Brinsop's Brood, Dragon Stone Adventures 1: Dragon Stone Adventures, #1

By Kristian Alva

Spring brings a renewed sense of hope to the Death Sands… but a new danger threatens the dragons of Durn. The dragons of Durn, once on the verge of extinction, are now recovering with a new generation of hatchlings. The leader of the dragon riders, Sela Matu, waits anxiously for word from her dragon, Brinsop, who has retreated into the Death Sands to nest.

Weeks pass, and Sela waits anxiously for word. Then one day, she hears the distant voice of her dear friend at last, delivering the happy news; the dragon hatchlings have arrived. Overjoyed, Sela ventures deep into the desert to reunite with Brinsop and meet her new brood of hatchlings. But a trap has been set. Lurking among the desert tribes is a mysterious stranger whose intentions are uncertain.

Sela must hurry to Brinsop's side, or else the hatchlings may be lost forever. Can Sela stop this shadowy outsider before it's too late?

 

This is the first book in Dragon Stone Adventures, a story set in the bestselling Dragon Stone universe. This book can be read on its own or as part of the series. The events in this story take place after Book 6: KATHIR'S REDEMPTION.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BYZINE LICENSING
• Release date: May 30, 2016
• ISBN: 9781937361624

Kristian Alva

Kristian Alva is a bestselling fantasy author. Her books have reached #1 in Juvenile Fantasy on Amazon UK and Amazon Australia. When she's not writing, she enjoys reading all genres, especially epic fantasy. She lives in Nevada with her family.

Book preview

Other Books by Kristian Alva

Dragon Stone Saga

Book 1: Dragon Stones

Book 2: The Return of the Dragon Riders

Book 3: Vosper’s Revenge

Book 4: The Balborite Curse

Book 5: Rise of the Blood Masters

Book 6: Kathir’s Redemption

Book 7: The Shadow Grid Returns

Book 8: The Fall of Miklagard

Book 9: Sisren’s Betrayal

Stand-Alone Novellas

Brinsop’s Brood

Mugla’s Magic

Nydeired

Series Collections

Dragon Stone Trilogy (Books 1-3)

Chronicles of Tallin (Books 4-6)

The Shadow Grid Trilogy (Books 7-9)

Map

Dedicated to my children, the sweetest little dragons of all.

1. Before the Journey

The events in this story take place after Book 6: KATHIR’S REDEMPTION.

A YELLOW SUNRISE FLARED in the desert sky, casting shadows upon the Death Sands. Only a scattering of brush broke the endless sea of dunes. It was the first week of spring, and the weather was mild. The crisp air brought a faint perfume of flowers into the city of Parthos, the largest fortified city in the desert. Spring brought rebirth after the harshness of winter; a renewed sense of purpose filled the citizens of Parthos.

The season brought colorful banners to the desert as the dunes came alive with bright cactus blooms. Giant barrel cactus grew everywhere, their long spikes protruding out like blades. Soon, their fruit would be ready for eating, and huge baskets of the prickly delicacy would begin to appear in the marketplace.

The winding cobblestone streets of Parthos bustled with activity as Parthinians flocked to the market to purchase goods. Enthusiastic vendors offered all sorts of products, peddling anything that one could want. It was a busy day for the traders, and the market stalls were full, packed with wares from all over the continent.

Fresh foodstuffs and gooey desserts lay spread out on colorful mats next to hand-woven baskets filled with beads, jewelry, and other trinkets. The stalls seemed to go on forever, winding up on opposite sides of the street like two giant snakes. One dealer sold bolts of fine silk; another sold enormous wheels of cheese. One trader even sold trained falcons, beautiful birds with stunning plumage.

Like so many other things, the practice of falconry had all but disappeared during Emperor Vosper’s oppressive reign. Back then, people could scarcely feed themselves, thus keeping such an exotic pet was impractical. Now that Vosper was dead, prosperity was on the rise, and people became more willing to spend on luxuries. Falconry and other types of hunting were growing in popularity once more.

The leader of the dragon riders, Sela Matu, stood in the castle tower above the marketplace, gazing out over the busy stalls below. She watched as a father brought his young daughter to the falconer’s booth to view the birds. The girl squealed with excitement as she pointed to a falcon with black feathers and an ivory tail.

The stall owner placed his gloved hand below the bird’s perch. The falcon hopped onto his gauntleted forearm. The falconer squatted down and let the girl touch the bird’s wing. The falcon stayed calm and never moved.

Sela clicked her tongue with approval. The bird was well-trained. The girl’s father and the vendor began to haggle over price, gesturing with their hands. After a few minutes of negotiating, they shook hands, and the bird was taken to the back of the stall so it could be delivered later.

Sela thought back on her childhood. She had enjoyed falconry as a young girl. The sport still held a special place in her heart. Her father had used trained falcons to rid their farm of mice and other pests. As a child, Sela had spent countless hours teaching her own falcons to capture small game, but she had to give that up when she went to Aonach Tower to study magic.

Then her memories turned bittersweet. Soon after, the Dragon Wars began, and her parents were driven into exile. They lost everything, including their farm and all their possessions. A few years later, her parents were dead. Many years of war followed. The dragon riders eventually prevailed, but at a terrible price. Thousands of men and women had died, and the dragon race had been almost completely wiped out.

After Vosper’s death, the war ended, and her son Rali became the king. Sela and Brinsop settled permanently in Parthos, where she became the city’s regent. It seems like a lifetime ago, she murmured softly to herself. The world had changed so much in the last few years, and so had she.

She pushed the melancholy memories away—it was no use dwelling on the past.

It’s time for me to go.

She turned to leave the rooftop, exiting the main door that would take her into the modest fortress that was the central focal point of power in the city. Down the stairs, past unacknowledged nods from the guards, she made her way down the stone staircase that would take her down to the busy marketplace below.

A little shopping would give her something to do and would distract her from what was really on her mind.

What was really on her mind—what had been on her mind almost constantly—was her dragon, Brinsop. She’d left for the desert weeks ago, and Sela hadn’t heard from her since. Sela could still sense their bond at the edge of her consciousness, but she sensed the dragon wanted to be left alone.

After decades of celibacy, Brinsop had finally mated, choosing Blacktooth as her mate. Brinsop would look for a suitable desert cave in which to build her nest and lay her eggs. After that, the dragon would settle down and wait for nature to take its course. The egg-laying process would take several days, and the subsequent incubation could last a few weeks to several months, depending on the heat and how much time the dragon spent tending the eggs. During that time, Brinsop would be completely alone.

Sela couldn’t help but feel anxious, but she couldn’t intrude. She had to let Brinsop have her space. Only after the eggs finally hatched would Brinsop invite Sela to see her hatchlings. Until then, she had to tamp down her curiosity and wait.

Sela struggled with Brinsop’s absence, but she stayed hopeful. Everywhere she looked, there were signs that the dragon race was recovering. Several other dragons had mated in the last few years, and sightings of dragons were frequent these days. Dozens of juvenile hatchlings now lived and thrived in the desert.

Shesha, a wild dragon who had been discovered in the desert years ago, had already mated twice and produced large clutches of healthy hatchlings both times. Shesha remained fearful of humans and refused to take a rider or live anywhere near a human city, but her offspring did not share her fears. They rode the desert winds without fear, their enormous wings carrying them across the skies. Dragons of every color now flourished, living in harmony with mortals for the first time in living memory.

Protected by royal decree of the king, dragons were now safe from harm, and they had returned to their formal mating and nesting rituals. Male dragons generally declined to discuss their conquests for fear of offending the females, and the females only accepted a mate after a long, complicated courtship.

Sela’s heart swelled with optimism. At last—at long last, dragons have returned to Durn, flying freely in the skies. The dragon race will recover. I’m sure of it now.

With that thought, she