“She gave it to me,” Oldrilin beamed, not grasping the meaning behind it. “A special gift between the elves and the sirens.”
“It was no gift,” the giant creature rebuked gently, his voice softened noticeably when he spoke to the tiny mermaid. “She intended that it find its way into Kaliwyn’s hands, that she may discover her strength and stand against Gwirwen.”
“Then Animir was right about the queen’s treachery,” Piers pointed out.
“It would appear so,” the elf nodded, happy he had taken their side and chosen to stand against her. “As I said, we had been working to fill the armory since he came to power, near twenty years now, preparing for the day she would make her move against him.”
“And that is exactly what she has done,” the dragon agreed. “By the time I awoke, your party was within the holds of Rhong. I reached out to Kaliwyn but did not speak to her. I could offer no aid, and after watching to see that she must find her own way out or be turned over to the dragons –”
“Putwyn,” Ami interrupted.
“What about him?” the dragon countered.
“He was the one who struck a deal with the dwarf king. Baeweth was to trade us for payment,” she added. “Do you know him?”
“Putwyn,” the dragon growled. “He served me, or I thought he did. He stood with Gwirwen’s men on the night I was attacked, betraying me to their cause.”
“Perhaps he was playing both sides,” Meena mused, her features drawn into a puzzled frown.
“Pardon?” Lamwen asked her to clarify.
“The dragons had us. If he had left them to collect us, or kill us, the dwarves would have been none the wiser,” she explained.
“Tis true,” Hayt vouched for her reasoning. “When my uncle summoned me, his orders were clear. Connect the tunnel to the cave so we could be the first to get to you. He intended to sell them to this Putwyn after seven days,” he addressed the dragon at the end.
“Then it would seem he was at your aid indeed,” Lamwen growled, sitting up for a moment and studying the skies. “His actions led to your escape. If Gwirwen has discovered this, we will not encounter him again.”
“How are we going to find out, anyway?” Zaendra spoke up. “I mean, if you have followers, do you speak to them telepathically, as you and Amicia do?”
“I’m afraid telepathy is not a common gift,” the dragon sighed, dropping his head closer once more. “I will have to go to Adiarwen and hunt the caves for any who might follow my call.”
“Adiarwen,” Amicia repeated. “Won’t that be dangerous?”
“Yes, but I have no choice,” Lamwen explained. “I have only shared telepathy with a few others in my lifetime, and therefore we must communicate the normal way, by word of mouth.”
Staring at the girl, the group fell silent as all eyes shifted to her. “What?” she countered, uneasy at the undue attention.
“How many have you been able to reach, my child?” Meena asked cautiously.
“What, telepathically?”
“Yes,” the older woman nodded.
Counting on her fingers, Amicia hummed, “Well, six or eight, I guess,” she faltered. “Does that matter?”
“You are a powerful dragon, Kaliwyn. If any doubt remained, your talents attest to such,” Lamwen growled.
“Perhaps,” the girl frowned, then her features brightened. “If I knew who you wanted to contact, perhaps I could reach out to them for you!”
Laughter rippled through the circle at the simplicity and yet brilliance of her plan. Nodding his large head, the dragon agreed, “That is not what I meant, but it might work just the same.”
“Then what did you mean?”
“I was thinking about your regaining your true form,” he explained. “It would be unlikely that you could transform at will, but you might only need one or two others to help you accomplish the task.”
“Too bad you can’t turn all of us into dragons,” Reynard muttered under his breath.
Turning to stare at him, Amicia cried softly, “You wish to be a dragon?”
Meeting her gaze, his mouth hanging open, he collected his nerve. “I do not wish to be left behind,” he confessed.
“Oh, love,” she whispered, leaning against him and resting her head against his shoulder. “You shall never be left behind, I swear it.”
“Well, this is all well and good,” Piers interrupted, “but the sun has neared the end of its path for the day, and we have an appointment with the lord of the gnomes. Are you coming with us?” he asked, looking up at their guest.
“I can if you wish,” the dragon replied evenly, “but before you go, there is one last thing you must know. Once I had decided I could not aid my queen, I left the comfort of the elven gardens. Flying to the east and west, I discovered that she has indeed invaded Riran and Esterbrook. Who knows, perhaps even the lands of the wizards have fallen.”
“But how could Cilithrand be so bold?” Piers demanded. “She must know the dragons will stand against her.”
“The dragons are divided,” Lamwen explained calmly. “Ziradon is still loved by many. Gwirwen did his best to extinguish the flame, but there are a few who still support him… and his heir.”
Her heart racing, Ami did not take her eyes off the massive head as he spoke. “What can we do to help? Surely there must be something.”
“We cannot stop the elves, not for the time being. First, we must right what has happened within our own realm, my queen. We will rally with our own forces and count our supporters. There have already been skirmishes, so I am unsure who remains,” he confessed. “Today was the first I have seen of Adiarwen since the night I fled. Not yet one moon, but it feels much longer. Once we know our numbers, we can plan our attack. And of course, somewhere along the way, we should try to return you to your dragon form,” he concluded, studying the mortal who held her hand. “I do not know who might wield such power, as it took several to imprison you in the first place. So, as I have said, I doubt you can accomplish this feat on your own.”
“I think we should go, you and I, and allow my friends to hide here in the marshes if the gnomes will allow it. You have all grown too dear to risk further in a dragon civil war,” she claimed with tears in her eyes.
The backlash immediate, all seven of her comrades spoke at once, each detailing why they should be included in her forces. Gaining the floor by holding up his hands, Piers waited until the other voices had died away before he contested, “I guess you can see that is not going to happen. As much as we mean to you, you are equally loved by us. We started this quest together, Amicia Spicer, or Kaliwyn, or whatever you choose to call yourself, and we will finish it the same… as one.”
“Hear, hear!” Hayt shouted, standing on his pudgy legs. “I was the last to join your adventure, but I will not be left behind when there is a fight to be had.”
“Nor I,” Animir agreed, also standing. “You will not strip us of our right to serve, my lady.”
“My lady,” Ami muttered, recalling how many times she had asked him not to call her that. “All right, you can come. We’ll figure out how we are going after we visit with the gnomes. For now, we should tidy up and be on our way.”
Standing, Piers watched the massive beast as he moved away to give them room. As soon as he was out of earshot, he turned to Rey. “I have a chore for you and Oldrilin.”
“What kind of chore?” the younger man asked in surprise. “I thought we were off to visit the gnomes.”
“We are, but you have more pressing matters. I need you to take the siren in her pouch. The eastern shore is not far, and there she will return to the water. She must swim south and verify the condition of Riran.” Kneeling before their smallest member, he asked more quietly, “Can you do this?”
Staring at him with wide blue eyes, Lin’s lip trembled. “I fear the water these days. I have not transformed since we fled the dragon’s fire.”
Understanding his reasoning, Reynard also knelt. “Please, Oldrili
n. I’m sure this is important, or the Mate wouldn’t have asked.”
“You don’t trust Lamwen,” Amicia gasped, joining their smaller meeting.
“It’s not so much a matter of trust,” Piers sighed. “He has not earned my unquestioned loyalty. If things are as he says, he will however earn a bit of it. Besides, we need a message to be delivered if the sirens are to take our side.”
“Then I will go,” Lin nodded. “I will do this for the group and return swift as I am able. What message shall I convey?”
“Good,” their leader grinned, giving her a nod. “You will tell Olirassa what has happened and that Amicia is prepared to make a stand. We will welcome the mermaids if they still wish to pledge allegiance to Ziradon and his followers.”
“What if she doesn’t?” Ami asked, afraid where that might lead.
“She will,” he assured with a crooked grin. “Remember, she could see who you were the moment you landed on her beach. If she wasn’t going to support you, she would have killed us all and not given it a second thought.”
“That’s true,” Ami gasped. “So, I am the reason we were taken in.”
“Love Amicia, all the sirens do,” Lin sang.
Turning to Rey, the Mate completed his instructions, “Take her after we leave for the meeting. Maybe we will get lucky and the dragon won’t notice you are gone, or won’t make a scene over it if he does.”
“Aye,” Rey agreed, already searching for her pouch to strap across his chest.
“Do your best, Oldrilin,” Piers encouraged with a grin. “When you have spoken to the queen and confirmed their standing, come back to Rey, and we will wait for your return before we act.”
“Ok,” she nodded. “This I will do.”
Breaking up, the group fell about changing, washing, and doing their best to appear presentable to the gnome elders. Her hair brushed and braided, Amicia stood beside their slant when Rey joined her.
“Care for a short walk?” he asked, holding out his arm while indicating the path they had already begun to wear towards Bally’s memorial.
“Certainly,” she smiled, relieved he did not appear cross with her. “I’m sorry for all that has happened,” she qualified when they had put some distance between them and the others.
“Do not be sorry,” he replied, devotion burning in his hazel orbs when he paused and faced her. “I would have it no other way.”
“But I have hurt you,” she insisted, grazing his beard with the backs of her fingers. “I have made us both as fools before the others and the world… A dragon and a mortal of the rim.”
“No. You gave me exactly what I longed for, and the fault is therefore mine.” Hugging her, Rey sighed deeply, content in the brief moment he had lived with her as his bride. “I swore upon my soul to cling to you all the days of my life, but I would have even without the swearing. I will fight by your side, Amicia, for as much and as long as I am able.”
Grinning at the Mate’s vows for each of them, she observed, “It was a unique wedding. I’m sure there has never been one quite like it.”
“Or ever will be again, my dragoness.”
Her heart aching, Amicia pushed herself against him. Where she had felt shame only hours before, only serenity remained. “No matter what happens, I will always love you, husband.”
“And I you, wife.” Catching a few strands of her hair, he caressed them. Inhaling the scent of her, the bond between them was stronger than it had ever been.
“Aw, how touching,” Piers sneered, interrupting their moment. “Let’s go, you two. We have demons to fight, and this time, they are the flying kind.”
Scowling at him, Amicia spat, “I take offense to that.”
“No offense, princess,” the Mate chuckled, glancing at Rey before he added, “Let’s get over to Falconmarsh and see if the gnomes will be willing to help.”
Smiling up at Rey, Amicia nodded, “We’ll be right there.” Curling her arms around his neck, she pulled her beloved down for a kiss, then whispered, “Your dragon heart is strong, my love. I promise you if there is a way we can be together when this is over, we will be.”
“Aye, my queen,” he countered. “I’ll see you when Oldrilin and I have returned from the coast.”
“Be careful,” she whispered, his forehead pressed against hers.
“And you, my love,” he agreed, dropping his lips for a final taste before they parted ways.
Kingdom of Ruin
Dragon of Eriden Book 4
Samantha Jacobey
Lavish Publishing, LLC ~ Midland
Copyright
This book is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents, and dialogue are drawn from the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
KINGDOM OF RUIN. Copyright 2018 ©
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of Lavish Publishing, LLC.
First Edition
Dragon of Eriden Book 4
2018 Lavish Publishing, LLC
All Rights Reserved
Published in the United States by Lavish Publishing, LLC, Midland, TX
Cover Design by: Alexcia Productions
Cover Images: Lavish Publishing, LLC
Ebook Edition
ISBN-13: 978-1-944985-62-2
ISBN-10: 1-944985-62-X
www.LavishPublishing.com
Table of Contents
Prologue
A Meeting of Means
A Sprinkle of Magic
Heart of Darkness
Lay in Wait
Wanderers Return
Blessed By Three
Down in the Valley
Give Me Wings
To Each His Own
Adiarwen
Meddle with Magic
Free at Last
One of Them
Desperate Times
Private Moments
Old Friends
Of the Power
Allies Among the Stones
Sides to be Won
Return to Riran
Troubled Waters
Raging Battle
Dwarves in the Trees
Unlikely Comrades
Honor of Old
Awakening
Shadow Warriors
The Face of Danger
Dragon’s Flight
Rain of Fire
In Our Defense
Clash of Kings
The Fallen
Tears for Tomorrow
Dragon’s Heart
Sevoassi’s Secret
Lost Time
From the Ashes
Epilogue
Maps of Eriden & The Rim of Mortals
Characters by Race
About the Author
Prologue
Slithering back and forth, Gwirwen glared at Ziradon through the massive stone bars that formed the deposed king’s prison. His supporters had helped him construct it nearly two decades ago, and he had held the title of Supreme Dragon ever since. “A moment in time for a dragon,” he grumbled to himself. He wanted more, but the chaos around him whispered his end was near.
Charging one of the gaps, Gwirwen shouted, “Answer me!” The scent of a mortal of the rim burned his nostrils. “Who has been here?”
Within the fortress, Ziradon gazed at him with cold emerald orbs. “You know who it is,” he growled, not bothering to deny it.
Kaliwyn, still trapped in the mortal body of Amicia, had presented herself before him only hours before. Leaving
as quickly as she had come, he had lain deep in thought since her departure. Contemplating his life, and hers, the realization of their existence had become clear.
He had not known of her importance until she had stood before him, powerful enough to hide in plain sight. Cunning enough to fool even the most prepared. He feared what lay ahead, and he had feared little in his seven-hundred years.
“Why did you not kill her when you learned she had returned to Eriden?” Ziradon asked in his gravelly voice. “Did you think you could end her at any time, and enjoy toying with her from the shadows?”
Gwirwen’s heart beat hard against his chest, but he resisted the urge to blast the former king with a wave of fire. “I have no fear of your puny dragoness.”
“And that shall be your downfall,” Ziradon nodded.
“Tell me of her treachery,” Gwirwen growled. “Does she think she can free you? I assure you, she will not!”
“You are a fool,” Ziradon replied, almost calmly. “I begged you to spill her blood upon the soil, but you refused. Your arrogant self-importance has brought us to this place.”
“Hmph,” Gwirwen sneered. “As the Supreme Dragon, I know my worth.”
“You know nothing!” his prisoner snapped, charging the divide and meeting him nose to nose.
Ziradon had once been a hefty beast; a force to be reckoned with. Now, after years of imprisonment and malnutrition, his body had grown thin; frail and weak. A dragon’s heart still thundered within him, but his aged bones and emaciated frame were no match for his adversary, even if he could get to him.
“You dare challenge me, even now behind the walls where I have held you,” Gwirwen sneered. “Tell me again how all of this is my fault,” he taunted, unable to refuse the temptation to gloat.
“You squandered chance after chance to remove her,” Ziradon obliged. “You could have put an end to me and my line forever, but you thought you could handle us. Your choices were wrong, and it is you who has brought all of our land to this dark place.”
“What dark place?” his nemesis laughed, sitting back on his haunches and staring at him. “Surely you do not believe such tales? The creator and the destroyer – bah! And here I had once thought you wise.”
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