Dragon Flames: Dragon World, #1

By Sue Perkins

Dragons spouting flame attack the human settlements. Talei travels for help to the main town of Boone but the dragons arrive soon after. She meets Adri and he offers to help fight the dragons. 

On the return journey Talei mind melds with a dragon and before the huge beast dies he asks Talei to help free his race from the creatures who have enslaved them. 

Talei, Adri and a few others set out for the other continent to discover if the dragons are telling the truth and what they can do to stop the attacks. Will it be possible to save the dragons and achieve a peaceful coexistence with the huge beasts?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Caishel Books
• Release date: Aug 17, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386361831

Sue Perkins

Sue Perkins grew up in Devon, England and emigrated to New Zealand with her family. Sue and her husband live at the top of New Zealand’s South Island. Her interests include writing, reading, genealogy and aqua jogging. Sue’s first romance novel was released in May 2007, quickly followed by a fantasy trilogy, more romance books, young adult and middle grade novels. Visit Sue Perkins webpage to discover more of Sue’s books, including her fantasy romance novels and middle grade level fantasy books. Her aim is to write a full length epic fantasy novel. The outline is complete, and Sue hopes to finish it by the end of 2018.

Book preview

Reviews

Sally Pink Reviews

An entertaining read for all ages

Perkins crafts a tale full of adventure with Dragon Flames. ....

Perkin's imagination soars with this adventure-filled story. ....

I enjoyed the rich back story of the dragons. They possessed many emotions that the reader can identify with - love, distrust, kindness, and curiosity. Perkins paints vivid pictures of the setting that resonate in the reader's mind.

CELLOPHANE QUEEN (MARVA Dasef)

Exciting Combination of Fantasy and SF

... Talei is the first child born on the new planet. It's a rough, frontier life, but things have been going well until the dragons come.....

Talei leads a small group to the western continent—the home of the dragons—to help the dragons overcome the Pundra slavers.

LASR REVIEWS

Interesting Read

....Dragon Flames is an adventure for all ages! From the first dragon attack to the freeing of the dragons from their captors, you're glued to the words before you. I found it interesting as to why Talei and her brother, Byron, were the only ones capable of communicating with the dragons at first. A different sort of idea and I think it worked well here, showing how the siblings differed from all the other survivors around them.

A great fantasy for younger teens and adults alike, Dragon Flames is a fun and exciting mix of both fantasy and science fiction.

Other books by Sue Perkins

Romance

Three Hearts

Broken Heart – Three Hearts prequel

Recipe for Romance

Blitz

Fantasy Romance

Dragon World Series

Dragon Flames – Book One

Dragon Clans – Book Two

Dragon Ice – Book Three

Adri's Journey – Bonus Book

Middle Grade Books

Spirit Stealer

Reva's Quest (Free book)

Lost on Disc

Disc Chase

Ghost Bus

Dedication

To the young adults in my family. I hope they love dragons as much as I do.

Chapter One

C ome on, Darth. Talei stamped her foot impatiently. Hurry up. We'll miss the opening ceremony.

Don't be daft. Darth's voice came from the darkness inside the barn. They can't start until your father arrives. You said he still had jobs to do at home when you left.

Talei sighed. She leaned against the fencepost, enjoying the warm sun shining down from the clear blue sky.

Darth, why do you always leave your chores to the last minute?

The bond of being the first two newborns on Numar had made them constant companions since babyhood. Despite being fond of him, there were times when he drove her mad with frustration. He moved so slowly, both physically and mentally.

I'm not waiting any longer, Darth. She pushed away from the post, her patience wearing out. Catch up when you're finished.

With a swirl of calf-length red and yellow skirts she marched out of the yard and down the road leading to the annual Landing Day party field, her red leather boots kicking up small puffs of dust from the unpaved surface. Darth could take as long as he liked, she had no intention of missing one single bit of the celebrations for the eighteenth anniversary.

He didn't even wish me Happy Birthday. Darth should know eighteen is a very important birthday for a woman. He knows I think of it as a celebration of my birthday as well as the spaceship's safe landing.

The heavy scent of flowers surrounded her as she walked along the road, her arms swinging in appreciation of the sunshine. At this time of year the baby animals played in the fields, flowers covered the ground, and the crops pushed their way through the rich earth promising another good harvest.

A lamb bleated from the side of the road. It had escaped from a nearby field and couldn't get back through the fence. Later the road would be busy with people making their way to the party, and the lamb might get frightened. She slowly approached the crying baby.

Hush, little one, she cautioned. It's only me. I'm not going to hurt you. Keep still, and I'll pop you back over the fence so you can rejoin your mama.

Talei had an affinity with animals. No beast showed any fear of her, and the lamb proved no exception. It butted her shoulder playfully as she bent to pick it up. She gave it a quick cuddle and put it on the other side of the fence where the ewe waited anxiously for her offspring. The lamb turned back to Talei, bleating once more before it bounded off to join its mother.

She straightened, and ran her fingers through her short, dark hair, pushing it away from her eyes. From here she could see fields of grain and pastures of rich grass stretching to the distant forest, several of them dotted with sheep, cattle, and horses. In the short time since her people arrived on the planet, they'd tamed a vast amount of land. She took a deep breath, reveling in the fresh air and heavy scent of flowers.

In the distance, Mount Newhome reached toward to the sky. She smiled. Mount Newhome rose no higher than a large hill, but with nothing taller nearby the colonists had given it a proud name.

Numar hadn't been their original destination. The colony ship had passed through a meteor storm and crash landed on this planet. Half the passengers stayed near the landing site and built the settlement of Boon while other, hardier settlers disappeared into the forests. Eventually three more settlements were established. Talei and Darth's parents and friends traveled to the far west, and made their home in Maass.

She snapped back to the present as she heard her name called and turned to see Darth rushing toward her.

I don't know why you're in such a hurry, he grumbled, running his fingers through his dark hair as he fell into step beside her. We'll be the first ones there.

You say that every year, and we've never been first yet. Oh no. I hope it's not going to rain. Talei looked up as a shadow crossed the fields beside the road.

She stopped abruptly, her jaw dropping open with astonishment. No angry cloud floated above them. A huge black beast flying high in the sky threw its shadow across their path. Talei watched as it rose higher and hovered above the party field. A few moments later its wings beat strongly, and it flew in a wide arc, back the way it had come.

It's a dragon. Her words came out as a whisper.

Dragon? What dragon? Darth looked at the now empty sky.

How could you have missed seeing such a huge... Talei looked at Darth in disbelief. He stood with his shoe in his hand, shaking it to remove a stone. He hadn't seen a thing. Talei thought minutes had passed while she watched the beast, but in reality only a few seconds had elapsed.

Are you telling me I missed seeing a dragon? Don't be silly Talei, there's no such thing.

Forget it. Still astonished, and disturbed by what she'd seen, she couldn't explain it to Darth. Instead, she linked her arm through his and tugged him toward the party field. Come on slowcoach, I'm thirsty.

Only a few people were there before them, and Darth muttered something which sounded suspiciously like, Told you we'd be too early, but Talei ignored him. She glanced around hoping to see her parents. Her twelve year old brother dashed past chasing another boy, and she grabbed his shirt and pulled him to a halt.

Aw, Talei. I'll never catch him now. Byron struggled to break free of her grip.

Sorry. She smiled, and her brother grinned back. Do you know if Mum and Dad have arrived?

Haven't seen them. Probably over by the council tent.

Byron dashed off as soon as she released him. Talei headed toward the council tent with Darth drifting along behind her. She couldn't see her mother but her father, Joseph, stood at the tent entrance talking to another councilor. He saw Talei, excused himself from his companion and came to join her.

Hello, sweetheart. I see you're early as usual. His smile included Darth, but the young man's interest had wandered to the field entrance in search of his friends.

Darth, why don't you go and get us both a drink? Talei suggested, and he strode off happily toward the refreshment tent. Once Darth had walked out of earshot, Talei gently urged her father to one side of the tent, out of the way of the people hurrying in and out of the entrance.

Dad, did you see the dragon that flew over? She held her breath as she waited for his answer.

Dragon? Now Talei, you know dragons are only in your mother's stories. Joseph frowned. Tell me what you saw.

Darth and I were coming along the road when a shadow passed over us. Darth didn't see it, he'd bent down to remove a stone from his shoe. I looked up and saw a big black beast flying toward this field. I watched it hover over the field for a moment, then wheel round and go back the way it had come.

Could it have been a dark cloud? her father asked. There aren't any large predators on this planet as far as we know. If there were I doubt if they'd be able to fly.

I know I didn't see a cloud, Dad. It looked just like the dragons in Mum's stories, and I could see it breathing. Talei desperately wanted her father to believe her. She had a strong hunch the dragon boded ill for Maass, and probably for the other three settlements, too. Maybe it came from the other continent. We haven't explored that far yet.

Laughter echoed from the party field. Joseph stood pondering his daughter's words. He nodded and grasped her firmly by the upper arms.

Listen to me, Talei. I believe you saw something, but no one will thank you for spoiling their Landing Day celebrations. For now I want you to keep this information to yourself. I'll call a council meeting tomorrow morning, and you can tell them what you saw. We'll send a runner to the other settlements to ask if they've noticed anything unusual.

It came from the west so Maass would be the first place it saw, Talei protested. What if it comes back this afternoon?

You're probably right about us being the first ones it visited. I expect the beast experienced as much surprise as you. Don't worry. It won't come back today. Now promise me you'll keep this to yourself.

Deep within she knew they shouldn't keep quiet. Her instincts told her the huge beast would return sooner rather than later. Experience had taught her she couldn't change her father's mind once he'd decided on a course of action, so she nodded miserably.

Spirits dragging, and shoulders hunched, she followed him round to the front of the tent. A puzzled looking Darth stood near the entrance, a tall wooden tumbler in each hand. His frown cleared as Talei smiled at him. If her father wouldn't do anything about what she'd seen, she might as well enjoy the afternoon.

Darth did his best to entertain her. Talei tried not to think of the dragon, but it repeatedly invaded her mind. Every time a cloud passed across the sky, she glanced up fearfully, expecting to see the beast returning with others of its kind. The dancing began late in the afternoon. Talei threw herself into the swing of things, allowing the throbbing beat to take her mind off her worries.

Talei loved dancing. Darth swung her round, and her skirts twirled up to her knees as she gave herself to the music. His mouth opened and shut as he shouted something at her, but she shook her head to let him know she couldn't hear him. He pulled her close, her head alongside his so she looked over his shoulder.

This is fun isn't it? He spoke directly into her ear. Talei heard his voice but paid no attention to his words.

Staring over his shoulder, she watched in horror as the horizon darkened with the wings of several black dragons, all moving at amazing speed in the direction of the party field. Before she could find her voice, a woman behind her screamed. The air filled with shouts as everyone ran for cover.

Darth frowned as he turned slowly to see the cause of the commotion. He stood motionless in the middle of the now empty dance floor. Talei knew Darth would be trying to reconcile the vision in front of him with his knowledge of the animals of Numar. Quickly recovering from the initial shock, Talei ran toward one of the heavy wagons drawn up at the edge of the field. She saw Darth hadn't moved and rushing back, grabbed his shirtsleeve to force him to follow her. Hand in hand they ran toward the dubious safety beneath the wagon. A blast of heat knocked them off their feet as the dragons loosed their first sheets of flame.

Crawling under the wagon, Talei peered out at the devastation unfolding across the field. Moments before gaiety and bright colors pulsed in time with the music as the colonists celebrated their anniversary. Now the field resembled a battlefield. The only color in the dark clouds of smoke rolling across the ground came from bursts of flame, as the dragons scorched the earth beneath them. Here and there intermittent smaller bursts indicated a few colonists trying to return fire with laser guns.

Darth stirred beside her, and thinking he moved to comfort her, she turned toward him. To her horror she saw him crawl from beneath the wagon and move toward a laser gun which had fallen from the hand of a dead defender.

Darth, no, she hissed. Don't be stupid.

He picked up the laser, and still lying on the ground he looked toward her, pride glowing in his eyes.

I'm not stupid, Talei. I'm going to protect my home and people in the only way I know. Without another word he wriggled forward until he reached the dance floor. Talei watched helplessly as he stood. Alone in the center of the dance floor, he fired at a dragon strafing the tents along the eastern side of the open space.

The beast turned. Without appearing to aim, it launched a stream of fire at Darth. He didn't even have time to cry out as his body burst into flames. When the blaze subsided only a blackened husk remained. Talei watched in horror as the residue of her childhood friend fell lifeless to the ground.

The dragon hovered over its kill. Talei screamed in terror, and the huge, triangular head turned in her direction. She stared helplessly into the dragon's brilliant green, cat-like eyes. She froze as the maw opened, and waited for the searing heat to destroy her, too. Somewhere in the back of her mind her brain chanted a litany. Please don't kill me. Please don't kill me.

For a brief moment she thought the dragon heard her. The huge eyes blinked, and the mouth snapped shut. The beast shook its head reminding Talei of her mother when she tried to dislodge a thought or irritation. The beast's wings beat strongly, lifting its dark sinister body into the sky. It banked away from the field, and Talei saw a small figure sitting behind the huge head. The rider could be seen venting its frustration by beating the beast with a large rod.

Moans of distress from the wounded broke the silence in the aftermath of the attack. Slowly Talei crept out from under the wagon. Her insides trembled as she looked around. The dance floor looked like a grim scene from one of the storybooks her mother had brought from Earth. Very few bodies moved. Some weren't recognizable as humans, they were so black and charred. Shading her eyes she looked toward the settlement of Maass. Great billows of black smoke hid the horizon. The people in the party field, the settlement and crops, had all suffered from the dragon attack.

Talei. Her brother's voice sounded small and shaky as his hand crept into hers. What happened? Have you seen Mum and Dad?

Her parents! Dragging her brother in her wake she hurried toward the ashen remains of the council tent. She recognized her father by his boots, which had stubbornly refused to burn. Gently disengaging herself from her brother, she bent down and turned the badly burned body over. Sadness swept through her. He had been sheltering their mother, but his protection had been to no avail. Talei and Byron were orphans.

Grief overcame her. She clung to her brother, both of them letting their emotions run their courses. Eventually their cries subsided to sobs, and Talei sank to the ground, rocking Byron to and fro until her tears were spent.

Talei.

Yes, Byron. She tried to sound comforting, burying her own grief behind a mask.

What are we going to do now? Will we be able to live on our own?

I don't know. Talei looked down at the soot streaked face and decided she might as well get the whole truth out in the open. The dragons destroyed the settlement and probably the farms, too. Come on little brother. Let's see what the situation is before we decide what needs doing.

Hand in hand they wandered around the field. Other dazed children helped the wounded or sat, eyes staring sightlessly in shock. Nobody appeared to be in charge. Talei couldn't see any council members or adults. She prayed some of them had come through the attack.

All the survivors were young people, those born since the landing. Eventually Talei found two adults still alive.

Darth's mother, Simone Lafitte, sat rigidly upright with glazed eyes. The woman didn't look capable of taking charge of anything at the moment. Councilor Daryl had also survived, but his injuries were so bad she doubted he would survive for long.

Talei. Talei looked over her shoulder. Her peers and the younger children had gravitated toward her. What should we do?

To give herself time to think, she turned to look at the devastation surrounding them. Everything flammable had been destroyed leaving a disgusting smell of seared flesh. Swallowing the bile rising in her throat, she tried to envisage what her father would have done. Her inner thoughts screamed that is wasn't fair, she couldn't do this, but she straightened her shoulders and took a deep breath. As the oldest member of those left, she must organize the small band looking at her expectantly.

Some of you start piling the bodies together. Gasps of horror erupted from the teenagers surrounding her, and she hurried on. "We can't bury so many bodies, and we can't stay here. There's nothing left for us, and there will be nobody to tend the graves. The rest of you boys and older girls partner off and visit every farm. Check if you can find any survivors. Bring anyone alive here with