by N. M. Howell
Safety.
Andie also experienced the emotion of her friends and the newcomers: utter shock. For centuries, the legends of the dragonborn had been in circulation—mostly as bywords or cautionary tales to scare children and delight evening parties—but never had they understood even a piece of the majesty and power that the forgotten race possessed. Before them stood warriors, priests, artists, tradesmen, and children from another time, herded from all around Noelle and captured at their weakest. But now they had returned more fearsome and shining than ever before. Andie and her friends were shocked to see the immensity of the dragons, the sheen of the armor, the scope and color of the spells, and the incalculable will of this fine and glorious people. Saeryn walked to Andie and took her hands.
“I was not born a warrior,” she began. “I was made one through many years of hard training and persistence. I had no natural talent or appetite for war or the strength in required, but it was necessary. You, however, are a born warrior. Perhaps a scholar and priestess as well. I cannot say what single gift I see, but there is potential in you which I have not seen since that time from which I came. Thank you, on behalf of my people and their families. And on behalf of our dragons. But I also thank you for myself, for it was no mean feat to retrieve us from such peril. I owe you the very air I breathe.”
And much to Andie’s surprise, Saeryn kneeled before her, still holding both of her hands.
“You don’t need to do that,” she said, nervous, flattered, and embarrassed. “I’m no queen.”
“Of course not. I am.”
Andie drained of color; it seemed unreal, unfair that a queen knelt to her. But before she could absorb the shock of Saeryn’s gesture, the rest of her people began to kneel as well. Elderly, children, warriors, everyone bent the knee to the nervous girl who’d finally accepted her herself and her place in time. The entire dragonborn race kneeled before Andie Rogers.
“It is the custom of this people to show respect to its guardians,” Saeryn said. “Make no mistake, that is what you are now. I’m afraid this pales in comparison to the rites we would normally perform, but we have not the time just now. One day we will be able to repay you.”
Saeryn rose and lifted her hand toward the ceiling. An enormous suction swept the room and seemed to gather all the air at once. It formed a flat, whistling vortex against the ceiling and as Saeryn flicked her fingers upward the vortex shot up through the ceiling. Higher and higher it went, ripping and tearing marble, stone, earth, plants, and snow until it broke into the air hundreds of feet above. The hole lead out somewhere on the mountain side far above. The dragon riders mounted the beautiful beasts and saluted Andie and her friends as they roared off into the giant hole on their journey to the sky. The adult dragonborn gathered the children and the elderly and ascended in crackling beams of purple light, some magic Andie had never known. She looked at Saeryn, confused.
“What’s happening?”
“Andie, we must go where it’s safe,” Saeryn said, the space around her beginning to glow.
“But how will I find you? What will we do here? You can’t leave me here. You can’t leave me here alone!”
“Trust your blood and you may find us whenever you need us. Fight for who you are. Never live in shame. Together we will prove to the world that we have every right to breath and know peace as the rest of the lands. We are unique from sorcerers, but we need not be seen as dangerous. Merely different. We will meet again, soon, guardian. For now, we seek asylum.”
And as the final word left her lips, Saeryn vanished. And with her the dragonborn were gone, again. Andie hadn’t even realized that she was crying. She only wished her mother had lived to see that night.
“Everyone, to me now,” Marvo called. “It’s time to tell them who we are.”
Marvo walked over to Andie to put his arm around her. He held her for a moment.
“Are you going to be okay?” he asked.
“Now that I know my people are alive... yeah, I’ll be fine,” she said, smiling.
“Good.”
The newcomers gathered around Andie, Carmen, and Yara. Andie gazed around the faces and saw people she recognized: Murakami from Leabherlann, one of the working ladies from the mess hall, even the lady she’d met in the street her first night in Arvall.
“I see you found your way home after all,” she said.
Andie saw professors she’d seen in the hall, a student or two, and the landlady from the restaurant—the middle-aged spinster who hadn’t said a word. Kristole.
“I see you recognize a few of our faces,” Marvo said. “I’m sure you remember Kristole, but what about her tattoo?”
Kristole turned around to show Andie the tattoo on the back of her neck. A hand in flames.
“Andie, cast a revealing spell on my neck,” Marvo said, turning.
She waved her hand and suddenly the same hand in flame appeared on the back of Marvo’s neck. She looked at it in awe. The other newcomers turned and Andie revealed the hand on all of their necks.
“Andie,” Marvo said, “We’re part of a secret society of allies to the dragonborn. We don’t have a name, though we have from time to time been known as the Council. We’re made up of outcasts; some of us are purely human, like myself, but almost all of us have sorcerer’s magic, but chose to refine it by natural means rather than be brainwashed by the University. I know you’ve never heard of us and that’s because we’ve stayed hidden for centuries, passing our secrets on to our children so they could be ready to fight when the time came. This is a big day for both you and us. Our ancestors fought for your people. I’m sorry that they lost, but I’m overjoyed that we succeeded. For a very long time the University led the persecution of the dragonborn and their descendants, but we’ve been working on that, too. From the shadows, we’ve gained influence and spread a desire for peace. There’s a quiet, but growing push against the University and every hateful policy it seeks to uphold. Your father was at the forefront of that.”
For once, Andie wasn’t shocked. She knew what kind of man her father was and how much good he was capable.
“The University found out,” Marvo continued. “That’s why they caused your father’s accident. To corrupt his memory and take him away from the vanguard. But don’t be afraid. We’re going to help you and your people reunite and stand for the justice that never should have been denied you. And I can promise you one thing,” he said, taking her shoulders. “You are free to be everything you always were.”
Marvo hugged her and Andie looked over his shoulder to see all the encouraging and smiling faces of the newcomers. “So, this is finally it,” she said quietly to herself as she pulled away from Marvo’s kind embrace. “The life and the friends and the future I always wanted.” Marvo let her go and Andie hurried over to Raesh. He was still unconscious, but the wound hadn’t opened again. If they could get him to a doctor soon, he would be just fine.
“Stay with him while we check to make sure it’s safe to leave,” Marvo said, cocking his gun. “This place is full of dragon-hating sorcerers who just heard this battle echoing through the halls.”
Andie nodded and took Raesh up into her arms again. Marvo and about half of the newcomers took off into the hallway and then up into Leabherlann. The rest of the newcomers combed the room looking for survivors and tending to their wounds. Carmen and Yara dropped down next to Andie. Carmen took one look at Raesh and started crying, holding her hand to his face.
“He’ll be fine, Carmen, I promise,” Andie said. “We just need to get him to a healer. I’ve done all I can for now, but a healer will fix him completely.”
“He should never have been here,” Carmen said through her tears. “This is all the University’s fault. They’ll answer for the things they’ve done.”
“And we’ll be the ones to ensure that,” Yara said, reaching out to comfort Carmen and reaching the other hand out the Andie. “We won’t leave you, Andie. I promise. Through fire and storm and battle, we’ll stand by you.”
“And I’ll need you,” Andie said, softly stroking Raesh’s hair. “All my people will need you. The University has no idea the hell it just brought down on itself. I think that with the right words and a little patience we can reason with the rest of Noelle. I’ll go to them, just as I am, and show them that we’re not dangerous or evil, and that all we want is the peace they stole for themselves. But the University must pay. We’ll show them no mercy, give them no advantage. The land has had too many cycles of hate and prejudice. Now we’ve turned the tide.”
Andie held Yara’s hand, Yara held Carmen’s, and Carmen touched Raesh as Andie held him. A bond was struck then and there, a pact of loyalty harder than steel. Andie looked up.
“There’ll be no corner in this world where they can hide.”
Afterword
Thank you so much for taking the time to read Marked by Dragon’s Blood. I truly hope you enjoyed it! If you liked the book, please consider leaving a review. As an indie author, reviews and word of mouth are essential in sharing my work with new readers.
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Thanks for reading!
xox Nikko
Also by N. M. Howell
Marked by Dragon’s Blood
Winter Reign: Rise of the Winter Queen
Brimstone Bay Mysteries:
Murder Any Witch Way
Witch Way to Hallows’ Bay
Bewitch You a Merry Christmas
About the Author
N.M. Howell is an author, publisher, and all-around nerd from the West Coast of Canada. She has an obsession with coffee, spicy food, and the rain, and she absolutely hates sleeves! (Seriously, they’re like little fabric prisons.) When not working on her latest book - or latest ten books, more realistically - she spends her time working on her Master’s Thesis and fighting with her micro-wolf pup over who gets the best spot on the couch. Hint: the dog wins.
To find N.M. Howell Online:
@nikk0marie
nmhowellbooks
www.nmhowell.com
[email protected]