The Dragonsong Trilogy Box Set

by H. C. Brown

  “Has Melis forgiven you?”

  “Yes, and I do believe our reunion will rival Thalia’s moonfire.” Pyro grinned. “I saw her … Melis. My dragon gave me a glimpse of her image, and she is just as beautiful as the day we first mated.”

  Lumos removed the kettle from the flames. “I am happy for you.” He scooped tea from a sack and dropped it into the hot water. “Thalia has a problem we need to discuss. I have reason to believe a Magus is accessing her. Perhaps, he has the ability to dreamwalk, but, whatever spell he is using, the bastard is leaving physical marks on her.” He dashed a hand through his hair. “Lady’s blood, I am beginning to believe Thalia carries the Magus of Fullmount’s dark magyck.” He met Pyro’s gaze. “Only a blood relative could do such a thing to her.”

  “Do you fear she will betray you?” Pyro placed two cups on the sandy ground. “Do you trust her?” He lifted the kettle and poured two cups of tea.

  Lifting the steaming cup to his nose, Lumos inhaled the rich, herbal brew. “Betray me? Nay, never by choice.” He regarded Pyro over the rim of the cup. “I love her and my dragon detects no malice in her at all. On the contrary, she has defended me many times.” He sipped the tea. “She has an inner strength like no other female I have known. In truth, she still struggles to trust me and I do not blame her. She had men betray her, including her foster father, King Garro.”

  “If there is a blood link, it would be feasible to believe the Magus is using her to spy on us.” Pyro raised his hand to stop Lumos’s protest. “I know this realm. I used Tusuns many times to train young dragons. The spiders we fought are not from here. To attack in a sandstorm is not usual behavior for that species. In fact, spiders do not have the brain power to coordinate such an attack.” He placed his cup on the ground. “Think on it, Lumos, what insect attacks on three fronts? Perhaps ants but never spiders. Why would they attack a Dragonfae? We offered no threat to them and Fae blood is poisonous for any insects to drink, so why attack?” Pyro sighed. “I believe the spiders and perhaps the sandstorm were engineered by the Magus to kill or delay your return to Drakka. We must discuss a new strategy to cross Trill, in private, away from Thalia’s ears in case he is able to hear her thoughts.”

  Lumos ground his teeth. He had been with Thalia every second apart from the two hours he had let the Nightdragon free. “If you believe Thalia informed the Magus of our plans, you are mistaken. She freed me from his magyck circle.” He glared at Pyro. “If she were under the Magus’s control, she would have refused to help me escape, or, for that matter, help me free you.”

  “I think nothing of the sort.” Pyro opened his hands. “But we—”

  “Goddess! Do you believe I am in league with the Magus of Fullmount?” Thalia stood at the entrance of the passageway her face ashen and bottom lip trembling.

  “No, I do not, Thalia, quite the opposite, in fact.” Pyro patted the ground. “Sit down but face away from us for just for a moment while I explain.”

  She sat down with her back turned and bowed her head allowing her long auburn hair to cover her face. Her narrow shoulders slumped in defeat. Lumos lifted his chin. Inside, his dragon roared in protest. He glared at Pyro and the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. “Your request is insulting. Apologize immediately.”

  “Hush … this is not an insult but rather a precaution. Let me explain.” Pyro poured a cup of tea for Thalia. “Can you tell me when you first became aware of your magyck?”

  “Mayhap a year ago, although many times small things happened that now I know were caused by magyck.” Thalia sipped her tea. “Nell told me that sometimes magyck slips out as a wish of sorts.”

  “Nell?” Pyro wrinkled his brow. “Tell me about Nell, she is the old woman from the forest, is she not? What did she look like? Try to remember if she had pointed ears.”

  “Aye, Nell did have pointed ears but not as tall as yours. Pointed, aye, but a little more rounded. She wore her hair like a braided crown.” Thalia smiled. “She told me so many stories of Faeries, Elves and the children of the forest.” She reached out a hand to touch Lumos. “She informed me I had been given a great gift and would one day help cure the suffering of many.”

  Lumos took Thalia’s hand and stroked her soft skin with his thumb. “I believe Nell was an Elf. How old do you think she was?”

  “Old, with gray hair. She had wrinkles around her mouth and eyes, perhaps fifty summers?” Thalia shrugged. “Why?”

  “Fae do not age after maturity, unless we are prevented from returning to a Fae realm.” Pyro shot a glance at Lumos and raised a brow. “Thalia, Nell revealed herself to you in a Nomag realm. This in itself is a very dangerous thing for an Elf to do. Nomags are unaware we truly exist.” He rolled his shoulders and stretched. “I believe Nell has some connection to you and has an interest in your wellbeing. She knows of your mother’s sacrifice to save you. Perhaps Nell placed you in the forest for Garro to find. I have reason to believe that she may be your grandmother.”

  “Then why did she leave me to the king’s men, Lumos? How could she be so cruel?”

  Lumos squeezed Thalia’s hand. “If the Magus of Fullmount is her master, as I suspect, she could not reveal her involvement with you. The dark Magi keep many breeders of worth as drudges. They become entrenched in the dark Magi way of life and the breeders are trusted more than the other slaves are. Nell’s master would allow her to move around freely to collect fruit and perhaps herbs from the forest. I think she tried to protect your true heritage from him.” He turned his head to meet Pyro’s gaze. “I recall a battle almost forty summers ago, an invasion by an army of dark Magi to steal Elvin females for breeding.” He sighed. “Five females were captured and I believe some took their own lives. I have no idea how many survived the Magi dungeons.”

  “The bloodline my dragon detected in you would fit into this situation.” Pyro poured more tea. “If Nell was one of those females and she produced a daughter to a Magus, it would be conceivable to believe one coven of Magi traded the child to another for breeding because of the Elvin blood.” He grimaced. “This would be the only reason to keep a female child alive. The dark Magi believe their females should not possess any magyck whatsoever. The males rule absolutely and they forbid cherishing of females in any capacity.”

  “Then why did not they trade me?” Thalia glanced over her shoulder at Lumos.

  “Look straight ahead, Thalia. Keep your mind barrier strong.” Pyro cleared his throat. “If what I think is true, you have three-quarters dark magyck blood, one-quarter Elven blood. As a female, you are dangerous to the dark Magi clans. You would be a powerful threat on maturity. I would venture to say that as a male, you would have ruled.”

  “Why must I stare at the wall?” Thalia’s shoulders trembled.

  “Lumos explained your dreams to me.” Pyro sipped his tea. “I believe the Magus is scrying through your eyes, so we must avoid giving him any more information on our movements.” He tossed the remaining tea onto the sand. “Close your eyes and strengthen your barrier. Keep him out, Thalia… Good girl.” He waited, observing her closely. “The Magus sends you horrific images of his debauchery because he believes he is making your dark magyck stronger. He believes he can control you, so we will feed him only the information we want him to know.” He sighed. “I am afraid we will not be able to discuss our plans of attack with you. You will have to trust our judgment.”

  “I will do anything to stop him using me like this.” Thalia pressed her head into her hands. “How can I stop him from entering my dreams?”

  Lumos slid an arm around her shoulder. “When you sleep, invite my dragon to guard over your dreams. The Magus will not detect the Nightdragon’s protection.”

  “Goddess, has he seen everything?” Thalia trembled. “I cannot bear to think he has witnessed our… Oh gods, Lumos.” She gulped a shuddering breath. “Tell me how I can stop him from doing this, please. I feel… Oh, goddess! I feel dirty! It is like Erik all over again.”

  He pulled
her stiff, trembling body against him. “No, do not say that. I beg you. I will never be like Erik.” He took in Pyro’s questioning stare and shook his head slightly. “You only have to close your eyes, sweetness, and the Magus cannot see or hear a thing.” He nuzzled her neck. “Darkness, too, conceals anyone trying to scry.” He rubbed her back. “Do you believe the Nightdragon would allow anyone to scry our intimate moments? He loves you, Thalia, as I do. You have my word that the Magus witnessed nothing between us.”

  “Lumos speaks the truth.” Pyro got to his feet. “I will feed the horses. The storm has passed and we must leave this place.” He inclined his head toward the saddlebags. “Can you find us something to eat, Lumos?”

  “I will cook.” Thalia turned around. “Perhaps, to save time you should both feed the horses?” She glanced around the cavern. “Goddess, have you seen Brew?”

  “Aye, I gave him the last of the stew.” Pyro grinned. “He is so fat he can hardly walk. He went outside over an hour ago.”

  Lumos brushed a kiss on her cheek and pushed to his feet. He took his sword from against the wall. “I will tell Brew to come in to see you. I think he has found a friend in Argos.” He strapped on the thick leather sword belt.

  “The poor cat probably thinks I do not care about him anymore. After all, I do spend all my time with you now.” Thalia dragged the cooking pot over to the fire.

  With a grin, he turned toward the cavern entrance. “I know for certain that Brew is enjoying this trip immensely. However, do not be surprised if he goes looking for a mate of his own when we arrive in Drakka. I told him about my cat, a sweet, little, pure white creature named Crystal.” He chuckled. “I promised to introduce them.”

  “You have a cat?” Thalia poured water into the cooking pot.

  “Yes and falcons, horses, and a large green lizard named Charlie.” Lumos rubbed his stomach. “I hope that is porridge you are cooking. I am hungry enough to eat a horse.”

  “Well then, I would better hurry and fill your stomach. I do not want the Nightdragon snacking on Albert.” Thalia grinned and her eyes sparkled with mischief.

  Strolling out into the steaming heat, he surveyed the barren landscape. The storm had coated everything in a heavy layer of sand. The dark red soil rose in banks against the walls of the cavern. Pyro stood beside Argos, tightening the horse’s saddle with sure swift movements.

  Lumos turned toward him. “Do you have doubts about Thalia?”

  “Doubts?” Pyro raised an eyebrow. “I do not doubt she worships the ground you walk on. She loves you, that is plain enough to see—or are you blind?” He threw a saddlebag over Argos’s back. “You must know the Magus used Thalia to lure you to the Singing Forest … but how he found your true mate baffles me.” He shrugged. “No magyck can outwit a dragon and Thalia is indeed your mate.”

  Lumos shrugged. “This is not a revelation to me. I am fully aware the Magus used her to lure me, but I do not believe he knew she carried dark magyck blood at the time. In my opinion, her true self only became apparent when she released her magyck.”

  “What gives you that impression?”

  Taking a deep breath, he considered the implications of revealing Thalia’s awful time with Erik. “The Magus’s initial plan was to lure me to the Singing Forest. He merely wanted to capture me to prevent me from returning to Drakka in time for the contest.” He sighed. “I am sure he engineered Thalia’s banishment so that her song would lure me into his trap. The Singing Forest is a powerful conduit for sound between all realms. I would guess he had obtained the knowledge Thalia was my mate before he sent the potion to the Dragonfae, and had arranged for Kird to challenge me.”

  “How do you suppose he chose Thalia? How could he possibly know she belonged to you out of the millions of females in our realms?” Pyro raised one eyebrow.

  “I do recall finding a silk scarf on the palace steps at Drakka. Now I come to think on it, I remember a great many scarves seemingly abandoned around the palace at that time. I thought it to be a female prank of some kind, as you know they are often unpredictable. On this day, there were five or six scattered around. One attracted me, so I picked it up and it had a most alluring scent—Thalia’s scent—I know this now.” He sighed. “At that time, the Magus had access to the city, he and his brother, Boris, both seeking salvation. They must have collected scarves from a number of females with flames in their eyes and waited until I picked one up.” He rubbed his chin. “But, if the Magus knew Thalia had dark magyck, why would he allow her to be used and hurt by Erik? He wanted to destroy me by making sure the king’s men damaged my mate beyond repair.” Lumos met Pyro’s gaze. “This would have been the opposite if the Magus had known Thalia had dark magyck. What she endured on her journey to the Singing Forest would have made her stronger because she would have fed on the pain. This was not so, she was broken and damaged when I found her.”

  Lumos ran a hand through his hair. “In my opinion, the Magus only discovered Thalia’s birthright recently, and I would say he has no idea her mother sacrificed her life to protect her.” He stared at the red mountain range in the distance. “This fact alone would have me believe the Magus himself is not Thalia’s father.” He took a long breath. “The Magus has a brother, Boris, but he is too slow-witted to contrive a plan like this.” He grimaced. “But not too stupid to be her sire.”

  “Aye, this begins to make a great deal of sense.” Pyro nodded. “When Thalia used her magyck against the Hag, the Magus investigated her bloodline.” He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “He must have realized the dark magyck could not have come from the Nomags that raised Thalia. The revelation she carried Magus blood would have come as a shock to him.” He bunched his fists on his hips. “He may have thought, one of the other dark Magi covens had deceived him in some way, because if Boris had fathered Thalia, he would have followed the dark Magi custom and left her in the woods to die.” His lips turned down in the corners. “I would bet a purse of gold that Boris is Thalia’s sire and Nell followed him into the forest.”

  “For all we know, Nell could have been privy to the plans of her daughter’s sacrifice to save Thalia. She had to move the child to a safe haven, knowing her grandchild would have some measure of Cymbeline’s protection.”

  Lumos turned slowly and met Pyro’s steady gaze. “What better place to hide a child of the forest but in a family of Nomags?”

  “I agree. One more thing. You mentioned that one of the men who escorted Thalia to the Singing Forest misused her.” Pyro scowled. “I gather this is the reason she is afraid of males? Poor child, he must have been brutal.”

  Pain radiated through Lumos’s heart and his dragon gave a long howl of distress. “Aye, my friend, more brutal than you could ever imagine.” He removed the sword from the sheath at his waist and ran pure white magyck down the blade, sharpening the steel to a razor’s edge. “When this is over, I will hunt him down and cut every ounce of flesh from his sorry bones and all that stood by and allowed this to happen.” Lumos let out a long growl. “If this had happened to your mate, I am sure, you would do the same.”

  “Aye … and you will not hunt alone for these beasts are lower than hyenas. As Nomags, they will be easy to capture. A wise man would allow Thalia to decide their punishment—she is the one that must live with this memory.” Pyro frowned. “For now, put this thought out of your mind and save your energy. We have more urgent matters to contend with in the hours ahead.” He ran a hand down Argos’s silken neck. “The moment we enter Trill, if Thalia is awake, we must use our dragon’s mindspeak to communicate any change of plans.” He glanced toward the cavern opening. “Thalia, too. Do not speak to her of our destination, but use your dragon to explain things to her.” He smiled grimly. “Now, let us eat, and leave this dreadful place.”

  Lumos straightened and stared into the distance. Aye, the next few days would test his strength and that of his dragon. No matter what the Magus of Fullmount threw in his way, he would protect Thalia with his life. He lifte
d his chin and brought his magyck around him. “Give me the strength, Cymbeline, to cast out evil, and bring peace to the Dragonfae.”

  In the distance, a rainbow arched across the sky and a cool breeze cut through the heat to caress his cheek. A soft voice hovered on the air, like a whisper in the wind.

  “I am with you, Lumos, but the way ahead is filled with treachery, trust in your dragon.”

  The End of Part Two

  Shadow Walkers

  The Dragonsong Trilogy – Part Three

  H.C. Brown

  Time is running out.

  Lumos must survive a battle against an army of soulless Shadow Walkers and rescue Thalia from the hands of the Boars.

  Will he return to Drakka in time to meet the final challenge and release the Dragonfae from the clutches of the dark Magus?

  Or will he die trying?

  Prologue

  After finding Lumos, the Dragonfae, trapped in a magyck circle, Thalia of Broclarre, a young witch, has to face her fear of men and aid in his escape. She discovers the Magus of Fullmount, an evil wizard, lured Lumos to her using dark magyck. His intent, to prevent Lumos’s participation in a fight to the death to determine the fate of his people, but silver bands on his wrists prevent him from shifting into the Nightdragon.

  Thalia decides to leave the shelter of the Singing Forest and escort Lumos on a journey to find an ancient dragon capable of removing the silver and releasing his magyck. They visit a vampire, the Lutwych Hag, to gain the location of the Firedragon, Pyro. During a trade of Lumos’s blood for information, Thalia uses dark magyck to disable the Hag and in turn frees, Mino the Elf, who offers his services to act as their guide. They travel into the Underworld and form a plan to defeat the two-headed beast Nehebkau and free Pyro. After a terrifying battle, Pyro releases Lumos from the silver and they travel together toward Drakka.