Dragons and Mages: A Limited Edition Anthology

by Pauline Creeden

  Due to the disadvantage of his size, he hadn’t been able to stop his momentum in time. Likewise, my blow had not only knocked the wind out of his lungs, but it also thrust him face-first into the dirt, where his sword flew from his suddenly lax grip.

  Taking advantage of his prone form, I slapped my sword against his calf. I’d just tied up the match. Still, Griffin wasn’t willing to give up. Much to my disgust, he decided to fight back with one last desperate move.

  He flung himself onto his back. “I call foul!” Glaring up at me, he knew his moment of glory had come to an end. This last-ditch effort to discredit me was all he had left, and he knew it.

  Not allowing him to gain any advantage, I stepped forward and held my sword tip to his throat. If he moved at all, I’d touch him, and his match would be lost. Shifting my gaze over to the referee, I waited for his call on Griffin’s claim.

  “No foul! The game is still in play.” His voice could barely be heard over the thunderous noise of the crowd.

  I twitched my hilt minutely and caused the flat of the sword tip to bounce off of Griffin’s chin. His teeth clacked together, and he glared up at me, already plotting his revenge.

  “Game! Katherine is the gladio champion!” The referee strode across the dirt, lifted my hand high in the air, and turned me to face all four sides of the crowd to declare my victory. “Bring out the other tournament champions and let the awards ceremony begin!”

  Confused, I turned to the ref. “What’s going on? I thought the ceremony was scheduled for tomorrow?”

  “No need. With so few contestants participating this year, we finished the tournament much earlier than anticipated. Your match was the last game. Starting this year, we’ve decided to hold the ceremony immediately following the final match.”

  “I don’t understand. When did the rules change? Who won the giostra tourney?” My heart galloped as if it were trying to escape my body. Had Silas tampered with Alyssa’s game to thwart the prophecy? Was all of this for nothing?

  Chapter 16

  I’D MADE AN enemy today, but I couldn’t let that worry me right now. Griffin disappeared in the confusion of setting up the award stands. He must have used the distraction to get up, dust himself off, and be consoled by Leanne and his crew of bully friends.

  Rather than answer my questions, the referee scurried away to some unknown errand and left me gaping after him. It wasn’t my best look, but I honestly felt sick to my stomach that something had gone terribly wrong.

  A tournament official appeared at my side. “Please come with me. We’re almost ready to start.”

  Nodding dumbly, I meekly followed. My mind raced through all the dire consequences of my challenge to Silas. Had I doomed our world with my pride?

  Instead of merely taking me off of the stage, the officiant drew me through the crowd, calling out for everyone to clear the way. I belatedly realized this was the same path from where I’d entered the match. The drastic increase in the crowd made it difficult to force our way through the crush of people. Even as I walked, I tried to see over other people’s heads to find Alyssa.

  We reached the exit door, and the officiant’s hand halted my progress. “You need to wait until they call your name, and then you’ll take your victory walk up the aisle. As the final winner of the tournament, they’ll call you last. Congratulations, by the way.” The woman smiled down at me, but the warmth didn’t reach her eyes.

  The tournament music blasted from the sound system overhead, effectively charging up the even more substantial—and still growing—crowd. The smallest pavilion hardly seemed like the appropriate venue for this ceremony.

  Distracted by the onslaught of music, I failed to notice the woman’s departure. Her assurance that I’d know what to do when the time came seemed less than reassuring. Fortunately, I didn’t have to wait long.

  Never before had this tune felt so important. In a few minutes, I’d be standing alongside my girlfriends as the victors of this year’s Tastu Tournament. If Alyssa won, then we had achieved the impossible—more than we’d ever even dreamed at the start of the year.

  The music stopped along with all sound from the people pressing in around me. I couldn’t see a thing because of the press of people in front of me. Several people murmured in wonder; at what, I don’t know.

  The Master of Ceremonies’ voice reverberated throughout the arena as he welcomed all of the participants. I found myself leaning closer, even though I knew what he’d say. I could practically mouth the words as he spoke them, but I refrained myself to allow the experience to wash over me, knowing that this speech was directed at me this time.

  “Your skills are commendable and worthy of being rewarded with the recognition of holding the ancient trophies given to us by the five founding families. I present to you, the winner of auchieball, Anna from Dome 2! Please take your rightful place upon the podium.”

  Applause interrupted the ceremony the entire time Anna made her way through the crowd and onto the stage. Only then, could I see her diminutive form as she held the small trophy above her head, pumping it up and down in excitement. So unlike her quiet nature, I couldn’t help my smile at her exuberant display.

  “Also hailing from Dome 2, I present the winner of the ringen game, Natalie!”

  The crowd’s cheer seemed equally loud, and the speaker didn’t bother trying to compete with their noise. Once Natalie stood beside Anna, the two girls hugged one another before holding each other’s hands in solidarity while they brandished their coveted trophies.

  “The winner of the batalo tournament is none other than Violet, from Dome 2! Let’s congratulate her on the spectacular finish she delivered during her final match. I’m sure it’ll go down in the records as the most creative.”

  As anticipated, the crowd cheered, chuckled, and whistled in appreciation of the announcer’s summary of the trouncing Violet had given her opponent the day before. My heart raced for the next announcement. This one would determine if my guess about the prophecy could even come true. Only a win by Alyssa would be enough.

  “This year’s trophy winner for the giostra game came to us most unusually. With the discovery of a final contestant cheating, we faced something which the rule book had not anticipated. Still, the skill of the winner is undeniable, and we could not withhold giving this person the honor.”

  “Just say the name already,” I muttered, my nerves fraying with worry that Silas had found some way to disqualify Alyssa from the competition. How? I didn’t know, but I wouldn’t put anything past the man and his grasping ambition.

  “By the referees’ and the Tatsu Tournament Committee’s unanimous vote, we proudly announce Alyssa of Dome 2 as the champion of the giostra tournament. Please make way for Alyssa to come forward and receive her reward for proper sportsmanship as well as the mastery of her skills and, more importantly, her aim.”

  I hardly heard anything after hearing Alyssa’s name. We’d done it! We’d actually done the impossible. Maybe our rushed timing had served us well rather than caused us any problems. Alyssa turned to intently scan the crowd. She probably wanted to find Drew, as her twin, they shared everything.

  My exultation over our victory suddenly crashed when a voice spoke right next to my ear. “I guess you and your friends managed the impossible. You made quite a spectacular comeback.”

  “You were watching?” I turned to face Silas, wishing he’d go away so I could revel at this moment without his nasty interference.

  “Of course. I said I’d be here, and I always keep my promises. Do you?” He leaned forward menacingly.

  “Absolutely!” I spoke louder than I planned, causing several people around us to turn and stare. As soon as they spotted Silas in their midst, I noticed an immediate shifting of bodies away from us. No longer did I feel suffocated by the press, but instead, I felt alienated by everyone because of the company I kept.

  “Good. Report to me at five pm sharp for your assignment.”

  Silas didn’t wait
for my reply; he simply turned and walked away. Rendered mute by his audacity, I watched him until he disappeared out of the exit. Only then did I feel as though I could breathe easily.

  Someone grabbed my arm, and harshly turned me around. Assessing the danger, my hand instinctively covered the hilt of my sword. My widened eyes caught those of my would-be-assailant, only to discover Drew at my side.

  “Get up on the stage, Kat! He’s already called your name twice. Jeez, I’ve never seen anyone so reluctant to receive their award.” He pushed me toward the stage but kept one pace behind me as we made our way through the parting crowd. “You sure were lucky Meary found your sword in the test gardens in time,” Drew commented just before I stepped up onto the arena floor.

  Finally getting an answer to something, I nodded at him before I turned and headed toward my girlfriends. Their delighted smiles mirrored my own.

  As soon as the officiant put the trophy in my hand, I felt a tingling sensation course through my body. Suppressing a shiver of excitement, I pulled my sword from its sheath and held it high over my head in one hand and the trophy in the other. Amid the thunderous applause, I turned slowly to address everyone present.

  I wanted to remember this moment with perfect clarity. I’d answered my sister’s challenge. It seemed fitting for me to wield her sword to honor her memory.

  Having relished in my congratulations long enough, I returned to stand on the platform with my friends. As soon as I stood next to Alyssa, she linked her arm around my waist, completing the chain of winners holding one another. As if this had been the signal, a shock of power ran down our line.

  I doubt anyone in the crowd noticed, but our postures stiffened. We all felt it. Clarity of truth enveloped my mind. We may have won the tournament, but this only set the wheels in motion for our biggest battle ahead.

  The quest for our destiny had only just started.

  Follow Katherine’s amazing adventures in

  SWORD HUNTER.

  About the Author

  AMY IS A native Oregonian, and she enjoys the quiet of living in the countryside with her husband, Richard, and their daughter, Kailey. She shares her life and house with four Pomeranians and a special cat who thinks she’s a dog.

  Reading and writing books has always been a passion in her life. There’s nothing better than getting pulled into other people’s journeys, feeling their emotions, and enjoying their successes. She writes when she’s inspired, usually after midnight, and the results have been fun to watch unfold as she immerses herself in the world of her characters.

  Are you ready for the adventure?

  Sign up for my newsletter and receive a FREE exclusive novella, Before The Fall, to find out how it all started.

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  Dragonblood Part One

  Majanka Verstraete

  Dragonblood Part One © 2020 Majanka Verstraete

  All rights reserved under the International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, organizations, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Warning: the unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

  Chapter 1

  Gwenlian bolted straight, grimacing while sweat dripped from her forehead. Her hair was soaking wet and her clothes were glued to her body. She breathed heavily as the last remnants of the nightmare slowly retreated to the back of her mind.

  Take it easy, Gwen. It’s just a nightmare.

  The words didn’t mean much because she knew it wasn’t just a nightmare. It was the nightmare: the same night terror that had haunted her for the last decade.

  The dream only allowed her glimpses of a story, bits and pieces, all of them related to the night her parents disappeared. Or died. She had no recollection of what had happened that day, and no one she had spoken to in the years since then, could offer her any insight. All she had was the dream as a mirror to her past, but the fragments she had access to were jumbled.

  Gwenlian threw the covers off her and shuffled toward the dresser opposite her bed. On the way over, she nearly stumbled over a pair of shoes her best friend and roommate, Lynnael, had thrown on the floor.

  A bowl of cold water stood on top of the dresser. Gwen dipped her hands in the bowl, and then splashed the water on her face, washing away the last memories of sleep.

  Gwenlian stared at the mirror image looking back at her. She was skinny, but athletically built. Years of running away from the city guards, hiding in unseen spots and fighting off Nighthawks had given her more muscles than most other girls her age. Her long, brown hair was tied together in a braid, so it wouldn’t interfere with her day-to-day job. Despite being seventeen years old, her slim built and small posture made her looked younger, but she didn’t mind all that much.

  What she did mind, were the dark-green fish-like scales that began half-way her arms and spread all the way to her lower back.

  The scales proved she wasn’t entirely human. She was a half-breed, half human, half something else—but what else, she had no idea.

  On the social ladder, half-breeds were even lower in position than lunatics, orphans, thieves and mercenaries altogether. But in this city, Yargon, the largest city of the Seven Kingdoms save for the capital, there were enough half-breeds to allow her to blend in without being hunted down.

  Besides, in Yargon, it wasn’t the High King dictating the law, but the Guilds, and the Thieves’ Guild she belonged to, embraced half-breeds and their unique talents. The King of Thieves cared for nothing except coin, and she was pretty good at obtaining coin.

  Gwen turned around, facing her back, and inspecting the pattern of the scales there. She had this irrational fear that one day she would wake up, and there would be more scales on her back than the day before.

  The scales were hard and cold, and she shivered when she touched them. They had one advantage, at least: when she got into a knife fight with a rival thief a little over a year ago, and he had tried to plunge a knife into her lower back, the scales had proven impenetrable.

  “Are you looking at your scales again?”

  Gwen nearly jumped out of her skin at Lynnael’s voice. “Do you always have to startle people like that?”

  Lynnael shrugged. She sat up in her bed, her knees drawn to her chest. “I already told you that you’re just the bastard child of a sea snake and a sailor,” she joked. “Or maybe you’re half-lizard. Did I tell you that one time I travelled to the Empire of Sand and ran into lizards the size of houses?”

  “Yes, you did.” Gwen smiled; the Empire of Sand story was one of Lynnael’s favorites to recall whenever she could. Maybe because she was the only one from their little group who had stepped foot outside the Seven Kingdoms, or maybe because it was the last trip Lynnael made with her mother, but the half-Elf had told her the stories about the Empire of Sand on so many occasions Gwen practically knew them by heart.

  “I doubt my mother would procreate with a sea snake,” Gwen said, trying to keep her tone light while she pulled up the sleeve of her nightgown, revealing the rest of the scales. Their usual color was dark green, but when touched by the light, they transformed into a golden color.

  “You think she would’ve preferred a lizard?” Lynnael asked, arching an eyebrow.

  “Ha ha.” Gwen pulled her sleeve back down, hiding the scales.

  “I don’t know why you bother hiding them, especially when it’s just the two of us.” L
ynnael always advocated Gwen to stop hiding this part of herself. But half-Elves were not that rare, and even if Lynnael could hide her long, pointy ears, there was no hiding her purple almond-shaped eyes or the waist-long silver hair. Lynnael had no choice but to show her heritage; Gwen could hide it under long-sleeved tunics.

  “You know what happens when people see them.” One time, a fellow member of the Thieves’ Guild, tasked with marking Gwen’s arm with the same tattoo as the other Thieves had upon initiation, had stared at the scales as if he was mesmerized by them. He had grabbed Gwen’s arm so hard that Lynnael had to punch him in the side to make him let go.

  “That was just the one time,” Lynnael countered while she dangled her legs from the side of the bed. “He was probably just a freak.”

  A freak whom Gwen had seen on a handful of occasions since then, and who had always stared at her with hungry, greedy eyes.

  “Still, I prefer not to have the whole world know about these.” Gwen finished rolling down the lowest part of her sleeves.

  Lynnael shrugged. “Suit yourself. What time is it, anyway?” She yawned, stretching her arms behind her head.

  “Still dark out,” Gwen said as she peeked behind the makeshift curtain they had hung in front of the window, in an attempt to block out the light and make the room looked cozier. The curtain was an old piece of discarded fabric Lynnael had dug up from a clothes’ factory, and which Gwen had then cut up until it was the right side for the small window.

  Lynnael got up and strode toward the window, pulling back the curtain. “For the Gods’ sakes, Gwen,” she grumbled, “it’s the middle of the night. Why are you even up?”

  “I had a nightmare.” Lying to Lynnael was pointless—the half-Elf saw through lies easily—but Gwen didn’t like to talk about her recurring dream, least of all to the person who knew her best.