Kindle the Flame (Heart of a Dragon Book 1)
Page 36
“I—I don't understand.”
“I'm not sure I understand it all either; there's more to learn, but listen,” he lowered his voice, “we can't hide forever, and both of us need to leave here before daylight. Sebastian's men are watching your house, but they won't be thrown off the trail for long, especially if they gain any idea that Chennuh is nearby.”
Kinna started up; she had forgotten all about her Dragon. “I must—”
A loud, heavy knock vibrated the oak door. “Open up in the name of the King!”
The group stared at the door in silent panic for one heart-stopping moment. Kinna gripped Cedric's arm, her fingernails digging into his flesh. “What do we do?”
The guard's voice bellowed. “Open the door! We followed the Dragon-Master's trail, and we'll break down the door if you do not open it immediately.”
Cedric grasped Kinna's shoulders, his whispers urgent. “They know I'm here, but they don't know you are. I'll turn myself in, but you run. Now.”
“No, I'm not going to—”
“My lady.” Lincoln's quiet voice spoke in her ear, and his strong, insistent arm propelled her to the loft stairs. Tristan and Joanna hastily rose. “I'm coming,” Tristan called. “No need to break down a perfectly good door.” He glanced at Cedric, who nodded to him. Kinna, Lincoln, and Joanna hastily ascended the stairs. Lincoln pushed Kinna upward, but her eyes never left her adopted father. She kept her gaze on him until the floorboards lost him from view, and Joanna hurried them toward the window.
Kinna heard the door open below. There was some commotion. “Is that really necessary?” Tristan asked angrily at one point.
“Aye, 'e's the King's prisoner and deserves any cuts 'e gets. And don't go in'erferin', ol' man, or I'll take ye in fer harborin' a fugitive.”
Joanna had silently opened the shutters. The roof slanted down to a shed in the back, and the alleyway was clear.
“Come, m'lady,” Lincoln whispered. “We mustn't stay.”
Kinna glanced between the two of them and saw the gravity on their brows, the deep concern for her welfare.
A tear tracked down her cheek. “Mother ... tell Father I said goodbye, and that I love him.”
Joanna nodded as she smoothed Kinna's hair over her shoulder, her fingers stroking her daughter's cheek. “Las e kinna,” she whispered, her voice clogged with tears. “Kindle the flame, my daughter.”
Kinna and Lincoln sneaked back to the copse of trees where Chennuh waited with a thousand moons in his scales. She climbed onto his warm back, pulling Lincoln up after her, and she listened to the beat of Chennuh's wings as he arched the massive membranes into flight. The town and its houses spread into a puzzle map far below them, and together, they rose into the spangled blackness of the velvety night sky.
Above them lay freedom. Below them lay prison.
But Kinna had every intention of setting her twin brother free.
THE END
Index
of Creatures and Terms
Dragons:
Mirage – a Dragon covered with mirrored scales, hard to see, capable of turning completely invisible with the right touch.
Poison-Quill – a Dragon covered from head to talon with poisonous spikes. The poison is deadly to beast and human; quick treatment is necessary if the poison gets below the skin.
Nine-Tail – a Dragon that has, as its name suggests, nine tails, each one with the ability to operate independently, each one with a sharp spike on the end.
Ember – a Dragon whose scales burn with constant fire, sometimes hotter and brighter, other times smoldering and low.
Seer Fey – an ancient collection of Fey that held the gift of “sight.” As time progressed, they morphed into the category of creatures called Pixies. Seer Fey still maintain a presence in this world, though their numbers are greatly reduced.
Dimn – the trainers of the creatures in their respective Clan (e.g. Dragondimn live in the Dragon Clan)
Clans of West Ashwynd:
Centaurs
Cerberuses
Direwolves
Dragons
Dryads
Elves
Goblins
Griffons
Mammoths
Ogres
Phoenixes
Pixies
Sirens
Trolls
Unicorns
Valkyries
Measurements:
Orlach – approximately three inches.
Span – approximately a foot.
Length – approximately a yard.
Fieldspans – approximately a mile.
Money:
Sceptremarks
Denn – a hundred denn to one sceptremark
Psuche – the soul-connection between a human and a creature that allows them to know each other's thoughts and feelings.
Taibe – magic
Taibos – sorcerer
Taibas – sorceress
Acknowledgments
I must admit that as a child, I never yearned for a Dragon, but now that I am a mother of three Dragon-obsessed children, I'm overcome with a longing to know these magnificent creatures better. It doesn't matter the fact or fiction of the subject; all that matters is that I open a world to my children that we can revel in together.
So here I must say a thanks to my children for giving me ideas and inspiration for the content of this book, and to my generous husband, who put up with backloads of laundry and dishes as I wove my worlds.
To the members of the Shenandoah Valley Writers, I owe many nights of laughter, chocolate, and hazy-eyed discussions about the politics and intrigues of West Ashwynd and its citizens.
To my editor, Emily June Street, I am eternally grateful. Without her help, I'd never have figured out the multi-faceted maze that is the world of self-publishing. You are also spared a book twice as long as the current one as a result of her efforts. She has several excellent books on the market of her own, and I highly recommend Velo Races, a book that I found intriguing and thought-provoking.
To my Creator, I'm thankful every day for the gift of imagination He's given me. May I always use it for Him.
About the Author
Tamara Shoemaker lives in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia with her husband, three children, a few jars of Nutella, and a never-empty carafe of coffee. She authored the Amazon best-selling Shadows in the Nursery Christian mystery series and Soul Survivor, another Christian mystery. Her fantasy books include the beginning of the Heart of the Dragon trilogy: Kindle the Flame, as well as the upcoming Guardian of the Vale trilogy.
@TamaraShoemaker
tshoebooks
www.tamarashoemaker.org.
Also By Tamara Shoemaker
Shadows in the Nursery Series:
Broken Crowns
Pretty Little Maids
Ashes, Ashes
Soul Survivor
Coming Soon
from Tamara Shoemaker
Guardian of the Vale Trilogy:
Mark of Four
Shadows of Uprising
Guardian of the Vale
Copyright © 2015 Tamara Shoemaker
All rights reserved
No part of this book may be reproduced or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. This is a work of fiction.
Cover design by SelfPubBookCovers.com/Daniela
Book design and production by Emily June Street at Luminous Creatures Press.
Fusion excerpt used with permission of the author, Mark A. King. The short story can be read in its entirety in Flashdogs: An Anthology.
Dragon pendant image by freeimages.com/profile/ladraco
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