The Dragon Marked Chronicles: Prince of Dragons (Book 2)

by Jay Lynn

  “Oh no,” Jade gasped as the knight pulled her back towards the castle doors.

  A whirlpool twisted around the sorcerer, keeping anyone who tried to near him at bay.

  “Roderick we must aid him,” she pleaded. Another round of lightning struck the ground. “Alakaid. Alakaid!”

  Jerking around, Edmund’s eyes darted between Jade and Alec. “Alakaid,” he repeated with dismay.

  How could he have not seen it? The mark on his back, the prophecy he mentioned, were all linked to the name Alakaid. He was no monster. This time, they needed to find a way to save Alec from himself.

  During the chaos Alandra and Zachary arrived with their escort. Refusing to let his charge past the portcullis, Zachary watched Alec’s powers run rampant. Stones throughout the courtyard were trembling and at least three fires were dancing in the rain.

  Through it all, the exposed dragon mark on the sorcerer’s back was glowing the same white as his eyes. Bent over, he began coughing up blood.

  Stepping out into the rain, Edmund quickly joined Garth and Nathan. “Keep the area clear of nonessential personal until we can find a way to help Alec regain control before it kills him.”

  “If he’s the one causing this storm then shouldn’t we take him out?” a soldier asked with a scowl.

  Frowning deeply, Edmund turned narrowed eyes upon the man. “Are you so ignorant that you have forgotten the fact that Alec has saved your life, my daughter’s, mine and even King Titus himself? Such callous remarks are what caused this incident in the first place. Tell me soldier, how would you react if you believed all those you sacrificed yourself for, only sought your head?”

  Mouth moving soundlessly, the man couldn’t answer.

  “Don’t be stupid,” Eric suddenly chimed in joining them from the other side. “Alec has always been one of us and we protect our own. Anyone who thinks otherwise doesn’t deserve to be part of the Stafford Guard.”

  “Well said,” Nathan agreed.

  “The question is, how do we prove it to Alec?” Garth asked above the howling storm.

  Gazing at the sorcerer, Edmund knew he didn’t have much time left to turn the tide. It was then he saw Alec lift his blazing eyes to peer at Jade. The duke’s daughter was still calling out to the warrior.

  “That’s it,” he said to himself. Looking at the others he told them, “Alec has given up. We need to remind him there are still those who are on his side, no matter how strange his gifts.”

  “It just might work,” Garth agreed.

  “It must.”

  Exchanging glances, several of the other soldiers nodded. The initial shock of seeing Alec with a dragon having passed, they were left feeling guilty and foolish. Duke Stafford was correct about the warrior. They shouldn’t have been so quick to judge him so poorly. When he needed them the most, they failed him.

  Periodically, flashes of light lit the sky above them while stones from the courtyard were now floating in the air surrounding the sorcerer. Hunched over, the pain flowing through his body had him practically immobilized.

  Cutting through the howl of the wind, Alec could make out Jade’s voice calling to him. He focused upon it, sapping at the strength of her words. Unsure if he was hearing things at first, Alec swore Garth’s voice joined in. Closing his eyes for a few seconds he concentrated on the sound. Growing louder, Alec could make out several other members of the guard followed by the duke himself. They were calling out to him, telling him to hold on and fight the power overwhelming him. One by one, others all across the courtyard started to add to the mix.

  Come on Alec, he told himself. Fight this. Jade still needs you.

  Exhaling with a ragged breath, Alec willed the air circling around him to dissipate. Nothing happened. Lips pressed into a thin line, he focused every ounce of energy on the task. Slowing, the winds died down and then disappeared altogether. Gaze locking on the nearest fire, Alec reached out a hand. Eyes still aglow, he silently commanded the blaze to cease. The hay morphed into a black smoldering pile as the flames went out. One after another, Alec regained control of the chaos scattered throughout the area. More blood dripped from his mouth, but he ignored it.

  Soon the stones returned to their places in the ground, the rain stopped and the clouds above lightened, allowing the sun to once more shine down upon them. Lowering his arm, Alec rose unsteadily to his feet.

  Cassidy rushed towards Alec as another surge rocked his body. It was nothing like the flow of energy which surrounded him previously.

  Pulling itself from his body, a white light shot out of Alec’s chest. Diving to the ground it twisted around his left ankle, coiled up his leg and wrapped around his waist. Moving up his spine, the energy shifted and morphed into the shape of a dragon as the spirit’s head hovered above the sorcerer’s shoulder.

  Hearing Cassidy approaching from behind, Alec turned and held out his palm as if to stop her from growing any nearer. It was too late for her to cease her movements. In her attempt to halt her steps, the dragon ended up skidding right into Alec’s hand snout first.

  The moment they touched, both Alec and Cassidy seemed to freeze in place. The spirit dragon surrounding Alec snaked down his arm and flowed directly into Cassidy. Her eyes, as well as the magnificent jewel on the dragon’s forehead, blazed white like the sage’s. Suddenly, the translucent spirit shot back up Alec’s arm and returned to his chest. Once inside him, the two were blasted apart.

  Cassidy slid several feet while Alec was thrown back. Crashing to the ground, he rolled a few times before finally coming to a halt. Lying with his eyes closed, he didn’t move a muscle. The mark on his back continued to glow for another second before the light faded.

  Slipping from Roderick’s grip, Jade raced down the steps and to his side.

  Hand pressing against the stone, Alec was trying to rise onto his elbows.

  Kneeling behind him, Jade helped him roll onto his back and lay his head on her lap. “You should lie still,” she urged smoothing a hand over his wet hair.

  “Did I hurt anyone?” he questioned quietly in a rough voice.

  Jade peered around before returning her gaze to his face. “Nothing serious. Try to rest, Alec.”

  “I didn’t mean to—” he began giving his head a slight shake. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry Jade,” his voice trailed off as he blacked out.

  Biting her lip, Jade gripped Alec’s shirt. How did this happen? Things were starting to finally work out for them. Out of nowhere, it was falling apart faster than she could even process.

  “It shall be alright, Alec. Somehow. Just stay with me,” Jade whispered to him as Edmund, Roderick, Garth, Alandra, Zachary, Nathan and Eric strode to her side.

  Towering over Jade, Cassidy released a long steamy breath. “Why is he sorry?” her deep feminine voice wondered. “The foolish humans are the ones who betrayed you. Oh Alec, you want too badly for these people to accept you when they never will.” Glancing up, she scanned the people keeping a respectful distance. “Humph, it would seem the scarred warrior, Isabelle and this girl are the only ones truly loyal. I should have taken you to Ellfraya long ago.”

  Mouths gaping and eyes comically wide, just about everyone was staring at Cassidy.

  Her eyes narrowed. “Why are these strange creatures watching me so?” she muttered.

  “Cassidy?” Jade questioned, raising her gaze to look at the dragon above her. “Cassidy, I can understand you. We can all understand you.”

  Her head pulling back, the great dragon peered around once more. “I don’t believe it. You really hear my words?”

  Jade nodded. “Yes. How?”

  “I don’t know, but…” Cassidy’s eyes shifted to Alec. It must have happened when he touched her. Was this part of his abilities?

  Jade’s gaze followed her line of sight. “Is he going to be alright?”

  There was a moment of silence. “It’s difficult to say.”

  “I shall send for my personal physicians,” Alandra declared, kneelin
g down by Jade’s side.

  “It might be better to send for Malcolm,” Zachary suggested thoughtfully.

  “Why would a sage be better than a doctor?”

  “Because Alec is no ordinary sorcerer, as you have seen,” Cassidy answered instead.

  “Yes we have,” Jade agreed softly. “Pray Cassidy, what is going on?”

  Studying the noble for a moment, Cassidy’s yellow eyes shifted to Zachary. “Why don’t you ask him?”

  Blinking, Alandra and Jade peered at each other with a puzzled frown before looking at the royal.

  “What is she talking about Uncle Zachary? Do you know something about Alec?”

  Sighing, he gradually nodded his head. “Yes, I do. Alec’s full name is Alakaid Titanus Stephan Evanlor. He’s your elder brother.”

  The following silence seemed to drag on much longer than it actually lasted.

  “W-what?” Alandra stammered with disbelief. “My brother’s alive?”

  It couldn’t be true. She had to be hearing things. For as long as she could remember, Alandra had been filling her deceased sibling’s shoes, living the life which should have been his as the next ruler of Malyndor. Is he really alive? The moment they met, Alandra felt a strange connection to Alec which surpassed explanation. Was it possible her heart knew all along?

  “How did he survive all this time?” Edmund questioned more to himself. “There was a body. We all thought…”

  “I have asked myself the same questions countless time since discovering the truth. The corpse was burned beyond recognition, so his kidnappers must have made a switch. No matter how, Alec is the son of King Titus. The dragon mark proves it.”

  “Not that you deserve him,” Cassidy hissed with venom. “Our great Emperor and Empress grant you humans a powerful gift born of our magic and you treat him like dirt. Alec should never have remained in your care. You’ve failed to protect him countless times and I especially blame your bloodline,” she declared glaring at the prince. “Your clan was responsible for allowing him to be lost to Zerrok in the first place. We were not so easily fooled by their tricks.”

  “That is not fair, Cassidy. King Titus and his family have spent most of Alec’s life grieving for their lost child. Nothing could be worse than that. But I do not care if he is a prince or a soldier or a goat for that matter. What do you mean by a gift from the dragons?”

  Eyes searching Jade’s face, Cassidy took in the way she was still clinging to the sorcerer protectively. A smile threatened to pull at her lips. Not many would stand up to a dragon.

  “This is not the place to speak of it,” she began conscious of the many people listening closely. “I will tell you this: unlike normal wizards, Alec has magic in his blood. That’s how he was able to call up that storm without casting a spell.” Cassidy bent down so only Jade could catch her words. “It’s dragon’s magic. Alec is essentially a dragon in human form.”

  Chapter 11

  A taut silence clung in the air about a small group of riders as they raced towards Stafford. The hooves of their steeds barely touched the ground as they appeared to fly down the dusty road. Word reached them by messenger hawk briefly detailing Alec’s unleashed powers and his worsening condition.

  Summoning Isabelle, who arrived at the East Circle a few hours prior, Malcolm and Kalvin immediately joined her on the journey to the tiered city. Heart pounding in his chest, the quickest horse didn’t feel fast enough to the Cunning Sage as they zeroed in upon their destination. A brief pause at the main gate was all that stilled the wizards’ mission. Weaving their way through the city, Malcolm clenched his teeth as he dodged carts and skidded through puddles of mud. The further up they ventured, the more drenched everything became.

  What happened here?

  Stopping at the castle gate, his frown deepened. For the first time in years, the portcullis was sealed tight in the daylight hours. Identifying their guests, the soldiers opened the passage for the sages to enter. Quickly dismounting, Malcolm didn’t bother to wait for the stable boy to take the reins before he rushed towards the castle doors.

  Edmund stood there waiting for the sorcerers.

  “Take me to him,” Malcolm said solemnly, as Kalvin and Isabelle strode up the stairs on his tail.

  “Of course,” Edmund agreed easily with a nod. “I am relieved you were able to get here so quickly. To be honest, I am out of my depth, especially with the dragons.”

  “How many are here?”

  “Two. The green one arrived during Lord Vincent’s disgraceful incident. The second approached shortly before you appeared. Currently, they are waiting in the back of the gardens.” Glancing at Malcolm, the serious expression on the duke’s face didn’t lessen. “Do you expect more to come?”

  “Hard to say,” the sage answered honestly as they reached Alec’s room. Four guards stood in the corridor at attention. “It depends on what type of a surge he experienced. When he stabilizes we’ll have him ask the dragons.”

  Head jerking back, Edmund stilled his steps. His brows furrowed.

  Malcolm, Kalvin and Isabelle continued on into the chamber.

  Alec lay pale against the sheets with his eyes closed. His breathing was shallow and raspy, and his body was covered with the sheen of sweat.

  Talking in hushed tones, Prince Zachary and Duchess Leona sat off to the side in the suite’s living room. On one side of the bed sat Jade. Holding a cloth, she dabbed Alec’s brow. Her face had a strained, pinched look to it and the hint of dark circles was forming beneath her eyes. Opposite her was Alandra. Dozing in her chair, she held Alec’s limp fingers, squeezing occasionally as if she was afraid he might disappear.

  As their guests entered, Jade jumped, dropping the cloth she was holding while Alandra straightened somewhat and rubbed her eyes.

  “Master Malcolm, you are here. What time is it? Has morning come?”

  “No, Princess, only a few hours have passed,” Edmund clarified for the wizard.

  Malcolm and Kalvin took the ladies’ places by the bed as Jade and Alandra moved back to offer the sages some space. Isabelle shadowed Kalvin, her steps dragging as she gazed at her friend.

  Coughing, specks of red dotted Alec’s mouth and chin. Moaning softly, he didn’t stir.

  “Oh, Alec,” Isabelle whispered, wiping away the blood. I wish I’d been here to help. “What in the world happened?”

  “Vincent occurred,” Jade huffed darkly, gripping the sides of her dress. Head bowed, she didn’t elaborate.

  Placing a gentle hand on his daughter’s shoulder, Edmund told them, “Alec was ambushed by Lord Vincent outside the city, where he forth with used him as a hostage to storm into the castle, claiming Alec was a traitor to Malyndor. I have never seen such a twisted mind. Delusional and obsessed with the notion that Alec performed dark magic to trick us all. He ripped the back of Alec’s tunic open where he bears a unique mark.”

  Edmund’s gaze traveled between Malcolm and Kalvin. After a moment, his frown darkened.

  Neither sage questioned the mark as they continued to study the injured wizard.

  “Was it then that his powers acted on their own?” Kalvin asked.

  “Briefly, when Lord Vincent took hold of my daughter. Shortly after, the first dragon landed in the courtyard.”

  She must have sensed he was in danger, Malcolm thought. He recalled Alec speaking of the protective creature during his visit to Marcia.

  “It was not until he came to the dragon’s aid that things took a dire turn. Lord Vincent declared him a traitor once more, and to my shame, there were many who appeared to lean towards the noble’s side. Alec…” his words trailed off.

  Glancing at the sorcerer, he sighed, “I do believe it was their reaction—the reaction of those he has loyally fought beside, which served as more then he could bear. His powers…” Edmund shook his head, lifting his shoulders. “I have never seen anything to equal them. Malcolm, he summoned a fearsome storm without even trying. Bolts of lightning struck the earth, an
d this strange white light pulled from his body.”

  Both Kalvin and Malcolm froze.

  “What did it look like?” the older sage questioned a tad too quickly.

  “A dragon,” Zachary answered coming to stand beside the bed. “It entered the green dragon when he touched it by mistake. An energy surged between them and threw them apart once it returned to his body. The entire time his mark was aglow. Afterwards, we could understand the creature’s words. We can all speak to her, Malcolm.”

  The two sorcerers’ eyes met across the bed. Muttering in Elan, they each ran a hand over Alec. Much like when Kalvin first tested Alec’s aura, the two wizards studied his magical energy. The glow surrounding their hands was different than before. Instead of white, it was a golden orange, like wisps of fire.

  “It is as we feared,” Malcolm said lowering his hand. “The dragon’s magic has fully awakened.”

  Zachary slowly ran his knuckles along his jaw line. “Had it not already manifested?”

  The sage turned towards the prince as he spoke. “Not completely. Parts of his magic were still dormant as his abilities grew at a steady rate.”

  “Now his powers have surfaced too quickly, overwhelming his body,” Kalvin supplied. “The sudden surge is far too much for a human.”

  “And it’s killing him,” the Cunning Sage finished.

  “You knew about this,” Edmund accused. Eyes narrowed, his gaze shifted between Zachary and the two wizards. “How long have the three of you known Alec was the Prince?”

  Beside them, Isabelle’s jaw dropped.

  “Come now, Edmund,” the headmaster began holding up his hands. “No one here was governed by ill intent. Alec’s best interests were our sole motivation.”

  “He is right, my friend,” Zachary added reasonably. “I only realized the truth prior to Alec’s first mission, but I had to agree with Malcolm’s insight. Exposing Alec as a royal too soon would have been unwise and may have left him with greater scars than those with which he is already burdened.”

  Lips pressed into a thin line, Edmund made no retort. Prince Zachary and Kalvin recognized the truth on their own. Malcolm most likely did so from the start. No wonder he insisted on training the warrior himself. Yet, for all his foresight and supposed intelligence, Edmund wasn’t able to see what was right in front of him for all those months. How could I have been such a fool?