If Nilovas hadn't pulled her back, Elle would have been crushed under rocks and fried to a crisp. She let out an audible yelp when it happened, shielding her face from the heat, hands still tied. Then the dragon was gone again, flying off to set the next building ablaze. The stairs were now blocked because of the rubble, and the gaping hole in the wall let sunlight and smoke flood in. Ralof peered through it and squinted to see through the smoke.

[color=9E9E9E]"See that inn on the other side? Jump through and keep going," [/color]he said, pointing at what she presumed was the inn.

[color=00B2EE]"But-"[/color] she began to protest.

[color=9E9E9E]"Jump! We'll follow when we can!" [/color]he shouted before running back down the stairs.

She would have to thank the dunmer later. Elle looked at the building below, the roof torn off to reveal the upper level. She took a breath and jumped as far as she could, landing on the hardwood and tripped as she landed, rolling to the floor before scrambling to her feet again. She darted to the other side of the room and dropped through a hole in the floor, rushing through the broken door to see the imperial who was reading names off the list, and another man with a boy. The dragon had landed not far from them and the imperial had gotten the boy out of the way just in time. 

She stood still and watched as the dragon flew off again before the imperial's voice jerked her attention towards him. "Still alive, prisoner? Keep close to me if you want to stay that way," he said, before ordering the man to get the boy to safety and running off again. 

Elle looked up at the dragon wheeling and diving over head before at the retreating imperial. On one hand, he had almost had her executed. On the other, that dragon wouldn't mind frying her to a crisp. She decided to take her chances with the imperial and ran after him. She would make her way to the inn when she could. 

The imperial suddenly stopped and pressed his back against the stones at his back and yelled, "Stay close to the wall!"

She obeyed, and just in time too. The dragon hand landed right above their heads, and she had to bite back another scream as its wing almost hit her face. It didn't seem to notice them, blasting the buildings around it with fire before leaping into the sky again with another roar.

"Quickly!" the imperial barked, running forward again up a flight of stairs. Elle really wished she could find a weapon so she wasn't at anyone's mercy, but right now, she didn't have much of a choice. She ran after him once more.