Bronze Dragon, A Riders of Fire prequel novelette

by Eileen Mueller

  Marlies moved closer, but recalled Zaarusha’s warning. “Remember not to touch them.”

  As if it sensed her, the purple dragonet woke.

  A faint humming came from the egg. Marlies’ breath caught. She leaned closer, her nose a hand’s breadth from the golden shell. If only she had her own babe to hold, to croon to. She caught herself humming back to Zaarusha’s babe. Why not? She ached to have a baby. Why shouldn’t she sing to Zaarusha’s dragonet?

  The dragonet pushed against the thin gold membrane, seeking her. First its snout, and then its body. Its crooning grew louder.

  Was it calling her?

  The dragonet’s eyes pleaded with her.

  Unable to help herself, Marlies sang a lullaby.

  The baby dragon’s music swelled, drawing Marlies closer, wrapping around her. The lonely, empty aching inside her eased. Her fingertips brushed the shell. She gasped in shock, but before she could draw her hand away, a heartbeat pulsed through the membrane, making her fingers tickle. Euphoria swept through her. Marlies laughed, like she hadn’t in years.

  The dragonet’s humming rose in pitch then fell—it was laughing, as if they were sharing a joke.

  Marlies lay her hands against the shell and closed her eyes, focusing on the voice and the pulse of the creature before her. Her hands filled with energy, her head with music. The stone floor swayed beneath her feet. Marlies felt as light as a petal drifting on a breeze, as radiant as a star.

  The dragonet’s pulse grew stronger, bounding against her hands. Energy ran up her arms to her core. Then it stopped.

  Marlies’ eyes flew open.

  The dragonet was lying on its back, floating in the shell, its wings limp beneath it. She pressed her hands against the shell. No hum. No pulse.

  “Please, please, no.” Her voice caught. She rubbed her hands against the shell, willing the dragonet to move.

  But there was only silence.

  Stillness.

  Nothing beneath her hands.

  Marlies’ mouth opened and shut. With a strangled sob, she fled

  .

  Dragon Rift

  Don’t miss out! Start your next adventure on Amazon!

  Eileen’s Dragon Adventures for Younger Readers

  Dragons’ Realm—A You Say Which Way Adventure

  2016 Sir Julius Vogel Best Youth Novel

  Interactive fiction for kids of ALL ages.

  A fun time in Dragons’ Realm, in an alternate reality,

  where tharuks may be tamable and even like chocolate!

  Attack on Dragons’ Realm

  What happened when Commander Zens first came through the world gate?

  Heart-pounding adventure, undying friendship & plenty of laughs.

  Dragon Tales

  Fun, quirky adventures for kids – with dragons!

  Go on, turn the page and take a peek at these cool books for kids.

  (Psst: also for adults and teens who want to relive their childhood

  and have a laugh on the way!)

  Dragons’ Realm – A You Say Which Way Adventure

  Winner 2016 Sir Julius Vogel Award for Best Youth Novel

  A fun, interactive adventure for kids of all ages. You Say Which Way the story goes.

  Chapter One – A Bad Start

  “Hey, Fart-face!”

  Uh oh. The Thompson twins are lounging against a fence as you leave the corner store – Bart, Becks, and Bax. They’re actually the Thomson triplets, but they’re not so good at counting, so they call themselves twins. Nobody has dared tell them different.

  They stare at you. Bart, big as an ox. Becks, smaller but meaner. And Bax, the muscle. As if they need it.

  Bart grins like an actor in a toothpaste commercial. “What have you got?” He swaggers towards you.

  Becks sneers, stepping out with Bax close behind. “Come on, squirt, hand it over,” she calls, her meaty hands bunching into fists.

  Your backpack is heavy with goodies. Ten chocolate bars and two cans of tuna fish for five bucks – how could you resist? And now you could lose it all.

  The twins form a human wall, blocking the sidewalk. There’s no way around them.

  Seriously? All this fuss over chocolate? Not again! They’ve been bullying you and your friends for way too long. There’s still time to outsmart them before the bus leaves for the school picnic.

  A girl walks between you and the twins. You make your move, sprinting off towards the park next to school. Your backpack is heavy, but you’ve gained a head start on those numb skulls.

  Becks roars.

  “Charge,” yells Bax,

  “Get the snot-head,” Bart bellows. Their feet pound behind you as you make it around the corner through the park gate. Now to find a hiding place.

  On your right is a thick grove of trees. They’ll never find you in there, not without missing the bus to the picnic. To your left is a sports field. Behind the bleachers, there’s a hole in the fence. If you can make it through that hole, you’re safe. They’re much too big to follow.

  Their pounding footsteps are getting closer. They’ll be around the corner soon.

  It’s time to make a decision. Do you:

  Race across the park to the hole in the fence?

  Or Hide from the Thompson twins in the trees?

  Race across the park to the hole in the fence.

  You race across the grass.

  Bart Thompson chases you, shouting, “Onto the field. Follow me.”

  Energized by fear, you pick up speed. The bleachers loom in front of you. You’re nearly there. Racing around the back, you skid to a halt. In the air in front of you is an oval, swirling with colors, like a bubble shimmering in the sunlight.

  A faint voice comes from the glimmering air. “Help! Help me!”

  The twins’ feet pound on the grass. Their breath rasps behind you.

  Without thinking, you dive through the whirling colors.

  The park is gone. The Thompson twins are nowhere to be seen. You’re in a forest beside a river. Deep water rushes past you, gurgling past sharp rocks and disappearing around a bend.

  The shimmering air you fell through shrinks and pops like a bubble.

  You’re stuck here, for now. You’ll miss the school picnic, but at least you’re safe from Bart, Becks and Bax.

  Searching for a signpost or a clue to where you are, you glimpse an enormous flying creature with a long lizard-like tail in the sky. A dragon? Before you can be sure, it disappears behind a mountain peak.

  Even though the river is loud, you hear that same faint voice again, “Help me. Hurry.”

  You can’t tell where it’s coming from. There’s a trail leading into the forest and another trail along the riverbank.

  It’s time to make a decision. Do you:

  Follow the trail into the forest?

  Or

  Take the trail along the riverbank?

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  Attack on Dragons’ Realm

  Jerrick started awake. Drums were pounding. The cabin was pulsing, like a giant’s heartbeat. He yanked his goatskin jerkin over his nightshirt. In a sliver of moonlight, Pa stumbled out of bed. Fumbling for his trousers and boots, Jerrick tugged them on. His heart thumped in time to the drums. Danger.

  Susi, just a littling, whimpered. Ma hushed her, stroking her hair.

  “Here.” Pa thrust a sword into Jerrick’s hand and picked up a sword and club for himself.

  Jerrick gulped. His sword was suddenly heavy, awkward in his grip. For years he’d practiced fighting with Benno and Reina, although they’d never been in battle yet. But that was about to change.

  He kissed Ma’s cheek and ruffled Susi’s hair, then he snatched up his bow and quiver, and ran out the door after Pa.

  Drumbeats rolled off the thatched roofs of Horseshoe Bend, throbbing though him. A tide of bodies swept them through narrow alleys between cottages, towards the se
ttlement square. Like a hunting dog, Pa was fully alert, body tense.

  In the thick of the crowd, someone squeezed Jerrick’s arm. Gripping his sword, he spun. It was Benno. “Oh, it’s you.” Jerrick’s breath whooshed out in relief. “What’s going on?”

  “Attack,” Benno said. “Pa’s been fighting half the night and just came back, wounded.”

  “Is he alright?”

  Benno’s face was pale. “The healer is with him. He’ll live, but tharuks slashed him up bad.”

  His Pa’s injuries must’ve been awful if Benno was pale – he was tough. “Tharuks?” asked Jerrick. “What are they?”

  “Monsters.” Benno grimaced. “They came to Dragons’ Realm through a world gate.”

  “Monsters? From another world? You’re joking!” But the look on Benno’s face told Jerrick he wasn’t. His neck hairs prickled. Benno’s Pa was Horseshoe Bend’s woodcutter – built like a draft horse and twice as strong. If he was wounded, these monsters must be bad.

  Breaking out from between the cottages, they came to the square in the centre of the Horseshoe Bend. Pa pulled Jerrick and Benno to the front of the crowd. In the fire pit, a bonfire blazed, flames licking skywards. Sweat-beaded drummers beat their tattoo, danger, danger, danger.

  “Look, there’s Reina,” Benno yelled over the drums.

  Where? In the dancing shadows from the flickering fire, Jerrick couldn’t see her – until she waved. He motioned her over.

  Reina skirted around the sea of folk.

  The whole settlement was here – all but the littlings and their mothers. The drums were exhilarating, goading Jerrick to action – making him want to run, to fight, to charge an unseen enemy like a madman.

  Reina reached them. “Hey, Jerrick, Benno. At last we get to fight!” She grinned, despite the danger.

  “Benno’s Pa has been hurt,” Jerrick blurted out.

  “He fought with Giant John,” said Benno, puffing up his chest. “Killed a tharuk, too.”

  “Monsters….” Reina shook her head. “Crazy stuff! But our wizards will stop them.”

  “Come on, Reina.” Jerrick rolled his eyes. “We all know dragons are stronger.”

  Before Reina could reply, Gowp, the settlement leader and arbitrator, held up his hand. The drumbeats stopped. In the sudden hush, the bonfire crackled. The air hummed with fear and anticipation.

  A whoosh came from behind them. Jerrick’s hair ruffled. Folk whirled. And gasped. Against the dark night sky, a majestic bronze dragon glimmered in the firelight. The dragon circled down, folk scrambling out of its way. The bronze beauty settled low to the ground. Three people slid off its back.

  Clad in rider’s breeches and jerkin, with a bow and quiver of arrows across his back, a dragon rider approached Gowp. Behind the rider was Master Giddi, head of the Wizard Council with bristly dark hair, his face smeared with soot and his eyes wild. At the rear was Giant John, head of Horseshoe Bend’s warriors – as broad as two men, and more than two heads above the crowd.

  Murmurs rippled through the square as the three men spoke with Gowp, their faces grim. Gowp grimaced, shaking his head.

  “Hey,” said Benno, “that’s tharuk blood.” He pointed at black liquid glinting on Giant John’s jerkin. “My Pa was covered in that stuff.”

  “Master Giddi is awesome,” Reina whispered, staring at him like a puppy at the leader of a pack. “Look at his face. He’s been using wizard fire.”

  Jerrick nudged Benno, pointing to the dragon rider with dark curly hair. “That rider only looks about eighteen, just a few years older than us. That could be me, some day.”

  “Five,” Benno said, “that’s five years older, Jerrick.”

  “Yeah, but look at that dragon…” Jerrick stared. The flickering firelight made the dragon’s scales shimmer. “A bronze. She’s beautiful.”

  As if aware of his gaze, the dragon turned. Its nostrils flared and it snorted.

  “Watch out, Jerrick.” Reina snorted, almost sounding like the dragon, but not quite. “You’re drooling.”

  Despite her humor, Jerrick’s belly was tight with tension.

  Holding up his hand, Gowp turned. A hush fell over the square.

  “We’ve been attacked,” Gowp announced. “Tonight tharuks – strange new monsters who have invaded Dragons’ Realm – sneaked up on Horseshoe Bend. But Hans, Master Giddi, Giant John and some of our best warriors defeated their scouting party.” He gestured towards the dragon rider. “Hans has a message from Zaarusha, the Dragon Queen.”

  Wow, a direct message from the ruling dragon. Jerrick had never seen her, but they said Zaarusha was so beautiful her scales rippled with every color of the rainbow.

  “Greetings from Dragons’ Hold,” said Hans. “Tharuks want our Realm. They’re terrorizing our folk. Our dragons can’t be everywhere, so settlements must prepare their own fighting forces.”

  Grumbling broke out. This was new. Until now, dragons had protected Dragons’ Realm. Folk sustained dragons and their riders by growing crops and providing livestock.

  “I know this is not how we usually do things,” said Gowp, “but we have no choice – either we fight or give in to these monsters and be slaughtered. Two folk were killed in Spanglewood settlement yesterday. We must be prepared.”

  Giant John strode forward, his sword in the air. “I’ll train warriors.”

  Reina pointed at a bloody gash on his cheek. “No way,” she whispered to Jerrick. I’m not doing that.”

  Hans held his bow high. “I need archers to ride dragons.”

  Master Giddi stepped closer to the fire. Shadows flickered across his soot-stained face, dancing with the dark smudges on his cheeks. His eyes gleamed and green sparks flitted from his fingers. Folk near him edged away. “We must harness magic to change the course of battle,” he boomed, dark eyes flashing. “Train with me.”

  Jerrick elbowed Reina. “That’s you.”

  “Too right,” whispered Reina, grinning.

  “More tharuks are on the move,” announced Hans. “They’ll be here soon. We must prepare for war.”

  “Everyone must choose,” said Gowp, “but choose quickly.”

  “But Gowp,” someone called, “I need my son to tend our crops.”

  “You won’t have any crops left to tend, if we don’t fight back,” snapped Gowp.

  The settlers’ outraged cries rose.

  “But the dragon riders should–”

  “Why can’t the wizards–”

  The drummer struck twice. Folk quieted. The first streaks of dawn stole across the sky above Spanglewood Forest.

  “I’ll fight with Giant John,” Benno called. “Who’ll join us?” He gazed at Jerrick and Reina.

  Giant John laid an arm over his shoulder. “Brave of you to choose first, Benno.”

  Reina spoke up. “Master Giddi, I’d love to train with you. Um, if that’s alright.”

  The gangly wizard raised his bushy eyebrows and nodded. She moved to his side. His steely gaze roamed over the folk.

  If Jerrick didn’t choose fast, the wizard might single him out. Then he’d never be a rider. Heart pounding, Jerrick called, “Sir, ah, Hans, I’ve always wanted to be a dragon rider.”

  Hans clapped him on the back. “Just Hans, not sir. What’s your name?”

  “Jerrick.”

  “Thank you for volunteering to be our first new rider.” Hans turned to the folk. “Who will ride dragons with Jerrick?”

  Pa hugged Jerrick. “Good choice. I’m staying here with Giant John to protect Ma and the littlings. Fare-well your friends, then we’ll go back to the family and get you ready to go.”

  He winked, then turned away from Jerrick and hefted his sword, bellowing, “Who will join me, Benno and Giant John to fight these monsters?”

  The square was mayhem as settlers rushed to and fro. Grinning, Benno pounded Jerrick on the back. Reina ran up to Benno and hugged him, then kissed his cheek. Then she hugged and kissed Jerrick.

  Beet red, Jerric
k and Benno glanced at each other, then at her.

  “Well,” she said, hands on hips, “I’m going to miss you both.”

  They all grinned.

  “We finally get to fight,” said Benno.

  “It’s great,” Reina said. “But it’s even better that next time you two play a trick on me, I’ll smite you both with wizard flame.”

  Jerrick hooted. “You wouldn’t dare or my dragon would flame you.”

  Benno shook his head. “I don’t envy you two. I’m glad I’m keeping my feet on the ground, right here.” He flexed his muscles, already large from chopping trees beside his pa. “Someone needs to protect our families.”

  “You’ll do a great job,” said Reina.

  Doubt flicked across Benno’s face. “I’m not sure,” he said quietly. “Those tharuks nearly killed Pa. But at least I won’t end up as wizard’s breakfast.”

  “Hopefully, neither will I,” Reina shot back.

  From the looks on their faces, Jerrick knew they were all thinking the same thing: would they see each other again? “See you in battle.” He stuck his fist out.

  “I’m in,” said Benno sticking out his fist.

  “Me too,” said Reina.

  They all bumped fists and whooped.

  Jerrick gulped. “All of us are facing risks. The whole settlement is. We have to do our best to protect our families.” He gulped again thinking of Susi. “And our wee littlings.”

  His heart hammered. Hopefully they’d all survive.

  ***

  You can choose which story to read next. Click on a link below to read your first story. At the end of the story there will be links to the other two stories, so you can see what happens to everyone.

  Warrior: Benno with Giant John

  Wizard: Reina with Master Giddi

  Dragon Rider: Jerrick with Hans

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