Onyx Dragon: Cadets of Longshadow Academy, #3

By MK Mancos

As the war continues, the cadets face the toughest challenge so far--bringing down one of their own. 

 

Problems in the southern counties of Jerrico, see Wilhelmina (Wil) Gracen and Archer Seals reassigned to Camp Sweethaven. When recon of the enemy encampment reveals the location of the traitor, Lothar Vol, it sets off a game of cat and mouse that may change the tide of war. 

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Mystic Kat Press
• Release date: Jun 14, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223351429

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

Wilhomena Gracen—Wil for short—trudged through the mud on her way back to the barracks from the lair. The spring thaw had come and with it mud thick enough to eat boots right off a person’s feet while they walked.

Having small feet and short legs made it all the harder to keep from getting stuck. Surface tension and lack of force both worked against her. Oh, gods if she got stuck out here and had to have someone rescue her, she would never live down the shame.

It was hell being only four feet, ten inches in a world where everyone else was made of larger proportions. What she wouldn’t give to be a tall person.

You are perfect the way you are. The voice in her head came from her onyx dragon, Bastian. Since their bonding when she was only ten years old, he had been a shining light of support, love, and comfort.

Warmth filled her. Not that he was prejudice or anything, he simply loved her with no holds barred. That wasn’t to say he didn’t crack the whip on her when she got too far out of line, but he always did so with a gentle heart.

Hard to believe most people feared onyx dragons. Mostly because they smelled of brimstone and their eyes tended to be a deep rose-amber color that looked like fire in certain lights. Long ago, they were thought to be sent straight from Hell.

Not her Bastian. He was a big, scaly love bug.

Need help there? Jason Prather, one of the assistants to the dragonologist, asked as he walked across the commons toward the lair

Nope. I got it. She lifted the other foot and a great sucking sound filled the air right before her foot came completely out of her boot. Now, how did that happen? They were laced pretty tight.

Wil held her foot up to keep her sock as clean as possible. Jason hurried over and plucked her up as if she weighed the same as a sack of flour.

Yeah, I can see you got it. Laughter filled his bright, blue eyes.

She melted. He really was so handsome, and she resented the fact he still held her up in the air like a child’s doll.

Put me down. The words came out as a huff, and she probably looked like a pouting toddler.

He raised a challenging brow as the smile continued to play over his mouth. Here?

No. No. Wait. Wil took a deep breath and relaxed. Why aren’t there sidewalks out here. It would make things much simpler.

Jason carried her back the way he’d come, to the barracks door where a small concrete deck kept the mud to a minimum.

He set her down and then ran back out to the middle of the commons and fetched her boot. Here you go.

Thank you. If he told anyone about this, she was prepared to use a ladder to climb up and smack him upside his smug head.

See you around, kid.

Kid. That’s what she got. Kid. No one recognized her as a woman. She had turned eighteen back at the first of the year, and she still got called a kid even though she was a fully grown adult—doing an adult’s job.

Great. Just peachy, she said under her breath as she sat on the cold cement and put her boot back on.

The barracks door opened, and Archer Seals—her mission partner—stuck his head out. What are you doing?

Finalizing my evil plans to overthrow the Etrantic Emperor. What does it look like I’m doing? She tied the laces of her boots and jumped to her feet. That mud out there is lethal, I tell you.

Archer smiled. If he reached out and ruffled her hair like he did last week, she’d sock him again. Though, she couldn’t really be mad at Archer. He was one of those rare people who had such a naturally sunny disposition. Even growing up in the extreme poverty as he had didn’t diminish his optimism.

Somehow, even with all her privilege, he had come out richer than her in a lot of ways.

And it showed.

Well, come on. We have orders waiting. He held the door open for her as she walked inside.

Wil and Archer had been reassigned to Fort Doran a week after their quad had been split up. Clary was at the Reaches, Sela had been permanently assigned to the Oronici, and Dahlia. Who the hell knew where she’d ended up?

And that worried Wil.

If Dahlia was close to one of them, they might be able to keep her in check. If she was left to her own devices, she might screw everything up for the Jerricon forces. Regardless of the dragon speaking in her head. Dahlia’s dragon, Amman, didn’t seem up to the task of disciplining her, even when she needed it so damn bad.

A pink envelope sat on Wil’s cot. She picked it up and slit it open with a fingernail.

Report to Camp Sweethaven by 1800. Dragon detail: Alpha.

Whoa. Alpha detail was the top of the heap. Dragon riders didn’t fly alpha unless they were the best of the best. Hell, they hadn’t even officially graduated from Longshadow yet. That wasn’t for a few weeks. However, both she and Archer were tied for valedictorian. Well, they had been until the war had stolen their final year from them.

Life had a way of stealing things from Wil. By rights, she should have been used to it long ago. But it never got easier. She only became better had hiding the pain.

Wil read the missive again to make sure she hadn’t been seeing things. Alpha?

Archer’s smile was a mile wide. His dark eyes twinkled in excitement. I know. I never thought…

Wil slugged his arm. What do you mean, you never thought? You’re one of the best riders I’ve ever seen. I can’t believe you doubted yourself.

He shrugged in that self-deprecating way he had.

Archer was an enigma in the mix. Always had been.

She knocked her shoulder into his. Let’s get our kit together and saddle up. I want to make it to Camp Sweethaven earlier than our report time.

Yeah, I know. He winked and went to his bunk to get what he’d need for the journey.

Archer would know, indeed. Wil was about as predictable as it came when dealing with new missions or assignments. She liked to say it was part of her charm. Truth of the matter being she was so rigid and a control freak that she wouldn’t do anything to deviate from her rituals.

Going in early meant time to get the lay of the land. To get some sense of the culture of the base. No two were the same. She’d learned that in the short time the Longshadow cadets had been working with the army.

And not all of the bases enjoyed having cadets in the ranks.

With any hope Camp Sweethaven wouldn’t be one of them.

CHAPTER 2