“Honestly?” Ryven shrugged. “I’m not any more nervous or worried than any other mission. The unknown enemy just means we need to be cautious more than ever.”
“Agreed. I will take the first landing party and leave Thorin in charge. Assemble your best warriors and send me a message when they’re ready. I want to talk with them and instill bravery beforehand.”
In a rare sign of emotion, Ryven gripped Kason’s bicep. “Bravery is all well and fine, but if there is a monster we can’t defeat, promise you’ll pull back. Earning your father’s praise isn’t worth your life.”
“I’m a little insulted at your implication. I wouldn’t be a general in my own right if I lived by foolish displays of machismo.”
Ryven studied him a second before adding, “Just because you’re a general now doesn’t mean you have to talk like one with me.”
Kason remembered their childhood days, before they’d both been put on the path of a warrior. Kason and Ryven had pulled pranks on their siblings and had reveled in coming up with stupid competitions, such as who could reach the top of a rock face first in freezing temperatures or who could capture a poisonous shimmer fly with nothing but their fingers.
But neither of them were boys anymore. Displaying emotion changed the color of the rune-like markings on their bodies, which exposed weakness. Warriors couldn’t afford to show any weakness. It was one of the reasons higher-ranked officers weren’t allowed to take wives, not even if they found one of their potential destined brides; the females would become easy targets.
Not that Kason cared. A wife would do nothing to prove his worth as a soldier to his father, the king. On top of that, being a warrior was all Kason knew. Giving it up would take away his purpose.
Pushing aside thoughts of his father and his future, Kason motioned toward the door. “Go and select the best soldiers to assist with the landing party. I have my own preparations to see to.”
“I’ll go if you promise one thing.”
“What?”
“You allow me to be part of the landing party.”
Kason shook his head. “I can’t. In the event of my death, I need you here.”
“Thorin is your second and will assume command. Give me the honor of protecting you and the others during the mission.”
Deep down, in the place where Kason locked up any emotion, a small flicker of indecision flashed. Ryven was more Kason’s brother than his real-life brother, Keltor.
Yet to contain Ryven on the ship would be like a slap in the face; the honor of protecting a prince such as Kason was the highest form of trust to one of the Kelderan people.
Locking down his emotions, Kason followed his logical brain. “You may attend. But on-planet, you become a soldier. I can’t treat you as my friend.”
Ryven put out a hand and Kason shook it to seal their agreement. “I’m aware of protocol. I teach it day in and day out. But I will be the best damned soldier of the group. And if it comes to it, I will push you out of the way to protect your life.”
Kason released his friend’s hand. “I won’t let it come to that.”
“Good. When shall we rendezvous?”
Glancing at the small screen projecting an image of the multicolored planet, he answered, “Nine hours. That will give all of us a chance to sleep before performing the prebattle ritual. You can lead the men through their meditation and warm-up maneuvers after that.”
Ryven nodded. “I’ll see you then.”
The trainer exited the room, and Kason turned toward his private viewing screen to study the planet rumored to host the most feared monster in the region. One that had supposedly taken hundreds of men’s lives over the years. The story was always the same—a small contingent of men disappeared from any group that landed on the surface. No one remembered how they were captured or if they were even alive. Anytime a second party landed, a few more would be taken.
Over time, the planet had earned a reputation. Even the most adventure-seeking ruffians had stayed away.
However, Kason dismissed it as folklore. Whatever was on that planet, he wouldn’t allow it to defeat him or his men. Kason would bring honor to his family with a victory. He also hoped to give his people the gift of a new planet. Keldera was overpopulated, and its resources were stretched beyond the limit. The Kelderans desperately needed a new colony and hadn’t been able to locate one that was suitable. The planet on the view screen showed all the signs of being a near-perfect fit.
Even if the fiercest monster in existence resided on that planet, Kason wouldn’t retreat from an enemy. Death was an accepted part of being a Kelderan soldier.
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The Conquest is now available on Amazon // Amazon UK // Amazon AU // Amazon CA // Amazon DE.
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Books by Jessie Donovan
Asylums for Magical Threats
Blaze of Secrets (AMT #1)
Frozen Desires (AMT #2)
Shadow of Temptation (AMT #3)
Flare of Promise (AMT #4)
Whirlwind of Change (AMT #5 / TBD)
Cascade Shifters
Convincing the Cougar (CS #0.5)
Reclaiming the Wolf (CS #1)
Cougar’s First Christmas (CS #2)
Resisting the Cougar (CS #3)
Kelderan Runic Warriors
The Conquest (KRW #1)
The Barren (KRW #2 / Aug 24, 2017)
Lochguard Highland Dragons
The Dragon’s Dilemma (LHD #1)
The Dragon Guardian (LHD #2)
The Dragon’s Heart (LHD #3)
The Dragon Warrior (LHD #4)
Stonefire Dragons
Sacrificed to the Dragon (SD #1)
Seducing the Dragon (SD #2)
Revealing the Dragons (SD #3)
Healed by the Dragon (SD #4)
Reawakening the Dragon (SD #5)
Loved by the Dragon (SD #6)
Surrendering to the Dragon (SD #7)
Cured by the Dragon (SD #8)
Aiding the Dragon / Aaron Caruso and Teagan O’Shea (SD #9 / May 18, 2017)
Author’s Note
Thanks for reading Faye and Grant’s story. Some of you might’ve been surprised at Finn and Arabella’s side story, but rather than make poor Arabella past her due date, I let her have her babies on time! I hope to have a follow-up novella for Finn and Arabella later and you’ll see a bit more of how their life is going. As for Faye and Grant, their baby will come eventually. I didn’t end the book with them having their baby because keeping track of the various pregnancies and guessing where the story will be at that time is difficult. Besides, it should be more fun to watch Faye and Grant as she becomes the “chubby dragon” she mentioned in the story, lol. Also, the storyline regarding the dragon-shifter traitors will be picked up in Aiding the Dragon (Stonefire Dragons #9).
Oh, and for those wondering, yes, Cat and Lachlan will have a story of their own. :) Alistair Boyd, too, as he’s one of the most requested for Lochguard, but his will be a little while yet.
As ever, I thank not only my readers but also the people who help make this book a reality:
Clarissa Yeo of Yocla Designs does all of my covers and is simply amazing.
Becky Johnson of Hot Tree Editing is fantastic and she really pushed me with Faye and Grant. Their story would’ve been lacking without her.
My beta readers, Donna H., Iliana G., and Alyson S. are also vital when it comes to the final product. Not only do they catch any lingering typos, they also point out the minor inconsistencies only a dedicated fan would notice.
Thanks again for reading. All of the MacKenzies now have their happy endings, but there are still many more stories to tell on Lochguard. Until next time, happy reading!
About the Author
Jessie Donovan wrote her first story at age five, and after discovering The Dragonriders of Pern series by Anne McCaffrey in junior high, she realized people actually wanted to read stories like
those floating around inside her head. From there on out, she was determined to tap into her over-active imagination and write a book someday.
After living abroad for five years and earning degrees in Japanese, Anthropology, and Secondary Education, she buckled down and finally wrote her first full-length book. While that story will never see the light of day, it laid the world-building groundwork of what would become her debut paranormal romance, Blaze of Secrets. In late 2014, she officially became a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author.
Jessie loves to interact with readers. When not reading a book or traipsing around some foreign country on a shoestring, she can often be found on Facebook either on her Author Page or in her Fan Group.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the writer’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
The Dragon Warrior
Copyright © 2017 Laura Hoak-Kagey
Mythical Lake Press, LLC
First Digital Edition
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner without the express written permission of the author except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Cover Art by Clarissa Yeo of Yocla Designs
ISBN: 978-1942211464
The Dragon Warrior (Lochguard Highland Dragons Book 4) Page 26