Dragon's Blood
Page 22
She wondered what she would’ve thought, had she seen this as a young girl. She’d probably be deathly afraid and call her father to kill the “bad guys” while she clung to Brida. Poor Brida would probably have been anxious to be on the ground if she were with them now.
Streaks of flames raced across the sky as Garnets breathed their deadly fire. Clouds of acidic vapor burst forth from the Onyx dragons and Opals let loose bolts of lightning, creating a series of thunder.
The sounds of home! I haven’t been so anxious to be back here since…ever! You’re gonna love it here. I can’t wait ‘til you get to meet your mother.
Ryn blew fire from his mouth. His excitement was powerful.
As he circled the cavern’s entrance above, Alushia noted a large Onyx dragon with tattered wings seated in a place of prominence. Several other dragons attended to him; Jade dragons scurrying every which way on the platform, while others flew off with purpose.
“Who’s that?” Alushia pointed at him, as though Ryn could see her.
Who’s what?
“The Onyx down there. Who is that? Is that my mother?”
No. She’s Garnet. You know that.
“Then why are they treating the dragon like it’s in charge?”
She’s got many Drakku helping her, as any leader would. I bet she’s with your father, and soon you will all be together again.
The thought of reuniting with her father excited her. It had been a long time since she’d seen him, and even then, he looked to be close to death. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end with the anticipation.
Ryn landed on the stone platform and the dragons there stopped what they were doing and stared at them. Alushia climbed down and stood next to him, eying those around her with a touch of fear.
Ryn stretched and approached the Onyx the rest were working for.
I know him. He’s Grymryg. He’ll know where your mother is.
Alushia shifted on her feet and listened as Ryn spoke.
Hello, Grymryg! I’ve come for Etain. Is she here?
Ryn? You’ve been gone from us for some time. Where’d you sneak off to?
I’ve been in Tregaron.
A loud collective gasp came from the dragons nearby. Alushia sensed something wasn’t quite right. Ryn continued on as though he hadn’t heard it.
Etain ordered me there to conduct recon in case something happened. And it did! I found her daughter Alushia!
The Onyx dragon, Grymryg, looked past Ryn to her. Alushia felt his eyes bore into her. Grymryg’s nostrils flared and he turned back to Ryn.
Etain’s daughter?
Yes. Do you know where she is? We’ve traveled far to meet her. There’s danger in Tregaron and across the mountains. The Gray Army is assembled.
Grymryg inhaled deeply and regarded those around him before he spoke.
Etain is with the girl’s father. Wait here with us. She’ll be back soon.
Alushia swore she saw a grin cross the dragon’s face.
Excellent. It’s good to be home. I’ll show her around.
Grymryg snorted. Make sure she doesn’t get in the way.
In the way? Of course not!
Ryn turned back to her and she smiled at him, not knowing what else to do.
I welcome you, daughter of Etain. The Dragon Lands are a wonder to behold. The Drakku have lived here for centuries. Not many from your land ever gets to see this. I do hope you enjoy your stay.
“Thank you, Grymryg. I’m excited to be here. I’m excited to be amongst the Drakku. Your hospitality is welcoming.”
Indrar, please make sure your half-sister is welcomed amongst the Drakku.
“Half-sister?” Alushia spoke out-loud.
A Garnet dragon that walked with a slight limp appeared from the cavern.
Hello, Alushia. I’ve wanted to meet you for a long time. I’ve already met your father.
“You have?” A flood of emotions swept through her. Who was this dragon? She had a half-brother?
Grymryg dismissed them and Indrar led Alushia and Ryn to the cavern.
This way. We can wait inside the mountain. It’s a beautiful place. Grymryg has done amazing things for the Drakku.
Alushia followed, wary of the dragon eyes staring at her. She felt an unease, like being inside the Black Tower. She felt a presence of danger, but hoped it was something else. Growing up taught to hate the Drakku, she now knew better. They were on her side. They weren’t the evil the Order made them out to be.
But why did she feel so nervous in the midst of them? Why did this walk inside the cavern lined with dragons of every breed feel more dangerous than the gray-souls?
“Ryn, something’s not right.”
I assure you that everything is fine. Your mother will be back soon, I promise. Besides, Indrar is here! I haven’t seen him since he was a tiny little thing. You two will have a lot to catch up on.
She wished she could claim his promise sooner rather than later.
Rogue Skies
Don’t forget to grab your copy of the Rogue Skies boxed set. For only .99, you get 25 science fiction and fantasy novels, home of my exclusive story Curse of the Drakku: Origins. Pre-order your copy today! (Oh, and if you do, go to the Rogue Skies website and redeem your order confirmation for Rogues Gallery, a special short story collection for FREE!)
Acknowledgements
Thank you for your time spent with me. I hope you enjoyed your stay in Tregaron and are ready for more! If you’d do me the favor of leaving a review, I would be ever so grateful.
Many people were instrumental in making this book happen.
First and foremost, I want to thank the authors whose shared world project this series grew from: Mirren Hogan, Greg Aldredge, and Stephanie Barr. Thank you all for your hard work. I hope this series is entertaining for you!
My readers Tib Plants and Simon Bleaken have helped find inconsistencies and problem areas. Thank you both for your kind suggestions and critiques.
Thanks to my family for their love and support. Jenny and Jackson, you two are everything to me.
My words are enhanced exponentially by the deft hand and sage advice from my editor Jodi McDermitt. Thanks for all you do!
My cover artists MIBL Art rock! Thank you for your amazing work yet again.
Thanks again for reading my book. Look for book three coming soon!
About The Author
Jason J. Nugent has been a paperboy, pizza maker, dishwasher, restaurant manager, promotional products sales rep, chamber of commerce director, and one-time BBQ champion. He has skated with Tony Hawk, had a babysitter with a serial killer brother, and is followed by rapper Chuck D on Twitter. He and his wife share a home in beautiful Southern Illinois with their son, two cats, and two dogs.
More information can be found at jasonjnugent.com where you can also sign up to receive monthly newsletters and new release alerts.
Other Books
Curse of the Drakku (Adventure Fantasy)
The Blood Stone
Dragon’s Blood
Curse of the Drakku: Origins (Rogue Skies Exclusive)
The Forgotten Chronicles (Young Adult Sci-Fi)
The Selection
Rise of the Forgotten
The War for Truth
The Seam Travelers (Urban Fantasy Co-Written with thriller author Ray Wenck)
Escape
Capture
Short Story Collections
(Almost) Average Anthology
Moments of Darkness