Dragon Red: A Fire Unfed (The Dragonlords of Xandakar Book 2)

by Macy Babineaux

  Kal stood up on his hind legs, bent down, then launched into the air. He headed for a gap in the canopy directly overhead, but the span of his wings was massive. They flew upwards as he felt the leathery tips slapping against the foliage. There was a lot of cracking and popping as small limbs snapped around them.

  The ground fell away, the bright light of the sun above growing closer. He could feel her grip tighten around his neck, her legs bracing themselves against his back.

  Then they were up and out, soaring straight up above the canopy. Over the sound of the rushing wind, he heard Thalia gasp.

  He felt a little like gasping himself. The tops of the trees formed a sea of bright green, stretching as far as he could see. Perhaps in his past life he had flown above a forest, perhaps even this very one. But he could not remember such a sight. Even if he had, it was as if he were seeing it for the first time. And it was quite a sight to behold.

  Thalia said something, but he couldn’t hear.

  “What?” he said, flapping his wings to hover in place.

  “It’s beautiful,” she yelled.

  He felt his new face curve into a smile. Yes, he thought. It is, isn’t it?

  He hovered for a minute more, allowing them both to enjoy the view. The sun was bright in the cloudless sky, the light pouring down on the swaying leaves.

  Kal craned his head to look in all directions. From this high up he could see the flat plains far to the south and the white expanse leading into snow-capped mountains to the north. He knew the Emerald Isle was back the way he had come, though he didn’t know how he knew.

  He turned as slowly as he could so that they were facing west. Then he beat his wings harder and flew.

  At first he thought Thalia was screaming, that something had gone terribly wrong. But then he realized she was squealing with delight and laughing.

  They flew west, covering all the ground that had taken him days on foot. Before long he saw the edge of the forest leading into rolling green hills. He saw a herd of some animal far below, though he could not tell what they were.

  “Look!” Thalia yelled.

  Kal raised his head and saw the towering outline of a tree ahead. He had thought that the ironroot tree was tall, but it would be dwarfed beneath the massive tower of wood and leaves growing up from the earth before them.

  “The One Tree,” Thalia said.

  Yes, there was nothing else it could be.

  It rose up out of a giant hill. The base of the trunk seemed to be an extension of the earth, rising to the edge of the sky itself. The branches were massive, filled with leaves, but also structures. He saw rooftops, tents, and rope bridges spanning between them. The whole thing was one enormous city, a world unto itself.

  The owls lived there.

  Best to take a wide berth around that place, Kal thought. They were magic-wielders, and he wasn’t sure how they might react to a big red dragon approaching without any warning. They might take it as an act of aggression. They almost certainly had some sort of defenses, magic or otherwise.

  So he banked to the left, adjusting their flight to take a nice wide path around the tree that scraped the sky. He was eager to find this mysterious lagoon, to swim in its waters, and to regain his memories and identity. But he didn’t want any entanglements along the way.

  His plan was to fly over the range of mountains that separated the desert lands of the Wildfires from the swamps ruled by the Nightshadows. Then from the Western coast they would fly across the water that separated the mainland of Xandakar from the Emerald Isle.

  He craned his head around to see Thalia clutching his neck, the wind rippling her hair and dress, a euphoric look on her face.

  “Are you all right back there?” he asked.

  She yelled back at him: “I’ve never been more all right in my life.”

  9: Thalia

  It was true. She had never felt more alive.

  She clung to Kal’s neck, her fingers tucked just under the scales on either side. The wind whipped all around her, but the sun beat down on them, heating his red plating and keeping her warm.

  Seeing her forest from above the treetops had been amazing. But one sight topped another as they flew. The One Tree was like something out of a dream, and improbably enormous tower of wood and leaves rising all the way to the heavens. She had heard stories, but no telling could compare to the seeing.

  And now they veered left to fly around the great tree. She didn’t ask why. She thought she understood. The way might take them longer, but the owls might view him as a threat. Better to avoid the place altogether. Though she had to admit she was disappointed. She would love to walk among those giant branches, a city unto itself.

  She would have to merely satisfy herself with seeing the Scorched Mountains, the blue waters of the western seas, and the wonders of the Emerald Isle.

  She found herself smiling from ear to ear, unable to stop. If someone had told her two days ago that she would be riding a dragon westward, she would have thought them mad. She would also have thought she might be afraid of the prospect. But now that it was actually happening, she felt nothing but pure exhilaration. This felt like exactly where she wanted to be.

  Careful, she thought. This really was happening, but it might never again. She had been delighted when Kal told her he was taking her with him, but she tried to temper her excitement. Once he regained him memories, he would know he was a true Wildfire. He might want nothing to do with her. But even this thought couldn’t put a damper on the sheer joy she felt soaring through the sky on the back of a red dragon.

  The time flew as well. She had no idea how much had passed, but soon the landscape shifted. She saw the jagged red peaks of the Scorched Mountains, white sands stretching far to the north, while the lands to the south lay shrouded in a heavy fog.

  Thalia knew that beneath the dense mist was a massive swamp, the place where the black dragons dwelled. Looking across the dark lands was the first thing to put a dent in her mood. She shivered, the hair along her arms standing on end. There was something both frightening and foul about what dwelled in that swamp. She could feel it.

  But she was getting exactly what she had always dreamed of, to see the world. She had not wanted to pay such a heavy price, and never would have dreamed it would happen this way. But the experience was nearly more than she could handle.

  They must have flown for hours, but time rushed by like the wind in her face, and she was surprised to already see the coast up ahead. The mountains turned to hills, the land flattening out into rocky beaches. The ocean was bluer than in her dreams, the white foam of the waves lapping against the surf.

  A new kind of thrill filled her as they flew out across the water. She imagined herself loosening her grip, sliding from Kal’s neck, and falling straight down into the expanse of pure blue. But she didn’t loosen her grasp, not even a little.

  “Look.” Kal spoke for the first time in what must have been hours. She felt the rumble of his voice beneath her as much as she heard it. Thalia looked up, not thinking any new sight could surprise her any more than the ones she had already seen. But she was wrong.

  On the horizon of blue lay a giant mass of land covered with vibrant green jungle from end to end. Hartglade Forest had been filled with many beautiful sights. But her eyes now feasted on colors she didn’t know could exist.

  Well, she thought. They certainly could not have chosen a truer name. The island was like a massive green jewel embedded in a field of blue.

  “It’s incredible,” she yelled.

  “We’ll land on the near beach,” Kal said. “We can rest and perhaps find something to eat. Then we can begin our search for the lagoon.”

  Thalia hadn’t even realized she was hungry until he mentioned food. Her stomach rumbled at the thought. Landing was a good idea, but not just for the food. They had the same issue as with the One Tree. The dragon clans were meant to be in a state of peace. But the Emerald Isle was home to the green dragons, and they might not
appreciate a red dragon soaring above their jungle tops unannounced.

  As it turned out, they would never make it to the beach.

  As if in answer to these thoughts, Kal spoke again, and urgency in his deep voice. “Someone’s coming.”

  She looked straight ahead. At first she didn’t see anything. She scanned the horizon, and then she saw them coming towards them from the right.

  She saw two large green bodies side-by-side in the sky. As she watched, their wings stretched out and flapped in unison. Dragons, flying straight for them.

  Thalia tensed, digging her fingers deeper under Kal’s scales. Her stomach twisted in fear. Had they really flown all this way, covering nearly the length of Xandakar in half a day, just to be blasted out of the sky by the dragons of the Emerald Isle?

  Surely they wouldn’t just attack without provocation. Unless simply flying towards their home was considered provocation. Thalia wracked her brain to try to remember what how the relationship stood between the red and green dragons. The rabbitfolk heard bits and pieces of the wars and alliances in the greater world, but mostly they didn’t bother themselves. Some liked to listen and tell of such news voraciously, as if following the stories of the gods. But the affairs of the dragonlords usually didn’t impact their day-to-day lives, so most just didn’t care. The most important thing was that for the first time in a long while there was peace. The owls had helped broker and maintain it, and that was good for everyone.

  That didn’t mean every clan loved each other. She knew that between some factions, emotions ran deep. She just couldn’t remember what the emotions were between the Wildfires and the Tanglevines.

  “Hold tight,” Kal said. “Everything will be fine.”

  She wasn’t so sure those words were true, but she appreciated them nonetheless.

  As the green dragons drew closer she could see they were huge, though neither was nearly as big as Kal. Still, she didn’t like the odds. The other thing she couldn’t remember was what came out of a green dragon’s mouth when it decided to attack you. Poison? Acid?

  She realized she didn’t really know much at all about them. They were on an island far from the mainland of Xandakar, after all. And perhaps they kept to themselves.

  As the green dragons drew closer, they made a wide circle behind her and Kal. Then they came up behind them, then along either side.

  Up close they were impressive creatures, their scales a deep jade, shimmering in the sunlight. They were both beautiful and terrifying, mostly because Thalia had no idea what their intentions were or what they were capable of.

  The one on the right turned its head to look at them, its yellow reptilian eyes expressionless.

  “You will follow us,” it said, and Thalia was surprised to hear that its voice sounded female, though still deep and resonant.

  “We were simply going to land there on the beach,” Kal said. “We have flown a long way to get here.”

  The bright, serene eyes of the dragon merely looked at them. More precisely, Thalia felt as if the dragon were looking directly at her.

  “You will follow us,” it said again, no change in its voice. The dragon turned its head to look forward again.

  “I suppose we’re following them,” Kal said.

  Thalia didn’t like this, but she supposed she liked it better than just being blasted out of the sky. The reception had been chilly and demanding, but not outright hostile.

  The green dragons flew on either side of them. When they turned, Kal turned. She wondered if he had thought about either trying to fight or run. Both would be nearly impossible with her exposed, sitting on his back and clinging to his neck. For the first time she wondered if coming along with him was a bad idea. Because he wanted to protect her, he could be letting the green dragons lead them to imprisonment or death. She might have endangered both their lives.

  But Kal certainly didn’t seem worried. His voice was calm, and he let the dragons guide him easily enough, matching their flight pattern exactly.

  They turned and descended, flying parallel to the shore, clockwise around the island. Thalia marveled at just how different the jungle canopy was from the forest where she had lived her life. The green was both deeper and brighter than that of the Hartglade. She saw flocks of brightly-colored birds, red and yellow, flutter up out of the treetops then descend again.

  She turned to look ahead once more and saw some kind of structure built out into the water. As they drew closer, she saw it was a giant round platform made of bamboo, a bridge connecting it to the shore. A single person was standing in the center of it.

  Their escorts led them down to the platform, waiting for Kal to land. He did, his claws thumping on the bamboo surface. The two green dragons landed on either side.

  Standing before them was a man in bright green scaled armor, his hands folded behind his back. He was tall and muscular, with long blond hair down to his shoulders and bright green eyes. He seemed young, but with dragons, Thalia knew it was difficult to tell.

  “Welcome to my island,” he said in a way that seemed pleasant and sincere enough. “Would you like to come down off of there?”

  Thalia realized he was speaking to her. Actually, she wanted to stay right where she was.

  “Go on,” Kal said. “It’s all right.”

  Thalia relaxed her grip on the scales around Kal’s neck and realized just how tightly she’d been holding on. Her knuckles were white and aching as she uncurled them. She slid down from his neck, dizzy and exhausted from the long flight. She landed barefoot on the cool bamboo surface and almost slipped, catching herself at the last second.

  Once she was down, Kal transformed back into human form to stand beside her. She saw him surreptitiously tuck the white feather away inside his vest and wondered if the man had noticed.

  She watched the man in front of them. He was something to look at. These dragons look more like gods than mortals, she thought. His cool green eyes were studying Kal while the dragon guards maintained their forms on either side.

  The man’s eyebrows were pinched with curiosity as he walked slowly toward Kal, who stood his ground.

  “Kal?” the man said. “Kal Wildfire?” He took another step closer.

  “Yes,” Kal said. Thalia heard bravado in his voice, but under it the first hint of doubt. I am Kal Wildfire, his tone said. What of it? But he also seemed unsure whether revealing his identity was the right thing to do.

  The man lurched forward, and for a moment Thalia thought he was attacking Kal. But he threw his arms around him and lifted him into the air with a fierce hug, smiling and laughing. Then he set him down and gripped him by the shoulders.

  “It’s been years,” the man said. “Do you not recognize me?”

  Kal’s brow furrowed in concentration, but it was useless. “I’m afraid I do not,” he said. “Much has happened since then.”

  The man laughed. “I suppose you’re right,” he said, thumping his fist against his green chest armor. “I am Vander Tanglevine. I’m the king here now, you know.”

  “I did not,” Kal said.

  But Thalia was breathing a sigh of relief. She let herself relax a little. The red and green dragons did not hate each other after all, unless this was some sort of ruse. But she didn’t think it was.

  Vander Tanglevine. She’d gone from picking berries in the forest to meeting the royalty of two dragon clans in nearly as many days. She wasn’t sure this was all just some vivid dream.

  He turned his green eyes on her and smiled. “And who is your beautiful companion?” he asked.

  She felt herself blush as he took her right hand and brought it to his lips for a light kiss.

  Kal was looking on with a frown. “Her name is Thalia,” he said.

  Vander straightened up and looked down at her. “She is from one of your clans?”

  “No,” Kal said, clearing his throat nervously.

  “Thalia Thistledown, your majesty,” she said, giving a little curtsey that she hoped didn’t
look too ridiculous. She saw by the look on his face that he didn’t recognize her family name. Why would he? But she could also see that he realized she was probably forestfolk, definitely not a dragon shifter. Yet he was gracious enough not to point out how strange it was for a dragon prince to be traveling with her kind.

  “Well, Thalia and Kal,” he said, “may I ask what brings you across the water to our fair home?”

  “We seek the Lost Lagoon,” Kal said.

  Vander laughed. “I’m sure there are plenty of hideaway spots for lovers on the mainland,” he said. “Why come all this way?” He narrowed his eyes. “You two are not newly wed, are you?”

  Thalia blushed even deeper this time, lowering her head. Was that the reputation this lagoon had?

  Kal cleared his throat again. “We were told its waters had magical properties.”

  Vander frowned and rubbed his chin. “Never have I heard such a thing,” he said. “Who told you this?”

  “Its waters do not restore memories to those who have lost them?” Kal asked.

  “Is that why you are here?” Vander asked. “You don’t remember something?”

  “Truth be told,” Kal said, “I don’t remember anything.”

  “Oh,” Vander said. “Well, that is a problem, isn’t it? But I believe whoever told you the Lost Lagoon would help you is either misinformed or playing a joke. I could have my owl take a look at your head if you like. He’s very good.”

  “If it’s all the same to you, I would still like to try,” Kal said.

  Vander shrugged. “As you wish. The lagoon is just a short flight north of here along the coastline. At the very least you can have a nice swim. It’s quite secluded. You can do whatever you like to one another there.” He winked at Thalia.

  He was charming. She would give him that. And he was also a feast for the eyes. She was sure, even if he had a queen, that all the women of the isle would line up to his bedchamber if he wished it. But she would never be one of them. Even if it could never be, Kal had already taken hold of her heart.