No match for his claws, but his chain didn’t allow him to approach close enough. And flying away when he was chained to the floor was impossible.

The stone walls stretched high above him, and there was only one door. A heavy wooden one, with large metal hinges and a lock. To one side, an empty fireplace stood. Not that he needed the heat, but the flames would have provided him with some company, at least. Without his dragongrass, he couldn’t light one either. Not that he’d want to waste them on that when he could flame his way out. Nothing he’d heard from his mother about humans had prepared him for music which could bind and stop a dragon moving. So if he didn’t get out, then his brothers might be at risk of being captured like this too.

He tried to push his dragon down, to form his human body. But the chain round his neck dampened his ability to shift. It was like pushing his way through packed snow. Sweat trickled down his neck as he attempted it anyway. With a pant, he had to stop. More of their new magic. But why would they want to stop him from shifting? Maybe they worried about finding a human prisoner more sympathetic. He was stuck as a dragon, whatever the reason for the spell.

His head sunk to the floor. Maybe his mother did know best after all. He’d ruined her years of hiding. Who knew where their sister was, or how long it would be before they met her? He had been impatient. Now his capture was the penalty for that. Hopefully, she would make her way to the valley and find the others, even if he was unable to see her. They deserved it more than he did.

For now, these four walls were his new home. The stone floor cooled his inner fire a bit. He drew his tail round over his feet and lay curled up, preserving his warmth. Who knew how long he’d be left there? He needed to be ready for any opportunity they might give him. Until that time, he would wait. Dragons were long lived. He could put up with a lot. One day, there would be a way out for him. And he’d wait however long that took. This was his punishment, but it wouldn’t be forever. They would give him an opportunity, even if he had to wait hundreds of summers for it. Hopefully, it would be fewer before they dropped their guard.

Footsteps approached beyond his door. With a clunk, the door opened towards him. Two guards stepped through, swords pointed at him. Behind them, the lady from the journey approached. She studied him.

Nikulas had to force himself to stay put. This was her fault, he shouldn’t perform for her.

She nodded. “Bring enough water for it, and a small selection of meat once a day. We can’t have it starve.” She glared at the guards. “Well, it needs water. Get some.”

One guard shuffled on the spot. “It isn’t safe to leave you alone with it. What if something happens?”

She laughed. “What can it do? It’s chained and I’ll stay on this side of the room. If it had any flame, then it would have used it already, rather than roaring. I am perfectly safe.” She pinned them with her gaze. “But you will be in trouble if you don’t follow my instructions.”

The guards exchanged looks, then backed out of the room, leaving Nikulas alone with the woman who’d captured him.