AabiLynn's Dragon Rite Collection #2

By Kristie Lynn Higgins

AabiLynn's Dragon Rite Collection #2 is book two of two.

AabiLynn's Dragon Rite is the story of Cara, a girl her family doesn't want. She is seen as worthless because she was born crippled. Unwanted by her father, Cara is sold off as a slave to pay for his debt. Alone emotionally and familyless, Cara travels with her master as he takes his son to participate in the Dragon Rite. The Dragon Rite is where children of Man are paired with young dragon hatchlings to form a bond of friendship and family like no other. Cara has a chance at a new life if only she can seize it.

AabiLynn's Dragon Rite Collection #2 is book two of two. This series consists of novellas. AabiLynn's Dragon Rite Collection #2 includes books #4, #5, and #6 of the series.

Start this fantasy action adventure novella series and travel where dragons have been part of the world for millenniums. Enter a realm where riders are paired with dragon hatchlings to raise and care for them and to form a bond like no other.

4. AabiLynn's Dragon Rite #4 Cleave The Infection As With A Sword

Cara and her dragon are caught in a deadly trap that threatens to cleave their bond.

5. AabiLynn's Dragon Rite #5 Dragoon'Essenere, Demon Slayers and Dragon Eaters

Cara is betrayed by someone she loves, and the Dragoon'Esseneres, demon hunters and dragon eaters, move for the dragon nest of Firedrake.

6. AabiLynn's Dragon Rite #6 Battle For Firedrake And The Final Act

Cara moves forward with the final acts of the Dragon Rite while forces move to destroy her and all who would protect her at Firedrake.

If you love stories with dragons or stories about dragons like Anne McCaffery’s Dragonriders of Pern, Cressida Cowell’s How To Train Your Dragon, or George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire a.k.a. Game of Thrones, you’ll love this series about a bond of friendship and family like no other. #ILoveDragons

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kristie Lynn
• Release date: Feb 20, 2020
• ISBN: 9780463727003

Kristie Lynn Higgins

You can also check out my author page on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/author/kristielynnhiggins

Book preview

Chapter One

The Cleaving Ceremony

Moments earlier...

The Main Restoration Alcove...

Venetian Red Scribe Syllabary felt within his very being that something was not quite right, so he and Dragon Elder Duran, who had the same feelings, rushed into the medical alcove and found Dragon Elder JamBorn standing beside his pair. Sweat speckled Elder Dracoman BenSeen's face as he laid on the cot, and he muttered incoherently in his sleep as his pair looked on in concern.

Syllabary was about to blurt out their desperate question, but Duran, the great yellow dragon, uttered it before he had a chance to, Has anyone seen the Venetian Purple Scribes?

JamBorn, the dragon who was red like a plum, turned to them as they barged into the Main Restoration Alcove and disturbed those recuperating from their wounds and other medical afflictions. He was angered slightly by their loud intrusion as they unsettled those resting, but then he noticed how desperate they both looked to discover the answer to Duran's outcry.

We have not, JamBorn replied as he moved away from his pair and approached the dragon and the scribe. They did send a messenger and said that they would be performing a ceremony shortly and that they would send for me and BenSeen when the time came.

Syllabary's suspicions of why the Venetian Purple Scribes were truly there laid thick on his words as he spoke, I believe you might want to hold off on that.

Why would we do that? JamBorn questioned him, and then he glanced at Duran and saw that he seemed to have the same concerns as the scribe.

I overheard the Venetian Purple Scribes speaking of a Cleaving Ceremony, Syllabary told him.

They want to separate me from my rider! JamBorn exclaimed, then immediately looked at his pair, and decided within his heart he would sooner die than allow that to happen. They were bonded and would remain bonded even if he had to share in BenSeen's plight. JamBorn demanded, What right do they have to do that without speaking to me first? Do they not need a vote from the elders to proceed with such a drastic solution?

They do, Dragon Elder Sage'Hall spoke as he entered with his rider, Elder Dracoman Norshmon. They were calmer than Syllabary and Duran, and they didn't seem to have the same urgency in their manner as Sage'Hall, the great dirt-colored dragon, questioned, Is it true what I overheard?

What is all this commotion about? Dragon Elder Wellwise asked as he entered with his rider, Elder Dracoman Cosmo. Wellwise, the great dark green dragon with three stripes of black running along his spine, stated, We could hear the uproar all the way through the tunnels. Has someone died?

Syllabary turned to them, surprised to see them, and then he asked the elders, What are you four doing here?

What do you mean? Elder Dracoman Norshmon questioned him, noting how odd the scribe was acting. Are we not permitted to visit a sick friend?

Of course you are– Syllabary replied, and then he stated as panic rose from the depths of his being as he started to put things together, –but I heard that the Candidate's Gift Impression Rite had commenced. Did you already finish with the first one?

The four elders who just arrived glanced at one another, and Syllabary realized his fears were warranted. Something was happening within Firedrake that needed their attention. They just needed to figure out what it was.

We have not started the Candidate's Gift Impression Rite, Elder Dracoman Cosmo told him, and then he inquired, Who told you such a thing started?

Perhaps I misunderstood Duran's attendant, Syllabary stated, trying to excuse his suspicions with something as simple as not understanding someone. It was better than what he was starting to suspect deep in his mind.

Duran knew the scribe wasn't one to confuse a matter, but then he thought of something else, and he questioned his temporary rider, Syllabary, did you contact the Venetian Purple Scribes yourself?

I sent out the request late last night and was informed three pairs were already on their way, Syllabary answered more convinced something was amiss, and then he added as if he had to give an answer to the mystery right away, I assumed one of the elders had another scribe send in the request before I did.

The other elders looked at one another again, but no one voiced that they had sent in the appeal.

It would seem that these Venetian Purple Scribes are here other than the reason for our request, JamBorn spoke, and then he questioned, What sort of mission could they be on?

The elders thought to themselves, searching for an answer and while they did so, another would also come to the conclusion that something was amiss.

Moments before Duran and Syllabary burst into the Main Restoration Alcove...

Within the Great Meeting Chamber...

A male attendant led Wyndfree into the large room, and then he told her, Wait here and another shall come for you.

Why have I been brought to the Great Meeting Chamber? Wyndfree inquired of him. I should have been taken to the Ritual Room.

I do not know the reason. I was only told to do so, he replied. Do not worry... I imagine the delay shall be short. The attendant headed for the exit as he added, I or another shall return for you shortly.

She watched him leave, and then she impatiently walked around the room but sensed something nearby that drew her to the large table. Wyndfree walked over to it and noticed Cara's bloodstone lying on its surface. She knew something was amiss the moment her eyes came upon it. Wyndfree stretched out her hand and seized the bloodstone, and the very moment she touched it, power and memory flooded her body and mind. She knew full well that a bloodstone was the last droplet of blood a wounded dragon bled as he or she died and that the stone was a testament of their existence and held the power, wisdom, and dreams of that dragon. Cara had told Wyndfree she found the stone when she first arrived at Firedrake and had no idea what dragon it had come from, but Wyndfree... she knew this dragon, she knew this dragon very well. A vision seized Wyndfree as if it had claws, and she saw a huge dragon over a great battle. The dragon was badly wounded, but it pressed on against thousands of its foes. Tears flooded her eyes as she shook her head and rid herself of the miserable sight. Wyndfree tucked the bloodstone in a small leather bag to rid herself of the vision, and then she ran in search of Cara and Black Fire. She searched for them for some time, then she came upon the Main Restoration Alcove, and she heard those talking within. She paused outside as she heard the voice of Duran.

There is another matter that I should bring up that has been weighing heavily on my mind the last two days. There is something not right with Black Fire's esspell, Duran spoke, then he waited for the elders and Syllabary to turn to him, and then Duran continued, He could not create a basic plasma bolt and yet he appears to have mastery over earth-based esspell.

Syllabary inquired, Is there any way that the hatchling could bypass the basic esspell and excel in more advance esspell?

Not an Athenia Dragon, Duran replied. It was almost as if someone else created the magic. I did sense another presence at training yesterday, but when I focused on them, I thought they had only been a hare. I believe now someone may have been using a masking spell to hide their presence from me.

Wyndfree continued to listen to them as she also wondered who could be lurking around Firedrake. Her mission would be hard enough now that the Stygian Legion showed their face. She would need to work quickly if she was to accomplish all that she set out to do. Sage'Hall asked a question and drew her out of her thoughts while she waited out in the hallway.

What dragon would do that?

I am not convinced it was a dragon, Duran replied, growing ever more troubled by the mysterious happenings. There are other species who have magic and can disguise themselves to appear as human.

Still... why do it? Elder Dracoman Cosmo asked.

Syllabary suggested, Maybe they did not want to be discovered by the warlock, and yet they still did not wish to see the children perish.

What would be their purpose for being in Firedrake? Wellwise asked. Other magical beings usually do not like to mingle with us.

That is a question for another day, Syllabary said, and then he urged them, Right now we need to find the Venetian Purple Scribes.

My temporary rider is correct, Duran stated, and then he ordered, JamBorn, stay with your pair. I shall order three dracomen and their dragons to watch over you two. The rest of you, come with me.

Wyndfree didn't want to be caught just standing without, so she barged in before anyone could leave and uttered, All of you elders are here! Why is that? Where is Cara and Black Fire?

Are they not with you? Duran inquired.

They were summoned to begin the Candidate's Gift Impression Rite, and I was led by an attendant to the Great Meeting Chamber. I grew suspicious when I found the bloodstone just lying on the table and no one else entered, not even a Venetian Red Scribe, so I grabbed the bloodstone and left. She carefully removed the bloodstone from the leather bag so as to not touch it and wake the power within once again, and then she showed it to them as she spoke, I walked out of the chamber and questioned an attendant who happened by, and he told me the rite had been delayed, but he did not know where the children were. I returned to their quarters, and they were not there, so I came here in hopes that Dragon Elder JamBorn would know where my plebes are.

Come with us and pray that the scenario playing through my mind is not coming to pass, Duran urged her. We must move swiftly!

Within the Ritual Room...

The joy and happiness Cara and Black Fire had felt when they believed they were participating in the Candidate's Gift Impression Rite had electrified their entire being. Cara remembered experiencing the jubilant sensations when she first limped down the stone path into the white sandy area. She remembered the beauty of the green glow the phosphorescent microbes living in the sand gave off as they lit up the area. Even the stalagmites and stalactites that filled the large cavern looked at her at that time like fingers reaching towards her and her pair to give praise for the accomplishment they had so diligently and unwavering strived for. All those good feelings and nice sentiments were to their horror only an illusion. They were a mask, hiding a ghastly truth. The joy and happiness they had experienced, screamed away from them painfully, and fear and confusion filled them as they perceived the bond that they shared, tear apart from them cell by cell. The stone path in the distance and the white sandy area that had led them to this point had become to the young pair a grizzly pathway to the damned for they felt like they lived in their final moments. The beauty of the green glow the phosphorescent microbes gave off had become a greenish hue of death and destruction in their hellish nightmare. Even the stalagmites and stalactites became hungry teeth that would devour them whole as if some monstrous giant had seized them and thrown them in its mouth. Their bond, the link of love and respect that had united them body, soul, and mind, threatened to erase who they were if it was taken away from them and bring about a spirit renting annihilation. Cara and Black Fire both cried out within their minds for the other as Cara stood helplessly on the Middle Ground and her hatchling equally helpless within the Quickening Chamber. The cavern which held so many good and bad memories for them would also execute one final vengeful act upon them and render the life they cherished void. She stood upon the same place where Bold had rejected her as his rider and where she had learned of Trech's betrayal. The Middle Ground had only brought terror and torment to her heart, but she had hoped the Candidate's Gift Impression Rite would change her perception of the place. She only wanted to have fond memories of the entire cavern. The Bestowal Basin was where the candidates put in their gift and where she had put in the bloodstone she had found. Firedrake's queen had laid Black Fire within the Quickening Chamber, and he had also hatched out of his egg there when he first heard Cara's voice. She didn't want to have mixed feelings about the cavern, so she was determined only to remember this moment in time on the Middle Ground where Black Fire and herself would complete their bond and finish the Fifth Act of the Dragon Rite and not what had happened in the past. It had been her goal, but as the chanters' magic filled the room and their power started to force them apart, the only thing precious she had in this world slip from Cara's grasp. Her sweet dream of a better existence had become just that... a dream... a fantasy filled reality like she used to envision to endure her life with Bork and his family.

The men encircling her and the dragon's encircling her pair continued their spell, pulling at their very being with their magic, and it numbed their bodies at first, and then it started to burn like fire for Cara and burn like ice for Black Fire. The more the ceremony progressed, the more intense the burning sensations became for the pair. She looked at the men encircling her whose faces were hidden within their hoods as she continued to experience the weird sensation she did when they had unlocked her hatchling's esspell, and she swayed to their chants as if she had no control over her own body. Cara stumbled back a step and hit her back against the stalagmite pedestal that held the shallow silver bowl of the Bestowal Basin. She stumbled a few steps forward, and then she continued swaying as sweat ran down her face. The room was usually cool, but her body was on fire, and she felt like she would pass out for its intense heat that seemed to burn her insides.

Within Black Fire's mind, he envisioned Cara and himself flying among the clouds as the dragons surrounding him chanted louder. Their words brought a torrent of wind into his vision and knocked him from the sky. He and Cara plummeted toward the ground, but he used his massive wings to halt their fall. Black Fire tried to return to the realm of clouds where he knew they would be safe, but each time he aimed his head up, the torrent attacked them again and sent them hurling toward the earth. He pulled from his vision and found himself within the Quickening Chamber surrounded by adult dragons. Black Fire knew the dragons were neither the elders nor were they any dragon he recognized. He tried to move to leave, but the adult dragons' esspell still kept him frozen in place as his body refused to obey him, and his mind which had remained unaffected by the spell, tried to connect with his pair.

Cara... Cara! Black Fire projected once more, hoping to reconnect with her mind. Cara! Can you hear me?

It was as he feared, and for the first time since he marked her with his fang, no, even before that, for the first time since he heard her voice that had told him to come out of his egg, Black Fire couldn't hear her thoughts or sense her presence. He also had no sense of her fears which had been so strong before. A fierce panic set in, and he mentally yelled all the more, Cara! Cara! Speak to me!

She collapsed and landed on the Middle Ground, and the scribes stepped closer as they continued the Cleaving Ceremony. They would separate dragon from rider. They would cleave the wretched infection from Firedrake and save the dragon nest from destruction, and they would do this so that all Athenia would be saved.

Cara woke for a few moments and peered up at the men. She was unable to move and deeply terrified since she couldn't hear Black Fire. She felt sick and light-headed and knew she would faint again. Cara tried to pull herself up to go to her hatchling's side, but she collapsed once more.

Venetian Purple Scribe Rider Ados lifted his voice above the others and spoke, Great Torcrea, we come before you to unbind what should have never been bound! Guide our hands as we cleave this infection from our kind! Give us the strength to rid this dragon nest of this harbinger of darkness!

A fourth Venetian Purple Scribe pair entered, then split apart, and took their places within the two circles. They had been on another mission and were delayed in arriving but came to Firedrake as soon as they were summoned. They lifted their voices and joined the others, and the magic increased again and gained the power they needed to break apart what linked the plebe pair. The Venetian Purple Scribes, dragon and rider alike, increased their chanting and their concentration, and Cara's unconscious body lifted into the air and positioned itself so that it stood upright. Ados stepped to the center of the circle, moved up behind the girl, and seized the crown of her head with his palm, and as his hand touched her, Cara tilted her head back and white lights shot out from her eyes and lit up the ceiling and all those around her.

We nearly have it, Ados told the others as he dropped his hands to his sides. We have delved through the easy part. Now let us finish the hard part and remove this wretched child from one of our kindred.

Ados moved around her, faced her, placed one hand to the side of her face, and then put his other hand on the other side as he embraced her in a harsh vice. He lifted his voice once more and spoke, You evil creature. I command you to break your link with him. I cannot allow you to be bonded with this hatchling. We cannot allow you to be bonded with this hatchling. Wretched child whose birth is now in question. From what evil realm did you come from? What evil woman's womb dropped you into existence so that you could plague our land? I curse such a woman as I curse your very existence. Now sever the final thread that binds you and Black Fire.

Duran, Syllabary, Wyndfree, and the other dragon and dracoman elders rushed into the Ritual Room and saw the site for themselves. They couldn't believe the audacity of the Venetian Purple Scribes to conduct such a spell without the consent of Firedrake.

Cease this ceremony this very moment, Duran demanded. You have no right to enact the Cleaving Ceremony without our permission.

Ados turned to them as a few of the other Venetian Purple Scribes turned to them, and Ados stated, Do you not know what existence has been plaguing the very air of Firedrake? How could you not see what this wretched child truly is? We shall not cease the ceremony until we have eradicated the evil seed that has been planted here.

Syllabary questioned him, What do you speak of? Cara is no plague upon Firedrake. She is only a child. You need to stop this ceremony or I shall contact–

Do you not think that we already have the authority that we need to cleave such as she from this hatchling? The Athenia Palace has given us the authority to rid the blight from our land. We need to destroy her now while her capacity is in its infancy.

We have no idea what you speak of– Sage'Hall stated, –but you do need to cease. The Athenia Palace may have given you the power to do such a thing, which I doubt, but you are still in Firedrake, and the elders here are the final say on what is done and what is not done upon these grounds. If you do not cease, we shall make you cease by force.

The Cleaving Ceremony cannot be stopped, Ados told them. We have gone too far into it and have but a single thread to cut. None of you shall stop us. None of you shall stop the sacred mission we have been given. The evil must not be allowed to be in this land.

Elder Dracoman Norshmon, who was the very light skinned fiery haired member of the tribe of men from Valldoon, spoke, I believe the time for talking has come to an end. We need to act and stop the Venetian Purple Scribes from completing whatever mission they have in mind. Move forward with me, elders, so that we may save what is left of Cara and Black Fire's bond.

The elders, dragons and dracomen alike, along with Syllabary and Wyndfree rushed forward to save the helpless pair, but the newly arrived Venetian Purple Scribe Rider and Dragon pair turned to them to stop them. The Venetian Purple Scribe Dragon named Garnet, for the deep reddish color of his hide, called forth his esspell of lightning and erected a large domed barrier of electricity that encompassed both the Quickening Chamber and the Middle Ground. His rider removed an enchanted dagger from his belt and used the weapon to reinforce the barrier. The enchanted dagger was called a Juvare Hand, and the gems within the hilt of the dagger were called the Juvare Fingers. The gems symbolized the rank and standing of the Venetian Purple Scribe pair and what boosting powers had been bestowed upon the rider to aid his pair. The Venetian Purple Scribe Rider, whose name was Finn, possessed three Juvare Fingers within his dagger, and they were red, green, and beige. The Juvare Fingers had three levels of magic within them, and as the rider progressed, he or she could unlock each gem's level. First Order scribes possessed one to three gems and could wield the first level power of each color, and they could possibly wield second level powers of a few of their gems. Second Order scribes possessed three to five gems and could wield the first and second level of each color, and they could possibly wield third level powers of a few of their gems. Third Order scribes possessed five or more gems and could wield all the levels of the Juvare Fingers within their dagger. The first two levels of the gems held assisting magic which was mostly used for defense, but the third level endowed the user with elemental or other nature attack magic. Finn and his pair were First Order scribes, and Finn's red Juvare Finger glowed brightly as it aided his pair by strengthening Garnet's esspell.

Wellwise stretched forth his talon but didn't touch the barrier. He only gauged its strength, and then Wellwise told the others with him, It shall take us some time to take down this erected barrier. First Order scribe magic is still very powerful. I shall begin on it at once. Sage'Hall, please assist me.

Yes, of course, the great dirt-colored dragon replied as he moved forward and stood beside the dark green dragon.

Let's begin now, Wellwise spoke, and both dragons used their esspell to begin to tear down the electrical barrier.

Ados questioned Finn, How long do we have?

Finn spoke with his pair, and then he told Ados, The elder dragons are very strong, but I believe we can keep the barrier up for you to complete the Cleaving Ceremony. Do hurry though.

We are nearly done, Ados told him.

While Sage'Hall and Wellwise concentrated, the other elders spoke amongst themselves.

This is taking too long, Norshmon stated. The plebe pair shall be cleaved before our dragons breakthrough. We must come up with another plan.

What else can we do? Cosmo questioned him. We are men of shield and spear, there is nothing for us to shatter, and there is nothing for us to defend.

While the elder dracomen debated and wallowed in their inaction, Wyndfree saw that Cara and Black Fire were in agony as the Cleaving Ceremony tried to cut the last thread that linked them. Most plebe pairs would have been cleaved by now, but the bond, Cara and Black Fire possessed, was stronger than anything Wyndfree had seen in hundreds of years. She thought about dropping the cloaking magic she used to conceal herself to the others. Cloaking magic as deep as hers consumed most of her power, and she couldn't use any other magic while using it, at least any magic that would assist in taking down the barrier. If she did drop her cloak, she would most likely be kicked out of Firedrake and wouldn't be permitted to complete her mission. Wyndfree wasn't sure that she would be able to break down the barrier on her own that the First Order scribes had erected, but she would be assisting the elder dragons and would greatly decrease the time it would take to bring it down. She fought over the dilemma within her mind and nearly decided to risk revealing herself when something happened that distracted her. Wyndfree looked down at the small bag she held as the bloodstone within it rattled about the leather, trying to free itself. She thought about opening the bag and releasing the bloodstone but wasn't sure if that would be any better of an idea than revealing herself to the others. Wyndfree decided against releasing the bloodstone, but before she could hide the bag away, the bloodstone had other plans for itself.

The bloodstone started to glow brightly as it heated up, and it was so bright that the deep red light glowed through the dark brown material. The bloodstone continued to heat up until it burned through the leather, then it fell towards the sandy floor, but then the bloodstone lifted itself into the air before it hit. Small flames swirled all around the bloodstone as it lifted higher and higher, and its brilliance made the bright white lights shining out through Cara's eyes seem dull in comparison.

Finn questioned Ados, What thing does the attendant hold? Is it a Juvare Finger?

I have never seen such a gem before, Ados replied, and then he told the other scribes, We need to finish this. Pour all of your energy into the spell, and let us break this evil grip this wretched child has on this hatchling.

All the scribes tried to concentrate harder, but the bloodstone distracted them with its own vim and light and did enough so that they couldn't sever the final thread. The fire around the bloodstone intensified as if it would consume the whole area in its fiery flames, and many shielded their eyes for its ferocity. A flutter of a fairy's wing before it devoured the entire cavern, the fire dispersed and left a deep red glow that was neither hot nor cold. The bloodstone remained suspended in the air a few moments more and everyone, including the Venetian Purple Scribes, stared at it in awe and bewilderment.

The bloodstone shook and trembled and then completely disappeared as a huge ivory dragon emerged from it, and the great beast nearly filled the entire ceiling with its enormous body. The dragon floated in the air with its magic, for if the dragon had stretched out its immense wings to fly, it would have knocked down the ceiling onto those below.

Duran was struck by her beauty as he exclaimed, This dragon is a queen.

I have never seen a queen so large, Sage'Hall spoke.

I believe we are forgetting one important factor here, Syllabary began. "This dragon queen appeared from a bloodstone. I know that the bloodstone holds the power, wisdom, and dreams of a dragon, but I have never heard