Burned: Dragons' Trust Book 2

by Krista Wayment

  Lainey watched them go. When they were alone she faced Renick. "His burns are so bad. The worst I've ever … what if I can't …"

  Renick stopped her with a raised hand. "Lainey, you can do anything."

  She nodded, confidence rising in her expression. Lainey reached out a shaking hand and brushed it along Thane's left arm, leaving a trail of faint light. She let out a puff of air when she was finished and then repeated the action on his other arm. This time her hand was not shaking as much. The afterglow of her magic faded just as Melatheen and Grahm returned.

  "Here you go, dear." Melatheen pressed a cup into Lainey's hand, holding the contact for just a moment longer than necessary. Their eyes met, and Renick felt like maybe they were doing that thing where girls talk to each other without words. He wondered if it worked like dragon speak.

  Lainey sipped at the water and then set the still half-full cup on a nearby table. "Thank you. Um … could I …"

  "Lainey, anything you want, it's yours. Just tell me." Melatheen said.

  "Could I have something to eat? I'm famished."

  With a smile her aunt retreated to the kitchen to prepare her a meal. This time Grahm lingered in the back of the room, silently watching Lainey.

  Renick reached out and touched Lainey's arm before she could turn back to Thane. "Lainey, be careful. Go slow. People will notice if Thane's recovery is too quick."

  She shook her head. "He got hurt trying to save me. I won't let him suffer any longer. Let them think it's my aunt's healing skill. Or Thane's constitution. They can even say it was a miracle. I don't care." Something in the look on her face killed the arguments Renick had lined up in his head. Nothing would change her mind now. He stepped back and did not interfere any further.

  Lainey placed both her hands on Thane's chest. The light leaked out from between her fingers and the gaps in the bandages as her healing magic seeped into Thane's wounds. When she pulled away, her shoulders slumped down and her breathing was heavy.

  Renick and Grahm moved to help her, but she waved them away. Placing her hands gently on either side of Thane's face, she finished her task. Nothing that Renick could see changed. But he knew that underneath all those bandages, Thane was better.

  With a limp hand Lainey motioned toward her cup on the table. Renick fetched it for her and she finished it in a few gulps.

  Grahm walked over and sat on the other side of Thane's bed. He carefully unwrapped some of the bandages covering his young charge's hand. After inspecting it and running his fingers over the unblemished skin, Grahm looked up at Lainey. "This is a remarkable gift you have, young lady."

  Lainey gripped the empty dragon stone necklace. She smiled sadly. "It came at great cost. And I promised to use it well."

  Grahm reached a hand across and squeezed Lainey's. "Today you've used it well, indeed."

  Thane moaned and tossed his head, and everyone turned their attention to him.

  Melatheen entered with a tray of cold meat and cheese complete with plates and drinks for all of them. She took one look at Thane, handed the tray to Renick, and pushed Grahm out of his seat. "When did he start stirring?"

  "Just now," Lainey answered.

  Melatheen felt Thane's forehead and listened to his breathing. "He doesn't sound pained." Her eyes fell on the unwrapped hand. She stared at it for a moment and her eyes flickered to her niece and back down again. "Perhaps he isn't in pain anymore. Lainey, help me with these bandages."

  Together the two women carefully unwrapped Thane's head, which showed no mark of the severe burns he had only the day before. As if she could not help herself, Melatheen reached out and touched Lainey's arm. Renick knew Lainey had not told her aunt about her powers. It was something she regretted every day. But Renick wondered if Melatheen had not guessed a little of it by now.

  Thane's eyes opened and he turned to find Lainey's face. "Lainey," his voice sounded raw and sore. "You're safe."

  "Shh." She held out her hand to Renick who just shrugged. Lainey gave him a look that said he should know what she wanted. Renick realized that he was still holding the tray and picked up one of the water glasses. Lainey smiled at him when he handed it to her. With practiced hands she lifted Thane's head and pressed the cup to his lips. Thane took eager, greedy gulps of water.

  Renick placed the tray on a table next to Thane's bed.

  Lainey turned to put the empty glass back on the tray. Thane grabbed her wrist and when she looked back said, "I'm sorry."

  Her familiar giggle filled the room. "Silly Thane, you don't have anything to be sorry for."

  "I couldn't save you."

  "You came for me," Lainey insisted. "That's all that matters."

  The five of them talked about the adventure of facing the dragon for several hours. Renick was careful to leave out any details that would give away too much. He was pleased to see that Grahm followed his lead. Once all the food from the tray had been consumed, Melatheen went to deposit it back in the kitchen.

  "So you know?" Thane asked Grahm as soon as she was out of the room.

  Grahm nodded grimly. "It's a heavy secret you three share. I'm glad to shoulder some of the burden with you."

  "What do you think Wrytha will say?" Lainey wondered out loud.

  Renick shrugged. "We'll have to wait and see when we introduce her to Grahm." The look on the older man's face was somewhere between awe and terror.

  "Don't worry," Thane said with a smile, "she won't eat you."

  Chapter 32: All is Well

  Two days later the four of them sat in a clearing waiting for Wrytha. She had been very sparing with her communication since Folgyn's death, insisting that Lainey rest and regenerate after healing Thane. Renick was not sure what to expect from Wrytha. Plyth's reaction was predictable. He would welcome Grahm into their little group and probably trample all of them in excitement. But Folgyn, one of the Dragon Kind, was dead, and Renick had divulged the secret of their existence to another human. He could not imagine what Wrytha would say.

  Lainey laughed. "Plyth's coming."

  Renick closed his eyes and realized he could feel it too. The young dragon was exuding so much happiness and excitement that it rushed over Renick in waves. Not long after, they saw Plyth's gray-blue form gliding through the air.

  "Friends!" he squealed as he landed.

  Thane was licked practically from head to toe while Renick was knocked to the ground and almost crushed to death. Plyth was gentler with Lainey. He simply rubbed his head against her stomach. "Good to be home." He was practically purring.

  "Welcome back," Lainey said, mirth dancing in her eyes.

  Wrytha's entrance was calmer and more elegant. And in some ways—more frightening.

  Grahm took a step backward as she descended and filled almost the entire clearing. Wrytha chuckled. "You are impressed, young one?"

  "Me, young? No. But I am impressed," Grahm answered without hesitation.

  The white dragon shook with laughter again; it rippled down her neck and along her tail. "You are young compared to me and many of my kin. But we will get to the matter of your presence later. Thane-Brave, Lainey-Kind, Renick-Trusted, it is good to see you all well."

  Thane leaned closer to Grahm. "Those are our dragon names, courtesy of Plyth here."

  Plyth lifted his head from where it rested in Lainey's lap and nodded.

  "I know," Grahm said.

  "It's good to see you and Plyth as well, Wrytha. How did things go in the dragon court?" Renick swallowed nervously.

  "All is well. Folgyn's name has been Stricken from the dragon hall. The Inner Circle will let his death pass without retribution. You did well." Wrytha told them.

  Renick was relieved.

  Lainey sighed. "That's good. But it's still a shame he had to die."

  Wrytha tilted her head sadly. "I know. But he was mad, and it was the only way to stop him. What became of his heart stone?"

  "He gave it to me." As Renick spoke he pulled the heart stone from his pocket.
It still glowed a little, but not as brightly as it had before.

  Wrytha pulled her head back in surprise. "And you did not take its power?"

  Renick shook his head. "I … couldn't." A sense of understanding filled his mind. The wave of emotion from Wrytha was so comforting that Renick buried himself in it. Wrytha knew his reasoning without him having to find the words to explain it. If only all humans could learn to communicate the way dragons did.

  "Fear not, you did well."

  "But what should we do with it?" Renick asked.

  "Eat it," Plyth offered, to which everyone laughed.

  "Folgyn showed me how to destroy it, but I didn't understand." At Renick's words, Wrytha's head turned to face him.

  "That knowledge was thought to have been lost. Show me."

  Renick recalled the images Folgyn had sent him, of the yellow light consuming the green. He opened his mind and let Wrytha see them too.

  "Ah, so simple," Wrytha said when he was done. "Lainey, you must fill the heart stone with your magic."

  Lainey stood.

  "Renick, place the stone on the ground."

  Renick obeyed Wrytha's instructions. He found a flat spot with no grass and laid the stone there. Lainey moved to stand over it. Plyth protested the loss of his pillow before moving to give Grahm a closer inspection.

  "Begin."

  Lainey held her hand above the stone, keeping it parallel to the ground. A small thread of yellow light fell from her palm and drifted toward the stone. "This is awkward," she admitted.

  "You must force your magic into the stone—it will not accept it willingly."

  Once the light of Lainey's magic touched the stone, it flared brighter than it had ever been before. Lainey's brow furrowed, but her light did not waver. It plunged into the stone, swirling and mixing with the green light. Finally the last speck of green was gone and the stone shone yellow.

  Then it shattered. Tiny pieces of hard bone billowed out in a small cloud before settling into the grass like dust.

  "There, it is done," Wrytha said with a heavy sigh. "Folgyn Darkwing is gone, and nothing of his magic remains. Now," she turned to Grahm. "We must deal with you."

  Grahm stood and seemed unsure of what to do. He was bent forward a little as if he intended to bow, but he also had one hand on his sword. It was a comical position.

  Thane stepped up to make the introduction. "Wrytha Whitewing, this is Grahm Vellentine, my friend and protector. Grahm, this is Wrytha Whitewing of the …"

  Wrytha drew herself up to her full height. "Of the Seventh Circle of the Dragon Kind. Pleased to meet you." She bowed her head in greeting.

  Grahm returned the bow. "I'm pleased as well. Forgive me my awkwardness, but I've never met someone quite as stunning as you."

  Wrytha laughed. "I like this one."

  "Honored," Plyth said, as if he had just decided something.

  "Well, Grahm-Honored, it seems you have been dragon named, just like your young friends here. I suppose that means you must be marked and accepted into their circle."

  Grahm turned to Thane, confused.

  "We'll explain it all later," Lainey said.

  "Wait, you mean it's okay I told him?" Renick blurted out.

  Wrytha bobbed her head. "Yes. You were in great need, and I have a feeling that the dragon magic in your mark confirmed the choice?"

  Renick nodded.

  "Just be careful who you trust. Humans are very good at hiding their true intentions. I can see that Grahm's heart is good and pure. Thane-Brave would not trust him if it were not so."

  "Wise words," Grahm said with a nod.

  Lainey asked timidly, "What about my aunt?"

  Something passed between Lainey and Wrytha that they kept hidden from Renick. The exchange was brief, but it had a profound effect on both the girl and the dragon. At the end, Lainey wiped a tear from her eye and Wrytha sighed.

  "Share your healing gift with her. I suspect, as you do, that she already knows a little." Wrytha bent her head close to Lainey and said very softly—like a mother speaking to a child—"I will not forbid you to share our secret with her. I only admonish you to use wisdom in your decision of if and when you do."

  Lainey nodded. "Thank you."

  Thane reached over and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

  Wrytha turned to face Grahm. "Now, let's make you official. Grahm-Honored, please hold out your arm and roll up your—" She turned to look at Renick for help.

  "Sleeve," he offered.

  "—sleeve."

  Grahm did as he was asked. Wrytha bent down and breathed on Grahm's right forearm, just below the elbow. A silver light traced an unfamiliar dragon rune along Grahm's skin while he gazed on, mesmerized.

  "Grahm-Honored, you are now marked as Trusted of the Dragon Kind. None of us will harm you. Though, I warn you, not all of us will trust you. Protect these three—they are precious to me and Plyth and many others."

  Grahm placed his fist over his heart and bowed to her. "I pledge to keep them and your secret safe."

  "And if some day you find yourself in the hall of the dragons, we must make sure your name is Spoken."

  "Spoken?" Grahm said.

  Thane patted him on the back. "It's a long story."

  Epilogue

  "Horrin, you have failed me—again!" The raspy voice of The Autarch snaked through the darkness.

  Horrin could not see the familiar skeletal figure in the dim torchlight of the chamber. But he could feel the pulsing power that always accompanied his presence. Horrin knew he was there, watching him with immortal eyes. He stepped forward and faced his master with defiance. "I was trying to be discrete. But that foolish boy beat me to it."

  "Boy? What boy?"

  A feeling of unease started to eat away at Horrin's confidence. He swallowed hard before replying, "The one from the forest."

  "What?" The Autarch's question echoed off the stone walls at an unnatural volume. The columns forming two rows down the chamber's center shook, and dust fell from the roof like rain. "You disappoint me."

  Horrin's blood ran cold. His strength and resolve vanished, replaced by fear and a desire to run. His feet shifted as if they would leave without his approval. The sound of a pebble scraping against the stone floor betrayed him. Running would show weakness, and if he was to leave this room alive, he had to stand firm. "I can stop him."

  The Autarch laughed. A bone-chilling, heart-stopping death sentence. The sound lanced through Horrin's head.

  "How? The young boy seems to be far more intelligent than you are," The Autarch hissed.

  The insult landed hard, and Horrin ground his teeth to silence a sharp reply. "I know his weakness."

  For a long time The Autarch was silent. Horrin waited, his legs and arms going numb from the effort of holding still.

  "You have one more chance. Stop this boy and his friends and find me a heart stone! I am running short on time!"

  The End

  About the Author

  Krista Wayment has been making up stories since she learned to talk. Writing naturally grew out of that. Krista is an avid Fantasy and Science Fiction fan, and a total nerd. She is also a software engineer and loves playing video games. Although, curling up with a good book is still one of her favorite past times.

  Learn more at www.kristawayment.com and www.dragonstrust.com

  Acknowledgements

  I would like to start by thanking everyone that made Dragons' Trust Book 1: Trusted a success, including the readers and fans. Nothing helps inspire me to write more than knowing that there is someone waiting to read.

  No acknowledgements would be complete without a big shout out to the online writing community in general and specifically my iWriteNetwork and Author's Think Tank friends. You provide a wealth of knowledge and advice that helped to shape this book.

  Thank you to my critique partners and beta readers: Laura D. Bastian, Holli Anderson, and Nanette O'Neal. I owe much to my editor Starla Butler who found all the err
ant commas and put them straight. And to my brother David who is very excellent at finding typos. For that matter my whole family has helped to encourage and inspire me. Thanks guys.

  A special thanks to my super fans: Charlotte Smith and her daughter Elana, and Gwen and her daughter Millie. You inspire me.

  To anyone I may have forgotten while my head was filled with dragons—thank you for everything.

  Last, but certainly not least, I would like to thank my husband—who gave me the push to publish in the first place and joined in celebrating all my successes and always made sure I kept going.

  Without all of you Burned would never have come to be. Thanks and I'm looking forward to going through this journey with you again.