by Bianca D'Arc
Dragon Knights
The Sea Captain’s Daughter Trilogy, Book 1
Sea Dragon
by
Bianca D’Arc
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental.
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
Copyright © 2016 Bianca D’Arc
All Rights Are Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
A blind dragon who just wants to be left alone…
Sir Hrardorr was once the mightiest of fighters. Now he’s blind and useless. His knight is dead and he can’t even go into proper mourning because he needs help just to get around. Part sea dragon, he decides to go to the Southern Lair to rusticate by the coast. He can fly out over the open water and dive into the sea, where he still has at least some ability to hunt on his own. He doesn’t expect to meet a human woman out on the water, fishing in her small sailboat, but he does, and unexpectedly, they become friends.
A young man who gave up the sword to help the Lair’s healer…
Seth grew up in the Lair and has long had a crush on the most beautiful girl in the town, Livia. But she is the famous sea captain’s daughter, and far, far above him. It’d be one thing if he was a knight or at least a candidate to be one, but Seth gave up all dreams of knighthood when he chose to apprentice himself to the Lair’s elderly healer—the closest thing to a grandmother he’d ever had. His gentle heart has changed the course of his entire life and he’s not sure it’s for the better, but he sees no other option.
A newly made knight who doesn’t know how to be one…
Sir Gowan is a warrior. He was a teacher of fighting when he caught the dragoness’s eye and she chose him as her new knight. Genlitha is a stubborn female and though Gowan tried to refuse, he found he could not turn down the magnificent dragoness, even though he knows nothing about being a knight. They have come to the Southern Lair so Genlitha can teach young fliers how to best navigate the tricky winds off the ocean, and to gain time for Gowan to learn how to be her proper partner.
Three humans. Two dragons. Attraction that cannot be denied…
Both Seth and Gowan are drawn to the lovely Livia, and Genlitha finds the attraction she had for Hrardorr when they were still both dragonets has only grown stronger over the years, but there are obstacles. Hrardorr has sworn to never choose another knight. Seth has sworn to be a healer, even though it’s not his true calling. Gowan is just trying to figure out how to survive in this new world of knights and dragons.
And then they are attacked from the sea by a mighty fleet with dragon-killing weapons, and the town and Lair find themselves totally unprepared to fight. It will be up to the five of them to save the town…if they can. It seems impossible, but they have to at least try.
DEDICATION
For all the dragon fans out there. And, as always, with great thanks to my family, particularly my very patient Dad, who puts up with my crazy schedule and writing binges. I’ve enjoyed these past years, getting to know my elderly Dad better than I ever did before in my life. His wise counsel and kind heart are a constant source of support that I hope I will not lose for many years to come.
Dad’s been feeling poorly of late, so I’ve been particularly filled with anxiety on his behalf. Yet he continues in his steadfast way that I can only hope to one day emulate. I love you, Dad. Thanks for being a good friend.
And maybe someday I’ll actually write a book he can read! (He has no clue how racy my books can get, and I’m not about to tell him! LOL)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Excerpt from Dragon Fire
About the Author
Other Books by Bianca D’Arc
CHAPTER ONE
Hrardorr followed the sound of the gulls out over the crashing waves to where the silence of the sea was broken only by the occasional bird or breaching of a sea creature. This place—the middle of the sea—was safe for him to land without guidance. Here, he could fly and not worry about his lack of vision. And he could hunt…sort of.
Following his instincts and the sounds bouncing back to him from the water’s surface, he judged a good place to set down in the water, spreading his wings to help keep him afloat. It probably wasn’t the most graceful-looking descent in the world, but he was comforted by the fact that at least nobody was likely to see him this far from shore.
With a mighty splash, Hrardorr set down on the surface of the forgiving waves, sinking a bit until his massive limbs could begin paddling. He had reason to be thankful for the rare sea dragon in his lineage that had passed down the legacy of his powerful, slightly webbed fingers and toes. He was a much better swimmer than most of his brethren, and it allowed him some small measure of peace in his current state.
Hrardorr had lost his sight to skith venom while fighting the large snake-like creatures on the eastern border of his homeland of Draconia. He’d lost his knight partner as well, and the pain of that loss hurt even more than his blindness at times.
He’d been in deep mourning for a long time and had vowed to never take another knight. What fighting man would want to partner with a blind dragon anyway? The forces protecting Draconia’s borders were better off without him now. Really, how could he contribute the way he was? He couldn’t even hunt on land anymore. They had to bring him slaughtered meat and tell him where it was, for goodness sake!
Hrardorr felt useless and impotent. He’d been one of the mightiest dragons in the fighting corps of Draconia. He’d been in his prime, uniquely skilled in combat due to his mixed heritage. His star had been on the rise, and his future had been bright indeed.
Then, it had all gone to hell. He’d lost his knight and his sight. And now, he had nothing. He was nothing. Less than nothing.
He’d retreated to the Southern Lair where nothing much ever happened, situated on the sea as it was. He would rather have gone into the mountains to be on his own, but he couldn’t hunt on land anymore by himself. He knew he needed help, and he grudgingly accepted it.
How the mighty had been humbled. Hrardorr snorted, knowing the black smoke rising from his nostrils contained nothing of his former flame-filled glory. He couldn’t even toast a piece of bread, the state he was in.
He felt something tickle his left hind foot and realized an ocean predator had been attracted by his presence. Good. Finally something he could do on his own. A foe he could still fight. A monster—albeit a small one—he could still hunt and kill. And eat.
Hrardorr liked seafood. A lot.
Diving, he once again
had reason to thank his long-ago ancestor who had called the sea home as he went to work. Vision wasn’t so very important underwater. The other senses, including the echoes he could sense better than any of the land-based dragons, told him exactly what was nearby and where his prey was.
Then, he struck. And for just that moment, he felt like his old self again. Or as close to it as he could come these days.
Livia saw the dragon splash down into the sea many ship-lengths from her location. Her gaze followed him with great interest. It was unusual to see a dragon from the nearby Lair land in the water. Most of them just flew patrols overhead, rarely bothering to come down and encounter the waves themselves.
One of her father’s local businesses supplied massive amounts of fish to the Lair each day, so she knew the dragons and their knights and families liked seafood, but she’d never seen any of the giant dragons fishing…or swimming. She wasn’t sure what the massive creature was up to, but she was entranced by his graceful movements in the water.
When he dove beneath the waves, she gasped. He was gigantic, and he appeared to swim like a fish! She never would have expected it of a dragon.
And what a dragon. His coloration was like nothing she’d ever seen before. Most of the dragons she’d seen from a distance were predominantly one color or another. All in jewel tones. Red, green, blue, even gold and bronze. There were a few who stood out, like the lovely spring green dragon that she’d seen once, or the almost purple, dark indigo dragon that had flown a message from the capital that one time.
But this dragon was different. When his wings unfurled, they were multi-hued within an overall dark framework. She couldn’t tell if he were brown or bronze, but his wings shone with blue, green, even orange and red when the light hit them just right. He was amazing. Like the kaleidoscope her father had brought back for her from one of his many voyages to far off lands.
She scanned the surface of the sea for any sign of the dragon, but he was gone. How long could a dragon hold his breath? Could they breathe under water? Did they have gills? Like any person who had grown up in Draconia, she knew and accepted dragons as part of her world, but that didn’t mean she knew all that much about them.
Most regular people didn’t deal with them very often, if at all. When on land, they seemed to stick to the Lairs and the people that lived there, among them.
Livia changed tack on her small sail as the wind shifted, and her little boat began to drift. She wanted to keep looking for the dragon, but her lines were moving in the wrong direction, and she had to check them or she wouldn’t catch anything for the dinner pot today.
Not that she needed to fish for her supper. Her father was a rich man. He provided well for her and the household, even when he wasn’t here, which was most of the time lately. Since the death of her mother, nothing seemed to keep her seafaring father home. Not even his only child.
She suspected it was because she looked too much like her mother. She was a living, breathing reminder of what he had lost.
Her parents’ match had been one of deep love. Although he’d given up captaining his own trading ships for the most part while Livia’s mother was alive, now that she was gone, so was Livia’s father. Off exploring the world and trading with foreign merchants, only occasionally coming home to Draconia with the hold of his ship filled with rare items from far-flung locales.
He was off on one of his trips again, leaving Livia at loose ends. She was an adult and could take care of herself, but she still missed her father when he was away. The house got lonely, which was when she took out her little boat and passed a few hours on the water, fishing.
Fishing was just an excuse, really, though she was pretty good at it. She’d been fishing for fun with her father since she was a little girl, after all. But it was the beauty of nature and the quiet challenge of the sea that made her come out here. There was nobody here looking at her, wondering if she would ever marry. Nobody asking her for a loan or to support their latest business venture. Nobody trying to curry favor or lure her into some sort of trap for the unwary.
People were tiresome sometimes. Especially all those who wanted something from her because of her wealth or who her father was. She despaired that nobody would ever just look at her and see her for herself and not some means to an end.
Which was probably why she wasn’t married with children of her own by now. Her father didn’t mind. His business ventures meant that she would be looked after even if he never returned from one of his voyages. He’d made sure she was well provided for before he took to the sea again. And she wasn’t without resources of her own.
She’d been working in her father’s office since she was old enough to do math. When he was away, she ran the small empire he’d built. She hired and fired. She paid wages and made sure the various businesses had what they needed to keep running at optimal efficiency.
Lines checked and boat settled once more, Livia scanned the sea again. Where was that dragon? Had he drowned right in front of her eyes? Was a tragedy about to take place? And if so, what in the world could she do about it?
“Oh, Mr. Dragon?” she said softly, into the gentle breeze that caught her sail once again. “Where are you?” Her quiet voice took on a sing-song quality as she looked out over the calm sea. “I really hope you can hold your breath a long time, Mr. Dragon.” She began to fret over his safety. “Mr. Dragon?” she said again after a long pause while the sea remained calm beneath her little boat.
“My name is Hrardorr, not Mr. Dragon,” a deep, rumbly voice said directly into her mind, making Livia jump. “Though I do appreciate your polite form of address. It is much better than some of the things I have been called.”
“Where are you, Sir Hrardorr?” Livia asked aloud, shocked that a dragon had actually spoken to her.
“If you are in the little boat, I am directly below you right now. I will surface off your port side in a few minutes. Do not be alarmed.”
“I am in a small boat,” she replied, still feeling amazed at this unlikely conversation. “I had no idea dragons could swim like fish!”
A rumbly chuckle sounded through her mind. “Most cannot. One of my ancestors was a sea dragon. It gives me a little bit of an edge in the water. Now, tell me, are you squeamish? It’s been my experience that many female humans do not like watching my kind devour our prey. Will you object if I eat my catch above the surface?”
“Not at all, Sir Hrardorr. I’ve been fishing since I was young. I clean and gut my own catch. I don’t think I’m squeamish. Unless…you don’t do anything…uh…strange to your food before you eat it, do you?”
Again, the dragonish laughter sounded in her mind. “No, milady. I don’t believe you would consider it so. I just eat it, like most beings. Of course, the fish I caught is much larger than those you probably deal with.”
“What did you catch?” The dragon had piqued her curiosity. Did he bag a whale or something?
“Watch and learn,” he said, with a hint of humor while, just off her port side, his head rose above water, followed rapidly by the rest of his body.
Her boat rocked, and she reached out to grab the lines to steady herself. In the dragon’s mouth was the sixteen-foot monster shark that had been terrorizing the fishing fleet of late.
“Oh, well done!” She knew she was smiling, but couldn’t help it. “The local fishermen will be singing your praises for taking old toothy away from their nets. Thank you, Sir Hrardorr!”
He seemed to preen for just a moment, then shook his head up and down, positioning the shark for a few giant chomps. Just that quick, the shark that had menaced the shore for weeks was gone. Swallowed almost whole by the biggest dragon Livia had ever seen.
Of course, she’d never been this close to a dragon in her entire life. Maybe they were all this big close up. Then again, this dragon seemed like he was larger than life from his coloration to his swimming abilities. He was special. She just knew it.
“Was this little shark really bothering peo
ple?” he asked, sounding curious in her mind.
“Little?” She had to laugh. “Only a creature as magnificently proportioned as you would think that monster was little.” She shook her head. “But to answer your question, yes. It was chewing through nets and chasing swimmers. There seem to be an abnormal number of large sharks in our waters this year, and that was one of the bigger ones. I know for a fact that nobody would mind if you ate a few more of his friends, if you feel so inclined.”
The dragon bowed his head. “It would be my pleasure.” His head turned, but he seemed to be looking up, not down at her in the little boat. “Now, tell me, whose are you and why do they let you out here all by yourself with such dangerous creatures all around your boat? Old toothy was not alone. There is a school of sharks in this water, and you should know that most of them were swimming circles around your boat until I arrived.”
That was news to Livia. She’d figured her bait might attract one or two of the predators, but she’d had no idea there were so many sharks out there, out of sight in the deeps.
“While I appreciate your warning, and I will be more careful in future, I can assure you that I am an experienced sailor and well able to take care of myself on the water. As to your question, I am nobody’s. I don’t even know what you mean by that.”
“Whose family do you hail from? Which set of dragons are your protectors? Surely, they take your safety more to heart than to let you sail out here on your own. Or is there someone else in the boat with you? Or a dragon flying overhead, watching over you from time to time?”
Livia looked around at her small, empty boat. Only her bait fish and tackle were with her. Why didn’t the dragon know that? And why did he ask about dragons flying above? Wouldn’t he…?
Oh, dear Mother of All. He was blind.
She’d heard stories of the new arrival to the Lair. A blind dragon. Speculation was rife in the town about what a blind dragon could do. Seems she had just learned a bit more than anyone else knew, but she would never gossip about Hrardorr. She wasn’t that kind of person.