“Come on! Fight me, human!”
There was nowhere to run. No blade for his hand. No friends to come to his aid. He clenched his teeth and rushed in, swinging for her nose.
Her neck slid away. She laughed.
“Pathetic.” She batted her eyes and stuck her chin out. “Care to try again?”
He swung.
She dodged. He’d never seen a big thing move so swiftly.
She swatted her paw at him.
He ducked under.
She slapped him head over heels with the other paw.
He crawled through the grass and started rising to his feet.
She pounced right on top of his back, crushing him into the ground.
“Are you a man? Or are you a dragon?” she said, shoving him down harder. “Are you a man? Or are you a dragon?”
He couldn’t speak with his face pushed into the ground. He strained to push up. No avail. He grunted.
“WHAT DO YOU SAY?” she roared, lifting a paw off of him. “YOU ALWAYS HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY. WHAT HAVE YOU GOT TO SAY FOR YOURSELF NOW?”
He rolled onto his back, sucked in his breath, and shot flames from his mouth.
Selene leapt into the air, wings beating, and soared into the sky, making a great wide circle.
Gasping for breath, Nath watched with envy. It seemed every dragon could fly but him.
She flew higher and higher, turned, and dove downward straight for him.
He set his feet and gulped a lungful of air.
So be it!
She closed in.
A geyser of flame shot from his mouth.
Selene the dragon plucked him from the ground. Her talons dug deep into his shoulders. High into the air she soared, and flung him across the sky.
Spinning head over heels, he crashed into the earth.
It went on like this: once, twice, three more times. Nath struggled to his feet every time, shrugging off the searing pain that wracked his body.
“WHY WON’T YOU DIE?” Selene roared. “TELL ME, NATH! WHY WON’T YOU DIE?”
Blood seeped over his scaly chest and dripped onto the grass as he staggered through the meadow. His paws were numb. His mouth was dry. Painful bright spots leapt in his head. He teetered face-first into the ground, bewildered.
CHAPTER 34
Selene the dragon loomed over him. Her shadow covered him in a cloak of death.
“Pitiful dragon,” she said, spitting green fire, “Just pitiful.”
Swollen, bloody, and with a mind full of mud, Nath fought his way back to his feet and faced off with her, swaying.
“You are no dragon,” she said. “You are a disgrace. You are a little worm. Nath Worm.”
Her words stung. If he had Fang, he’d ram him through her chest. Instead, she played with him as a cat toys with a mouse. He’d be angrier if he had more energy.
“Are you tired, Nath Worm?” she said, sliding her head from side to side. “Tired, and you haven’t even put up a fight yet?” She flicked him in the chest with her claws, knocking him back down. “Crawl into the ground and sleep with your brethren, O’ Worm Prince.”
He put his fist to the ground and rose again. His mind began thinking.
I should be dead, yet I live.
“I’m a dragon,” he said.
Selene stuck her face in his and said, “No, I am a dragon. You are a scaly worm.”
Nath struck her in the nose.
Whack!
She reeled back.
“YOU DARE!” Her chest expanded and glowed.
Something ignited in Nath. A deeper furnace now burned within. His mind triggered a mystery, and his thoughts shouted.
I’m a Dragon. I’m a Dragon. I’m a Dragon!
Swat!
Selene slapped him across the grass and dropped her foot down on his chest. She glared down at him and said, “I’m going to rip you apart.”
Nath shot her a fierce grin and said, “No, you are not!” I’m a Dragon! He slammed his fists into the ground. Shot fire from his mouth.
Selene recoiled back, dodging the flames. Nath bounced up to his feet. I’m a Dragon, the same as she!
Selene shot another blast of green fire at him.
Nath blasted his own, bright red.
Fires collided, gushing flames from both mouths. A great plume of blue fire erupted between them.
I’m the Dragon!
Nath kept breathing. With every passing second, he felt bigger and stronger. His limbs stretched. His head rose taller. The flames kept gushing out.
Selene smiled on the other side of the flames. She extinguished her fires and jumped away.
Nath cut his own flames out and stared down at the charred circle of grass. It seemed so far down. Everything seemed smaller. Even Selene. She prowled over the grass with her neck hanging low. Her dragon eyes were wary. She hissed. Her tongue flicked out of her mouth.
Something swooshed over the ground behind him. He jerked his neck around. A great tail and wings lurked behind him.
“Gah!” he said, leaping and landing hard on the ground.
Whump!
He circled in the grass, chasing after the tail. His neck stretched behind the wings. Oh my! He stopped. Focused. Beat his wings. His own wings! Oh my! A great thrill shot through him. He eyed Selene.
“Worms can’t fly, but dragons can,” she said, “Fly, Dragon. Fly.”
He stretched his wings out. Grand and beautiful they were. Their thin dragon skin glowed in the setting sun. He flapped them, whump, whump, whump, and took off running.
Nath’s talons lifted from the ground.
He soared over the fields and up toward the mountains.
Zoom!
No words could describe it. There was peace. There was power. The wind lifting him higher and higher. He could see everything for miles and miles. Towns, farms, animals, people. He caught it all. He cut through the clouds. Looped. Barrel rolled. Blasted through flocks of birds. He spied a lake of crystal-clear water and glided for it, half landing, half crashing into the ground. He shook it off, strolling his great form into the waters and staring at his reflection.
The water settled, and his image became clear.
Great horns crowned his head. His eyes were living gold. The scales over his face revealed only a shade of the man he once saw in the mirror. Black scales traced in white coated his entire mammoth body.
Nath knew this much: he was all dragon.
Whump!
He turned.
Selene landed in the grass by the lake, and he said, “You meant for this?”
“I did,” she said. “You had buried deep inside you what should have come out long ago.”
“That’s why you had Kryzak try to kill me? Wanting this outcome?”
“That was one step.”
“And this was step two, you trying to kill me as well?”
“No,” she said, “I was merely trying to beat you into turning dragon. You, however, seemed determined to die. Good thing you’re tougher than you look. I had started to worry.”
Nath waded back out of the waters, drew closer to Selene, and slashed his tail across her face.
She gasped.
“Why did you—”
His gold eyes narrowed.
“Don’t you ever call me a worm again.”
EPILOGUE
Samaz’s eyes popped open. In the dungeon cell across from him, his mother and brother slept. He sighed and swallowed, mopping the sweat from his brow. The dream that woke him had been fierce. Terrible. Horror unleashed in the land.
He ran his fingers over the cold metal bars of the cell, thinking, Perhaps it’s safer within than beyond.
***
Bayzog and Ben watched a flock of dragons streak across the sky, zipping over the rooftops of Quintuklen. Their visits had been more frequent.
“That’s not a good sign, is it?” Ben said, squinting his eyes. “Even I can feel it.”
“So can I,” Bayzog said, “so can I.”
He slid his hand inside his robes and rubbed the jaxite stones. During his studies, an idea had blossomed. He was learning how to harness their power.
I will find you, Sasha. I will find you soon.
***
Brenwar sat inside the walls of Morgdon on a chair carved from stone, staring into the night sky. War Hammer rested on his lap. Home among thousands of his brethren, he’d never felt more out of place. He needed to be with Nath Dragon. Nath Dragon needed to be with him.
War in the Winds
The Chronicles of Dragon: Book 9
By Craig Halloran
CHAPTER 1
It was evening. A stiff breeze billowed the curtains of Selene’s chamber inside the highest tower of Narnum, the Free City. Alone, Nath sat on her throne, long returned to his human form. He blew a ball of fire the size of an apple into his dragon-scaled palm. After tossing the red-orange ball high in the air from one hand to the other for a few moments, he blew another ball of fire, followed by another and another—and began to juggle the four of them with ease.
Eyes wide and with exhilaration fueling his veins, he said, “I’m amazing. Simply amazing.”
The great doors popped open. Selene came in, alone. She wore a grand sleeveless white gown with symbols of Barnabus woven into it. Her arms were scaled the same as his, and she no longer wore the crown of silver leaves. Instead, her raven hair cascaded unadorned down past her shoulders. She approached with a sensuous walk and a beguiling smile on her face.
“My prince has great mastery of his flames, I see,” she said, stopping at the bottom of the dais. “It pleases me to see it.”
Nath let the fireballs drop and extinguish on the floor.
“I have you to thank for that,” he said, rising from her throne. “Please, have your seat.”
“No, you sit. I’m comfortable with you in my chair. After all, we are both dragons.”
“Then maybe we should get another chair,” he said, smiling and brushing his red hair over his shoulders.
“I like the way you think,” she said, rising up the stairs to him and giving him a brief embrace. She kissed his cheek. “I like it very much.”
“Great dragons think alike,” he said, smiling at her.
“Indeed,” she said, sitting down.
The drulture flew in from the balcony, followed by the feline fury. The winged dragon-cat prowled up the steps and nuzzled Nath. He stroked it behind the eyes and horns. Its purring was like that of a coming storm.
Nath went down the steps, took a seat at the great table, and dug into the abundance of food.
“I could eat a herd,” he said, biting off a hunk of turkey leg.
He almost always felt hungry. Selene said she’d teach him to control it. She’d been patient with him so far, saying the most difficult test wasn’t becoming a dragon, but resuming and maintaining the form of a man.
In dragon form, he had flown for hours. It had taken Selene just as many hours to coach him down out of the skies, and another week to teach him how to turn back into a man again. At first, Nath hadn’t understood the need to retake human form. But Selene said it was important to earn the trust of people, and even more, he needed to master his powers.
“When do we fly again, Selene?” he said.
“Soon,” she said, tapping her fingertips together. “I just have a few more matters to attend to, and then the open skies it is.”
“You said that last week.”
“Oh, Nath, don’t think like a person. A week is but a second for a dragon.”
This was another agonizing step in his training: patience. He’d been in the company of people most of his life. He was accustomed to moving at their pace. Selene was persistent in slowing him down and often suggested that he sleep. It made sense. There were plenty of dragons he’d known that slept years at a time, in some cases decades. Even he’d done that once already, for twenty-five years, but if he slept too long, it was possible he’d awaken with the Truce gone. For all he knew, at that point the world would come to an end.
His thoughts drifted to his friends. He missed them. I hope they are alright.
“Selene,” he said, “I’m ready to fly again now.”
“Oh,” she said, touching her hand to her chest. She gestured to the balcony. “Then by all means, transform and go.”
Nath dropped the turkey leg on the table, where it landed on the gold plate with a clank. His red brows crinkled. He’d only been in dragon form once. He hadn’t been able to resume it since. His eyes narrowed on Selene. Had she tricked him into becoming a man again so that she could control him? Did she fear his power in full form? Was he a threat to her?
“You’re too old to pout, Nath,” she said, checking her nails. “You know you can turn into a dragon, but you’re going to have to do it under your own power. Your own motivation. Not mine. It’s your body. You must control it.”
“And you said you would teach me how to control it, but you’ve been very quiet about that. If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were avoiding it.”
“And why would I do that?”
“That’s what I’m wondering.” He shrugged. “And there could be many reasons.”
“Such as?”
“Fear,” he said.
“Of what?”
“Not being able to control me.”
“I’m not controlling you now,” she said. “You decided to take the Truce to spare your friends, and you are doing well to honor that. Other than that, you have complete freedom, do you not?” She came down the steps and stood behind him, resting her hands on his shoulders. “A city full of people chant your name,” she whispered, “Nath Dragon, Dragon Prince … the Peacekeeper. The Truce Bringer.”
In spite of himself, Nath smiled.
Rubbing his shoulders deeply, she said, “Long before the Truce ends, there will be no more talk of war at all. The councils of men, elves, dwarves, orcs, and gnolls bring greetings and salutations to one another.”
He could feel the power of her grip through his scales. He leaned back into her and closed his eyes. Her voice was so soothing.
“Think about it, Nath, the last great dragon war. What if it never happens?”
“I never thought about that,” he mumbled.
“But I have,” she said. “No one would die in a war that never happened. Together, we can bring peace to the land.”
“I don’t think Gorn Grattack wants that.” He twisted his neck toward her. “Are you turning traitor?”
“I cannot say,” she said, still rubbing. “But being with you, Nath, I’ve … well, I’ve begun to think about things differently.”
“Differently how?”
“I’ve always served Gorn. Been loyal. Faithful. I’ve been one of his own. But through you, I’ve glimpsed a side of things I’ve never seen before.” She swallowed. “You have friends you care about. I’ve never had any of those. In all truth, after centuries of life, I think you are the closest thing I’ve ever had to a friend.”
“Friend, huh,” he said. “Well, if you want to be my friend, you’re going to have to take me out to fly.”
She shoved his head and laughed.
“I open my heart to you, and this is how you respond.”
Shrugging, he said, “I don’t think you have a heart, just a beating lump of coal.”
Her chuckle was wicked and delicious as she strode toward the balcony, mainly in the form of a sensuous woman. She was something. An awesome kind of something.
Standing with her back to the terrace wall, she said to him, “Watch and learn, Dragon Prince.”
Her lips moved, and the words were soft and quiet. It was an ancient form of Dragonese. Selene spoke many such things, and Nath was beginning to pick up on them. Her body
shuddered, and her flesh groaned. Two black shapes heaved up behind her back and spread out.
Nath’s eyes shone like golden moons.
Dragon wings. With a beautiful wide span. Everything else about Selene’s form was the same. She pushed herself up onto the wide ledge of the balcony and showed an enticing smile.
“You can join me,” she said, stretching out her hand. “Come and join me right now.”
Nath hesitated. He was angry. Jealous. Confused.
“You can do this, Nath,” she said. “Just focus. Envision it. Think dragon!”
He closed his eyes.
If she can do it, I can!
He felt a glimmer of dragon magic within. Calm. Dormant. Dragons had powers that no others had. Great mystic powers. Breath. Spells. Many little things. Nath’s mind probed deep within, and he tried to take command of his powers. Obey me!
Nothing stirred, without or within. His eyes opened. Selene was there beckoning for him.
“Come,” she said. “I will take you elsewhere and teach you.”
“I should be able to do this myself.”
“True,” she said, batting her wings to hover in the air. “But it even took me a long time to learn it. Remember, Nath, be patient. Dragons should always be patient.”
He sauntered over to her, long in the face.
“Come,” she said, landing on the balcony. “We all fly here: me, the fury, the drulture, and soon you as well. Now, climb up here and stand by me.”
He did. Peering down into the darkness below, he could see the lanterns glowing, making a grid through the streets. Selene clasped him behind his waist and spoke into his ear.
“Have you forgotten the exhilaration of flying so soon? It is within you. Don’t you want to do it again, like us, like even the draykis?” She squeezed him. “Surely they are no better than you.” Her wings stirred the air, and his feet lifted from the ledge. “There is nothing that I can do that you cannot do, Dragon Prince.”
Nath needed to believe that, but he was having his doubts.
“What about the words you speak?” he said. “I need to know them.”
“No, you just need to find those words within. But,” she said, soaring far from the edge, “if you think it will help, then repeat after me.”
The Chronicles of Dragon Collection (Series 1 Omnibus, Books 1-10) Page 104