Spirit (Legend of the Dragons Book 1)

by Denelle Elison

  As Briahnna got closer to the palace, she heard something coming up fast behind her and turned to see what it was, getting blasted by a human sized ball of water that knocked her to the ground. She was completely drenched and she got up and turned slowly toward Samson and Jerrick. She was tense with complete fury, her eyes blazing with fire. She raised her arms and released her magic. Samson flew about twenty feet into the air and careened toward the fountain in fear. He landed with a loud splash.

  Briahnna’s jaw dropped at what she had done. She was completely shocked at her angry outburst. She looked at Jerrick standing with his arms folded. His eyebrows were lifted in amusement, and she ran to the fountain to apologize. Abriel, Abigail, and Cassandra walked to the fountain. All three were laughing hysterically.

  “Sam!” Briahnna cried. “I’m so sorry…I don’t know what got into me…I was just so furious!” she spluttered, trying to apologize.

  After coughing up a lungful of water, Samson held up his hand. “No.” He paused, glaring at Jerrick. “I should have known better than to mess with you one more time.”

  “No, no,” she said, also glaring at Jerrick. “That was uncalled for, terrible, and spiteful. Sam, I wasn’t thinking!”

  “Bri, stop,” Samson commanded. “That really was amazing.”

  “That had to be the funniest thing that I have ever seen,” laughed Abigail. Cassandra nodded in agreement.

  Briahnna looked at Darian, expecting a lecture, but he just stood there looking at her in shock. “Darian?” she asked concerned.

  “I’m at a complete loss,” he said. “The control you have is astounding.”

  “Control?” she asked, amazed. “I completely lost it.”

  “No. I do not mean your anger, Bumble Bee,” corrected Darian. “I mean he could have missed the pond and gotten hurt. He went right into the middle of it. It was like he was hitting the very center of a target. That is what was so amazing. Unless…you did mean for him to hit the pond, right?” he asked.

  “Of course! I didn’t want to hurt him,” she berated Darian. Bri looked at Jerrick standing about a foot away from her, arms crossed. “Are you just going to stand there and gloat?” she asked.

  He shrugged his shoulders, and with a tilt of his head said, “I knew you could do it.”

  Chapter 10

  Briahnna jumped and looked around confused. Ferdinand had been droning on about how magiks had actually lived in the region of Thornhold before they discovered the land of Mageia, a beautiful and bounteous land near the sea. Jerrick was smirking at her from his desk a few feet behind her. She sat with the girls on one side of the room and he sat with the boys on the other. She looked down at the crumpled paper he had thrown at her, reached down, and grabbed it. She had been listening intently to Ferdinand talk about Mageia’s history. Opening up the note, Bri read:

  Where are you? He’s not that interesting. I have to do something. I’m going to fall asleep!

  She rolled her eyes and wrote back:

  I find his lessons very interesting, so leave me alone.

  Then she crumpled it and discretely tossed it back to Jerrick.

  After listening for a few more seconds, Briahnna raised her hand.

  “Yes, Princess?”

  “Could you explain where the legends of the dragons come from?” Briahnna asked.

  “Ah, the legends of the dragons,” Ferdinand repeated. “Well, Princess, in all honesty, there is nothing written about the legendary dragons. All the Archives have about dragons is just that, legend. Good folklore and fairytales for the children at bedtime. A fictional character from whence we came.

  “You see, Thornhold lies just below the Southern Mountains, and because there are records of people making treks to the Southern Mountains,” he paused for dramatic effect and said in a spooky voice, “legend began to unfold. For those who braved the Southern Mountains never returned. This would be why the Southern Mountains of Thornhold are forbidden. But after all of these treks and disappearances, there were supposedly sightings of large, birdlike beasts preying the skies above the mountains.

  “In fact,” he continued, enjoying the chance to indulge in a bit of story telling, “because of the same things happening in the Northern Mountains, they, too, are forbidden. There is a story that I heard in my youth about wars between the Northern and Southern Mountain Dragons. The Dragons of the Northern Mountains were extremely evil. When the dragons of the Southern Mountains won the war they drained the dragons from the north of all their power. This created the Hyperborian legend of how the Hyperboreans inherited their strength and thick skin that helps them survive the harsh weather of the north. However, because the Northern Dragon’s magic was taken, they, too, were deprived,” Ferdinand said, smiling indulgently at Briahnna.

  Briahnna nodded and smiled back, and Ferdinand returned to his lesson.

  After they all began working on their assignment, Briahnna felt another crumpled paper hit her head. Slowly turning around, she glared at Jerrick and picked it up. Inside she found a very good drawing of a girl riding a dragon. She smiled down at it, and continued her assignment.

  . . .

  “So you like dragons?” Abriel asked Briahnna as they were leaving the palace after lessons. Briahnna and Jerrick usually walked the rest of the kids out after lessons. More often than not they would linger on the grounds talking or messing around. Jerrick was busy showing the other girls how fast he was with the wind while racing Samson. He used the wind to push both of them, but Samson couldn’t quite master it as Jerrick had, stumbling over his own feet or the uneven earth.

  Briahnna shrugged at Abriel, and he gave her his most charming smile. She smiled back, embarrassed but excited by his attention. He was showing her a lot of it lately.

  “Watch this,” he said, encouraged by her smile. He lifted his arm in front of him and fire appeared. Concentrating, he closed his eyes and the fire began to take shape.

  Briahnna stood transfixed, watching the orb begin to shape into…she leaned closer, feeling drawn to his fire.

  “Abe!”

  Briahnna and Abriel jumped, making Abriel’s fire poof into nothing. They both looked at Jerrick, jogging their way.

  “Wow!” he exclaimed. “That was amazing. Your fire was starting to look like something. I didn’t know you could do that. Too bad I broke your concentration, huh? Sorry about that.”

  “That’s okay,” Abriel said, looking embarrassed. He turned to Briahnna and gave her a small smile. Briahnna blushed.

  “Hey, do you know what would be pretty neat?” Jerrick continued, watching their interaction and pretending not to notice. He waited for their attention to return to him. “If you made a bird or something with your fire and we used the wind to make it fly.” Jerrick grabbed Abriel’s arm. “Come on,” he said, dragging Abe away from Briahnna. “Hey, Sam, watch this.”

  Sitting under the cherry tree, Briahnna watched Jerrick and Abriel play with the wind and the fire. Abriel was able to shape his fire into many things, but every time Jerrick used the wind to blow it into the air, the fire would distort and get out of control. She laughed at their attempts while the other girls oohed and aahed. Bri took out the picture that Jerrick had drawn and gazed at it. Her dreams looked just like this dragon. It was amazing that Jerrick could draw it so precisely.

  After their failed attempts, Jerrick walked Abriel, Samson, Abigail, and Cassandra to the gate. He waved goodbye, turned around, and sauntered back to sit next to Briahnna.

  “What’s with the sudden interest in dragons?” Jerrick asked, taking the picture from Briahnna’s hands.

  Briahnna let out a slow breath and tried to retrieve her picture. “Just interested, that’s all.”

  “Uh huh.” Jerrick scrutinized her. “Come on Bri, what’s on your mind?”

  Briahnna looked down, deciding whether or not to confide in him, whether or not he would laugh.

  “I won’t laugh. I promise,” he said, grabbing her hand to reassure her.

>   She sighed. “When you lived at your estate, I woke up a lot in the middle of the night from a nightmare, or…” she paused. They never talked about his parents. “Well, I’d just wake up sometimes. And a few times when I woke up, I’d swear I saw something outside of my window. It wasn’t human, and it looked…” She rolled her eyes. “This is stupid. I was just dreaming.”

  “No, tell me.”

  She looked at him. “I thought I saw a dragon. There. I said it. Now you’re about to laugh, aren’t you?”

  Jerrick smiled at her and began folding her picture. “I promised I wouldn’t.”

  Briahnna tried snatching the picture back. “Hey! I really liked that! It was beautiful!” she yelled at him.

  He dodged her and finished folding, threw it into the air, and made it fly.

  Briahnna laughed in delight. He had folded the paper into a perfect dragon.

  Chapter 11

  It was Briahnna’s sixteenth birthday party, the eve of Summer Solstice. The city was gathered behind the palace watching fireworks explode over the sea. Briahnna was livid. She was sitting in the sand trying to enjoy the fireworks but couldn’t concentrate. Jerrick was flirting with all of the girls surrounding them.

  Why was it that whenever they were around a big group of magiks, they ended up encircled by giggling girls? There were usually boys dispersed throughout, but always in the center was Jerrick, well…and Sam. Usually, Sam was entertaining and Jerrick was flirting, not that Briahnna minded Samson’s entertainment. He was quite funny and enjoyable to look at. He had blond hair that was combed into a nice ponytail at the base of his skull. He had brown eyes and olive skin, a very nice combination. He’d always nudge her and wink, laughing when she’d push him away.

  Abriel was usually in their circle, but was content to just watch and smile, hands in his trouser pockets. He was also very good looking in his own right. He had sandy hair that fell casually around his face, with brown eyes. His eyes usually sought out Briahnna’s, making her blush.

  She turned away from his gaze and looked back in Jerrick’s direction. He wasn’t there, however, and she turned around looking for him, wishing she hadn’t. He was walking with one of the girls from the town. They were holding hands and he was leading her to a large tree on the other side of the palace. Briahnna turned back to the fireworks, jaw clenched. She had heard Abigail and Cassandra giggling about him often and talking about how he was such a flirt and had kissed other girls. She didn’t want to believe them. What was the big deal, though? He could do what he wanted. She wasn’t his keeper, and he could kiss whomever he desired. In fact, so could she. The problem was that she never seemed to have a chance to be near anyone long enough for a kiss. She’d been around plenty of boys, but Jerrick was always there, carting them off before they could even get close. Bringing her knees up, Briahnna circled her arms around them and rested her chin on top, sighing.

  “These are pretty amazing fireworks, huh?”

  Briahnna smiled and turned her head to Abriel. He always turned up when Jerrick disappeared.

  “Yes,” she answered.

  “Do you mind if I sit next to you?” he asked.

  “Abe, do you even need to ask?”

  “Common courtesy,” he smiled.

  “You’re such a good person. Do you know that?” She smiled at him and scooted just a little closer. Jerrick wasn’t around this time.

  Behind them they heard girls laughing in delight at Samson’s antics. Briahnna smiled and looked back at him, then turned her head to Abriel, who was looking intently at her. Her eyes widened in surprise at how close they were. Butterflies were dancing in her stomach and her excitement grew.

  “These fireworks are beautiful,” Abe said, looking into her eyes. “But nothing could compare to your eyes. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything quite as amazing as those eyes.” He looked down embarrassed.

  Briahnna placed her forehead on his, looking at his startled expression. “You don’t have to be embarrassed Abe. That was one of the sweetest things that anyone has ever said to me.” He was so close. She willed him closer…

  “Aaaaaaahhhhhhh!”

  Briahnna’s head jerked back before Abriel could kiss her. He turned to look back at who had yelled. She also looked and saw that Jerrick had returned. He had jumped onto Samson’s back, and was wrestling him to the ground right in the middle of Briahnna and Abriel, who both backed away from the commotion. As Samson and Jerrick rolled around in the sand trying to pin each other, Abriel held his hand out to Briahnna to help her up. She complied, turned to Jerrick and Samson, glared in indignation, and started dragging Abriel away from everybody.

  Noticing that the commotion had paused for a second, Briahnna began to quicken her pace.

  “Abe!” Jerrick yelled.

  Abriel stopped Briahnna and turned around.

  “I ran into your father,” Jerrick said, pointing in the direction where all of the adults were gathered. “He was looking for you.”

  Briahnna and Abriel both turned and saw Abigail making her way to their father as he bade Abriel to come also. Abe cleared his throat and looked at Briahnna apologetically. “I guess I have to go.” He leaned in and gave her a small kiss on the cheek. Briahnna felt Jerrick’s rage and clenched her jaw.

  “Happy Birthday, Bri,” Abriel whispered in her ear then ran to join his sister.

  Briahnna was never left alone with another boy again.

  Chapter 12

  “We have a month to prepare for your coming of age ball,” Queen Adriahnna announced. Briahnna and Jerrick had been summoned to the great hall after their lessons. “You both turn seventeen this year and will be expected to find a betrothal.”

  Briahnna blushed and looked at Jerrick. He smiled at her arrogantly and winked.

  Every Winter Solstice a ball was held for those who would be turning seventeen that year.

  “We are here to teach you a few of the traditional dances,” Adriahnna continued. “The first is a waltz introducing you into society. Briahnna, you will be dancing with your father. Jerrick you will be dancing with me.”

  “The second is a waltz with a person of your choosing. And the third, The Circle Dance, is with the rest of the youth who are also coming of age,” explained the Queen. “I will be your partner while we are practicing, Jerrick, and you will dance with you father, Briahnna.”

  Jerrick strode forward and bowed elegantly to Queen Adriahnna. “May I have the pleasure of this dance, Your Majesty?”

  Adriahnna blushed and Briahnna rolled her eyes as King Rinald took Bri’s hand in his. “I believe anyone vying for the one that Jerrick has his eye on, will definitely have a formidable opponent,” he chuckled.

  Jerrick immediately gave Briahnna a meaningful look, and Adriahnna began counting out the steps. Looking quickly away from him, Briahnna’s mouth turned up at the corners.

  “Jerrick, pay attention,” the Queen admonished. “Ow!” she exclaimed.

  Briahnna looked over and snorted when Jerrick stumbled over Adriahnna’s feet. “Formidable opponent indeed,” she said, and then tottered face first into her father’s chest.

  . . .

  Briahnna was nervous… or is he nervous? She thought to herself. She was bursting with anticipation.

  She and Jerrick had been learning the dances all month. After that first lesson, Briahnna and Jerrick laughed their way through most of the others, and Queen Adriahnna usually ended up exasperated. She said it would be a miracle if they made it through one dance.

  After Gabriela finished with her hair, Briahnna stood to examine herself, gazing at her dress. She and her mother spent hours at the drawing board with the seamstress, each giving the design their input. The seamstress had to practically shove them out of her sewing room in the end. The fabric was perfect. Colors in Mageia were always bright and happy. It was pink and flawless against her slightly tanned skin, accentuated with the colors of the sea.

  Briahnna normally wore her hair down. She liked the feel
of it freely flowing around her head. But looking at her reflection with her hair up, it was a nice change. Nervous excitement filled her, and her thoughts strayed to Jerrick.

  Queen Adriahnna opened the door to her room. “Are you ready, Dear Heart?” She looked at Briahnna proudly, and then gushed over her beauty. “Oh! It’s perfect. You look beautiful.” Adriahnna stepped aside, letting Briahnna exit the room.

  They made their way to the Great Hall and met her father outside the door. He took one look at her and his eyes glistened with tears. “Bumble Bee… there are no words,” he said, kissing her forehead.

  “Thank you, Father.” Bri held her breath waiting to enter the Great Hall.

  “King Rinald of the Kingdom of Mageia!” announced the Herald at the door as the King and Queen entered first. “And Her Majesty, the Queen Adriahnna of the Kingdom of Mageia!”

  Briahnna waited in anticipation for her name to be announced. “Now presenting the Princess Briahnna of the Kingdom of Mageia!” She walked into the Great Hall and everyone bowed in respect.

  Briahnna’s gaze automatically found Jerrick’s. He was looking at her with a slight quirk of his lips, and not only did she feel his possessiveness flare to life, but she saw it in his eyes. She raised her eyebrow and gave him a small smile.

  Jerrick blushed then strode to her, bringing her hand to his lips while everyone watched.

  King Rinald clapped his hands together. “Let the ball begin!” he said gesturing to the musicians in the corner.

  Rinald held his hand out to her, and they began the first dance. Jerrick led the queen onto the floor. Briahnna snuck a glance at him and began to stumble, but her father held her up. “Briahnna, your mother has worked hard to make this perfect. Pay attention,” he said with a slight smile. Through the corner of her eye, she caught Jerrick grinning widely as he danced flawlessly with her mother. She could feel his smugness and wanted to smack him.