Breaking the Chains: The Dragon King Series, #2.5

By Debbie McQueen

Sloane is trapped in a life he wishes he could leave. He has been made to hate the side of him that makes him different. He is a dragon, and as much relief and strength he feels in his dragon form, he has to hide it, even from the one person who should be supportive of him. His relationship with his mother is a contentious one, she abhors the dragon in Sloane, but he soon learns that the way his mother treats him has much deeper roots.

 

When his grandfather shows up, Sloane finally has a chance to learn about his heritage, about the dragon that lives within him. He is able to leave his mother behind and begin to embrace who he is. The time he has with his grandparents gives him a glimpse of a future he never thought he could have.

 

Sloane leaves to discover the world and find his place in it. His journey brings him to a farm in the Fifth Realm, where he meets the feisty, independent Eislyn, who tends the sheep on her family's farm. She knocks him off his feet and he finds the desire to explore is squashed by his desire to know this woman more. Eislyn is everything his mother wasn't, but can she accept his dragon?

 

From the world of the Dragon King Series, meet Egan's parents, and see how his father learned to break the chains of the past.

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Debbie McQueen
• Release date: Dec 23, 2020
• ISBN: 9798215743164

Debbie McQueen

Debbie McQueen has been married to her loving and supportive husband for eighteen years. They have two amazing kids that share her love of musicals, singing, fairies, dragons, and superheroes. Debbie is an avid reader and loves to read YA/NA, PNR, Urban Fantasy, Thrillers, LGBTQ stories, and more. Debbie is an affirming Christian who is proud to continue learning and serving as an LGBTQ+ ally and advocate. She has learned more about God’s love through the beauty of a diverse creation and strives to support her friends and loved ones, as well as the broader LGBTQ+ community. She proudly gives out Free Hugs at Pride events, and also works with a service organization that helps support LGBTQ youth in Southern California.

Book preview

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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 2021 Debbie McQueen

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any manner without written permission of the copyright owner except for the use of quotations in a book review. For more information, address: [e-mail] 

Cover Design by Cassandra Fear at C & A Designs

Content Warning

Please note Breaking the Chains depicts situations that include emotional abuse, grief, and characters processing trauma.

I hope readers will find that I’ve handled this with sensitivity. However, I wished to include a note for anyone who may find this content triggering.

A Note from the Author

If you’ve read Of Heart and Wings, or any of the books in the Dragon King Series, you know how Egan’s father’s story ends, but I knew from the moment I wrote the scene where Egan talks about his female dragon with Raiden that I wanted to tell his father’s story. Sloane overcomes a history of disdain for his dragon, and is determined to ensure that his child would never feel the way about himself that he had.

While this isn’t an LGBTQ romance necessarily, I hope you’ll forgive me keeping it classified as such. First of all, I wanted to keep it with the main series, but also because I show Sloane and Eislyn affirm and support their gender diverse dragon child. I loved this little story and I hope you will too. This is an ode to all the proud mama bears and papa bears out there who are embracing and empowering their beautiful LGBTQ+ kids. For those that may not have that at home, I want you to know I see you, you are beautiful, perfect, and whole, just as you are. My email is open, if you need to reach out.

With love and big mom hugs,

Debbie

Contents

1.Chapter 1

2.Chapter 2

3.Chapter 3

4.Chapter 4

5.Chapter 5

6.Chapter 6

7.Chapter 7

8.Chapter 8

9.Chapter 9

10.Chapter 10

11.Chapter 11

12.Chapter 12

13.Chapter 13

14.Chapter 14

15.Chapter 15

The Dragon King Series

About the Author

Acknowledgements

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one

With everything I heard about the Fifth Realm, I knew I should try to pass through as quickly as possible. I never intended to stay, certainly not to make a life there, but then I saw her. Everything I ever thought I wanted flew to the wayside when I met Eislyn.

I was born and raised, though that may be a loose term, in the Second Realm. My mother seemed to give more attention to the men that were a constant cycle in and out of our lives, than she did me. I always felt that she resented me, but took care of me because she had no other choice. I didn’t know who my father was. Each time I asked about him when I was younger, my mother told me a different tale. He was a sailor she met while he was at port. He was a hunter who left for long treks into the deepest reaches of the forest. He was a traveling soothsayer that moved from town to town. One thing she never told me was he was a dragon.

I spent most of my life imagining that the beast I held within me was a gift I had received from this mysterious man who had shown up long enough to give my mother a child and then disappeared, leaving me to figure everything out on my own. Each time my dragon presented itself when I was young, my mother would chastise me and discipline me, as if it were somehow my fault that I had this part of me I couldn’t control. She was afraid that I would ruin her reputation if anyone were to find out. Though, she did a pretty decent job of that herself.

I was a nuisance, always in the way, always a burden. Someone she had to feed, someone she had to clothe. Although I was a prop when it was convenient for her, like when she needed to tell a sad story about having to raise a growing boy on her own. I really didn’t mind the nights she didn’t come home, at least then I could enjoy my own freedom. I could let my dragon stretch without her having anything to say about it.

There was nothing in the world like letting my wings unfurl and taking to the sky, or feeling the bite of the wind as I flew over the mountains. I was careful to only do it in the darkest of nights, or when there were enough clouds in the sky to keep me from being seen. Not for my mother’s sake, but for my own safety. Dragons weren’t known, at least I had never heard of one in my nineteen years of life. But then, I didn’t have much experience beyond our town. I was ready to leave it behind and find somewhere new. I was more than ready to be out of my mother’s watchful gaze. I couldn’t bring myself to leave just yet, though. I didn’t know why I felt any sense of responsibility for her whatsoever, but I did. There were a lot of things I helped with, little jobs I would take to make sure there was food for us to eat when she wasn’t able to get someone to provide for her.

As I got older, the men she would bring home seemed to get rougher. There were several times I had to stand between her and a friend that thought she owed him something that she didn’t. I couldn’t leave her on her own when the choices she made put her in danger. Even though she hated me all the more for standing up for her. She had even yelled at me after kicking one of her visitors out for getting a little too handsy with her. I was helping her, protecting her, yet somehow I was the one that she had a problem with. Not the man that had nearly hit her, and would have if I hadn’t intervened.

I was trapped, caring for a mother who couldn’t care for herself and who couldn’t bring herself to care for me. Some days, I wondered if I would ever be free of her, if I ever would get to be my own person. I was a dragon, afterall. I could easily fly away and be out of her grasp forever. It was something I dreamed of often; to push into the sky and never look back. Still...I was tethered. As far as I would get, I would always feel the weight holding me, pulling me back.

Everything changed when I met my grandfather for the first time. He showed up out of nowhere. I didn’t even know him when he came to our door. I saw a strange old man, that I hadn’t really given a second glance. When he asked after my mother, I said he could probably find her at the local tavern and I closed the door on him, hoping he would simply leave. The man didn’t take the hint and knocked on the door again.

I cracked the door open and gave my best scowl at the scraggly looking man that stood there. I shook my head and went to shut the door again. He put his foot in the way stopping me from closing it.

Wait, please. He breathed.

I already told you what you wanted to know. Gallia is probably down at the tavern, though you may have to wait your turn. She’s probably already found someone to entertain her tonight.

The old man winced at the bite of my words. I almost felt bad for saying them, almost.

Just a minute, please. You...you look like her, are you her son? The man had a sheen in his golden brown eyes, eyes that looked like mine.

That depends on the day. I replied flatly. I wanted to cast him off and be done with it, but there was something about his eyes and the way he looked at me. I pushed the door open wider, watching him with caution. What do you want?

I don’t know where to start. The man pushed his hand through his brown hair flecked with gray. I’m your grandfather.

I shook my head, it was the absolute last thing I expected to hear. My mother always told me her parents weren’t alive. I didn’t have any family besides her. Nice try, I’m not sure what your angle is, but I don’t have a grandfather. I started to close the door again.

Wait, I don’t know what Gallia’s told you, but I can prove it.

Really? How? How can you prove that you are who you say you are? I glared at him, but my expression changed when I saw the flames flickering behind his eyes. I felt my jaw hang slack. No, it was impossible! My mother wasn’t a dragon, but this man who claimed to be my grandfather had the same flames in his eyes that I’ve caught in my reflection before.

"Who are you?" I asked, wonder cutting through the bite I had in my words moments before.

I am as I said and I can see that you and I have something in common. Has your mother truly never mentioned us?

Only that you were both dead. He dropped his eyes to the ground and clasped his hands in front of himself.

I see. May I come in? It seems we have much to discuss. I could hear the sorrow in his voice. Was this man truly my grandfather? Even if he wasn’t, even if it was all a lie