Son of Dragons Read online

  A dark shape careened across the ground and a second later, a swoosh of wind blew his blanket away from his face. There was a creature in the sky. Then a roar echoed through the night.

  Chapter Thirty-two

  “What was that?” Landon held his sword ready. His blanket was swaddled around his shoulders.

  In the middle of camp, Landon saw a darkened figure streak toward Celeste.

  “Celeste!” he yelled. “Use your magic.”

  A whirlwind formed around her and tossed the creature into the air like a sack. They heard it howl as Brock tore down the mountain.

  The creature raced toward Landon and Gillespie. Celeste tossed her garnet shield between them and the creature bounced off and tumbled downward.

  When Brock reached the bottom of the mountain, Landon and Gillespie forced the creature down underneath their weight.

  “We need some light,” Landon said.

  In answer, Brock swept to the side and snatched up a stick. After catching a flame from Celeste’s magic, he rushed over.

  The creature was covered in blood, only recognizable by its stripes.

  Mirhana’s cat. “Calm down, Melwyn.” Landon was bittersweet about seeing him. He’d been gone since the night before Mirhana was taken. He had hoped that he knew where his mistress was and had followed Jeslyn. “We search for Mirhana as well.”

  His wounds showed blades had attacked him, probably Jeslyn’s … and claws?

  “Let me.” Celeste rushed over. “He needs healing.”

  To help calm the huge cat, Landon stroked its fur on the only spot he saw that didn’t have a gaping wound—his right ear.

  “Please hurry.” Landon’s shoulders slumped. “Perhaps he’ll help us track them.”

  With a nod, she knelt beside Melwyn. Her hands hovered over his flesh. The prickle of magic crawled along Landon’s skin.

  Landon and Gillespie scrambled back as the power licked Melwyn’s wounds together.

  “Just let him rest.” She walked away.

  Landon, Gillespie, and Brock searched the campsite and a mile out in each direction, but found nothing of Jeslyn, Mirhana, or what had swooped from the sky earlier. Landon’s thoughts drifted back to the sound before Melwyn tore through camp. It was not his roar he had heard.

  He trudged up to the jagged boulder where Brock guarded them.

  “Do you know what that roar was just before Melwyn crashed into camp? I’ve never heard anything like it before.”

  “It wasn’t my sister’s cat that I felt tickling along my skin awakening my curse,” Brock answered. “For even though powerful, my curse does not consider him prey. Something attacked Melwyn. And whatever beast stalked us from the sky was at least twice the size of a man or more. Though my curse does not work on animals, it does on magical creatures. So whatever it was, it was huge and had enough magic to make my curse hungry.”

  Chapter Thirty-three

  Even healed, Melwyn limped up the mountainside. Apparently, he was not happy with their slow ascent, for he kept glancing back at them, as if to will them faster. Landon would be happy to oblige him if he could climb as well as the cat.

  They took the least jagged route they found. It was better to ride the horses as far up the mountains as possible. Landon’s horse swished his mane as if agreeing with Melwyn that others were too slow.

  Above them, the peaks stretched into the sky. No matter how far they hiked, still the mountain’s peak disappeared into the clouds.

  “Does this ever end?” Gillespie voiced Landon’s thoughts.

  Only the autumn wind answered him.

  Landon’s horse kicked a leg over one side. Rocks rained down on Gillespie and Brock.

  Dismounting, Landon led his horse across the narrow path. After he reached the other side, the others dismounted and walked their horses across one at a time.

  Once past, they mounted. Melwyn moved ahead of them, but within their sight. It was as if he knew he needed their help, otherwise he probably would’ve left them after Celeste healed him.

  When the path widened, Brock pushed ahead passing Gillespie to reach Celeste. When Landon glanced back at them, his heart yearned to reach for Mirhana’s hand, and see her blush like Celeste did now with Brock.

  • • •

  Dusk painted the clouds above them in shades of orange and red, deepening into violet along the edges. Even now, after a day of riding, Landon still couldn’t see the mountain’s peak.

  Soon, the horses would have to stop. Their bodies were coated in sweat. Melwyn growled and the skin on the back of Landon’s neck shivered. “Someone comes.” He drew his sword and dismounted.

  Brock and the others followed his lead.

  In the distance, he saw a person speeding down the mountain.

  “They took her! They took her!” Jeslyn shouted as she careened forward. It was as if she didn’t see them for Jeslyn kept looking over her shoulder at the sky.

  Landon reached out and she smacked into his arm. The momentum knocked her backward. “What have you done with Mirhana?”

  Gillespie leaned over her with a blade. “Tell us and we may spare you.”

  Jeslyn didn’t answer the questions. So Gillespie jabbed the tip of his blade into her leg. But still the assassin did not flinch.

  Suddenly, a figure stood beside them. It was Drong’ka, the Drow linked with Mirhana through their blood. “While we dally with this, Mirhana weakens.”

  “Please,” Celeste said. “You have lost your prize, Mirhana, for the Sorceress. She will not be lenient to you. Tell us what happened. Let us protect you.”

  Jeslyn shuddered and let out a breath, but nodded. “I saw the Sorceress’s plan. She wants to rule us all. I was promised my people would be spared, but I saw their bodies ripped apart by the undead—humans and dr—”

  “Humans and what?” Landon still didn’t trust her.

  “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

  Drong’ka reached out to help Brock stand, but gasped and fell backward when he brushed his skin. “Truly, you are the Vaer.” His breath labored and he was doubled over.

  Brock frowned. “Through my curse, I felt yours and my sister’s bond. She is terrified, but of what I can’t fathom.”

  Landon clenched his fists. Even when she fought the Troblin and the Neried, she was not afraid. What then caused her panic?

  “Why have you come?” Landon asked. Part of him welcomed this Drow’s help, the other part of him remembered the blood bond between Mirhana and this Drow, and he wanted it severed.

  “If Mirhana dies, so do I. My great-parents told me stories of the Warloc. His or his progeny’s reign will shackle us in misery.

  “My Queen thought to obey the evil in this as another option to break the cycle of our depleting magic. With the Warloc freed, his Sorceress promised to teach us about black magic and harvesting the power of a witch or wizard when they die. Our Queen is desperate for magic and power. We would be given our lands to rule, as we want, without fear of the Warloc or his army of deadwalkers. There would be a treaty of peace between our people and them.”

  “Until you do something to anger one of them,” Landon said.

  “Where’s Mirhana?” The Drow looked back to the assassin.

  “They took her!” Jeslyn wailed.

  “Who?” Celeste offered her hand to Brock, and he stood. He kept his arm around her waist.

  “The Sorceress sold me to any who’ll execute me for failing her and not killing one of you.” Jeslyn’s hands clutched her bleeding leg.

  Despite Jeslyn’s treachery, Celeste knelt beside her with her face full of concern, and healed the wound.

  “You would heal me after all I have done to you?”

  “Everyone has good and evil inside them,” Celeste said. “Our deeds of one or the other tip the balance. It is not too late change the scale of yours.”

  It was then that Landon noticed three of her jewels on Jeslyn’s forehead were gouged out. Dried blood from those woun
ds trailed down her face.

  “Don’t,” she whispered when Celeste began to heal them as well. “It’s our way. I’ve purchased your safety among my people. A jewel removed for each of my targets, because I’ve learned the worth of life, of love.” She handed a jewel to Celeste and one to Brock.

  “T—the last is for Mirhana. Forgive me.” A trail of blood etched a path down her stained face. “I swear to help you get Mirhana back. Then I’ll give her the last jewel. One for each of my targets I was paid by the Sorceress to kill. As long as you carry one, none of my people will harm you.”

  “Where is she?” Landon held the tip of his blade underneath her chin.

  “They took her.”

  “Who? Speak plainly or … ”

  The roar from last night vibrated above them and large shadows sped over the ground. Forms swooped down from the clouds and Landon and the others froze in place at the sight.

  Chapter Thirty-four

  Dragons. Red, green, blue, gold, silver, and other colors soared above them. Huge enough to swallow a man whole, Landon thought.

  The roars brought their hands to their ears. Celeste thrust up her athame to form a protection around Landon, Jeslyn, herself, and Brock. Gillespie, Drong’ka, and Melwyn were too far away for her shield to reach them.

  Three dragons zoomed down and grasped a horse in each talon. The horses screamed. Their flesh was ripped open and the dragons twisted into frenzy of wings and mouths as they fed.

  Then another dragon scooped up Melwyn. Instead of ripping open the cat, the dragon disappeared behind a cloud.

  A silver dragon snatched Drong’ka from the ground. Then he grasped Gillespie in his other talon.

  Celeste’s dome of magic protected them as more dragons swarmed them. The dragons beat their wings against the red glow.

  “I can’t hold them back.” Her arms shook. “There are too many. I’m not strong enough to fight them all yet.”

  Landon and Brock drew their swords. Though Landon did not trust Jeslyn, he nodded when she rose with her blades twirling in her hands.

  “Let’s go. Keep the magic on you.” Brock kissed Celeste’s pout.

  The light around them faded. When they emerged, the dragons roared. Landon slashed a blue one across his chest as he flew toward him. The blade didn’t harm his scaled skin.

  In desperation, Landon flung himself to the ground. One of the beast’s claws ripped open the back of his tunic and grazed a trail down his back.

  He rose and swiped at them with his sword, but he may have been wielding a twig for as much as he accomplished.

  “Only powerful magic or urine from the Bongle snake can harm them.” Jeslyn flipped backwards, avoiding an amethyst dragon’s swipe.

  Within minutes of fighting, they could barely lift their weapons. First, a dragon jerked Jeslyn into the air.

  Then Landon and Brock soared together in the clasp of a gold dragon. When he glanced down, he saw Celeste’s red dome broken apart as an amethyst dragon held her in his talons.

  Since they did not kill them as they did the horses, Landon debated what to do. How could you slay a dragon when no blade penetrated their scales?

  They wheeled through clouds until Landon thought the sun would scorch them. Blinding light and warmth surrounded everything. Then the dragons flung them loose and they crashed against a cold floor.

  After his vision adjusted to the light, he saw hundreds of dragons in different colors watching them. Their wings were furled, but they appeared ready to spring into action any moment.

  “Give us our treasure, and we may let you live,” one of the dragons spoke. His speech sounded like a cross between a snake hissing and a guttural voice. From his demeanor, it seemed as if he was one of the older dragons. If dragons aged?

  “We have no treasure.” Celeste appeared more at ease with these creatures of legends.

  “The smell of our treasure is heavy on her.” His russet colored head swung to Mirhana. Chained, she lay motionless but breathing. Melwyn squatted beside her.

  “And the scent of our treasure is with all of you.”

  “We’ve already told you the truth. We have no treasure—and certainly not dragons’.” The prophecy’s words rolled across Landon’s mind. Was one of them the Son of the Dragons they needed?

  “Lies.” A cerulean dragon spat. “We all smell our treasure.”

  “What is this treasure? Perhaps we can accommodate you by other means.” Landon attempted to use his sovereignty to negotiate.

  “There is no substitute!” the dragons shouted.

  The russet one’s wings opened and shook until the throng of dragons quieted. When it turned back, Landon noticed its pupils slit like a cat’s. “It is our most valuable possession. Diamonds, rubies, gold, they mean naught to us; those are the trappings of humans. We can turn coal into diamonds with our fire breath. Our treasure brings peace to our lands—and was our liaison among the humans, Elvin, and others.

  “For over fifty years we have feuded because of our lost treasure. Once you return it, the fighting will cease. Or in another fifty, we’ll destroy each other.”

  “Then we cannot help,” Brock answered, “for we have nothing of value.”

  “We do not trust humans,” the cerulean dragon smirked, “or Elvin. If you do not give us our treasure now, we’ll eat her.”

  As if in answer, the dragons around Mirhana crept forward. Melwyn growled, but Landon knew he was no match for even one of them.

  “Believe us,” Celeste pleaded. “If we had this treasure, we’d gladly give it back. Perhaps if you tell us where you los—”

  “Enough lies.”

  “You killed my mother and half my village!” Gillespie screamed as he tore forward.

  Dragons yanked him back, and his sword clattered across a marble floor. Their talons held him in place as he struggled and cursed.

  One of the gold dragons pressed his claw into Mirhana’s side. She screamed as his head bent over her as if to taste her flesh.

  “Stop!” Landon bellowed. He saw her blood pool across the marble floor. She was in his heart, and he could not let anything happen to her.

  “Not until you hand over our treasure. We’ll eat the others one by one until you do.”

  The dragons slashed at each other as they had when they devoured the horses like rabid animals. Melwyn dodged a swing from a dragon. Landon heard his growl as the beasts closed in on them. If this didn’t stop, they’d rip Melwyn and Mirhana to shreds.

  Wild dragon eyes found Landon’s, and he knew. Knew that they’d even turn on each other soon unless their rage was controlled somehow.

  The dragon above Mirhana snarled at another, and then sunk its teeth into her. “Landon!” she screamed.

  Landon roared and the ground trembled with it. His eyes rolled into the back of his head. The ruby dragon medallion he wore pulsed as if it mimicked his heartbeat.

  Inside his skin, something rolled.

  His mouth opened and his teeth grew into fangs. His flesh bubbled and darkened into scales. Then wings dug out of his back. His head enlarged. With another roar, all of them were flung backward.

  He was a dragon? How?

  His scales were so black they seemed to reflect all the colors of the others and yet none of them.

  All of the dragons bowed down. None had scales the color of black in any shade.

  “Treasure,” they whispered.

  “Free her.” His voice scraped out. It was Landon’s, but full of power as if he could will the mountain below their feet to crumble.

  The dragons backed away from Mirhana.

  “Heal her.” His slanted eyes pleaded with Celeste. “Please.” Even though he felt powerful transforming into a dragon, he could not think of anything else but Mirhana. Gods, let her be all right.

  She stepped around him to Mirhana.

  “You have the magic of all of us. Heal her yourself, if that is your wish.”

  His glare brought the elder’s head down.
/>   Celeste’s hands glowed with her magic. Within minutes, Mirhana rose.

  “What happened?” She frowned at the dragons around her. When she saw Gillespie, Jeslyn, and Brock her frown deepened. “Where is Lan … ”

  Landon’s medallion was still around his neck, but embedded into his scales. “I don’t want her to see me like this.”

  Standing, she walked over to him. “Melwyn warned me that you were a beast.” Her hand cupped his scaled cheek. “Now, I understand what he sensed that I could not.”

  “Will I remain this forever?”

  The dragon shuffled forward. “Fear not. Your ancestry gives you the power to change back. You are descended from the Dragon Kings of the east.”

  “I’ve seen ancient books with pictures of the Dragon Kings.” Everyone turned to Brock. “Why hadn’t I thought of this before? In our library, they were depicted either as dragons or men riding on dragons.”

  “Aye.” The elder dragon told Landon. “Calm your heart, think on your other form and you will return.”

  His eyes closed, and the black dragon shrunk down to the man. His tunic and trousers were ripped to shreds.

  Gillespie took off his own tunic and then handed it to Landon to cover himself. He noticed Gillespie did not look him in the eye.

  “How is this possible?”

  “You are our treasure,” the elder dragon answered. “Fifty-four years ago, our Queen vanished. Without her, we feuded.” He turned his massive head to Gillespie and bowed. “I am sorry for your loss. The dragon you spoke of was banished for killing so many. His argument was they were the unfortunate accident, caught in the crossfire of one of our many wars. We only hunted for our treasure to return our peace.

  “We searched the skies, the earth, and the sea for her, but she was lost. Only recently did we hear rumors that she settled into her human form and married.

  “She had a child who was dead now, and a grandchild. We scoured the country for her or her grandchild but found you not. She shielded hers and her offspring’s scent from us. And your dragon smell is diluted from the human blood of your father and grandfather.”