Chapter One

Centuries later…

One moment the evening sky stretched empty and silent, the next it filled with thundering dragon wings. Seven of the beasts burst from behind the fortress’s high outer wall. They climbed steeply, turned, and sped westward.

Vadin leapt under the cover of a eucalyptus tree, muttering a basic hiding spell. Even from this distance, the dragons might spot him. They had superior eyesight, along with a heightened sense of smell. There was no need to take chances. Not yet. He should learn more and prepare himself, before striking at his old foes.

The lead dragon, a mighty crimson male, bellowed and shook his head like an angry bull. Others answered, roaring till the hills echoed. Tree branches swayed in the gale created by their passing.

Despite the magic shielding Vadin, his heart raced, and his hands shook. These were the first dragons he’d seen since waking from his long frozen sleep. Their power and size remained daunting, but more than that, his body reacted to the memories they stirred.

After all these years, rage and grief still cut him to the core. He’d hoped his pain might have faded by now, but the sight of these winged monsters brought it all back. The old wounds were raw as ever, and they demanded vengeance.

“All in good time,” he murmured, trying to calm the tempest in his blood. “First, I need answers.”

He planned to rid the world of dragons, but not until he understood his connection to them. Somehow, the ice spell had turned on him, keeping him sealed in the same frigid sorcery as his enemies. He had to find the cause or any future attack might go awry.

When he had first broken free of his wintry prison, he tried to put the past behind him. It appeared the dragons and trolkin were gone. The dragon city lay in blasted ruins. No monsters had been seen for centuries, and humans spread across the land, flourishing. All appeared to be well.

Yet, time had proved him wrong. Eventually he heard rumors, while traveling the roads with tinkers and merchant caravans. The dragons had returned, and with them came trolkin.

Both races were few in number, scattered far to the north. Some tales spoke of an alliance between a dragon clan and the kingdom of Rhelaun. Later stories told of an uprising of nomadic tribesmen and trolkin together.

Initially, he’d ignored these rumors and done nothing. Any action taken against the dragons could carry a dire backlash. It was too great a risk, especially as his powers were diminished.

Somehow during his casting of the great ice spell his power had been depleted. He no longer had the magical reserves to punish an entire race. The humans would have to fend for themselves. But at least now they had the dragons and trolkin vastly outnumbered.

This was what he told himself, as he roamed—searching for a place to call home. He earned money with small magic, the kind that wouldn’t drain him too badly. A ship captain might hire him to call the wind, or a troupe of players might pay for illusions to enhance their performances.

It was not a bad life. He tried to be content, appreciating the fact he was finally free. For the first time, he could choose his own path. No more did the dragon lords rule his days. He was his own master.

But the years rolled by, and his restless spirit failed to find peace. He belonged nowhere, trapped outside his time, lost in a world of strangers. His family and friends were gone, nothing but dust and bones, forgotten by all but him.

Memories haunted his dreams. The past would not surrender its hold. It burned like a bed of coals inside Vadin, waiting for fresh tinder to burst into flames.

When he heard of dragons in the distant south, killing and enslaving humans, he found the fuel he needed. His thirst for vengeance re-ignited. These monsters had to be stopped, and no one else could rise to the challenge.

In all his travels, he had yet to encounter anyone whose magical abilities rivaled his. Even in his reduced condition, he was still the most powerful sorcerer living. If the dragons were to be destroyed, it was up to him.

He set out immediately, traveling south for weeks on end. The journey took him to new lands, with exotic foods and strange customs. At some other time, he might have enjoyed the diversion, but his sense of purpose remained clear. Nothing could distract him from his mission.

Now he stood under the cover of eucalyptus trees, observing the southern dragons’ fortress. It was massive, the outer wall enclosing many acres, set with large stone buildings. A hundred dragons could easily live there, along with droves of human slaves.

Built on a rise, it overlooked the southern coastline. Rolling hills, brown with summer, stretched along miles of curving beaches. Palm and eucalyptus trees grew scattered with warmer-climate evergreens, but most of the ground remained open and dry.

The surrounding region lay deserted, except for a few villages, their inhabitants existing only to serve scaled and winged masters. When Vadin stopped at one of these small towns, the locals warned him to leave.

They considered themselves lucky, compared to the slaves who lived in the fortress. But the dragons ruled with an iron fist. If a stranger was found in one of “their” villages, not only would that person be killed, but some of the locals might be sacrificed as well. The dragons wanted no outlanders spreading dissent and rebellion.

Vadin had to proceed with caution. He needed a way to study his enemies, to discover the nature of his connection to them. At the same time, his presence must remain secret.

It was a challenging situation, but he felt determined to prevail. One way or another, the dragons would finally face justice. This he swore, on the memory of his family and all the other nameless forgotten victims.

****

Sun sifted through palm fronds, warming jasmine blooms so their perfume filled the air. Light danced over the fountain, a dazzling display on water droplets like cut glass. Colorful birds darted in and out of the spray, enjoying a morning bath.

Oliana watched for a moment before returning to her book. She had just reached the part where the hero declared his love for the heroine. These passages were beautiful and spellbinding, filling her heart with longing.

She never understood why the other dragons disdained books. Wondrous worlds awaited discovery between their leather bindings. Romance, adventure, and enchantment beckoned from every page. How could anyone call them a waste of space?

If she wasn’t one of the dragon high-lord’s offspring, the fortress library would probably be emptied. It was a remnant of times when humans ruled the land. No one else saw its value.

But she was her father’s only daughter, and he gave in to her pleading. The library remained, with all its books intact. She visited daily, relishing the choice of each new story.

“Oliana. Where are you?” her younger brother called, bounding through the gardens like an oversized puppy. He spotted her hiding place, tucked away behind a fuchsia bush. “Oh, there you are…nose in a book, as usual. How can you stand being so dull?”

“Good morning to you, too, Orlis.” She shrugged off his insult. He didn’t mean any harm. Words simply tumbled out of his mouth before he thought them through.

Whereas she was shy and given to daydreaming, he was all bluster and activity. She loved solitude, while he was happiest at the center of a crowd. They were opposites in almost every way.

Despite this, the two of them looked like twins. In eldrin form, Orlis shared her same tawny hair, full lips, and wide brown eyes. As drakes, they were a blend of flashing gold scales inherited from their mother and the triple-spiked brow crest of their father.

Watching Orlis standing by the fountain was much like studying her own reflection. Except her chin didn’t sport the sparse beard of an adolescent male. And she rarely wore such an aggravating smirk.

“What do you want?” she asked with a sigh. “You’ve interrupted my book at the best part.”

“That’d be the part when it’s over, right?” He never tired of teasing her.

“No. It’s when the hero finally wins the hand of his lady.”

“Perfect!” Her brother looked genuinely pleased. “That’s what I need help with…talking to Lirris. She still won’t give me the time of day.”

“You never have trouble finding things to say,” she countered. “It’s being quiet, you have trouble with.”

“Ha ha. Funny.” He plopped down on the bench next to her, snatching the book from her hands.

“Give that back!” She reached for it, but he swatted her hand away.

“All this mushy stuff you read. That’s what I need right now. Whenever I try courting Lirris, she just turns her nose up and calls me a child.”

“She is several years older.”

“But I’m an adult now,” he protested.

“Just barely. Your passage rites were only a few months ago.”

“Doesn’t matter. There’s no better dragon anywhere. She should be glad I want her.”

“Humble as ever,” Oliana muttered. “I can’t imagine why she doesn’t fall swooning at your feet.”

“Exactly. I’ve tried everything—showing off and bringing her presents. None of it works.”

“I don’t know what you expect me to do. I can’t make Lirris like you.”

“But you could help me find the right words, maybe even write her a poem or something.”

“You? Write a poem?” She couldn’t help laughing. It was such a preposterous idea.

“I can do it. At least, I think I can, with your help. Or maybe you could just write it for me. That would be even better.”

She frowned. “And why would I do that?”

“I’ll owe you a giant favor. The biggest ever.”

“I see.” She crossed her arms, considering. “You can start by giving my book back and leaving me in peace.”

“What about the poem?”

“I’ll think about it, but only if you leave me alone for the next hour. Understood?”

“Sheesh. I don’t know why you have to be so—”

“Goodbye Orlis.”

“Bye, for now.” He tossed the book into her lap and left.

Thank goodness! She found her place on the page and returned to reading. The hero went down on bended knee, his eyes alight with devotion. The heroine’s heart fluttered, and Oliana fluttered along with her. If only such a noble male would woo her.

High-pitched giggles shredded her reverie. She peeked around the fuchsia to see Stesha, Ulani, and Mio coming through the garden gate. Their heads were tilted together, no doubt sharing gossip. Thankfully they hadn’t seen her.

She hopped up, threading her way amongst the denser bushes to find a new hiding place. In the overcrowded fortress, solitude was hard to come by. Unfortunately, she could never leave without taking several guardians with her.

Though the surrounding country was now fully conquered, her father worried for her safety. He protected her like a child, despite the fact she’d seen nineteen summers.

How she wished to shift to drake form, leap into the air, and fly away. Wouldn’t that be marvelous? She could soar over the ocean, without another soul in sight.

Of course that wasn’t going to happen. Someone would spot her the instant she tried, and her father would assign guards to go along. He didn’t understand how that ruined the experience.

Temptation tickled at the back of her mind. She did have another option, albeit risky. If father found out, he’d have a fit. He’d be sure to seal the tunnel, and her secret would be spoiled.

On the other hand, what good was a secret tunnel if it was never used? As long as she only left the fortress for a short time, no one would know. She’d just pop out for a quick expedition and be back before lunch.

Excitement bubbled in her chest. What a perfect way to enliven an otherwise tedious day. Now it would be special, memorable, something to write about in her journal.

She pushed through more shrubbery, brushing spider webs and seed pods from her hair. At last she reached the inner face of the fortress wall. It loomed over forty feet high, curving away to the north.

Following along the wall’s base, she came to the abandoned temple. It had once been used for worship of the human’s gods, but now the door hung askew, and the floor tiles were cracked. One corner of the roof had caved in, allowing wind and weather to further damage the interior.

She thought it sad, that such a pretty building should be left in ruins. Hardly anyone came here, except for children, to play, and possibly lovers seeking privacy. As far as she knew, none had discovered the tunnel. If her luck held, it would remain a secret.

Picking her way through fallen debris, she reached the rear most room. From there she followed a set of narrow stone steps to an underground level. Without her dragon dark vision, which she enjoyed in both her forms, she wouldn’t have been able to see a thing. As it was, she could make out dim shapes.

Behind a pile of rubble, the tunnel mouth opened. It appeared like nothing more than a darker shadow in the gloom. She had discovered it purely by chance and only once had the nerve to explore further.

The other end came out into a wooded ravine, hidden from view of the fortress. Perhaps it provided an escape route for the humans who used to live here. Maybe some of them fled through this very tunnel when the dragons attacked.

A twinge of uneasiness tightened her stomach. What if other humans used it now, to enter the stronghold? What if they came at night, to slaughter the dragons in their sleep? Her father would want to know such a possibility existed.

But that was ridiculous. She shoved the thought away. Humans were puny and fearful, no match for dragons. Even taken by surprise, her father’s warriors would crush any attack. There was nothing to worry about.

Unable to resist the lure of freedom, she crept into the tunnel. The air was stale, without a breath of movement. She felt along the sides, moving with care as the faint light faded, and the floor angled downward.

An eternity seemed to pass as she made her way along the length of the tunnel. Once, her foot came down on a pile of animal bones, startling a shriek out of her. Several times, tiny creatures scurried across her hand, where it rested on the earthen wall. But she continued on, feeling every bit the brave determined heroine.

Finally she came to the other end. The previous time she’d been there, she’d barely peeked from the tunnel mouth. Now she stepped boldly out, committed to full exploration.

Light blinded her momentarily, as she moved into dappled sunshine and shade. Trees rustled in the breeze, and a small creek chortled merrily along the ravine bottom. Two gray squirrels dashed up a gnarled trunk, while a blue jay hopped from branch to branch, its feathers shiny as satin.

What a charming place. She felt silly for not having come here before. There were no wild-eyed human rebels lurking behind the rocks. It was peaceful and utterly sweet.

She made her way along the creek, jumping from rock to rock, till she found a deeper pool. Here the water rippled like liquid emerald and topaz, reflecting the surrounding foliage. She pulled off her shoes and sat on a fallen log, dabbling her toes in the water.

Who cared if the hem of her skirt got wet? The fabric would dry soon enough. No one need ever know where she’d been. This was a treasure for her alone.

Now, to finish the chapter she’d been reading before Orlis interrupted. She slipped the book from a pocket in her gown and turned to the marked page. Ah, yes. The hero on one knee, filled with poetic ardor.

She soon became lost in the story, forgetting all about where she was or how much time passed. The heroine’s evil stepmother plotted against the young lovers, and a rival threatened to slay the hero. It was all terribly exciting.

When she looked up, at last, the sun had moved to the west, and shadows grew long across the ravine. Despite the warmth of the afternoon, a chill brushed over her skin. She had forgotten about lunch, and someone might notice her missing.

Then she saw him, standing on the far side of the pool. The stranger held so still, he might have been a statue, except his long silver hair lifted in the breeze. It struck her as an odd color, when his face showed no more lines than a male in his prime. It gave him an uncanny, ageless appearance.

His eyes were cold gray, almost as pale as his hair. She’d never seen the like. They gleamed, as if lit from within, seeming to pierce through her.

Was he human or dragon? Usually facial features, combined with body language and body type were enough to answer that question.

With him it was not so easy. He was tall for a human but leaner than most male dragons. His clothes looked to be made of expensive cloth, but they were worn and travel stained.

The proud set of his mouth spoke clearly of dragon, as did the arch of his brow, and the lordly way he stood. No cowering human slave, for certain. He studied her with a calm, almost frightening, calculation. Didn’t he know who she was? Her father would tear him limb from limb if he dared lay a hand on her.

“What is your name?” she demanded, rising from the fallen log.

“You need never know.” His voice had a cool edge. He spoke three words she didn’t recognize, lifting his hand in a slow spiraling gesture.

She tried to speak again, but her voice wouldn’t respond. Panic surged through her body as she tried to move, but nothing happened. Her legs remained planted to the ground, her arms locked at her sides, as if she had turned to stone.

What sorcery did he wield? Magic was outlawed in her father’s land. How dare he defy the high-lord’s command?

“You have saved me much trouble,” the stranger said, lips curving into something like a smile. It wasn’t the least bit comforting. “I didn’t know how to proceed with my plans, but you have shown me the way.”

Help me! Please! Scared out of her wits, Oliana grasped for a mind link with her father, brother, or anyone. It didn’t matter who, just so long as they came to rescue her.

“They won’t hear.” The stranger looked almost pitying. “I blocked your ability to link minds. There is nothing you can do.”

Please! Save me! She screamed silently, praying he was bluffing. Could anyone steal a dragon’s mind link powers? And how did he know what she thought? Was he telepathic?

“This is for the best,” he told her, leaping across a narrow point in the stream. He moved with the easy agility of a cat, making no more sound than a shadow.

“You have an important role to play, whether you like it or not.” As he spoke, he came closer, reaching out to touch her cheek. “Strange. You look so harmless…innocent even. A person might forget what monsters spawned you.”

His lips thinned to a grim line. “In truth, you’re no different from the rest, except in one important aspect. You are the one who’ll help me wipe dragons from the world. And for that, I thank you.”