Dragon Fire: Dragon Knights (The Sea Captain's Daughter Book 2)

by Bianca D’Arc

  Dragon Knights

  The Sea Captain’s Daughter Trilogy, Book 2

  Dragon Fire

  by

  Bianca D’Arc

  This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental.

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  Copyright © 2016 Bianca D’Arc

  All Rights Are Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  Dragon Fire

  The Sea Captain’s Daughter Trilogy, Book 2

  There’s something very wrong in the Southern Lair. The blind dragon refuses to choose a new knight partner, but only he can save Gryphon Isle from the deadly pirate menace. His human friends accompany him to the home of the last wizard, fighting on shore as he swims beneath the pirate ships, rising to flame them into oblivion. Together, they save the day…or do they?

  Livia, Seth and Gowan befriend the wizard and his people—flocks of gryphons and villages of near-immortal fair folk. Plots are uncovered, including the magical subversion of the Lair leadership and the theft of a rare book of ancient magic from the wizard that might just destroy the world as they know it.

  Livia struggles with her love for both men while new friends find love everlasting in the most unlikely of places. Alliances are formed and strengthened, enemy plots are revealed and through it all, the blossoming relationship between Livia and her two men stands strong…though their future seems uncertain. Will it work out for them? Only the Mother of All knows for sure.

  Will the blind dragon learn to trust again? And if so, can the others form a family around him? Or will his stubborn pride, and evil outside forces, keep them apart forever?

  DEDICATION

  To my friends and readers who wanted “more dragons!” Thanks for trying out this trilogy format with me. It’s been fun trying something new within my dragon world and I appreciate your indulgence.

  Just so you know, I plan to go back to the regular, single-book format after we finish up this trilogy with Dragon Mates, which will be released in January of 2017. We have just a few more stories left before we have the final confrontation, so stay tuned…

  Thanks, as always, to my family, without whom I would be a much sadder person. Love you guys!

  And special thanks to Peggy McChesney, my Canadian pal. She spotted some little niggles in this manuscript that had sailed right by both myself and my editor. (Or, more likely, they were put into the manuscript via the editing process! Grr.) You can thank Peggy’s sharp eye for the lack of typos. You’re welcome. ;-)

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Excerpt from Dragon Mates

  About the Author

  Other Books by Bianca D’Arc

  CHAPTER ONE

  “Father!” Livia jumped to her feet, but the expression on her father’s face wasn’t welcoming. He looked absolutely livid, but willing to listen to whatever paltry explanations the three sitting at the breakfast table had to offer.

  “Why are there dragons in my boathouse and knights at my dining table?” His cultured voice carried, though he wasn’t thundering. Not yet, at least.

  Seth cleared his throat, standing to face Captain O’Dare. “I’m not a knight, sir. We’ve met before. I’m Seth Nielsson, apprentice healer from the Lair.”

  “That only makes this worse, son. You’d better shut up before you dig yourself any deeper into the hole you’re already in.” The sea captain frowned at him.

  Gowan had stood, too, and faced the older man with a bit more spine. Livia feared what might happen if they clashed.

  “I am Sir Gowan. It is my dragon partner, Lady Genlitha, and her friend, the blind dragon, Sir Hrardorr, whom Seth tends, in your boathouse, sir. They are guarding the diamonds.”

  Now that got her father’s attention. Livia hoped he’d cool down and listen, though talk of diamonds seemed to have sidetracked him from his initial anger. She’d always privately thought her father had just a bit of pirate in him, always on the lookout for treasure.

  “What diamonds?” he demanded, his voice going just a bit softer, though his eyes still gleamed with fury.

  “Father, the weapons used against the dragons were tipped with diamond blades. Sir Hrardorr has been diving into the wreckage in the harbor to salvage them.”

  Her father hadn’t been in port in time for the battle that had raged only hours ago, but he must have seen the aftermath as he sailed in. The harbor was clogged with sunken ships and the shore was littered with the dead and the prisoners, who were being kept under guard. The injured were also being treated under tents that had been set up down near the shore.

  Things had quieted down considerably overnight, but the action would pick up as soon as everyone was awake. Yesterday had been an ordeal, to be sure, and there was much to do today to begin putting the town back to rights.

  “I spent most of the night taking the big spears apart so the diamond blades could no longer be used against dragons,” she went on. “We’ve got a basket full of huge, sharp crystals in the boathouse, and I’ve already lined up a few of our best, and most trusted, craftsmen to start cutting them today. We intend to finance the rebuilding and updating of the harbor defenses out of the proceeds, as well as pay our artisans, of course. The rest will go toward any damages to the town, but, Father…” She paused to let her words sink in. “There are a lot of diamonds.”

  Captain O’Dare looked closely at all three of them, and his eyes narrowed.

  “I suppose you two stayed here last night to safeguard my daughter, as well as to be near the loot and the dragons.” It wasn’t quite a question, but both men nodded.

  Livia saw their housekeeper, Rosie, scuttling up the stairs behind her father out of the corner of her eye. If the stars were aligned, Rosie was going up there to erase all evidence of the debauchery that had taken place in Livia’s bedroom the night before. Stars bless Rosie!

  “After the battle, there were many tasks,” Sir Gowan said, his expression tight. “Your daughter offered us hospitality when it was clear the dragons would stay to guard the diamond weapons. Otherwise, we’d have had a long walk back to the Lair. Plus, we wanted to be near in case the dragons needed us.”

  Captain O’Dare made a scoffing sound. “I can’t imagine what they might need you for.”

  “Sir.” Seth’s tone was both respectful and firm. “Despite hi
s bravery and ability to navigate underwater, the male dragon, Hrardorr, is newly blind. He needs aid on land that another dragon cannot provide. It is my sworn duty to help him.”

  Finally, her father unbent a little. He came over to her and took her into a fierce hug that she wasn’t expecting.

  “I came home as soon as I heard there was danger. I ran into the scout ships you sent out, my clever girl,” he told her, letting her go slowly.

  “I’d wondered what happened to them. We never heard back from them. I feared they were lost to the enemy.” Livia retook her seat as her father went around to the head of the table opposite her and sat down.

  The captain gestured for the men to retake their seats as well, which they did.

  “No. They were not lost,” the captain replied. “I sent them on with my cargo while I came directly here. Alas, I find myself too late to help. Will you, Sir Gowan, tell me what occurred? I’ve heard garbled reports from those I encountered on my way here, but I was in haste and couldn’t really stop to get details. What news of the enemy fleet?”

  Gowan gave a concise report of the battle, including Seth’s leadership of the pitiful harbor armament and Hrardorr’s amazing underwater acrobatics, though he kept a bit in reserve. Some things were best kept secret—especially as related to Hrardorr’s particular abilities—but otherwise, Gowan gave a very complete account of the battle.

  Livia’s father looked at Seth with new respect and even went so far as to thank him for his work on behalf of the town. He then asked how the dragons had decided on his boathouse to stash the loot.

  At this point, Livia decided to speak up. Better that her father hear about her surprising ability to speak to dragons from her than from someone else.

  “I’ve been fishing, as I usually do, since you’ve been gone, Father,” she began. “Sir Hrardorr and I first made acquaintance on the water. He has been instrumental in decreasing the shark population near the harbor and fishing grounds for the past months, and somehow…” She cleared her throat, trying to find the nerve to tell her father. “Well, it turns out, I can hear him. I can bespeak dragons, and we’ve become friends.”

  When her father made no comment, Livia went on, feeling a bit braver.

  “There was a very bad storm a few days ago, and Hrardorr was caught out in it, unable to return to the Lair. I offered the boathouse to him as shelter, and he was able to pass the night in safety there. When it came time to store those dangerous weapons somewhere, he seemed to think our boathouse was a good place. He told me he wouldn’t have to rise out of the water until he was in the shed, and nobody could see what he was doing. As far as we know, nobody knows about the diamonds yet but us. I only told the craftsmen to be ready in their workshops, but I didn’t say who would bring the stones or where they were coming from. Of course, after today, the secret will likely be out.”

  “But it will be too late, because all the stones will be in the hands of the craftsmen under lock and key,” Gowan put in helpfully. “And a knight from the Lair will be stationed with the craftsmen all day and all night, until the task is complete. We have a vested interest in making sure not one of those blades survives intact. They are that dangerous to dragonkind.”

  Rosie had come back at some point during Gowan’s debriefing and laid out a place setting for the captain. All four of them were eating breakfast now, and the mood had gone from tense to something a bit less emphatic. The captain still wasn’t happy to find his daughter entertaining two men at her breakfast table, but he was willing to listen to the extraordinary story of yesterday’s events.

  Captain O’Dare gazed from Livia to Gowan and back again before speaking.

  “I respect the need for Lair presence down at the craft shop once the diamonds are moved there. That makes sense. And I can possibly understand why you two—” he glared at both men, “—saw the need to stay in my house last night. But I am here now, gentlemen, and there will be no further incursion into the sanctity of my home. Is that understood.”

  Gowan nodded once, as did Seth. Neither seemed to feel the need to speak, which Livia understood all too well. When Captain O’Dare gave orders, everyone hopped to it. He wasn’t known as one of the most cunning captains on the high seas for nothing.

  “I must say, Livia, your being able to speak with dragons is an unexpected thing. And I understand why there will, no doubt, now be a parade of young knights seeking your favor, but I will not have you cavorting with not just one, but two men, under my roof, without the benefit of marriage!”

  His voice was thunderous by the end. Yes, the captain had not lost one bit of the fury that had claimed him when he walked into his home after a long voyage to find two men at breakfast with his only daughter.

  “Father…” Livia tried to say something, but her father glared her into silence.

  “Don’t say another word, young lady. I have made my feelings on the matter perfectly clear. I am your father, and you will do as I say. You may have become used to doing as you like while I am away, but I’m here now, and by the stars, you will obey me in my own home.”

  She remembered this mood. He wouldn’t hear a single word she said if she tried to argue now. He’d only grow colder and colder. She didn’t relish that, so she wisely stopped talking except to give him a meek, “Yes, Father.”

  “Now, if you gentlemen have no further business here, you should both go.”

  Everyone stood except Livia. Gowan looked coldly formal, as if he understood the captain’s mood and knew he would get nowhere by arguing. Gowan was a man of strategy. Livia figured he knew when it was wise to retreat and live to fight another day. That thought almost made her smile, but she held it back.

  Seth, on the other hand, looked as if he wanted to argue. She caught his eye and shook her head as vigorously as she could without drawing her father’s attention. Seth, thankfully, caught on and said nothing further, though she knew he wanted to defend her…or himself…she wasn’t sure which, but neither would gain any traction with her father in this mood.

  Gowan paused by her chair and bowed respectfully to her.

  “Thank you for your courage and bravery, Miss Livia. And thank you for putting us all up last night.”

  She was about to reply that it had been her pleasure, but that was skirting a little too close to the truth, and her father would probably blow up. She merely smiled and nodded at her lover. Her knight.

  Gowan walked out without further comment to the captain, which was probably wise.

  Seth, too, stopped by her chair. “Thank you, Livia. I’m sorry,” was all he said, which made her want to cry, but she stopped herself.

  Seth walked out, and she could hear them both leaving through the front door, Rosie closing it after them. That left her father to deal with. Livia didn’t know how much more she could take without breaking down and sobbing. Her heart was fracturing. Her soul had just walked out the door, along with her two lovers.

  Captain O’Dare paused by her chair, not looking at her, his voice frigid with anger.

  “You are grounded, of course. You will limit your movements to the house, the office, and I will allow you one visit per day to the craft shops to oversee the disposal of the diamonds. Other than that, you are not to spend any time in town, or anywhere else, until I say otherwise. Is that quite clear?”

  “Yes, Father.” She dared to ask a single question. “May I still go fishing? I fear Sir Hrardorr will miss me otherwise. He has few friends.”

  “I will not begrudge a blind dragon his fishing companion. Your soft heart does you credit, Livia, but it can also get you into trouble. You may fish with the dragon, but you are to have no further contact with those two young men. Do you understand?”

  “Yes, Father.” She was subdued, but already in her mind, she was thinking of ways around his edict.

  She had always longed to have her father home when he went on his endless voyages, but for once, she wished he’d just leave. Go off on one of his adventures and leave her be.
Couldn’t he see he was breaking her heart?

  At least she could still see Hrardorr. She loved that dragon almost as much as she loved her men.

  Impossible as it all was…

  Fishing was the only peace Hrardorr had since the battle in the harbor. The other dragons in the Lair treated him differently now. Where before they’d pitied him—which he couldn’t stand—now they tried to curry favor with him, which was just as bad. They still didn’t know how to act around a blind dragon, so awkward moments were more the norm than the exception when he managed to get caught talking to one of his winged brethren.

  He preferred to avoid them, if at all possible, spending many hours at sea. Only there, would the majority of dragons leave him alone. Genlitha had found a fondness for paddling about on the surface of the water, and when she had free time, she often sought him out.

  Genlitha was the only one he could talk to without difficulties. But she was also hard to converse with for a whole other reason.

  Stirrings of the attraction he had felt for her when they were both dragonets in training bothered him. What could he offer a beautiful dragon such as she? She was one of the greatest flyers in the land, tasked with teaching the best of the best youngsters. She was stealth personified with her sky blue coloring and ability to soar so high and creatively that nobody could spot her from the ground—even those who knew what to look for when she was aloft.

  Hrardorr was miserable. He had nothing to offer the lovely dragoness. He would never pick another knight. He could not form the five-personed family that was the norm in the Lair—the two dragons, their two knights, and a human woman to complete the circle.

  Genlitha was as miserable as Hrardorr, in her own way. She seethed quietly, doing her job with quiet dignity, teaching the younger flyers how to best utilize their wings on the tricky air currents in this area. She also flew reconnaissance missions with Gowan, who was as silent as stone lately.