MY ending to Protector of the Small: Lady Knight, by Tamora Pierce.

.The entire company trotted from the burning castle, Kel, Neal, Own, Tobe, Faunche, Saefas, and the rest of the children rescued from the clutches of Blayce the Gallan. However, as they turned their backs to the fortress in the mountains, the hungry flames taking in Scanran dead and heavy thatched roofs.the beheaded body of Blayce, killed by Kel, quivered. Soft glowing orange light flickered around the form, and the corpse disappeared. Soft cackles echoed through the long stone corridors of the burning castle.as one by one the flames began to die. A silver streaked monster headed after them, a giant, winged creature with knives for claws and feet. Blayce the Gallan was alive. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Keladry of Mindelan sat bolt upright, sodden with sweat and trembling violently. "Lady?" It was Tobe, "Lady, you a'right?" "Yes.I'm fine, go back to sleep," she mumbled, giving a glance out the window at the approaching dawn. That was the third time tonight that that dream had awoken her. Why was she dreaming of him? Hadn't she killed him? There was still a mark on her glaive. And was she not rid of the killing devices? Lying back down with an arduous sigh, Kel fell back asleep, dreamless for the remainder of the night. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~

It was not Tobe, nor the morning dawn that woke Kel from her dreamless sleep. The sound of frantic peeping filled her ears, shortly followed by the bellowing of the alarm. Kel leapt from her bed, pulling on shirt, breeches and boots. Tobe ran in, his face white as paste. "L-lady.there's killin' devices," she heard his terror struck voice but did not reply. He handed her glaive and she raced from the room. Wielding her famed weapon, Kel erupted from the headquarters building, taking in the scene before her with wide hazel eyes. A massive device had breached New Hope's walls and was attempting to get down the stair to the main courtyard. The long knife claw slashed back a forth, sending civilians trying to throw a net over it's massive wings flying over the wall walk. Kel stood, wide-eyed with un-Kel-like shock. The monster wreaking havoc on New Hope was a dragon. The steel covered giant bones were larger this time, and the dagger-like claws and feet more swords than short daggers. The wings, one trapped under a net, were like that of a Stormwing, only triple fold the size. It's head and beak were armored heavily, and it wielded pen knives for it's ferocious teeth. Kel stood back, jumping as Tobe raced from the building, Kel's war hammer in hand. Kel set her mouth in a grim line, handing her glaive back to her young henchmen. Strutting past several fleeing civilians, Kel braced herself as the heavy chain tail of the killing device thudded to the ground next to her. Clinging for her life to her war hammer, Kel raced up the steps to the catwalk and shoved several soldiers, including Owen, from the killing devices deadly hands. Staring grimly at the flailing monster, Kel leaned out over the edge and struck the point of her war hammer into the skull of this dragon killing device. The young Lady Knight yanked it free, a wispy white spirit floating from the hole."Kel!" it managed before it was dispersed by the wind. Kel dropped her hammer and sunk to her knees, the last words of Lord Raoul of Goldenlake and Malories Peak, and her former knight master, ringing in her ears.