I, Dragon Series Bundle. Books 1-3: The Epic Journeys of Simon Morgenwraithe

by Nathan Roden

  The reunion of the Brewer children brought tears to everyone’s eyes. Nicholas Lamont pulled his wife close. Magdalena, Tanner, and Captain Finn wiped their eyes. Finn and Magdalena joined hands.

  “Lord Lamont!” Caleb called.

  Lamont crossed the square and knelt in front of the children.

  “I am here, Caleb.”

  “So much has happened, My Lord. The giant killed Sir Edmund. And Papa.”

  “No!” Lady Lamont cried.

  “The giant is dead,” Caleb said. “Simon killed him. The other dragons returned to the Southlands.”

  Lamont sighed. He looked up at the young dragons that circled above the castle.

  “Then we have only these young ones.”

  Caleb managed a smile.

  “Oh, no, My Lord. The dragon clan has a new leader—a good friend of ours.”

  “I don’t understand,” Lamont said.

  “You know him as the rightful king of the realm, My Lord. Well, he is also the king of the dragons!”

  “Simon?” Lamont said. He scanned the skies.

  “Where is he?

  “He is chasing his heart, My Lord. He will save Queen Jaclyn.”

  Caleb shifted his weight on his feet. He stumbled. Nicholas Lamont caught him.

  “You poor child!” Lady Lamont exclaimed. “You must be exhausted! Esmerelda! Esmerelda! Prepare beds for these children! The best we have! Someone bring a carriage!”

  Lord and Lady Lamont helped the children into the carriage. Before it moved, a faint cry sounded from near the village gates.

  “Wait!” Caleb said. “What was that?”

  “We were caught up in a battle with the army,” Captain Finn said. “Two of the dragons were killed. Another was wounded. We could not leave him behind—we loaded him onto a wagon but…I don’t know what to do with him. He is in pain…”

  “Take me to him,” Caleb said.

  Scores of people in the square followed Finn and Caleb to the gate. They kept their distance, not trusting the wounded dragon.

  A woman reached and grabbed Caleb by his shoulders.

  “Are you going to allow this child to approach an injured dragon? Are you mad?”

  Caleb touched one of the woman’s hands.

  “Thank you for your concern, My Lady. But he will not harm me. I promise.”

  Caleb held his hands in front of him until he reached the wagon. He walked toward the sound of the dragon’s breathing. He touched the dragon’s jaw. The dragon raised his head and screeched. The people jumped and then each of them held their breath.

  Caleb moved his hands slowly down the dragon’s body. When his hands neared the nearly severed wing, they began to glow. The light grew so bright that the people had to turn their heads away.

  That light faded away. It was replaced by the tower of fire the dragon blew into the air, just before he flung himself into the sky to join his friends.

  Shock and awe turned to shouts and applause.

  Caleb clapped his hands and smiled.

  “Now, it’s time for bed!”

  ****

  Belinda Jacobs looked out her window again. She was dressed for travel and had already had something to eat. Dawn would break in the next few minutes. What a strange night it had been.

  After the stress of the last few days, Belinda had slept almost night and day. She was awakened in the middle of the night by the sound of something striking her roof right above her head.

  Belinda had taken her lamp and opened the front door. She looked around, but saw or heard nothing. She walked across her garden and found a stone with a piece of parchment tied to it. She looked around again and hurried inside.

  Belinda untied the parchment and unrolled it. She read it and re-read it several times. Her wrinkled brow finally relaxed. She took the parchment and fed it into the fire.

  Belinda tied on her hat and took a horse from the stables. She rode toward the edge of the village, nodding and waving to the other early risers.

  By the time the castle came into view, it was obvious that something was amiss. Horses were ridden hard, both toward and away from the castle. Travelers on foot hurried toward the castle gates. Belinda listened to the hustle and bustle, but was unable to understand what people were saying. She rode on.

  Rise early in the morning, the anonymous note had said.

  Ride to the castle before any changes can be made. You will not be disappointed. I highly recommend you destroy this note.

  There were so many people crowding the castle gates that Belinda had to wait. She grew impatient when no one moved for several minutes. She tied off her horse and pushed her way inside. People pushed and shoved each other from all directions, but Belinda would not be denied.

  Amid shouts, and gasps, and sounds of both horror and celebration, Belinda saw a number of people standing on top of a cart. They pointed toward the castle. Belinda fought her way to the cart and climbed aboard.

  There, hanging on the castle wall, was a ten foot length of brilliant blue robe.

  Beside the robe, and crudely mounted upon an iron spike, icy blue and lifeless eyes stared down from a bald severed head.

  A necklace spilled from its gaping mouth.

  A necklace strung with the teeth of dragons.

  I hope you have enjoyed book three of the I, Dragon series. If you did then please consider leaving a review at Amazon. You know what they say—the way to an author’s heart is through an Amazon review. The link for the book is here:

  http://amzn.to/2sHWUH4

  And here is the link to book one in the series,

  My Name is Simon

  http://amzn.to/2diGY3F

  Here is the link to book two,

  Rebellion

  http://amzn.to/2iBPOij

  Can’t get enough Simon?

  Please visit

  www.nathanroden.com

  To download the free prequel novelette

  Simon’s Voyage

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  Also by Nathan Roden

  The Wylie Westerhouse Paranormal Fantasy Series

  Book 1 Ghosts on Tour

  http://amzn.to/1Vhn36c

  Book 2 The Dark Stage

  http://amzn.to/1Y4NMCc

  Book 3 The Lightning’s Kiss

  http://amzn.to/29XO8xo

  Nathan Roden lives in South Central Texas with his wife and two in-and-out sons, and more dogs and cats than is necessary.

  To grab your free short stories, and find out what’s coming up, visit

  www.nathanroden.com

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  A sneak peek from

  Death of a King

  the fourth and final book in the I, Dragon series

  Coming February 2018

  One

  Queen Jaclyn Lamont Morgenwraithe was dreaming. Oddly enough, she was dreaming she was asleep—on a filthy mattress in a dungeon cell. Something tickled her toe. She pulled up her legs, curling herself into a ball.

  Rats, she thought.

  Jaclyn feared rats almost as much as she feared bats. She moaned quietly. She held her breath when she felt hair brush against her arm. Jaclyn felt a nibble on her…on her breast.

  Jaclyn’s eyes flew open. She opened her mouth in a silent scream.

  Suddenly, she realized her dream was not real.

  Her newborn son was hungry.

  Jaclyn laughed at herself. She cooed and held the baby tight. She helped him to nurse. Jaclyn reached for her source of comfort, which she carried in the pocket of her stolen trousers.

  But the pocket was empty. She tried the other pocket. Empt
y.

  No…

  With the baby still to her breast, Jaclyn climbed to her feet.

  It must be close by. It has to be.

  She looked behind trees. She kicked aside leaves. She reached down to move a fallen limb.

  “My queen?” Helena said. “What’s wrong?”

  The baby’s mouth slipped away, and he began to cry. Jaclyn adjusted her shirt, and the baby found his way back.

  “I’ve lost…a parchment. A very dear piece of parchment.”

  “Oh,” Helena said. She reached into her pocket and took out Simon’s note.

  “I forgot to return this to you. It fell from your pocket just before little Nicholas came.”

  Relief flooded Jaclyn’s face.

  “Oh, bless you, Helena!”

  Jaclyn took the piece of parchment and held it to her heart. She put her free arm around Helena and kissed her cheek over and over again. She stepped back with tears streaming down her face.

  “Do you know what this is?”

  Helena smiled and nodded.

  “It is perfectly preserved, as well, my queen. The rains have not marred it at all.”

  “I have Caleb to thank for that,” Jaclyn said. She closed her eyes.

  “Dear, sweet, Caleb.”

  “Did you know that when Caleb took this note from the giant, it was torn in two? Caleb mended it, and now it carries a spell of protection.”

  “I’m so happy for you, my queen.”

  Jaclyn scowled.

  “Did I not ask you to call me by my given name—as true friends do?”

  Helen caressed the baby’s face. And then she put her hand to Jaclyn’s cheek.

  “I am honored to be called your friend. But as long as I draw breath, you shall be my queen.”

  Jaclyn sighed.

  “I will not demand you address me a certain way. That would be foolish. But I want you to remember this, Helena. I was not born a queen. As a young girl, I enjoyed nothing more than playing with the rowdiest of boys—catching frogs. Climbing trees. Digging in the mud. I spent much of my youth filthy and sweating and it drove my mother mad. But I was so happy! I never wanted to be a queen—to have people bow before me and behave as if I am somehow better than they are.”

  Jaclyn frowned. She swallowed hard.

  Helena’s eyes opened wide.

  “My queen? What’s wrong?”

  Jaclyn opened her mouth—

  And belched. Loudly.

  She laughed—both at herself and the look on Helena’s face.

  “You see?” Jaclyn said. “Is that the behavior of a queen?”

  Helena failed to stifle a laugh of her own.

  Jaclyn touched her baby’s lips.

  “This is only mother’s milk. It imparts no holiness or magical powers. And for that, I am glad.”

  “I want to be your friend,” Helena said. “But how do I be a friend and still show the proper respect?”

  Jaclyn smiled.

  “We will find a way, Helena, my dear friend. Together.”

  Two

  Viceroy Nicholas Lamont and Captain Thaddeus Finn stared out from the guard tower at the main gate of Islemar. A dozen dragons circled overhead, led by the female they had come to know as “Mother”.

  “It is hard to believe such a peaceful quiet will become a raging war,” Lamont said.

  “Should we send some of the dragons to Morgenwraithe?” Finn asked. “If war is imminent, why shouldn’t we make the initial move?

  “I have considered that,” Lamont said. “But that is Simon’s decision to make now. Our own relationship with the dragons is fragile. It is based on the communication skills of a ten-year-old boy and the clan’s loyalty to the mate of their former leader. We asked them to partner with us—not volunteer to be used as weapons.”

  “I realize that, my Lord,” Finn said. “I raise the question only to limit the loss of life and to save our city. Sterling has cannons and he will bring them all—including those that belong to the hunters from the Southlands.”

  Lamont nudged Finn.

  “Your…friend is coming.”

  Lady Magdalena and her brother, Tanner, climbed the steps. Lamont and Finn bowed their heads.

  “Good morning, my lady. Lord Raven.”

  “Good morning,” Magdalena said.

  “I’ve never been addressed as ‘lord’,” Tanner said. “Not surprising, since I am an orphan runaway slave.”

  “Hard times can break a man,” Lamont said. “Or they can make him a better one.”

  He smiled at Magdalena.

  “The same can be said for ladies.”

  Magdalena looked out over the roads leading to the south and to the west.

  “May the gods smile on you today, Lord Lamont,” she said.

  Lamont sighed.

  “Simon will be here before dawn. I instructed Noah and Oliver to return by that time.”

  Lamont placed his trembling hands against the wall.

  “Jaclyn…Jaclyn. Where are you, my sweet child?”

  No one else spoke. Lamont turned and faced them.

  “She could be anywhere. But we must protect those we can.”

  “Tanner and I have something to do,” Magdalena said. “We will not be able to return before dawn.”

  “Where are you going?” Finn asked.

  “I must take care of something I should have done sooner,” Magdalena said. “The books and notes given to me by my teacher—they remain hidden inside my home. I have kept them hidden for years. Soon, I will need them.”

  “Why?” Finn said.

  “To end the curse. To give Simon his life back.”

  “I will go with you,” Finn said.

  Magdalena shook her head.

  “Tanner and I can do this quickly. And without any confrontation.”

  “We will be searching for the queen, as well,” Tanner said. He touched his nose.

  “With these.”

  Finn took Magdalena’s hand.

  “Please, be careful.”

  “We will. I’ll see you soon.”

  Outside of the village gates, brother and sister transformed into wolves. They followed the King’s Road toward Morgenwraithe Village. They slipped into the woods to avoid travelers, of which there were few. The people they saw were in a hurry and held swords or spears in their hands. Their frightened eyes scanned the sides of the road. The coming war was no secret.

  The wolves continued their journey to the west. With the sun nearing the horizon, Tanner stopped abruptly and cocked his head. Magdalena stopped beside him. A high-pitched sound reached their keen ears. It came from the south, filtering its way down the mountainside through the dense forest. The sound came again, and then, no more.

  The wolves became human.

  “Did you hear it?” Tanner asked.

  “Yes,” Magdalena said.

  “Do you think—?”

  “Yes. That was a baby crying.”

  Three

  Simon woke up somewhere west of Islemar and east of Morgenwraithe. He wondered if it was part of the life of a dragon—flying while asleep. His instincts told him he was traveling in the right direction. But if Boone Blankenship had not climbed high into the trees surrounding their camp to tie a banner bearing the colors of the village of Islemar, Simon might have missed it.

  Simon stilled his wings and glided toward the ground. He fell asleep again until something struck him between the eyes. Simon woke in a panic. He had flown directly into the path of a flock of geese.

  A quick succession of birds caromed off of Simon’s head and body. He flapped his wings in an attempt to rise above the flock, but his wings collided with geese on both sides.

  Simon lost altitude and crashed through the treetops. Heavy branches slowed his fall, and he came to a stop about ten feet above the ground. He closed his eyes and exhaled.

  “Busy night, eh?” a voice said.

  Simon opened one eye.

  “It was.”

  “I p
ut up a banner,” Boone said. “Did you see it?”

  Simon laughed. He kept on laughing until Boone began to worry.

  “What would I do without you, Boone Blankenship? Seriously. What would I do?”

  “I don’t know,” Boone said. “Where have you been?”

  Simon grumbled as he wrestled free of the tree branches.

  “Doing a favor for a friend—and sending a message,” he said.

  “Sending a message? What does that mean?”

  Simon breathed in and a deep, low growl escaped as he stared into the sky.

  “Do you remember the day we met Helena?”

  “Of course, I do.”

  “How do you think she felt—living every day of her life as a servant inside the castle while her father’s head was picked clean by the crows?”

  Boone stared at Simon for a moment in silence.

  “I try not to think about that.”

  Simon glared at Boone. His eyes narrowed and his nostrils flared.

  “Why? Why do you not think about it? Do you think she can ever forget about it?”

  Boone’s expression clouded over. He balled his fists.

  “Because it serves no purpose! What are you trying to say, Simon? That I don’t love Helena? I haven’t suffered enough? That my life is so much easier than yours? Or Helena’s?”

  “I’m only saying—”

  “What if I don’t like what you’re saying? Which I don’t!”

  “I’m trying to tell you where I’ve been—”

  “Oh, is that what you’re doing? Because it sounds to me like you’re forgetting who your friends are!”

  Another growl.

  Boone folded his arms across his chest.

  “So. Tell me. Where have you been?”

  “There is a new head on the wall of Castle Morgenwraithe. Dathien’s head.”

  Boone nodded in thought.