Dragonseers and Airships

by Chris Behrsin

  All this while, the voice of Finesia was running circles in the back of my head. Trying to get me to transform into a dragonwoman and run rampage around the fortress. But I didn’t pay her any heed.

  “Have it your way,” I said. “I, Dragonseer Wells am loyal to Bassalhan, and Castlonth, and Yol, and Tarinah, and the other three dragon queens here whose names I do not yet know. I serve dragons and I serve the good of humanity, and I have done since I was a child. Yes, Finesia is in my mind. But I will not let her have dominion. Is that enough?”

  The woman paused. She narrowed her eyes, as if trying to scare something out of me. And I stayed silent and calm, much as Sukina had taught me.

  “That will suffice,” Bassalhan said in the collective unconscious, and the woman stepped back and lowered her spear.

  “I warn you, though,” the woman said. “If I see even a hint of treachery – of you going over to Finesia’s side, I will end your life without question. Is that understood?”

  “I understand.”

  She then turned to Taka and stared him down. He backed off from her, clearly afraid she’d also raise the spear to his throat. “The same goes for you, Taka Sako. Don’t think because you’re a child I’ll go easy on you.”

  He nodded, looking back up at her with wide eyes.

  I crossed my arms. Her threats on Taka hit home a lot harder than those directed at me. “You still haven’t told me who you are?”

  She looked away. I could only see her face in profile, but it was enough to see the bitterness that washed over it. “My name is Hastina Wiggea, a dragonseer. Like my mother, Indira, the world has thought me dead for a long time.”

  Hearing those words caused a pang of sadness to surface within. Hastina was Wiggea’s wife… He’d mentioned her when he was a good man. He’d loved her, and for most of his adult life he’d regretted losing her to the coyotes.

  But she’d survived.

  “This isn’t a time for discussion,” Bassalhan said. “But a time for mourning. Return to your chambers and stables until the army and navy arrives, and then we shall perform the funeral rites.”

  I took hold of Taka’s hand and led him inside before we had any more potential trouble. My parents were waiting at the northernmost courtyard entrance. I looked at my father as I approached. “Best do as they say for now. Return to your room, and we’ll talk after the funeral.”

  Papo nodded, and Mamo touched my shoulder. They walked off without another word. I watched them go, hoping that the political situation here in Fortress Gerhaun wouldn’t turn into a dictatorship.

  Because no man, woman, or dragon here had signed up for this, that was for sure.

  Sukina’s Story

  Want to learn more about Sukina? You can download a full-length novel about how she came to be a dragonseer by signing up to my email list.

  I send emails approximately twice a month. You can subscribe at http://chrisbehrsin.com/sukina/.

  If, at any time, you want to shoot me an email, you can reach me at: author@chrisbehrsin.com.

  Acknowledgments

  Thank you to my good friend, Patch Willis for support and feedback, to Dragonseer’s beta readers: Sarah Sutton (sarahmaew on Fiverr) and Bianca (biancalcice on Fiverr), to all the fantastic people at Miblart for your wonderful covers, to Wayne Space for the valuable editing input and typo checking, to my entire ARC team, to my mother and father for encouragement, input, and support, and most of all to my dear wife Ola, for everything that she does.

  About the Author

  Chris Behrsin is a British fiction writer who is pursuing the digital nomad lifestyle, hopping from pond to pond and working remotely he goes. Fiction-wise, he writes in multiple genres, but mainly science fiction and fantasy.

  He’s also a working freelance copywriter and he co-runs the Being a Nomad (beinganomad.com) travel blog with his wife. In his spare time, he enjoys reading and playing the piano, whenever he has access to one.

  He’s travelled extensively, having lived in France, South Korea, Poland, China, Spain, and Vietnam. He has a passion for exploring off-the-beaten-path destinations and infusing pieces of them in his work.