Scale And Feather

By Holly Hunt

Dacia and Theodore are the protectors of the Thyran royal line, guarding Taya and Markus from harm. But when a sorcerer beats through their defenses to kidnap Taya, it is the two Guardians who must return her to her home.

Together, the three of them explore the Alamban Continent and risk life and limb to save the human race and prevent a civil war. Or will the Mage-Hunters rip the continent apart?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Champagne Books
• Release date: Feb 23, 2013
• ISBN: 9781927454626

Book preview

BURST Presents

Scale And Feather

By

Holly Hunt

This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents and dialogues in this book are of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is completely coincidental.

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

BURST

www.burstbooks.ca

A Division of Champagne Books

Copyright 2012 by Holly Hunt

ISBN 9781927454626

October 2012

Cover Art by Trisha FitzGerald

Produced in Canada

Champagne Book Group

#2 19-3 Avenue SE

High River, AB T1V 1G3

Canada

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Champagnebooks.com (or a retailer of your choice) and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Smashwords Edition

Dedication

For Mum. Finally, a book you haven’t read yet.

DACIA

The wind glided across my scales as I flew among the clouds, soaring openly through the air. Behind me, two dragons, one red, one gold, flew with me, escorting me while I was on their lands.

The forest below us was rich with life, one of the reasons the dragons known as the Twins could both survive here. A lake glittered ahead, fed by the glaciers of the Holvec Mountains, the western, northern and southern borders of the Twins’ territory.

The clearing I was heading for opened up beneath me. I drew in my wings and dropped, landing in the middle of the clearing. The Twins remained circling above, watching my every action closely.

Come out, Taya, I called, settling onto my back feet and folding my wings up completely. You, too, Markus.

There was silence for a few seconds, then two humans crept from the forest, into the sunlight bathing the clearing.

The woman was small, petite-looking. Her brown hair was pulled back in a hasty bun, her skirts rumpled. I took in her appearance, then looked to Markus.

The Prince was tall, his black hair almost as rumpled as Taya’s skirts. I could see a red mark on the side of his neck, which made me roll my eyes. I knew what they’d been doing in the trees.

Time to go, Taya, I said to the woman, smiling. Your mother wants you to help with the calf.

The brown-haired girl nodded. Okay, Dacia.

Flapping wings made me look up. Theodore, Markus’ guardian, landed beside me and sat down, preening his chest feathers.

Stupid bird attacking me, he muttered into his chest, then looked up at Markus. Home time, boyo.

Markus nodded at his friend, then kissed Taya. I rolled my eyes again, and sat down to watch them intently and hopefully put them off.

Taya broke first, pulling away from Markus, blushing. I laughed while Theodore crowed, both of us standing up, Theodore’s feathered wingtips touching my scaled shoulder for half a second.

Come on, lover boy, Theodore said, butting the prince on the shoulder with his beak. The Queen’s waiting for lunch.

Markus made a disgusted noise, then kissed Taya on the cheek. I’ll see you later, love. He mounted Theodore with practiced ease, holding onto the special harness that would prevent him pulling out the griffin’s feathers.

Don’t forget to tell your mother! Markus yelled as Theodore took off, soaring up towards where the twins waited.

Tell Karla what? I asked Taya as we waved to griffin and rider.

Oh, I...um... Taya smiled to herself. Markus asked me to the ball tomorrow night.

Hmm.

You don’t think it’s a good idea? she asked, using my bent foreleg to help herself onto my back.

I think it is a good idea, I was quick to assure her, standing up as she got herself settled on my shoulders and gripped my horns like reins. I just think it’d be easier to convince Karla you should go if I went with you.

I sprang into the air, flapping my wings hard to get myself airborne. The Twins surged around me, sniffing Taya and me over. Once they were satisfied that I hadn’t hunted in their land, we headed northeast, towards home.

~ * ~

I lay in front of the fire, my head on a pillow. I’d taken on a human shape in order to fit inside the house, so I didn’t look out of place on the farmhouse’s dusty floor.

Karla sat behind me, her needle darning socks and patching pants. Taya sat in the corner, writing in a small book I’d bought for her last birthday.

Taya, I called, swallowing the raw rabbit I’d been chewing, wasn’t there something you had to tell your mother?

Taya put down her pen, shutting the book. She shot me a glare, but I ignored her, going back to my bloody dinner.

Prince Markus asked me to the ball tomorrow, Taya told Karla, who stopped darning to look at her only child.

We don’t have the money for a dress, Taya, Karla said apologetically, and I don’t have time to make one for you.

Taya nodded, hiding her disappointment by returning to her book.

I can make her one, I volunteered, crunching on some rib bones. And I’ll go with her, to make sure she doesn’t get into any trouble.

Karla put the sock down, looking me in the eye. I don’t want to put you out, Dacia—

It’s nothing, Karla, I said, smiling. And it won’t take long. I can do it tonight, and still give you a hand with the sheep tomorrow.

Oh. Well, thank you, Dacia, Karla said, picking up the sock again.

I smiled, standing up. I’ll go start it now. I kissed both girls on the forehead then picked up the rabbit’s remains.

I headed outside to the privy and dumped the fur, collection of bones and the rabbit’s head inside. Then I took out the dragonstone around my neck, buffing it on my sleeve as I wandered back into the yard.

The dragonstone was a special crystal formed by the Dragon of Winter, Ragond, a mythical dragon said to be the source of all dragon magic. Ragond’s brother Dorgan was the Dragon of Summer, the creator of the Dragons’ Council, who taught each dragon to use Ragond’s gift wisely.

The green quartz dangled on its silver chain as I inspected it. When it looked polished enough, I hung it back around my neck and gripped the stone.

I felt my human body shift, slipping and bulging around me. My nails lengthened and strengthened, turning into claws. My tail grew, and the emerald scales erupted along my body, two lines of scales running down my body beginning to glow in the dim light.

Within a few seconds, I returned to my dragon body, with only my dragonstone draped over my neck. I delicately picked it up in my claws, sitting down and wrapping my tail around me to keep me balanced. I held the stone and closed my eyes, thinking hard.

What kind of dress would work for Taya? Images floated in my mind, various dresses I had seen on Faeries, people and other magical creatures over my eight-hundred-year life. I settled on a deep indigo dress that had been all the rage a century ago. I mentally removed the long, puffy sleeves and replaced them with sleek, firm-fitting ones, and deepened the low back of the dress, to make it more modern. I fixed the skirt, removing a few layers so it would sit more naturally against her legs, and added some lighter highlights to the hems and trim.

I smiled, holding the image of the dress in my mind, raising my dragonstone. I mentally spoke my wish, feeling my magic course down my arm and into the quartz.

The image in my mind started to fade from behind my eyelids, and I let it go, waiting. When the image was completely gone, I opened my eyes to find the dress hanging, revolving slowly, in front of me.

I sniffed at the dress, using small tendrils of magic to pull a thread tighter here and fix a hem there. The color was a little dark, so I lightened it closer to violet and darkened the highlights, making them just a few shades closer to black.

I stepped forward and lifted the dress by its shoulders, walking slowly and awkwardly on my back legs, back to the farmhouse. My tail swung, rigid, behind me. My wings fluttered and my entire body worked to keep me balanced in such a strange position.

Taya? I called, waiting outside the house. Can you come out here, please?

I heard a chair scraping on the flagstone floor. A few seconds later, Taya stood in the doorway.

Have you finished it already? she asked, peering out in the dark.

Hold this, I said, handing her the dress and dropping to four paws. Standing on the two was hurting my hips and back and making the muscles in my tail cramp.

Oh, wow! Taya cooed, looking the dress over in the light from the fireplace. Dacia, this is amazing!

Go show your mother, I told her, holding onto my dragonstone to ease my tail cramps.

Taya ran inside, holding tightly to the dress. I felt my body squeeze and stretch into the human’s form, with a simple cloth gown hanging from my small body.

I went inside after her, closing the door behind me and tucking my dragonstone inside my collar. Karla was fussing over the dress when I entered the room, and the pair looked up at me, smiling.

You are definitely talented, Dacia, she said, kissing me on the cheek. Thank you.

I smiled at her, happier than normal. I could do the same for you, Karla, if you wished to attend the ball as well.

Karla smiled, and I saw wistfulness in her eyes. It’s nice of you to offer, Dacia, but there’s too much for me to do here.

I shook my head. Take a night off, Karla, it’s not going anywhere. When she still looked hesitant, I smiled, trying to be charming. Come on, how often do you get to go to a ball?

Karla smiled at me. Are you sure it’s not too much trouble?

I smiled at her. Dress number two, coming right up.

~ * ~

The sun was setting as I landed on the front lawn of the Thyran palace. I shifted from dragon to human shape as the two women straightened up, fixing their hair and checking they hadn’t lost anything on the flight over.

Taya’s blue skirt caught on one of my scales as she jumped down, and she tripped, her hair, piled neatly on her head, falling free as the jeweled pins fell out. I tutted as Karla climbed down more elegantly, her crimson gown flowing freely, catching the light spilling over from the palace. It matched her hair, held back in an identical fashion to her daughter’s.

I tutted and stood on my rear legs, my green scales melting down into a green gown in the same style as Taya’s. I twisted my black hair up into a fast bun and fixed Taya’s hair while her mother readjusted her skirt.

Hang on, ladies, I said, catching them by the elbow and preventing them from rushing off into the throngs of people wearing masks. It appears we’ve forgotten something.

Karla and Taya looked at each other, then to me. I held out the masks I’d just created, tucking my dragonstone away inside the low neckline of my dress. Their hands rubbed against mine when they took the masks, and