Secret of the Dragon Egg (Dragon Riders of Avria Book 1)

by N. A. Davenport

  He lay it on his parents’ bed, and the three of them sat around it, staring at the glistening golden sheen.

  “What are you going to do with it?” his mother asked with a slight tremor in her voice as she reached out hesitantly, as though to stroke the gleaming eggshell. She drew her hand back before touching it.

  Will’s dad gazed at the egg with his lips pursed and his chin resting on his fist. He kept tapping his fingers and shifting his gaze, like he wished he had a notebook and a magnifying glass handy. “Is this something you’ve been planning?” he asked.

  Everyone had been asking that question. As though he had the time to run off looking for dragon eggs!

  Will sighed. “No, not really. But I thought about it a lot. It seems like a good idea, doesn’t it?”

  His parents eyed him curiously.

  “We need to find a dragon rider to help us, right? Well, if I go up to the hatching ground, I can meet some dragon riders and ask for their help.”

  “So you want to do this?” his dad asked. “You want to travel to this hatching ground place, all on your own?”

  Will shrugged. “Sure. I mean, loads of other kids are doing it. How hard can it be?”

  His mom bit her lower lip, and a wrinkle formed between her eyebrows. “It sounds dangerous. What if you get hurt? Or lost? And what happens if you do bond with one of these creatures? Will they force you to stay here forever? We need to go home!”

  Will sucked in a slow breath. He hadn’t been thinking about going home. He’d mostly been thinking about finding his uncle if he could and secretly longing to become a dragon rider. But going back to their home in Florida? Going back to high school, hanging with his old friends, watching movies, eating pizza, visiting theme parks, celebrating Christmas at his grandma’s house . . . it all seemed so far away.

  This egg, gleaming in the lamplight on the bed in front of them, seemed far more important to him than anything his old life held. He couldn’t even explain it to himself. Everyone said the egg was dead, but it felt like it was drawing him in, almost like it was calling to him.

  “Mom, I know how worried you are about Uncle John. This is our one chance to get help right away. If he’s out there somewhere, we have to find him as soon as possible, right? It’s what he’d do for us, isn’t it?”

  His dad raked his fingers through his hair, and his mom lowered her eyes sadly. “You’re right,” she whispered. “Of course we should try to find him if we can.”

  Will rested his hand on the cold shining eggshell for a moment, then lifted the egg and tucked it back into the leather bag Gellan had given him.

  His parents didn’t try talking him out of going to the hatching ground anymore. The next morning, before they headed downstairs, his father drew him aside. “I have something for you,” he said in a low voice.

  Will kneeled by the bed while his dad pulled a small plastic bag out of the corner. Will recognized it from the life raft his family had washed ashore in.

  “This is some survival gear that came with the raft,” his dad said, unzipping it. He started pulling things out to show Will. “A flare that might help you start a fire. A small knife. Some tubes of iodine for treating water or cuts. A handheld reflector, though I don’t know what you’d use that for. A little first aid kit. And I added a few other things I had in my pockets, like waterproof matches, a compass, and a deck of cards. The cards are a bit worse for wear, I’m afraid.”

  Will gave his dad a small smile as he took the brightly colored package. “Hey, Dad, can I tell you a secret?”

  His dad lifted his eyebrows.

  Will looked down at the scattered survival supplies, feeling a little guilty at what he was about to say. “Even if we didn’t need to look for Uncle John, I think I would want to do this. It’s like . . . I don’t know, like something I’ve always wanted to do but never knew it was possible until now.”

  When he looked up again, his dad was smiling. “I know, son. If I were a couple decades younger, I’d want to do it, too.” He chuckled and shook his head, scraping his fingers through the stubble on his cheeks. “Just don’t tell your mom I said that.”

  Will laughed with him, and they went downstairs together. His dad gave him a rough goodbye hug before rumpling his hair affectionately, like he used to when Will was small, and heading out to the fields to start his morning work.

  A covered cormant cart was waiting for him on the gravel road in front of the main doors. Will was expecting this, but he wasn’t expecting to see his mom standing in front of it, facing off with Elder Madoc with her hands on her hips.

  “Let me come,” she was saying. “Throw me out of the house if you want to, but I won’t let you run off with my son to determine his future without me!”

  Madoc puffed up angrily as he glowered down at her.

  “Elder Madoc.” The butler stepped forward with a detached expression. “Shall I have this woman removed to the kitchen for you?”

  “I’m going in that cart, or I’m leaving this place,” Will’s mom said, standing straight and proud as she stared at Madoc.

  “No,” he said.

  His mom’s eyes flashed.

  Before she could say anything, Elder Madoc nodded to the butler. “She can come with us.”

  Chapter Eleven

  “Wait, really?” Will asked, tipping his head to the side.

  “Yes. I don’t have the time or the inclination to argue with an emotional woman.” He narrowed his eyes at Will’s mom.

  Will’s mom concealed a smirk as they climbed into the cormant cart together, which was a lot fancier than the one they’d ridden in before. This cart was more like a carriage, with comfortable cushioned seats in the back. It was painted black with green and purple designs emblazoned on the sides. The colors reminded Will of Dancer’s feathers.

  The elder settled himself in a corner of the cart with his arms folded across his chest and glowered out the window. Will’s mom sat in the seat across from him. Will climbed in next to her and she gave him an encouraging smile.

  As soon as they settled in, with the dragon egg nestled in the bag at Will’s feet, the driver flicked the reins and the cormant pulled them forward.

  Will recognized Runner, one of Elder Madoc’s powerful male cormants. He had flashier colors than most, but he wasn’t the best-trained bird in the stable. That Elder Madoc requested a cormant for his flashy feathers made Will wonder who he wanted to show off to. Was this bard person so important that Elder Madoc wanted to impress him?

  They made their way down the narrow gravel road between the fields. When they reached the main road following the river, the driver flicked his reins again and Runner trotted forward at a swift pace, faster than Will had ever gone in a cormant cart before.

  He lifted the dragon egg into his lap to protect it from the jostling wooden floorboards and gazed through the window. The large stone buildings of the city drew closer and closer until they finally surrounded them on all sides.

  It was the first time Will had been in the city of Aldlake, and he stared around in wide-eyed wonder. It was like looking at a bustling, prosperous ancient civilization, like Athens or Rome, with stone architecture everywhere and not a car, motorcycle, or even bicycle to be seen.

  A few things seemed more modern than Will would have expected, like glass-paned windows, wealthy women carrying colorful parasols, and iron street lamps that looked like they were fueled by gas or oil.

  As they continued along the cobblestone road, Will marveled at the arched stone buildings and the bright, colorful clothing of the people walking the streets. They passed a wide road containing an outdoor market where dozens of carts sold all sorts of food, clothing, tools, and toys. Delicious smells wafted from steaming carts of food vendors. Street performers played beautiful and exciting music on instruments Will didn’t recognize. He wished he could jump out and wander around, just looking at everything.

  “This place really is something,” his mom murmured in his ear. They watche
d more cormant carts pass them on the street. Most of the other cormants weren’t as flashy as Runner, but they were all colorful. The flashes of bright feathers everywhere gave the city a festive feeling, like a party was about to break out any moment.

  They turned down a different road and started heading uphill toward the enormous building with high walls and a domed cathedral-like roof Will had only seen from a distance before. As they drew closer, Will noticed that stained glass filled the windows, flowering ivy climbed the walls, and dark, carved wood depicted artful scenes of dragons and people and trees in the doors. He wondered what stories those pictures told.

  The cart came to a stop at the doors, and while the driver was still trying to get Runner to stand still, the big wooden doors opened.

  A young woman in a deep-blue gown stepped out and addressed them with a smooth professional voice. “Elder Madoc, what can the bard hall do for you today?”

  “Ah, Ilsa. We need to see Aven about a dragon egg.” The elder stepped out of the cart. He didn’t bother to help Will or his mom out, even though Runner was still prancing with excitement and jostling them back and forth.

  Ilsa raised her eyebrows and smiled when she heard the words "dragon egg." She looked at Will. “You found an egg?”

  Will opened his mouth to explain, but before he could answer, Elder Madoc spoke over him. “It’s a dead egg. We’re here to clarify the law regarding whether the boy has to go to the hatching ground.”

  Will glowered at him, but Elder Madoc didn’t seem to notice.

  “Come in!” Ilsa said. “Master Bard Aven will certainly want to see the egg, regardless of its condition. I trust you brought it with you?” She opened the door wider to let them all enter.

  “Yeah, I have it right here in my . . .” Will’s voice trailed off as he entered the foyer. It was even fancier than Elder Madoc’s house, with soft light streaming through colored glass above, a polished tiled floor, and deep red walls with shining golden trim. It felt ancient and full of stories.

  “Usually the master bard would meet with you in the library, but we have a group of researchers from Ashfield working in there. I’ll get you set up in the banquet hall and Master Bard Aven will be right with you.”

  Elder Madoc grumbled under his breath about not being shown proper courtesy while Ilsa showed them through the foyer and pushed open the doors to the banquet hall.

  Will’s breath caught in his throat at the size of the place. It reminded him of the dining hall in the Harry Potter movies, huge, with a domed ceiling and chandeliers and a raised stage at one end, like they often put on performances or had musicians playing.

  Ilsa hummed a tune to herself as she led them to a table at the far end. “I’ll get a basket for your egg,” she said cheerily.

  “I demand to see the master bard immediately,” Elder Madoc said. “I don’t want to waste any more time here than necessary.”

  Ilsa pursed her lips as she set a large oval basket on the table. “I’ll announce your arrival immediately.”

  As Ilsa strolled out of the room, Will’s mom brushed the egg with her fingertips and bit her lip. “How do you know for sure it isn’t alive?” she asked.

  “It’s obvious.” Elder Madoc scoffed. “I’ve seen a dragon egg before. The color’s all wrong.” He waved a hand over the shining eggshell as though the color disgusted him.

  Will folded his arms. “Maybe dragon eggs come in different colors,” he said. “Who says they all have to be the same?”

  “You should learn to hold your tongue, boy! Don’t speak of things you know nothing about!”

  The tapping of shoes against the stone floor announced someone coming. “Wise words we should all take to heart!” A young man wearing a rich red-and-gold tunic turned the corner and greeted them with a pleasant smile. “I am Master Bard Aven,” he said. “I see we have an egg holder with us today.” His smiling eyes landed on Will.

  “This boy is no egg holder,” Elder Madoc said. Despite his continued glower, Will noticed that the elder’s tone was a little more respectful now. “The egg he found is dead and cold. We’ve come only to report the finding before returning to my manor.”

  “Indeed? It is the most interesting egg I’ve ever seen. So, the boy has no desire to travel to the hatching ground?” The bard’s eyes stayed on Will, studying his expression.

  Will stared back, not sure what he should say, so he just told the truth. “I do want to go there.”

  “And I want to know that this journey will be safe for my son!” his mom protested. “Who will take care of Will on this journey? Who will feed him? What if he gets injured or lost?”

  “Madam, the journey to the hatching ground is a test,” the bard explained. “Any boy or girl who isn’t up for the challenge would make a poor dragon rider.”

  This didn’t seem to comfort Will’s mom. Her eyes tightened, and she bit her lip.

  Elder Madoc started grumbling about losing a worker on his farm on account of a dead egg.

  Will barely noticed them anymore. The bard’s words were still ringing in his ears. The journey was a test! Of course it was! And he wanted to pass that test more than anything.

  “Do the laws say that the egg has to be clearly viable?” his mom asked.

  The bard looked at her. “No, there is no such stipulation in the law.” He turned his eyes to Will’s egg and his brow knit together, like he was trying to figure out a puzzle in his head.

  “Aven, we have three new egg holders to add to your little group,” Ilsa called. “They’ve only just arrived at our door.”

  They all turned around, and Will saw a group of girls, all about his age, walking toward them across the hard stone floor.

  Two of the girls gazed around with delight and amazement dancing in their eyes, but the third girl was staring straight ahead as she walked toward them. Will would have thought she looked intimidating, except for the small furry creature with enormous ears and a long striped tail peeking out of her dark hair. Barely healed scratches littered the bare skin on her neck and arms.

  When she saw Will, one of her eyebrows arched curiously.

  “Yes, of course. The more the merrier,” Master Bard Aven said, gesturing for the girls to join them. “Ilsa, would you be so kind as to fetch us another basket?”

  “Ah, so you girls have found a real dragon egg, have you?” Elder Madoc boomed. “Let’s see it! We should show this boy what a genuine living dragon egg should look like. Then maybe he’ll give up this fool notion of trying to hike up Fire Mountain with this dud.”

  The new girls were staring at Will’s egg now, eyes wide in amazement.

  Ilsa brought another basket, and the girl with the furry creature on her shoulder opened her bag and drew out their dragon egg. Will watched as she placed it gently next to his. The two eggs looked nothing alike, aside from being egg-shaped and roughly the same size. Hers was a much more natural color, creamy yellow with hints of green. It shimmered dimly in the light while his egg shone like polished metal.

  Will felt his heart sink. They were right. There had to be something wrong with his egg. He tried to tell himself that it didn’t matter. So what if his egg was dead? It made little difference to his plans. He just had to convince the master bard to let him go to the hatching ground. Then, he’d meet dragon riders and he could ask them to help him find his uncle. That’s what this was all about, right?

  Somehow the thought that his dragon egg was dead made him desperately sad. He remembered watching the magnificent creatures as they flew overhead, effortlessly riding the wind. It was tragic that one of their babies would suffocate or freeze before even getting a chance to hatch.

  “There, you see?” Elder Madoc gloated. “That’s what a dragon egg should look like!”

  Will bit his tongue to keep back the furious things he wanted to say.

  “Elder Madoc,” Master Bard Aven said with a gentle sigh, like a teacher trying to explain something to a toddler for the hundredth time. “I understand you
r position. But we must abide by Avria law. The boy must be permitted to journey to the hatching ground in Fire Mountain.” He opened a leather-bound book, flipped through some pages, and took his pen in his hand. “Your name is Will, is that right? With two Ls?”

  Will could hardly believe it. The bard was on his side! He was going to the hatching ground! He nodded mutely, unable to find his voice.

  “You can’t be serious!” Elder Madoc roared. “The egg is clearly dead. It’s stone cold! Have you felt it?”

  Ilsa lifted a finger pointedly. “Eggs that hatch into blue dragons do tend to be cold.”

  Madoc shot a glower in her direction, then turned his disapproving stare on Will. “I’m done with you, then. You’ll not be staying on my property or eating my food another night. You’ll have to find another farm to take handouts from!”

  Will should have felt devastated. He’d just lost his job, the only way he could get food or a place to sleep. Instead, he felt a rush of relief at being free.

  Then he noticed his mom wringing her hands behind Elder Madoc, worried about him. She didn’t have to be, not anymore. It was his turn to worry about her.

  “And what about my mom and dad?” he demanded. “Do they have to find somewhere else, too?”

  “Your parents can continue working for me as long as they can make themselves useful,” Elder Madoc snapped. Then he spun to Will’s mom. “Come, we’re leaving!” Without waiting for an answer, he stormed out of the room.

  Will’s mom looked at him, still wringing her hands with anxiety. She opened her mouth, eyes darting around, but didn’t seem to know what to say.

  Would Elder Madoc take care of her and his dad? Or would he take out his anger on them? Will felt a moment of uncertainty, wondering if he should stay here to make sure they were okay. But what could he do if he stayed? He couldn’t do anything to keep Elder Madoc from being nasty, but he could help them if he went to the hatching ground like he planned and found a dragon rider.