scampering women and gathered at the back of the workshop. Next to the hearth and the huge furnace was a large open space surrounded by smoky walls. The floor here consisted of segments made of thick steel and, to the dragon's surprise, it was cold. He was standing in such a place that on the one hand he could feel the heat from the hearth, and on the other an unnatural chill caused by something under the steel plates.
-Wondering what's in there?- James smiled guessing Draco's questioning gaze well.-It's a cooling well. It's two metres deep and filled with a solution of ice giant blood water, plus all the walls are covered with ice runes. When hardening with dragon fire or magic, we use cooling in the well to get better results. Today we will also use it.
-Only it has to be opened first.- Florence sighed looking at the heavy plates.
-Well, but at least we'll only need two.- Angus nodded to his brother and rolled up his sleeves.
-Maybe I'll help.- Draco stopped the brothers with a gesture and stretched his arms. He swept past the smith and changed into his dragon form. He straightened his wings, stretched and took another look at the steel plates. He noticed that they had notches on the side of the workshop to allow for levering. He carefully slid his claws into the gap between the plate and the workshop floor and lifted the heavy piece of metal. Even in dragon form, he had to admit that the protection weighed its own weight. He grabbed the slab in both paws and set it down against the wall. When he turned around to deal with the other protection he saw that everyone was staring at him and even the argument between the women had stopped.- Not this one? - He asked, pointing to the slab he had set down against the wall.
-This one, but...- James looked first at Draco, then at the slab, at the open well and back at the dragon.- You know, it weighs over five hundred kilograms.- He
