Dragon Tamer

by J. A. Culican

  I mentally added up everyone in the village and wrote the numbers in.

  “Thirty-three,” said Spear adding the numbers. “There are thirty-three people in your village with slayer swords?”

  “Thirty-four,” I replied, indicating mine. “Mine is the only empty one though. As I’ve only just turned eighteen, mine is the newest in the village. You’ve got to remember the ones that were owned by my ancestors though. I have no way of knowing just how many there are.” I drew another box at the top of the paper and put a large question mark in it. Underneath I wrote “Stronghold.”

  “Wonderful, Julianna,” Spear said, pulling the paper out from under my hands. “This will help immensely.”

  He held it up for the others to see as I sat beside Ash.

  “There are thirty-three swords to find, plus some more in a stronghold. Julianna doesn’t know where this is but I’m sure we will be able to find it. I say we go in tonight and grab the swords under the cover of darkness. If you could all—”

  “I thought you were going to wait a couple of days?” I asked, interrupting him. “Weren’t you going to make a start on building the new town hall?”

  “The town hall can wait. This is more important.”

  “No!” I shouted although I didn’t know why. I’d agreed to this. It had to happen sooner or later. Did it really matter what day they went down?

  And yet, the thought of my mother popped into my head. My dear, sweet mother who wouldn’t hurt a fly. Sure, she was from a long line of slayers, but she had problems killing a chicken for dinner. She always had to get my father to do it for her. There was no way she would be able to knowingly kill another person, even if they were dragon shifters.

  “Can’t we just go to the village and ask them to give us the swords?” Even as I said it I knew it sounded lame.

  Some of the people laughed and my cheeks reddened.

  “I don’t think that’s an option, Julianna. Maybe you should go home with Ash now and let us plan for this evening.”

  “No, you need my help,” I insisted. And I needed to be there to make sure that no one was going to get hurt.

  “And you have helped. This map is invaluable to us.”

  “You can’t just go blundering into my village. Someone will get hurt.”

  “She’s right, Spear,” said Ash “Thirty-three swords is a lot to find in one night, not to mention the ones in the stronghold. Why not just go and find some of them tonight and do the rest later?”

  “Actually, that’s not a bad idea. It will make it easier. We’ll attack just these houses tonight,” he said, pointing to two of the houses in the village.

  “You can’t attack anyone,” I objected. “The men hold their swords close by because of the power they hold. You won’t be able to do it without me.”

  “Attack was probably too strong a word. I want no casualties on either side, but I will get the swords. If they put up a fight, we will win. You should never underestimate the power of a dragon. Please take her home, Ash. Now.”

  “I’m not going,” I stated, but Ash took hold of my arm.

  “Come on. We may as well go home. I’ve not seen Dad in a year and I want to be home for the celebration.”

  I wanted to stay, but how could I ask him to stay with me when the father he previously thought was dead was at home waiting for him?

  As I left the room, I heard them discussing their plans without me. The thought of them going to my village without me with information that I had given them made me feel sick.

  “Why did you make me leave?” I asked once we were out of the house.

  “Because I know Spear. If we didn’t go, and you kept trying to undermine him, he’d have locked you up somewhere. It’s better that we leave now while you’re still free and come up with a plan of our own.”

  I already had a plan. I’d been thinking about it since Spear had told everyone that they would be attacking my village tonight. I was going to go there before him. I was going to tell my family the truth. Once they knew that the dragons were shifters, they’d hand their swords over to me.

  At least, I hoped they would.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  I’d felt like an outsider many times since coming to Frokontas, but this was the first time I’d felt like that in Ash’s home.

  Edeline had prepared a huge dinner for Fiere to welcome him home, and even though I was invited to join them, I didn’t want to interrupt the family reunion, so I took my plate and ate in my room.

  My mind kept going over everything that had happened over the last few hours. I shouldn’t have told Spear about my village, at least not until I knew for sure that I would be allowed to go too. It was too late now though. He’d made his plans and I wasn’t a part of them. I cursed myself for letting it come to this, but what choice did I really have? I couldn’t let my people keep killing the dragons knowing they were shifters. I wrestled with my conscience all evening, indecisive about what I should do. I could leave the dragons. Attempt one last time to reason with my family. Warn them what was coming and how to stop it. If they relinquished their swords, all would be over.

  I’d made up my mind by the time I heard the family going to bed. I was going to sneak out. Okay, I’d tried once before and ended up lost in a maze deep within the mountains, dripping wet and freezing cold, but this time I’d go prepared. When the house was quiet, I tiptoed downstairs into the kitchen. There, I took a torch and some chalk I’d seen earlier on Lucy’s desk to mark my way on the tunnel walls. I also took Edeline’s heavy coat and threw it over my tunic. The only armor I carried was my sword, which I hoped I wouldn’t have to use.

  “I knew you’d try this again.”

  I jumped as I turned to find Ash staring at me from the other side of the kitchen.

  “I have to go.”

  “You promised me that you’d always tell me. I don’t want you getting lost in the mountains again. You know I’m coming with you, right?”

  “That’s why I didn’t tell you. I knew you’d want to come and I didn’t want to put you in the position of choosing between me and your family.”

  “Isn’t that the choice you have to make?” Ash arched his eyebrow at me. “Julianna, we’re a team. We’re in this together. There are going to be difficult decisions that we will face, but if we don’t confide in one another, we’ll have to do it alone. Now go back upstairs.”

  “Go upstairs? I’m not going back to bed.” I stomped my foot in agitation.

  “And I’m not asking you to. We’re going to fly and the best place to take off from is the balcony outside of your room.”

  With a nod, I turned and once again tiptoed through the house. He was right of course. The balcony was the perfect place to fly from. Ash quickly shifted into his mighty red dragon and I jumped onto his back as he spread his wings and we took to the sky. It was so much nicer flying up the mountain as opposed to walking up the stone steps in a storm. The evening was calm and quiet, quite the opposite of how I felt. Normally I’d enjoy the feeling of weightlessness as we soared through the air, but my stomach churned as I thought about what I’d have to face in Drionos.

  Last time we were both there, my family hadn’t given me the chance to explain. They’d taken one look at Ash and attacked. Having him with me again might not be the best idea, but this time I would make them listen to us. I wondered just how badly our house had been burned, if they had somehow managed to control the flames or if it had burned down completely. Just thinking about it brought tears to my eyes.

  We flew over the peak of the mountain, this time not bothering with any tunnels. It was a clear night with a bright moon. The mountains looked stunning bathed in pale moonlight, but I couldn’t focus my attention on them too long. I wanted to see what had happened to my house. I strained my eyes into the distance, trying to see if it was still standing, but it was only when we came to land in the village that I finally saw the extent of the devastation. I threw Ash’s clothes at him and waited for hi
m to transform. We’d landed on the path at the edge of the village and my house, or what was left of it, was nothing but a silhouette in the distance. I could see enough to know that no one could possibly be living there anymore.

  “It’s gone,” I said when Ash was back in his human form.

  “It’s too far away to know that. There is still a building there. Maybe it isn’t as bad as you think.”

  I set off up the path at a brisk pace, hopeful that Ash could see something that I was missing and not just the burned shell that used to be my home. He did have much better eyesight than I did, especially in the dark.

  As we got closer, it became obvious that I was right and that Ash was wrong. There wasn’t a building there, just a blackened frame where there used to be one.

  “I’m sorry,” Ash whispered, pulling me into a hug. His wide arms comforted me. “It was the barn I saw back there, not the house. I confused the two.”

  I looked over to the barn. Thankfully it was far enough away from the house to not have sustained any damage.

  Fear enveloped me and my breathing became ragged. I’d been trying so hard not to cry that I was overcome by a panic attack instead. I tried to regulate my breathing and get it down to a normal speed.

  “Julianna,” Ash spoke calmly and quietly. “We’ll find them. You saw yourself that they escaped. Wherever they are, they’re safe.”

  I nodded. He was right. I’d seen them all leave the burning building, but where were they now? I didn’t know where to begin to look.

  “Who’s that?” a voice shouted, making me jump. “I can hear you whispering, so don’t try to pretend you’re not there.”

  I looked over to see Jasper with a lantern. He’d obviously come from the barn. So that’s where they were living. I felt a little relieved. The barn was safe and warm and would be cozy with all the hay.

  “Jasper, it’s me.” I moved into the light, pulling Ash with me.

  His eyes grew wide and his hand automatically went to his side where he usually kept his sword in a sheath, except he wasn’t wearing it. By the way he was dressed, I guessed we had woken him up.

  “I don’t want to fight you,” I said, taking a step toward him with my hands held in front of me.

  He stepped back toward the barn door.

  “Father!” he shouted, not taking his eyes from us. My father’s bulky frame appeared at the door.

  “What is it?”

  “I told you it wasn’t dogs. It’s her...with him.” He spat the last word out.

  “Julianna?” My mother’s hopeful voice sounded out and before either Jasper or my father could react, she ran over to me, her arms outstretched.

  She was so tiny compared to me and yet I felt so safe in her arms. We both burst into tears as she hugged me tightly.

  “Julianna, who is this and why have you brought him here again? Didn’t he cause enough damage the last time?” My father sneered.

  “Stay back, Elgin,” my mother shouted. “This is our little girl, remember? Not one of your dragons. Don’t even think about getting your sword out.”

  I’d never heard her stand up to my father before and I wasn’t sure who was more surprised, me or my father.

  “You’d better come in and you can bring your...friend.”

  “Thanks, Mom.”

  They’d done a good job with the barn. Someone had given them blankets which they’d laid on the hay for beds and seating. A couple of lanterns lit up the place, making it feel warm although I couldn’t help thinking it was another fire waiting to happen.

  I sat on a bale of hay with Ash beside me. My family sat opposite us. Jasper had a sullen look about him.

  “Come back to do more damage, have you?” he asked, looking straight at Ash. “Or are you just here to kidnap someone else?”

  “I wasn’t kidnapped!” I replied.

  “Of course you weren’t. I can see that,” said my mother before turning to Jasper. “And any more silly remarks like that and you can sleep outside.”

  Jasper pouted and folded his arms.

  “Can you tell us what did happen to you? I’ve been worried sick.”

  My heart went out to my mother. I could see the worry lines etched onto her face and I hated that it was because of me that they were there.

  “When Papa and Jasper last saw me on the hunting trip, I fell and Ash caught me. He wasn’t kidnapping me. He was saving me.”

  “That’s a lie. She was taken by a dragon. I saw it carry her off. This guy must have killed the dragon and then kidnapped her,” said Jasper, not heeding my mother’s warning.

  “Ash didn’t kill the dragon.” I entwined my hands in his. I needed his strength now with what I was about to say. “Ash is the dragon.”

  I proceeded to tell them about Frokontas and the dragon shifter community there. My mother listened intently, although I could see the shock on her face. Even Jasper had been rendered mute with the revelation.

  “I tried telling you all this before when I came down the mountain, but—”

  Jasper sneered. “But you attacked me with your sword and set fire to the house instead.”

  “Jasper, I’m warning you!” My mother gave him a look of disgust.

  “You attacked me if you remember, but that’s another thing. The fire started when the dragon enslaved in the sword escaped. When you nicked my arm, Papa, my blood set off a magical reaction in the sword, allowing the soul of the dragon inside it to be free. It was not the fault of the dragon, but of the magic. This reaction was so fierce and full of energy that it sparked, setting the house on fire.”

  “That’s preposterous,” replied Jasper. “How do you even know that? It sounds made up.”

  “I know because I’ve spoken to that dragon. That dragon is Ash’s father. His soul has been trapped in that sword since you slay it. When he was released, his soul went back to his body. There’s a place somewhere in the forest where the soulless dragons lie. You didn’t kill a dragon on your birthday. No one has killed a dragon. Instead, their souls are captured and taken into the swords to make them stronger.”

  “We’ve always known the dragons’ souls end up in our swords, that doesn’t mean they aren’t dead.” Jasper’s eyes narrowed in a mixture of confusion and anger.

  “They aren’t dead. Ash’s dad saw them. He says it’s like they are asleep. What we’re doing is barbaric and needs to be stopped. I’ve come today to ask you for your swords. We need to free the dragons because they’re people, not animals for slaughter.”

  “Oh, my!” My mother put her head in her hands.

  “What you’re saying makes no sense. If we have their souls, why keep them alive?” Jasper shook his head, still not believing me.

  “I don’t know. Maybe they have to be alive somewhere to make the magic work.”

  “You aren’t having my sword,” Jasper said stubbornly. “If what you say is true, which I sorely doubt, then it’s empty anyway.”

  “How can you doubt it? Surely you’ve felt the loss of power from it since the night the house burned down. You must have wondered why.”

  “I’ve not used it since then. I was waiting for you to bring this guy back so I could use it on him.”

  “Jasper, I’ve had enough. If you can’t be civil, you can sleep outside with the cattle.”

  Jasper scowled, but he didn’t dare disobey our mother. He picked up his sword and left, slamming the barn door behind him.

  “Papa,” I turned to my father, who hadn’t said a word. “You are the greatest slayer in the village. I’m not going to ask if you know anything about the dragons being kept alive, because how could you not know, but I know you wouldn’t have done this if you knew that the dragons were people. I need your sword. I need to set them free. Will you please give it to me?”

  He stood and picked up his sword. “I love you my daughter, but I cannot give you my sword.”

  “Why ever not?” my mother asked. “She’s told you why she needs it. I can’t bear the thought of all t
hose people trapped in there. We need to let them out.”

  “I captured those souls fair and square. They belong to me.”

  “But they’re people!”

  “I know they’re people. I’ve always known they were people.”

  “You knew?” I asked my father, barely believing what he was telling me.

  “Of course I knew. Just because they are people doesn’t mean they aren’t a nuisance. They’re still dragons, too, and dragons kill people.”

  “No, they don’t! When was the last time you remember a slayer being killed by a dragon from the Triad Mountains?”

  “There have been times.”

  “Not many, and only then because we were trampling around up there waving our swords around. If they killed, it was only in self-defense.”

  “Enough!” shouted my father. “We have worked hard to keep this village safe from those dragons and this is how you repay me? By coming here and telling me to give up my sword? If you want my sword, you will have to fight me for it!” He growled and pierced Ash with his heated gaze.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  I looked up at my father, barely able to comprehend what I was hearing. He was the one man I’d looked up to my whole life, my hero who’d always taught me right from wrong, and now he was telling me that he’d always known about the dragons. He was a murderer.

  He stood so much taller than me, holding his sword by his side. He wasn’t standing to fight, but I knew just by looking into his fierce brown eyes that if I drew my own sword, he would raise his. I couldn’t beat him. He was the best slayer in the village. But even if I could, would I really have the courage to hold a sword up to my father? Probably not.

  We stared at each other, unmoving, for what felt like a lifetime, neither of us backing down and neither of us starting the fight. Uncertainty coursed through me, rendering me unable to make a decision. I was saved by having to do just that by a loud noise and a flash like lightning from outside.

  “Dragons!” Jasper came running in. “There are loads of them.”