Dragons Of War: Firebrand Trilogy, #3

By Kyra Dune

With the High King dead and the future of the Ten Kingdoms at stake, the companions have split into two groups. Jada's group is bound for Waterfall in the north, with the intention of removing the usurper Tarel Andrassis from her throne. Carlan's group flies south to Slithering, there to hopefully find an ally in the slyph king. 

In both directions wait dangers neither group will see coming. Dangers of the flesh and dangers of the heart. In the end, whether the war for the Ten Kingdoms is won or lost, nothing can ever be the same again.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Shadow Portal Books
• Release date: May 24, 2019
• ISBN: 9781393510901

Kyra Dune

Shadow Portal Books is an ebook publisher offering full publishing services at no outright cost to the author. We also offer paid services to self published authors.

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

The sun beat down without mercy on the desert kingdom of Dusk. Wind blew incessantly from the east, stirring the reddish sand high into the sky. Even so high as the gryphons were flying. Carlan drew the hood of his gray cloak down further to shield his face. Sweat made the coarse wool itch against his skin. Rinitha sat behind him in the saddle with her arms wrapped around his waist and her head against his shoulder. The pressure of her body against his back only added to his discomfort but he would never say as much.

Ahead of them, Verdin’s gray cloak flapped in the wind. He turned in the saddle and glanced back. There’s a storm coming. He had to shout to be heard over the sound of the wind.

A storm? Carlan looked around for dark storm clouds, but all he could see was red sand and red sky. I didn’t think it ever rained hard enough here to consider it a storm.

Not a rainstorm, Verdin called back. A sandstorm. The gryphons can’t fly through it. We have to land.

Carlan raised his hand in acknowledgment. They flew a ways further until they found a high dune in whose shadow they could land. The wind was not so harsh there with the dune blocking it.

As soon as Carlan and Rinitha dismounted, Sundance stretched out his silver wings and gave himself an all over shake. Tiny pellets of sand flew every which way.

Sundance, Carlan said reproachfully, raising a hand to shield his face.

Starshine growled and nipped at Sundance’s hind legs. The young gryphon shrank away with a protesting squawk, giving the older gryphon a wounded look. 

It’s your own fault, Verdin said. He’d pushed back the hood of his cloak and sunlight highlighted his dark red hair. He doesn’t like the sand in his feathers any better than you do but at least he has better manners about it.

Sundance snorted, drew his legs up under himself, and laid down. Carlan scratched his feathered head just above his sharp beak. We’ll be in Cerulean before you know it and then all this sand will be nothing but a bad memory.

The gryphon gazed back at him with his golden eagle eyes, then tucked his head up under his wing. Carlan couldn’t blame him any for being irritated. Dusk wasn’t exactly his favorite kingdom either. But at least here they were safe from their enemies.

The very first thing I want to do in Cerulean is find somewhere to take a bath, Rinitha said, fingering a lock of her long blonde hair which was so tangled and choked with sand that she couldn’t even run her fingers through it. I have never felt so dirty in all of my life.

I wish I could say the same, Carlan said. Sadly, I have been in far worse shape than this. But I agree, the first thing we should do is get cleaned up. This sand is driving me mad. He scratched the side of his neck.

Verdin unloaded the tent from Starshine’s saddle and started to set it up. It’ll have to be in a lake or a river or something. We don’t dare stay at an inn. Too dangerous.

I don’t care what it is, Rinitha said, so long as it’s water.

Just then, Zazere came riding around the side of the dune on his black stallion. The storm is near.

The tent’s ready. Verdin stepped back and eyed the stallion. The gryphons can stay out the storm all right in the open but what about Nightshade? The tent’s small, but I suppose we could squeeze him in if we must. 

That won’t be necessary, Zazere said, in his calm, flat voice. Nightshade can see after himself as well the gryphons can.

I’ve been meaning to ask where you acquired such a fine animal, Rinitha said. He’s surely as well bred as any stallion in my father’s stables.

Carlan was surprised to hear her speak to Zazere. She’d not said a word to him since they fled Castle Vainglory. Not that she’d spoken much to him before that. He didn’t exactly encourage friendly conversation. But Rinitha had a special reason to avoid the slyph mage. Zazere had killed her brother right in front of her. For a good reason, but still.

Zazere regarded Rinitha with his cold black eyes until she flushed and looked away. I would advise that we get into the tent before the storm reaches us.

Nobody argued. Inside the tent, Verdin and Zazere sat near the flap while Carlan and Rinitha huddled together at the back. The wind picked up, causing the sides of the tent to buck in and out. It seemed a terribly flimsy shelter to Carlan, but he just kept telling himself that they had made it through worse situations then this.

Sand skittered over the top of the tent as the air outside darkened under the weight of the storm. Then Carlan heard another, louder sound. Almost like rushing water. He frowned. What is— The rest of the sentence was lost as the tent collapsed on top of him.

Everything around Carlan was heavy darkness. He couldn’t move. Couldn’t see. Couldn’t breathe. Panic made his chest tighten. Then a hand was on his arm dragging him free and he gasping for breath. The wind howled like a caged beast and Rinitha was making frightened gulping noises.

The tent is falling in, Verdin shouted. His voice was controlled but there was a hint of panic in his blue-green eyes. We have to get out.

Carlan rolled over on all fours. Rinitha was by his side, her blue eyes wide, but Zazere was nowhere in sight. Carlan couldn’t help but feel resentment that the mage had thought only of himself, though he wasn’t surprised. They crawled out through the tent opening. Carlan clenched his teeth and gritted his eyes against the expectation of blasting sand. Instead, he found himself surrounded by a sphere of clear air. The storm raged outside but it touched nothing within.

Zazere stood a few feet away with his arms raised at his sides and his hands palm out as he held the storm at bay. He was trembling slightly and tension showed clear on his face. Carlan stood and stared in wonder at the sand whipping by. The back of the tent was buried under a sandslide that had fallen down the side of the dune they were sheltering under. If not for Zazere they would surely have all been killed.

Sand piled on top of the sphere, blocking the sky. When the storm had passed an opening appeared in the sphere ahead of them. I would suggest you get out, Zazere said. Quickly. The muscles in his neck strained against his pale skin.

Carlan didn’t have to be told twice. He grabbed Rinitha’s hand and drew her out through the opening. Verdin was right behind them. The sphere collapsed as soon as they were out and a great rush of wind hit them, flinging sand into their faces. When the air had cleared there was a smaller sand dune beside the large one.

Carlan and Verdin exchanged a look, then fell to their knees and began to dig. But for every handful of sand they drew away another fell to take its place. Stop, Verdin said, laying a hand on Carlan’s arm. This is getting us nowhere.

What? Carlan looked at Verdin in disbelief. He saved our lives. We can’t just let him die.

Of course not. Verdin put two fingers to his lips and whistled. Sundance and Starshine rose up out of the sand, their hides colored a uniform red. Verdin pointed to the little dune. Dig. But carefully. We want Zazere out intact.

The humans backed out of the way and the gryphons set to digging. Sand flew out behind them. Carlan watched their progress anxiously and called out when he spotted a pale hand. The gryphons moved away to let Verdin and Carlan pull Zazere out.

Carlan knelt beside the mage and touched a hand to his throat. His skin was cold but Carlan expected that. Jada had once told him that the slyph’s skin was like that of a corpse. What he was looking for was a pulse. And he found it. Faint, but there. He sat back on his heels. I don’t know how, but he’s alive. Only I can’t tell if he’s hurt inside or not. Maybe we shouldn’t move him.

Verdin made a face. I suppose we’ll have to stay here until he wakes up.

What if he doesn’t? Rinitha asked.

Then we bury him in the sand and go on to Slithering. Verdin slid his gun from its holster and began to check it. If he carries some secret we need then Jada should have told us what it is.

It sounded a bit cold and not like Verdin. But then he had been acting strangely since they left the others in Ravine. Carlan knew why and he supposed that eventually they were going to have to have a talk. But not now. He rose to his feet. We should get Zazere out of the sun. It can’t hurt to move him a few feet.

Verdin nodded and together they lifted the mage and carried him into the shade. Then they all hunkered down, itchy, sweaty, and miserable, and waited to see if Zazere would wake.

****

The midday sun was high in the sky as Jada and her men rode hard across the open Plains of Artengale in the kingdom of Vainglory. It would not do well to stay too long in this land of her enemies, especially since the last time she was here she’d left the future king dead and the castle ablaze with magical fire.

The days had rolled by so slowly since they left Ravine. Or so it had seemed to Jada. Even at a flat run horses could never outpace a gryphon in flight and she missed the speed of soaring through the air. She could almost feel Waterfall slipping further and further away from her with every setting and rising of the sun. It was only a matter of time before Gaden managed to get Tarel named High King and then her efforts to save the Ten Kingdoms from his plots would be seriously hampered.

Waterfall. Every time she thought of it a feeling of homesickness welled up inside of her. True, her father would not be there brooding over his eyeglobe as he collected information from his spies, but it didn’t matter. Not that she didn’t love her father. It was just that they had never been close in the first place and now she couldn’t find a way to forgive him for his part in this whole mess.

She had managed to come to grips with the fact that he’d killed himself and she would never know why. But in a way the why didn’t matter. In taking in his own life he had given her the best hope of stopping what Gaden was trying to do. If only she could take back her throne from that foul usurper who dared call himself Steward, then perhaps she would have a chance at winning the coming war.

They came upon a river and Jada raised a hand to stop the men. The horses needed a rest; yet one more reason they were inferior to gryphons who could fly much longer without stopping than a horse could run.

Vaughn dismounted and came to help Jada down from her horse. She caught Esren watching with a slight frown as she took Vaughn’s hand, but pretended not to notice. Though she had come to think of the men following her as being hers, they truly belonged to the Ravine prince and she could not afford to insult him.

Jada allowed Vaughn to lead her a little ways down the river, away from the horses. There wasn’t exactly any privacy to be had with nothing around them but flat open prairie, but it was just as well. Jada had no desire to be alone with the prince despite the fact that he was handsome, charming, and attentive to her needs. All things she liked in a man. She knew why his father had sent him along on this journey. To all eyes, she was unattached and what better match for a king’s second son than the High Queen of the Ten Kingdoms?

I hope the mare is to your liking, Vaughn said. I know she’s not as fine as horses found in some of the other kingdoms. Ravine stock tends to be of a hardier breed, intended for hard mountain riding rather than speed or looks.

She’s... Jada searched her mind for something polite and tactful to say and couldn’t find anything. She sighed. Slow. We’re moving so slow it makes me want to tear my hair out. It’s not your fault or the horses fault. I’ve just become accustomed to riding gryphons. No horse can match up to them.

I understand, he said. I’d never seen a gryphon until you and your companions came to Ravine but now that I’ve seen one fly... It’s too bad we have to go by land. We’d get to Waterfall much sooner by air. Though I have to admit that the idea is rather daunting to me. I’m not certain that I could stomach riding one of those creatures.

Jada thought of her first gryphon ride and smiled. They do take some getting used to. But even if we had enough gryphons we couldn’t go that way. I’ll need help to retake Waterfall. I’ll need an army.

Do you suppose Steward Tarel suspects that we’re coming?

I’m sure of it. Jada stared out across the glittering water of the river. Just before we left Dusk an assassin tried to kill me. Only Gaden or Tarel could have sent him. Somehow, they knew where we were. Just how that had happened was a mystery that still bothered her. But even if Gaden hadn’t known where I was, he still had to know that once my father was dead I would be coming for my throne. I only hope he expects that I’ll be coming with Carlan and the others and not with an army.

Thinking of Carlan brought an unexpected pang to her heart. Somehow, he had come to feel almost like a brother to her and she had sent him off to the most unfriendly of the Ten Kingdoms with a man whose loyalty she was not entirely sure of. She wondered now if she should have told him Zazere’s secrets. At the time of their parting it had seemed a good idea not to reveal too much, but now she wasn’t so sure. Damn that mage and his slick tongue; he had a way of talking sometimes that made everything he said sound perfectly logical and reasonable.

A figure appeared in the sky to the north. At first, it was nothing but a dark mark against the horizon, but as it drew nearer it was clearly a dark brown gryphon with cobalt blue wings. Jada and Vaughn stepped back as the gryphon landed on their side of the river. Darlois dismounted and gave a quick bow to Vaughn before turning to Jada.

There is a place maybe one day’s ride from here where the land dips down. Darlois’ Duskan accent dragged each word out syllable by syllable. Moonlight and I saw two dozen men camped there. Armed men wearing the colors of Vainglory.

Jada muttered a curse under her breath. I was afraid we would find trouble before we got through to Bell.

It would seem that our enemies are a step ahead of us, Vaughn said. But how could anyone have known what route we would take?

This is the least inhabited section of Vainglory, Jada said. Gaden’s smart enough to guess that we would come this way. He probably had Queen Breza put patrols out all over and we just happened to run into one. Our bad luck.

What would you have us do, Your Majesty? Vaughn asked. Should we try to go around?

Jada glanced back at the men. Esren was apart from the others, not joining in on their talk and laughter. She had an idea and she knew he wasn’t going to like it. Finding a way around could add days to our journey and we can’t afford to lose any time, not one single hour, if it can be helped.

So we fight. Darlois flashed a grim smile, his teeth very white against his brown skin. It was a smile Jada had come to know well in their time together. The smile of a man who took pride in doing what he did best.

Jada’s heart quickened at the idea of the coming fight even as her stomach turned at the idea of killing again. In a way. Vaughn, I want you and your men to keep on as you have been and make camp when the sun sets. Darlois and I will go on ahead and take care of the enemy. They don’t know we’re around and that will be to our benefit. You can catch up to us.

A frown line marred Vaughn’s brow. "As you say, Your Majesty. I wouldn’t question your orders. My father told me to follow you as I would follow him and I intend to do