The Dragon's Eye (The Draconarid Book 1)

by Nira Steele

  “Yes it is,” Andie mumbled.

  Pulling herself up straight Tessa planted both hands upon her hips.

  “It’s that damn stupid beast! He’s put you right in the middle of this!” she fumed with a sudden scowl. “I feel like going upstairs and kicking his huge royal backside!”

  Andie suddenly had a vision of that. Lifting her head she let a little smile come to her lips. Tessa continued frowning as she looked down at her.

  “Honestly Andie he’s playing you like a mandolin. Does he want to see you punished for this? Surely he must be aware of what he’s doing.”

  “It’s not his fault. I chose not to tell anyone,” Andie murmured.

  “Nonsense. He’s clearly manipulated you into doing it.” Tessa then turned away from her and gazed out through the lounge room window. “Just give me a moment here,” she murmured.

  Andie got up slowly and began shuffling off with the tea towel. Unsure of where to clean it she headed for what she thought was the laundry. It was hard to tell because it did not resemble one in any normal sense. There was a sink and a silver rack but no clothes or washing equipment. Rinsing the towel out quickly she hung it over the metal frame to dry. Sighing heavily she then returned to await Tessa’s deliberation.

  “Okay,” the little blonde declared as she turned to regard Andie. “You could end up in serious trouble for hiding this. I’ve made my decision. I’m going to get my parents.”

  Andie tightened her lips as she thought about it.

  “Oh come on!” Tessa gasped with a roll of her eyes. “We’ve got the last surviving member of House Solista’s royal family upstairs. Do you know what this actually makes him?”

  “What?” Andie muttered.

  “Didn’t he tell you what happened to his family? They would have stayed and defended their palace until the very end. They are all dead except for him.”

  Blinking, Andie’s eyes dropped to the floor.

  “Holy shit. He’s now an Overlord,” Andie breathed.

  “I think it’s time you were told a few things,” Tessa said quietly.

  Looking up, Andie gasped when she saw the expression on Tessa’s face.

  “Oh yes,” Tessa breathed as her eyes narrowed into an intense stare. “You will get to hear much more my human friend. But you know what they say, be careful what you wish for.”

  Staring back at her, Andie could not believe how intimidating she looked. Then Tessa turned on her heels and strode towards the front door. Before leaving she paused and turned back to look at Andie.

  “You know, you’re taking this all really well,” she said with a little smile. “I wasn’t sure how you would feel about living with all us dragons.” Then she disappeared out into the hallway.

  Andie breathed in deeply as she sprawled backwards across her chaise. So Darius was an Overlord – she did not see that coming. Why hadn’t he told her about this? Shaking her head Andie admitted nothing was really surprising her anymore.

  Tessa was right to bring her parents in on this. If anybody could help them it was Willa and Terenus. Now Andie had to hope they would take the news better than their daughter had.

  ✽✽✽

  It took Tessa well over an hour to find them.

  At first Andie perched on her couch and waited patiently for their return. The suspense eventually became too much so she decided to find something to do.

  She quickly realised it would be good to get out of her riding gear. Heading to her room Andie immediately changed into her new blue dress. If she was about to be marched into Thaddeus’s office she wanted to look half decent this time around.

  Sitting down slowly at her dressing table she began unravelling her hair from its braid. Brushing it slowly in an attempt to tame it, she stared at her reflection in the large round mirror. She could see some puffiness around her eyes which was the well-deserved result of her lunchtime drinking.

  Sucking in a few deep breaths she told herself, “Just stay calm. Everything will be alright.”

  When she heard the sounds of voices she quickly returned to the lounge area.

  To Andie’s astonishment neither of Tessa’s parents seemed surprised by the news. Sitting back calmly in two of the chaises they seemed completely unfazed by what Tessa had told them. Smiling serenely Willa waved a hand at the low central table.

  “Have something to eat my dear. I am sure you are famished,” she said smoothly.

  A plate of warm pastries was now sitting on the table.

  “Thank you,” Andie said demurely as she tried to ignore the rumbling of her stomach. The smell of food was making her realise how hungry she was.

  “We suspected Darius had revealed himself to you,” Terenus stated levelly.

  As Andie sat there devouring the pastries Terenus began explaining how they had known it had happened. Apparently there were hidden sensors located on all of the surrounding mountains. If anything living came near them the Securitatem Coetus – literally translated as the Security Group, would know about it immediately.

  They had never been able to detect Darius but Andie’s life signs had always been trackable. On the day she visited her aunt’s house they had known exactly where she was heading. When she left the sensor’s range it was assumed she would be returning in a reasonable time. But the hours passed and the sun began sinking so a squad of guards was assembled to find her. She did reappear before they were deployed but it had been a very close thing.

  “We suspected he may have transformed due to the length of your trip,” Terenus revealed. “It’s likely the reason for Laurentius’s intervention the next day. He may have thought you were at risk of abduction.”

  “But why behave like that? He literally could have just spoken to him,” Tessa pointed out. “Instead Laurentius chose to, well… ride him? By the gods, it sounds so strange. What would drive him to do such a thing?”

  “A young male ego,” Willa stated smoothly.

  Terenus smirked as he turned towards his wife.

  “Well that’s nothing new is it?”

  “We have both heard the stories of how his father behaved in his youth,” she responded blithely. “Our Overlord was known to be somewhat reckless in his ways.”

  “So this confirms Darius is of royal blood then?” Tessa asked.

  “We always suspected he was my dear. Only a highborn could pass through our shields,” Terenus advised her. “Mind you, it has been one hell of a job keeping it secret.”

  “Who is this ‘we’ you are talking about?” Tessa enquired further.

  “Thaddeus, Laurentius and myself of course. We were not the problem though as the Security Group were also aware of it. Keeping this quiet was incredibly difficult as far too many people knew.”

  Andie sat silently as Tessa and her parents conversed around her. As much as she wanted to hide it, this was exactly what she had been hoping for. Continuing to munch on her plate of pastries, she soaked up every little detail she heard.

  It was brilliant.

  “I’m forgetting my manners,” Terenus declared. “We should be including Andie in this conversation.”

  His attitude had changed dramatically since he had learnt of Andie’s discovery. He was behaving differently now, far more relaxed and free with his words around her. In fact they were all being more candid, not concerned in the least about what they said.

  “Are you sure we should be bothering her? She looks like she’s really enjoying those pastries,” Tessa observed.

  Andie shelved the plate faster than you could say it.

  “I’m all ears. Tell me whatever you like,” she enthused.

  Willa chuckled as she rose smoothly from her chair.

  “Young ladies are just so curious these days. It’s no wonder they get caught up in all these intrigues.”

  “Like you were any different,” Terenus quipped.

  Gliding past her husband Willa flicked her hand out to deliver a light smack to his arm. Terenus grinned smugly at her back as she sashay
ed away.

  “Oh for heaven’s sake you two! This is hardly the time for that!” Tessa bleated.

  Andie quickly dropped her head, hoping her friend had not seen her smirk. Over time it had become clear to her Tessa did not possess a romantic bone in her entire body. It was a shame really as she was one of the most vibrant people Andie had ever met.

  Then the mood was abruptly broken by the sound of slapping hands. Terenus had sat upright in his chair and clamped his hands together.

  “Alright then my dears. It’s high time you heard about this,” he declared.

  He began revealing more of the details of what had happened in House Solista. After the attack the entire town had fled as without their royal family the inhabitants were vulnerable. Many had flown far away, no doubt fearing they could be pursued.

  Reclining back in his chair Terenus played with the edge of his goatee.

  “The destruction of a palace has not occurred in centuries,” he revealed thoughtfully. “It used to happen all the time but that was before the Sundering.”

  Andie knew all about this event. The ‘Sundering’ Terenus was referring to happened over fifteen hundred years ago. It was a series of massive earthquakes and tsunamis which consumed most of the planet. It wiped out great swathes of humanity, claiming the lives of untold millions.

  Pockets of people did manage to survive and eventually they rebuilt their cities. Over time they grew back into the civilisations they had once been.

  It was widely believed a meteor was the cause, with the main fragment impacting in the Pacific Ocean. Some even believed the Island of Nevari was created by this catastrophic event. The idea never got much traction though as the island was far too big for this type of incident. If it had been created by such a collision then there would be hardly anything left alive. The entire planet would have suffered a mass extinction event.

  The Draconarid had fared no better during this terrible time. Of the many Houses which had existed only four managed to survive - Lunaris, Solista, Marentis and Terrathia. The drastic reduction in the Draconarid population made these Houses very powerful.

  “Before the Sundering our individual powers were dim,” Terenus explained from his chair. “With so many Draconarid alive the elemental energies were spread very thin. Now things are completely different of course.”

  “Is that why Overlord Tiberius used to be immortal?” Tessa asked.

  “Yes indeed,” he responded. “Before Tiberius had offspring his powers had transformed him into an eternal being. If he hadn’t had children with Lady Laelia he would still be a young man today.”

  “Wow,” Andie muttered. It was hard for her to imagine how such a thing could be possible.

  “Even though he shares his power with three children, he has still managed to survive to the age of nine hundred and five. It is truly remarkable feat even for one of our kind.”

  “If I may ask, exactly what are his powers?” Andie asked quietly.

  “He has many but one stands out in particular. It is the same dominant ability we all share in Lunaris,” he stated smoothly. “Broadly speaking we can manipulate any kind of living material. It allows us to regenerate all types of organic matter. We are blessed to have this ability as it is the reason we survived the Sundering.”

  “Alright, I think you have said enough for now,” Willa declared as she glided back into the room. “I am sure Andie is becoming overwhelmed by all this information.”

  Immediately perking up, Andie looked at her.

  “It’s fine! I could listen to this stuff all day,” she responded with an enthusiastic smile.

  “I think you might be underestimating the curiosity of our guest,” Terenus declared with a little wink.

  “Should we even be telling her these things?” Willa asked as she drew her pale brows in.

  “Oh who cares?” Terenus responded with a wave of one hand. “Who is she going to tell?”

  “No one would believe me anyway,” Andie added cheerily.

  “Very well then,” Willa breathed. Crossing her arms she settled back into her chair.

  Clearing his throat Terenus continued again. He revealed Lord Laurentius had asked him directly about Andie’s progress. Her efforts were considered promising but they still needed to converse with Darius in person.

  Andie’s time limit was made intentionally. With the fall of House Solista over nine hundred red dragons were spreading out across the planet. From Canada in the north to Argentina in the south, they were dispersing across the two American continents.

  They needed to be drawn back to their House so they could begin to repair their township. As a group they could then prepare for any future attacks. The only way this could be achieved was by the presence of their new Overlord.

  Nobody knew where Solista’s people actually were though. They were all in hiding, likely sheltering in mountainous areas. Darius was the only one who had come to Lunaris. It was now widely accepted they did not believe they would be safe within another settlement.

  Willa spoke up, raising one hand to silence her husband.

  “Now before you start to worry I want you both to know you are completely safe here. We already have the protection of the most powerful ruler we have ever seen.”

  “And then there’s Laurentius,” Terenus added.

  “Oh yes, we already suspect his powers may have eclipsed those of his father,” she added.

  “Would it be due to the fall of house Solista?” Tessa asked cautiously.

  “To be brutally honest, yes,” Willa admitted. “The removal of a royal house has freed up a considerable amount of elemental energy.” Turning towards the window her face took on a distant look. “Darius has also grown in his powers. Somebody of his age should not be capable of doing the things he does.”

  “Why do you say that?” Tessa enquired with a little frown.

  “From what I recall of his House he would only be in his mid-eighties. He breached our shields when he first arrived which is an ability he should not possess.” Willa went on to reveal Darius would be suffering from post-traumatic stress. Someone with such a condition would feel threatened by many things. “He has suffered such a great loss he will be wary of any strangers. As vexing as it is, it will take some time to earn his trust,” she admitted.

  “It’s such a dilemma,” Terenus lamented. “The Council is demanding answers we simply cannot provide. We cannot compel an Overlord to do anything.”

  “Such foolishness,” Tessa declared with a shake of her head. “His life is far more important than the whims of those stuffy old men.”

  “Indeed,” Terenus responded. Sighing heavily he then rose from his chair. “Let us not dwell on this any further. I must go and report all of this immediately.”

  “Will Andie be safe?” Tessa asked.

  “Very likely,” he responded. “This represents great progress I believe. I would not be surprised if she is asked to stay for some time.”

  “Wonderful!” Tessa enthused, grinning from ear to ear.

  Andie smiled as she revelled in the prospect of remaining here. Sitting back, she then realised what this would actually mean back in the human world. There was college to consider as it was far too late for a deferral now. Her parents would be furious if she did not return to complete her studies. Sighing slowly her smile faded away….

  “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. We all need to consider the implications of this,” Terenus stated as he glanced towards Andie. Excusing himself, he went to get changed into his Magister’s robes.

  As soon as he left the room Willa held up one finger.

  “Now ladies, I need you to stay put for a moment,” she spoke crisply. Meeting their eyes she instructed them both to say nothing of Andie’s discovery. “People are already very curious about these matters. You must not say anything in public which will draw their attention. The eyes of the whole community are upon you now.”

  They both gave their assurances they would watch their words
.

  “There are those who would not approve of Darius’s presence here. Unfortunately some of those people happen to be members of the Council.”

  “That’s so dumb,” Tessa grumbled. “Would they prefer he was dead? Honestly, we have some idiots around here.”

  Andie watched on as mother and daughter debated the shortcomings of the population. Well it was out there now - she had finally revealed Darius’s secret. A part of her felt guilty but she knew quite logically it was the right thing to do.

  All the same she could not help feeling bad about it. Andie was the only one he trusted and she had just betrayed him. Pressing her lips together she gazed out through the lounge room window.

  Chapter 10 - Careless Whispers

  Time wore on as they waited for Terenus to return.

  Willa prepared a hearty stew for their evening meal, fully expecting he would be home to enjoy it with them. However by seven o’clock he was still absent so his dish was placed into the warm oven.

  To keep themselves occupied Tessa and Andie began playing a game of cards. Called Serpens Cauda (Snakes Head), it was like solitaire with an extra person. Tessa retrieved a deck from the bookshelves nearby before she sat down on the floor in the lounge area. Moving up close to the low slung table, she then began deftly shuffling the cards.

  “You remember how this works?” she asked Andie.

  “Yeah sure. You will be laying down cards like normal solitaire. My job is to try to cut you off. If I see a chance I’ll place a card sideways across your columns.”

  “That’s right. Once you do it I cannot add anymore cards to that column. If you manage to cut off all of them you win.”

  Andie watched as Tessa laid out her starting row.

  “It’s the name of a constellation you know,” Andie commented.

  “What, Serpens Cauda?”

  The Serpens constellation is split into two parts - the head and the tail.”

  “Interesting,” Tessa commented absently. “Okay, here are your cards.”

  Andie took the small pile Tessa handed her. Carefully she started fanning them out across one hand. Beginning to frown she then sat back and stared at them. What were all of these strange symbols? There were no suits, no numbers or anything she recognised.