We picked up speed and altitude, breaking out wide and dropping into a rapid descent. The air pierced through me like spears of ice. I couldn’t bear to keep my eyes open at that speed, so I ducked my head and tried lying flat against Phevos’s back to get out of the wind. He knew what to do. We’d practiced this maneuver hundreds of times. I trusted him.
Together, we blitzed past Vexi and crossed right in front of her, narrowly missing her with two short bursts of flame. She was forced to throw on the breaks to avoid our spray. Flapping wildly, she shrieked and shook her head.
I could tell right away something wasn’t right. Her cries didn’t sound like a dragon’s usual battle roar. She sounded frightened—as though she were in pain. Through the wind and flame, I dared to look back as she took up pursuit.
It was no saddle she wore. Whatever the Tibrans had put on her, it wasn’t only meant to make her rideable. It was meant to make her obedient. There was a bridle made of black metal fixed over her head. It fit like a muzzle with a spiked crossbar right across the back of her mouth. One jerk of the reins by the rider on her back made her squeal in pain, toss her head violently, and eventually submit.
I’d never seen such barbarism in all my life. Whoever that rider was, outfitted from head to toe in bronze Tibran armor, he had just scheduled himself to become the next pile of ashes.
Perish and Phevos darted ahead, leading Vexi away from the city, up the steep incline, and past the keep. Drawing their wings in tight, they swirled downward over the edge of the cliff where the keep was perched and plummeted toward the frozen lake below.
They flared at the last second, powerful hind legs swinging out to catch the surface of the ice in a hasty landing. Even with their claws, it was hard to get a grip on such a slick surface. They flopped clumsily, finally coming together to face off with Vexi.
She all but crashed into the lake’s surface, still fighting that muzzle and yelping every time the rider jerked the reins to make the bit pinch at her lips and tongue. She beat her head against the ice and clawed at it. Blood from her mouth stained the snow pink.
“Stop it!” I screamed.
The rider on her back ignored me. He pulled the reins tighter, forcing her to hunker down and shudder in pain while he stepped off her back onto the surface of the lake. Rather than flee, Vexi remained crouched, her scaly hide shivering. I’d never seen a dragon act like that. She was absolutely terrified of him.
With his face still obscured by a bronze helm, the rider strode toward us across the ice. My lip twitched as my hands writhed on the saddle handles. But something made me stop. Morbid curiosity, I guessed. I wanted to see who was under that helm. Another lackey? Or had Argonox himself come out to challenge us?
The rider drew his sword and pointed the tip right at me.
A challenge.
Whoever that was, his vendetta was personal.
Phevos growled in disapproval, flaring the spines along his back and bearing his teeth. I squeezed my saddle harder. It was a bad idea. In the back of my mind, I knew something wasn’t right. But how could I refuse?
I unbuckled from the saddle and dropped to the ground, landing in a crouch on the ice. The rider was only a few dozen yards away, the burning shape of the keep making a harrowing silhouette behind him against the setting sun.
“Only a coward binds a dragon that way,” I hissed as I drew my blades, spinning them over my hands as I stepped out to meet him. “Who are you? Show me your face!”
A deep, amused chuckle echoed from underneath that helm.
I stopped short, braced for a fight. Gods, why did that voice sound so familiar?
Before I could place it, the rider gripped the bottom of his helm and took it off, tossing it onto the ice between us. It skittered and scraped to a halt, the red-feathered mane whipping in the wind.
My heart stopped. My mouth opened, but nothing would come out—not even a breath. Every inch of my body locked up, paralyzed by the sneering face that stared back at me.
“Did you miss me, sister?” Aubren’s voice sounded wrong. No, it was all wrong. His expression was warped with malice and his movements were smooth and calculated. Nothing about this man apart from his face resembled my brother. All the parts of his eyes were as black as pits of hot tar. They bored into me with a harrowing emptiness that turned my stomach.
“Aubren.” I gasped. “What did they do to you?”
His mouth twitched. For a single instant, I saw his demeanor crack. A glimpse of horror, of agony—of the Aubren I knew. He was still in there somewhere.
But as quickly as it appeared, it was gone. Aubren was lost. He raised his hand toward Vexi, flexing all his fingers wide. She wailed, futilely trying to smack her head against the surface of the ice to get free of the bridle. It didn’t work. He snapped his hand closed and she let out a shattering cry, drooling a mixture of blood and burning venom as she lurched toward Phevos and Perish in a frenzy.
The dragons clashed, brawling like feral cats, and Calem was caught in the fray.
“Now, sister.” Aubren whipped his sword tauntingly. “Let’s see who made the better warrior after all.”
I didn’t want to fight him. My only consolation as I locked blades with Aubren was that this monster was not my brother anymore. He couldn’t be. I’d sparred with him many times throughout our childhood. He’d never fought like this.
Aubren struck hard and fast, his strength enough to rattle my teeth every time he brought his sword down against mine. I parried, stepping quickly to evade his blows and blurring through a mixture of dragonrider and gray elf techniques. He had me with his reach and brute force. Speed, precision, and patience would be my advantage. I dodged another wild swing, feeling the wind off his sword tip as it passed right before me, narrowly missing my cheek.
“Sloppy,” he purred. “Have you gotten lazy?”
I set my jaw. “This isn’t you, Aubren. You would never hurt me. Please stop this.”
“You know nothing about me!” He roared, diving in wildly with another fierce swing. The dark pools of his eyes had begun to leak down his face, streaking his cheeks like seeping inky tears.
Behind us, the dragons brawled. I could hear them spitting flame and snarling, their jaws snapping and claws scuffling over the surface of the ice. I wanted to look, to make sure Phevos was okay, but I couldn’t take my eyes off Aubren for a moment. As much as I wanted to believe he wouldn’t kill me, every strike spoke otherwise. He was bearing in hard, taking every opportunity to make a lunge for a deadly cut.
I dropped to a crouch and spun, hurling a swift kick upward to hit him square in the gut. He staggered back, and I ran him down with my blades swung wide for a dual assault.
Suddenly, Aubren threw his sword aside. He ripped off his gauntlet and shoved his bare hand at my chest. I saw it an instant before it happened—his hand was covered in a strange mark. It looked like a stain, as though someone had spilled black ink all over it.
The movement startled and confused me. What was he doing? I hesitated, tried to evade. Then a concussive force blew me back through the air. I hit the surface of the lake hard, cracking my head and sliding to a halt.
Lying on my back, my pulse throbbed in my ears and my whole body tingled strangely. I could still feel the force of that impact as though it were echoing through my bones. My lungs spasmed, unable to draw in a full breath.
“Pathetic. And this is to be the next Queen of Maldobar?” Aubren appeared over me, his face contorted into a venomous sneer. He planted his boot on my chest and let the tip of his blade graze my cheek, leaving a fresh cut behind before he rammed it into the ice right next to my head. He leaned down to put his hand right in front of my face. “I think not.”
“I-It’s okay, Aubren.” I struggled to wheeze. “I know this isn’t you. I know you’d never hurt me. It’s okay.”
His face twitched again, more violently than before. His nostrils flared, and his mouth skewed. His hand shook in fr
ont of me, inches from my nose. I could see the mark more clearly now. It wasn’t as random as I thought. The black splotches were designs, some sort of black pattern like a tattoo that had been stained into his skin. That had to be the reason for all of this. Argonox had done something to him.
It wasn’t his fault.
“I forgive you.” I let my eyes roll closed.
If he was going to use that power again, whatever it was, to kill me—I didn’t want to see it. I didn’t want the last thing I saw to be my brother’s face.
Not like this.
I tensed, waiting for the hammer to fall—waiting to die.
When nothing did, I dared to crack an eye open.
Aubren was still standing above me, his expression stricken with terror. Through the darkness pooling in his eyes, I caught a glimpse of him. It was like the warm cognac hue of his irises surfaced again, only for a moment. He shook his head, gritting his teeth and grimacing. His hand still shook, hovering right over my face.
He was still in there. He was fighting this.
I started to reach out for him, but a dark shape blotted out the light over us. The wind kicked up, blowing snow and bits of ice as Mavrik descended like an avenging force. He snatched Aubren in his claws and tossed him away.
The frozen surface of the lake groaned, splintering with cracks that fanned out like spider webs as the king drake landed, Turq and Haldor not far behind him. Mavrik let out a thundering cry that sent the other dragons scattering to get out of his way like naughty children. They cowered at his presence, lowering their heads with their eyes averted. Even Vexi, though she still clawed at that muzzle, trembled and turned her face away.
From Mavrik’s saddle, Jaevid called down to me. “Are you all right?”
I gave a shaking thumbs-up—a gesture that I was, in fact, still alive. My body still felt tingly and strange as I sat up, trying to figure out how I’d survived.
Quick as a shadow, a dark shape leapt down from Mavrik’s back and came bounding toward me. Phillip moved with speed and grace like an animal, his silver eyes wild and intense with worry.
“Not me.” I pointed weakly toward Aubren, who was already getting back on his feet. “Don’t let him get away!”
Aubren heard me. He hunched his shoulders, bringing that hand up again like he was about to deal another destructive blow.
Phillip didn’t give him the chance. His lips curled back over pointed incisors as his pupils narrowed to slits. A row of black spikes burst through the fabric of his tunic, rising like quills down the length of his spine.
He crossed the distance in a flash, leaping the last ten feet and landing right on Aubren, feet-first. Pinning him by standing on his shoulders, Phillip growled and lashed his tail. With his ears slicked back, his teeth were bared in a dangerous snarl.
“Watch out for his hand!” I warned as I scrambled to my feet.
Aubren was already trying that trick again, bringing his stained hand up with threatening intent. Phillip seized his wrist before he could send off another blast. He let out a deep, guttural roar as he wrenched Aubren’s arm back—the wrong way—breaking it as easily as someone might snap a toothpick.
Aubren screamed. I winced. It wasn’t the nicest thing to do, but it effectively took Aubren’s strange dark power out of play.
“What’s wrong with you? How dare you attack your own family?” Phillip roared in his face again. He must have forgotten that even without whatever magic was poisoning him, Aubren might not recognize him like this.
“It’s not his fault,” I panted as I stumbled to a halt a short distance away. “He’s not himself. Argonox has done something to him.”
Phillip’s snarl faded slightly, but he didn’t move an inch to let Aubren up. “Switchbeast venom?”
I hesitated to go any closer, keeping a healthy space between us just in case. “I don’t think so. It’s not the same. Look at his eyes.”
“This wasn’t done by switchbeast venom,” Jaevid agreed suddenly. He had dismounted and come over to look, the wind snagging in his shaggy gray hair. The instant he saw Aubren, his expression hardened, and his mouth clamped into a grim line. “This is … No. No, it can’t be.”
Suddenly, Jaevid’s face blanched as white as fishbone. His body jerked and his eyes went wide.
A monstrous noise like the bellowing of a demon made us all turn.
There was a creature perched on the top of the burning keep, wreathed in the smoke and considering us with eyes that blazed like red coals. It was a dragon—or maybe it had been, once. It didn’t seem possible for it to be living now. It was a grotesque mixture of rotting flesh, bare bleached bone, and scales as black as obsidian. Its massive wings were tattered like ragged black sails and its gaping maw was hardly more than a skull with jagged teeth the size of swords. In size it was comparable to Mavrik, the king drake.
The beast unleashed another thunderous cry and spat a plume of flame several hundred feet in the air. Mavrik recoiled with a defiant hiss, unfurling his wings and prickling all the spines and fins along his body. The rest of our dragons, however, ducked away and began to crawl together as though they were afraid, herding Vexi in their center as though to protect her.
“No,” Jaevid breathed again. “No … please, no.”
His eyes were fixed on something. I searched until I saw it, too.
There was a rider on the creature’s back—a small, almost feminine looking figure dressed in black armor that gleamed like polished onyx.
“It can’t be,” I whispered. “It’s impossible. Is that … ?”
Jaevid Broadfeather’s demeanor went completely cold. All other emotion died to fury. Rage like the coming of a hurricane smoldered in his gaze as he grasped the hilt of his scimitar and drew it. “Take the others and go to the city. Aedan and Eirik are already there. They will need your help to start evacuating.”
“But Jaevid,” I began to protest.
“Go now, Jenna.” He spoke softly as he stepped forward, his eyes blazing like two green stars. “This is my fight.”
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First of all, I’M REALLY SORRY for the cliffhanger. It’s the last one, I promise!!!
I’d like to extend a big thank you to all my readers and fans around the world who have been so supportive of and enthusiastic about the Dragonrider books! The most encouraging thing an author can hear is how their books have impacted someone or touched their heart in some way. Being able to share Jaevid’s story has certainly impacted my life, and I’m so pleased and honored to hear that it has affected so many others as well.
Thank you to my agent, Fran Black, who keeps me sane and always has my back—even from halfway around the world. Living abroad has been a challenge unlike any other, and I know that I can never thank her enough for supporting me and helping bridge that gap. From super early conference calls to middle of the night texts, she’s been there for me every step of the way. You’re amazing, Fran!
Another HUUUUUGE thank you to my beta readers and members of the Dragonrider Legion Fan Club! You guys are the best! I love that I can share all my secrets with you, and even more that you are able to keep them!
I’d also like to thank Georgia, Shannon, and the other members of the Month9Books team who work so hard to make each book the best it can be. It’s hard to comprehend how many hours of work go into each book, but it takes dedicated professionals and a sheer love of literature to make them a success!
Last but certainly not least, thank you to all the military service members who defend our nation. One of my greatest hopes for this series was to show others, through my fictional portrayal of soldiers, how it feels to fight not only for a cause, but also for the people you love. I hope I’ve been successful, but more than that, I hope I’ve honored your sacrifice and dedication to our country and its citizens.
THUNDER & PILSUNG!
NICOLE CONWAY
Nicole Conway is the author of the children’s fantasy
series, THE DRAGONRIDER CHRONICLES, about a young boy’s journey into manhood as he trains to become a dragonrider. Originally from a small town in North Alabama, Nicole moves frequently due to her husband’s career as a pilot for the United States Air Force. She received a B.A. in English from Auburn University, and will soon attend graduate school. She has previously worked as a freelance and graphic artist for promotional companies, but has now embraced writing as a full-time occupation.
Nicole enjoys hiking, camping, shopping, cooking, and spending time with her family and friends. She lives at home with her husband, two cats, and dog.
Introducing
LEGEND
Book 3 in
The Dragonriders Legacy Series
(unedited sample chapters)
Nicole Conway
PART ONE
REIGH
ONE
There’s a fine line between heroic and insanity—so fine it barely exists. Based on my experience, whether you succeeded in your mission was usually what determined on which side of that line you wound up. You succeed and you’re a hero. You fail, and you were a fool for even trying.
That said; I was in dangerously deep “insane” territory.
Granted, this wasn’t exactly a new problem for me. I couldn’t even blame Jaevid. I’d been winding up in these kinds of life and death situations long before I ever roused him from his divine slumber. The only difference now was—thanks to his explanations about my own powers and Noh giving me an impromptu tour through the horrifying secrets of my past—I had much more of an understanding of just how screwed I actually was.
It was astronomic, by the way, even by my usual standard of reckless stupidity. Storming a highly fortified tower crawling with hundreds of furious Tibran soldiers? Idiotic. Splitting up with Jaevid? Insane. Trying to rescue Aubren from this mess and get us both out alive? Impossible. Thinking I could pull this off by myself? Hah! Let’s just say, somewhere beyond the Vale, Kiran was probably rolling his eyes. If I did die this time, I was willing to bet good coin he would greet me with a smack to the face and a long lecture—which was something that made a smile tug at my lips.
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