Harmony's Song: The Dragon's Brood Cycle, #0.5

By Josh de Lioncourt

Life is hard for Daniel and the other kids who struggle to live on the streets of Ravenhold, a seaside city allied with the sorceress Marianne and the kingdom of Seven Skies. There is seldom enough to eat, and the nights are cold, but Daniel finds warmth and friendship when he meets the enigmatic Harmony. Their special bond, coupled with the mystery of Harmony's past, sends Daniel from his life on the streets to the wider world beyond in this short-story prequel to The Dragon's Brood Cycle.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Draconis Entertainment
• Release date: May 1, 2015
• ISBN: 9781393703785

Book preview

Harmony's Song

A Dragon’s Brood Tale

by Josh de Lioncourt

Cover design by Jon Kallis

Copyright © 2015–2020 Josh de Lioncourt

All rights reserved.

This book is a work of fiction. Any similarities to real events, locales, mythical creatures, or actual persons, living or dead, are purely coincidental or are used fictitiously.

Historian’s Note

The events described in this account took place in the months and years prior to those in Haven Lost — The Dragon’s Brood Cycle, Vol. 1 and are concerned with individuals whose lives have been, or may one day be, touched by Emily Haven and her friends. Familiarity with Haven Lost is not expected or required to enjoy this tale.

The fiddler dashes around the cabin, pulling curtains closed over the porthole and bolting the door. It makes the tiny birth very dim and gloomy, but there’s nothing that can be done about it. I’m a stowaway, aren’t I? Without a holder to pay my passage. And I mustn’t be caught by the ship’s crew. From a street rat to a ship’s rat, that’s me. And if the fiddler is to help me, he can’t be caught either.

I’d tried to do as I was told; I’d tried to sneak aboard without being seen, and I’d almost made it, too. I’m good at sneaking around and not being noticed. If it hadn’t been for Morog scuttling away and the fiddler having to chase him, I’d have made it.

But it hadn’t worked out that way, and the fiddler had seen me. Better him than one of the sailors, though. At least he’d been kind to me once. Maybe he’d be kind to me again. He hasn’t thrown me overboard anyway, so there is hope.

I look around nervously, but all I see is his fiddle case, lying securely on the floor behind the bunk. The ship rolls gently beneath us, and after the rush through the streets to the ship, I find the motion comforting, but I don’t like the fact that I can’t see the fiddler’s pet, Morog, anywhere. It makes me nervous, and it makes my skin itch all over, even though nothing’s there. You’d feel the same way about a spider as big as a dog, too, believe me.

Sit down, lad, he tells me. Sit down. He points at the bunk, and I fall, more than sit, down onto it. It’s only then that I realize I’m still shaking.

Calm yourself, lad, he says, pulling open a small trunk in one corner and starting to rummage through it. Deep breaths now. That’s the thing.

I do it, filling my lungs with the stale, musty odors of the confined space. There’s salt in the air, too, but with that smell comes a flood of memories, each and every one featuring Harmony’s pretty face.

Here, now. That’s a good lad. Drink this. The fiddler hands me a tiny glass. It’s filled with an amber liquid, the smell of which burns my nose and makes my eyes water a little.

It’ll calm yeh, he says, and that’s all I need to hear. I need to be calm, or I won’t be any use to Harmony, and she needs me. I lift the glass to my lips and toss the whole thing back in one gulp.

Now it isn’t just my nose that’s burning. Everything inside of me seems to be on fire. I cough and splutter, and the fiddler looks toward the door nervously as I gasp, but no one comes. At last, I’ve caught my breath, eyes streaming, and he turns back to me.

Tell me what’s happened to yeh, and where yer pretty little lass is, he says, keeping his voice low. He sits beside me, leaning back against the wall and, lacing his fingers together, puts his hands behind his head. "I don’t know that I’ve ever seen yeh two apart. And tell me how it is yeh come