Dragons of the Iron Forest

<p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(34 34 34 1)>Selah refuses to become just another cog in the machine. She sneaks a sapling into Londinium a hidden splash of green in her gray world. Beauty in the place she practices her dance. But something else came with the tree. Something that was supposed to stay outside. An ancient battle is rekindled. The dragons watch her closely. Is she the source of the trouble or the solution? Soon Selah is caught up in a very complicated dance. Dragons rage the people riot and the Fake Man himself walks the streets. The Iron City will fall.</span></p><p></p><p><em style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(34 34 34 1)>Why are you stealing that tree?</em></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(34 34 34 1)> </span></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(34 34 34 1)>I yelped and whipped my head around. A dragon lounged in the branches above. It watched me with judgmental eyes. I ain't stealing anything. This tree don't belong to anybody I snapped. So I'm taking it someplace it can grow big and strong.</span></p><p><em style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(34 34 34 1)> </em></p><p><em style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(34 34 34 1)>Hm. Go dig up your tree. I will guard you.</em></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(34 34 34 1)> </span></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(34 34 34 1)>I don't need no guarding.</span></p><p><em style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(34 34 34 1)> </em></p><p><em style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(34 34 34 1)>You smell of trouble. Of green and iron and a smudged story.</em></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(34 34 34 1)> </span></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(34 34 34 1)>I glared but the dragon didn't seem to care.</span></p><p><em style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(34 34 34 1)> </em></p><p><em style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(34 34 34 1)>Something owns this orchard. Something not human. You steal from it.</em></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(34 34 34 1)> </span></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(34 34 34 1)>My glare turned to a scowl but the dragon remained unmoved. Finally I turned and dug up the sapling. I hid it under the apples in my cart. It was more important.</span></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(34 34 34 1)> </span></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(34 34 34 1)>The dragon seemed to grin. </span><em style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(34 34 34 1)>May your tree grow strong. </em><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(34 34 34 1)>Then it uncoiled itself and flew away.</span></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(34 34 34 1)> </span></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(34 34 34 1)>Stupid dragon.</span></p><p></p>