Dragon Clutch

By Delaney Walnofer

As a young girl, Damara lived with dragons. Years later, in the Kingdom of Wystil, she’s desperate to stop the looming war between humans and the dragons she fondly remembers. Spurning the warnings of her loved ones, Damara runs away and joins a pack of dragons in the hope of preventing further bloodshed. But she soon finds that not all dragons are what she believed.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Delaney Walnofer
• Release date: Apr 18, 2015
• ISBN: 9781311626776

Delaney Walnofer

Delaney Walnofer was born in California in 1998. She has been a fiction writer since her elementary days and a developing artist since the age of two. Delaney began planning her first novel, Dragon Slave, at age eleven and finished writing it four years later. The sequel, Dragon Clutch, was finished the year after that, followed by the third and final book of the series, Dragon Fool. With all three novels published, Delaney reached her goal of completing the entire Dragon Slave Trilogy before her high school graduation. Delaney has had the privilege of speaking to many schools about writing books and hopes to continue doing so. She now attends Pacific University as a major in Film & Video.Delaney welcomes reviews and advice with the aim of improving herself as a writer.

Book preview

Prologue

"Xander found a wyvern that was all white with pretty, red eyes! little Damara chatted ecstatically. Have you ever seen a wyvern with red eyes?"

An old fat woman, distracted as she looked around, continued stirring a large pot of stew and replied, Keep sorting those beans, Damara, dear. We need to get this food out to the court as soon as we can.

Damara looked down at the bowl in front of her and plunged one of her tiny hands into it, giggling at the sensation of beans shifting around inside.

She flew around and repeated everything I said! she piped up again, still thinking of the wyvern. "I asked her what her name was, but then she asked me that so I told her mine and you know what she said? Hey, Damara called for the cook’s attention, you know what she said?"

Hmm? The cook tasted the steaming stew. Immediately, she dropped the spoon, rapidly sucking in air to cool her tongue.

She said that her name was Damara, too! The child giggled, oblivious of the woman’s pain. Isn’t that funny? Isn’t it?

"Yeah, one of the kitchen helpers drawled sarcastically as she chopped vegetables. It’s so funny, I’m about to drop this knife from laughing too hard."

Does she really believe all this? an older girl asked from beside the ovens, concerned. She thinks she was raised by dragons?

I was! Damara said, a childish smile spreading across her face.

Don’t encourage her, Lilly. The first girl’s knife made a thok-ing sound as she chopped through a carrot more forcefully than necessary. "You’re new here, but soon you’ll get sick of Damara’s dimwitted tales just like the rest of us. And trust me, they just keep coming."

You don’t have to make up things, Damara, Lilly cooed. I’m sure there are stories from your real life that are just as interesting.

They don’t believe me? Damara’s smile faded as realization set in.

I’m telling the truth! she insisted.

"Oh, please! the girl cutting carrots snorted. Talking dragons that want to be your friend? They’d sooner swallow you whole."

Damara prickled with anger. The dragons would never hurt me! she yelled. I’m going to tell Jacinth what you just said! She’ll be so mad, she’ll have white-hot flames coming out of her mouth!

I thought you said all the dragons left, the girl sneered. You can’t even get your own made up stories right.

They’re not made up! Damara screamed. In a flurry, she clenched a handful of beans and threw them at the girl, leaping up like a feisty kitten.

The beans hit the girl square in the face and she gasped, watching the beans bounce off her and fall to the ground.

That’s enough! the old woman at the stew pot bellowed. Damara, take your bread and leave. You’re done for the day. She shoved a loaf of bread into the child’s hands.

Damara stared down at the hot bread. What about the second one? she asked unhappily.

"You should be grateful that you even get that much today."

Damara looked up at the whale of a woman with pouty eyes. "What about her?" She pointed at the girl who stood amongst the fallen beans, looking terribly offended.

She’s not the one throwing things, the woman replied. "Now go." She shooed Damara away and the child left, face crumpling as tears rolled down her soft cheeks.

Why don’t they believe me?

The bread was still hot from the oven, nearly burning her tender hands.

I’m going to see the dragons again, she promised herself determinedly. I’m going to find Jacinth, and River, and everyone else when I get older.

She walked out into the courtyard, the smell of roses freshening the air. With watery eyes, she stared as a tame hunting dragon bounded up to her. It eyed the loaf of bread in her hands hopefully with mouth gaping in a silly, doglike grin.

Monigon was what Damara’s brother, Xander, called these dragons, the ones that couldn’t talk. They were common, unlike the dragons of Damara’s childhood.

With a raspy sound somewhere between a bark and a cough, the hunting monigon nudged her in the ribs, begging for food.

Hey there- shoo! A boy came out of the nearby stables and placed a hand on the reptile’s head, firmly pushing it away. The monigon resisted a moment, then locked its attentive gaze onto someone wheeling a cart of grain and trotted away.

Damara watched it go, entranced. Did you see that, Xander? she asked, already cheering up. He wanted our bread!

I saw, Xander answered, taking the loaf from her hands. "You know what to do if one of those attacks you, right? You stand very still- don’t run, remember?"

Damara barely heard him, still watching the canine-like reptile.

Damara?

Yes, Brother, she chirped at last. But, Xander, look how funny that one is. Isn’t he funny?

Yeah. Here, come on. He grabbed her hand and they walked into the stables. In the far corner was a large pile of hay. Damara pulled away to run and jump into it, sending straw flying as she did so.

Stop, you’ll get our food dirty, Xander said, sitting down beside her, his stable boy clothes baggy around his waist. He asked, "Where is the other loaf? You didn’t give it to that monigon- did you, Damara?"

No, she sniffed, taking her half of the bread as he handed it to her.

Then what happened? he inquired further.

Biting down on her bread, Damara smiled as she recalled the satisfaction of seeing the girl so offended. I threw beans at an ugly face, she giggled with her mouth full.

"You what?!"

Damara snickered impishly and took another bite without answering.

Damara, Xander scolded like an adult, don’t throw things. You could get in big trouble for that!

I only did it because she was being mean to me, she whined. She said that a dragon wouldn’t be my friend!

Damara! he cried, a panicked look on his face. Glancing around, he lowered his voice. You told them about the dragons? Damara, I told you not to! They might go after the dragons! You don’t want to put them in danger, do you?

No, she pouted.

Xander fiddled with a strap on his shoulder, concern filling his youthful eyes. A soft grey horse whinnied in its stall.

She remembered dozens of dragons in the morning sky, all flying away. She could still picture where the sky met the sea, a thin line strung out in front of her. It held there, forever out of her reach, yet swallowed the dragons, leaving nothing but vast emptiness in their departure.

They left me…

Where did the dragons go, Xander? she asked, tugging on his shirt.

I don’t know, he murmured in response.

A friar entered the stables and Xander jumped up to serve him. Close to Damara, a huge horse snorted, tossing its head. Amazed, Damara stood up and ventured over to it, cautiously laying one hand on the horse’s sandy colored coat.

Grinning, little Damara got a wooden stool and stepped onto it. But even on the tips of her toes, the horse’s back looked too far over her head. Daringly, she reached out, clenched a fistful of the horse’s mane, and labored to pull herself up.

Damara, stop! Xander cried out, alerted when the horse brayed. Damara protested as her brother rushed to take her away, back to the pile of hay in the corner.

Don’t touch any of the horses! Xander demanded, then hurried off again as someone called for him.

Damara sighed in boredom and let herself fall back into the straw, squinting her eyes as dust swirled around them. Some of the particles invaded her nostrils and she sneezed.

Something clung to the wood of the rafters above her.

She gasped, trying not to tumble as she leapt to her feet, standing as tall as she could in the slippery hay. She craned her neck back to see it- a little, marble white creature that stared back at her with beady red eyes.

Xander! she said, delighted. Xander, look at this!

"Mmph! her brother grunted as he lifted up a heavy saddle. Not now, Damara."

Damara held eyes with the winged monigon in the rafters like it was a tasty looking apple too high for her to pick.

I remember you! she whispered to it. "You’re the little wyvern Xander found in the forest. Do you remember me?"

The monigon turned the side of its head to her, eyeing her. "Do you remember me?" it mimicked her voice, just as it had when she lived with the dragons.

Yes! Damara shrilled and danced about in uncontainable joy. She lost her footing in the shifty hay, sliding down on her back until her foot hit a wooden post with a thud.

Ow. She started as the wyvern took flight over her head. Wait!

She chased after it as the small creature flew through the stable door and outside. Xander called to Damara as she ran past him and the horse he led, but she didn’t stop.

She kept her eyes locked on the wyvern, barely seeing where she was going. She ran into a small group of people, weaving through them without a moment’s pause.

Damara exited the courtyard, despite her brother’s shouting. The monigon glided low on gentle drafts, tilting its head at her from above as she caught up directly below it. She gave a breathy laugh, trying to make out its kite-like shape in the glare of the sun.

It flew ahead of her again, speeding forward, but Damara was too winded to keep following. She skipped to a halt, gasping for breath with her hands on her knees, and watched as the wyvern sped away.

Then, from above came a terrible screech and a falcon twice the wyvern’s size plummeted down like a slicing arrow. In one swoop, the bird had the monigon in its talons.

Damara cried out. She saw the wyvern struggle with the falcon, fighting it until it finally let go. Freed but injured, the wyvern fell to the ground, wings ruffled by the air currents. There it landed, a few yards away from Damara. She rushed forward, but someone caught her from behind.

Damara, don’t run off like that! Xander was telling her, holding her back.

Xander, she’s hurt! Damara shrilled. I have to help her!

She’s a wild animal, Xander reasoned with her. She can take care of herself.

No, no! Damara protested, still fighting to get to the motionless monigon. She’s my friend, Xander! She needs my help!

Come on, Xander told her, unrelenting. We need to get back before we’re missed.

No! Damara screamed and cried as he pulled her back the way they came. It felt awfully familiar to her, being withheld like that. Tears streamed down her face and, just as she had watched the dragons fly beyond the horizon, she watched the crumpled wyvern disappear from sight.

Chapter 1

What rubbish is this? Damara thought, repulsed as she watched a market play. They had announced it as the story of their princess, the true Dragon Slave as they called her, who was rescued by their mighty King Chadwick.

A man wearing a bluish-grey dragon costume flapped his wings dramatically, calling out, I am River- the most fearsome spy of all the dragons!

Besides Damara, the audience gathered in the town square was enraptured, cheering as a fraudulent king overpowered the pretend dragon. Tying up the winged man, he demanded, Take me to my sister, Princess Theora!

Defeated, the bound dragon slunk along the stage. The king drove him mercilessly with a fake spear until four new dragons arrived- more costumed men that roared and gnashed their teeth. Behind them, a youthful boy cried out to the king, grasping his dress and girlish wig fearfully.

Save me, Brother! he screamed. His immature voice cracked. Kill them all!

Fools! Damara glared at the performance. A soft, chilling breeze fluttered the short cape around her arms and teased her long dress. They have no idea what the dragons are like!

She stormed away, shoving the other children out of her way, careful not to touch the adults as she passed. When all she could hear was the voices of the crowds, she stopped, hopping up onto a stout wall. There she sat with her back leaned up against the side of a house.

If they met the dragons they wouldn’t be so arrogant, Damara seethed. She closed her eyes, scowling as she heard the audience clap and cheer yet again.

Am I the only one who knows the truth?

She breathed softly, trying to recall her most vivid memory of a dragon- the first one she met when she was still a small child. The vision came, calming her as the gentle wind blew in her face, making her light brown hair quiver and tickle her neck.

Deep red was the dragon that smiled down at her in her memories. A beautiful, reptilian face looking into her eyes with an understanding she’d never sensed from anyone else. Damara could still imagine the rain drizzling down as she recalled the dragon’s name.

Jacinth.

She thought for sure another dragon had been there as well, but she couldn’t remember who. She couldn’t even remember what the second dragon looked like.

I’ll never see them again.

She bit her lip in discouragement.

Will I be stuck here till the day I die? With these people?

The thought was incomprehensible. It sounded like a death sentence in itself.

Damara, there you are.

A familiar female voice met her ears and she looked up. Hello, Catherine, she said, failing to hide the bitterness in her voice.

Catherine was, without a doubt, the prettiest young woman Damara had ever seen, with her light blonde hair and elegantly long nose. Commoners regarded the rosy birth mark on her cheek as a sign of good luck. But the thing Damara envied her for most of all was her eyes- a soft, minty green that stood out like lily pads on the water.

Of course, as sweet as she was, Catherine would insist that Damara’s eyes were a lovely blue. Yet Damara was convinced the color faded from them a little more each day.

Did you see the play? Catherine asked pleasantly. I think you’d have enjoyed it. It had dragons in it- like the ones you tell me about.

"Except not," Damara muttered under her breath.

She’s just like all the other people. She doesn’t understand anything about the dragons.

Guilt came over her, knowing her resentfulness was unjust. She could tell Catherine was just trying to be kind. Still, she wondered if her brother had anything to do with it. She’d seen how her friend looked at him. And how Xander looked at her.

Damara stiffened once more.

Oh Damara, did you cut your hair again? Catherine asked, reaching out to touch it. You know, it would look lovely if you let it grow out.

Like yours? Damara responded out of obligation, not interest. She liked her hair short so it didn’t get as tangled. She didn’t want to deal with the hassle of brushing it out and putting it in a long braid like Catherine did.

Damara sighed. You always find the time to make yourself pretty, Cath.

Catherine smiled. She was gorgeous.

It’s obvious why Xander is so fond of her, Damara thought jealously. She catches every eye.

Oh! Catherine’s hand flew to her hair. With slender fingers, she checked for flaws in the seemingly perfect braid. Damara narrowed her eyes, knowing well by her friend’s sudden shyness that Xander was coming towards them.

Don’t swoon with desire, she gibed silently and turned to face her brother.

Xander met them with a lively smile. Hey, he said.

He really has grown into a man, she thought, noting his well-trimmed hair and clean-shaven face. It’s obvious why Catherine is so fond of him…

Catherine and Xander were the only people Damara truly cared about. But whenever she saw them catching each other’s eyes, it put her on edge.

Will they start ignoring me once they realize they feel the same way about each other? she feared. Will I be nothing more than a ghost?

No, she refused.

I will not be forgotten.

"Did you see the play, Xander? Damara asked him flatly, resting her head on one knee. Didn’t they portray the dragons perfectly?"

He neglected to answer, grinning offhandedly. She could tell he was evading her gaze as he said to Catherine, "How did you like Clem’s performance? Did you see his beard?"

Catherine tittered nervously as Xander braided imaginary facial hair from his chin all the way down to his chest.

Why does he always get like this when I mention the dragons? Damara wondered. It’s not that he denies anything- he just doesn’t respond at all.

She knew Xander didn’t want to encourage her dreams about life with the dragons.

Why doesn’t he tell me those days are done and over with? To stop thinking about the dragons all together?

He never says anything bad about them…I suppose he still respects them.

Does he remember more than I do?

Damara looked at Catherine, who simpered at her- a sympathetic expression that made Damara feel like a little child with ridiculous fantasies.

I hate that smile.

Damara watched as raindrops began to fall from the grey clouds overhead. Xander barely seemed to notice the rain, but Catherine shielded her hair, looking up in dismay.

Mother should be waiting for me at the house, Catherine excused herself warily.

Xander grinned. Alright. See you there.

With a shy smile, Catherine turned and walked away. Damara watched her friend go, feeling rather guilty for being so cross.

It’s just that dim-witted play, she grumbled to herself, wet hair sticking to her face.

Looking to Xander, she noticed him pull out his knife and a half-carved lump of wood. Damara hid a smile as she recognized its shape as an animal of some sort.

Is he making that for me?

Trying not to sound overly curious, she asked, What’s that?

Something, he replied vaguely, turning away from her as he whittled.

He doesn’t want me to see it. Damara grinned, looking away. It’s definitely for me.

The sound of hooves battering the ground grew louder. She and Xander turned their heads to it.

What’s the rush? Damara wondered, knitting her brow with concern.

A herald’s voice struck the air with urgency. "Swaineford has been attacked! Swaineford has been attacked by dragons!"

Chapter 2

Over the next few days, the streets hummed with commoners sharing what they knew about the dragon invasion of Swaineford.

Of all the towns in Wystil, Swaineford was arguably the most important. It was a huge trading town, with the only reliable bridge across Swaine River. A big portion of Wystil stood on the other side of that river. Without access to Swaineford Bridge, communication from that upperpart of Wystil was almost completely severed from the castle.

It was reported that dragons of terrible size had attacked from above, breathing fire and destroying houses. The beasts wrecked the whole town and killed nearly everyone inside. The few survivors escaped to the Wystilian castle, to tell of what they’d witnessed.

Word had it that King Chadwick was gathering an army. A huge one.

It was like the time he’d prepared his army to fight the mighty dragon, Zeus, in hopes of saving his sister, Princess Theora. Except this time it wasn’t just his best knights. He was calling people off the streets to fight. Able-bodied men- rich or poor, young or old.

His objective, they said, was to wipe out all the dragons.

This can’t be happening, Damara told herself, walking home with a pail of well water. Beside her, a group of boys talked amongst themselves with much excitement.

We can’t miss the Parade of the Troops when they march around the castle, she heard one say. It’s happening on Saint Morehice Day, isn’t it?

Parade of the Troops? Damara hung inconspicuously nearby.

Oh, we’ll be there! another declared. And so will half the kingdom! This is the biggest threat Wystil’s seen since Crageria. Maybe even bigger!

Not if the Huskhns challenge us, someone opposed.

But to this, a boy argued, They’re only fierce at sea.

There was some dispute between the boys. Damara was about to walk away again when she heard one pipe up, I hear Princess Theora doesn’t want King Chadwick to kill all those devils.

She’s still trying to convince everyone that the dragons aren’t our enemies? They’ve attacked Swaineford! I tell you, that woman is insane.

We should hand her back over to the dragons. I’ll wager that’s what they’re after!

"Yeah, leave it to the devils to see any value in her!"

The boys laughed uproariously.

Quiet, if you know what’s good for you! an old man silenced them with a hiss. That’s the royal family you’re mocking.

Damara walked on, mulling over what she had just heard.

Princess Theora is on the dragons’ side?

She remembered hearing before that King Chadwick’s sister had different views about the beasts even though they had supposedly kidnapped her.

What does she know about the dragons? she wondered.

Damara recalled the time when Xander tried to convince her that they had met the Princess before. He said that she gave them both a ride on her horse.

The things he makes up! She scoffed to herself. Why would he say something as ridiculous as that, but not tell me more about the dragon colony?

Dragons couldn’t have attacked Swaineford. They aren’t evil like that. Maybe they were attacked first and they were just fighting back? Or maybe all of this is just a lie!

I didn’t even know there were still dragons here. The Colony left! Did they come back? Maybe some of them got left behind?

Her heart jumped hopefully. Maybe I can meet one again.

Her memory of Jacinth resurfaced in her mind. A friend that actually understood her.

The clouds above Damara’s head were stained yellow and grey. They hung in the sky as one, endless sheet, like a feathery pelt. Damara gazed up at them when a sudden gust of frigid wind blew the hood off her head and tugged at her cape.

More bothersome than little children, Damara thought crossly, drawing the light hood back around her face. She glared down the road as she walked, bracing herself for every freezing whisper of a breeze.

As she neared Catherine’s father’s house, where she and Xander were allowed to live, she saw that just across the street Xander and Catherine were sitting close together.

Too close. Damara thought. Her eyes flew open in disgust as she noticed they were holding hands.

She hung back a moment and waited to time her intrusion perfectly, walking up to them just as their attention began to narrow in on nothing but each other. They looked up at her, somewhat startled.

Hello, Cath, Damara said. What are you doing?

Her pretty friend let go of Xander’s hand, looking away as she blushed to the rosy color of her birthmark.

Don’t forget that’s my brother, Damara reminded her silently. She noticed her brother’s mouth twitch. It gave her a little thrill. He’s not so happy to see me. But I have just as much reason to be in front of the house as he does.

Damara’s eyes searched the flowers tucked into Catherine’s hair. Those are pretty, she commented, her voice edged with mockery.

Nonetheless, Catherine thanked her quietly, softly brushing the largest