Nikeron the Great: Book One (Dragonbound)

By Rebecca Shelley

In this prequel to the Dragonbound Series, set in Stonefountain’s distant past, an adolescent Nikeron struggles to master his newly acquired Naga powers. Unhappy with his destiny as heir to the Stonefountain throne, he and his dragon seek adventure outside the confines of the palace, but their path leads them into a confrontation with vicious Great Red dragons. This swashbuckling adventure is sure to please longtime Dragonbound fans as well as new readers to the series.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Wonder Realms Books
• Release date: Feb 24, 2024
• ISBN: 9798215734223

Rebecca Shelley

Rebecca Shelley writes a wide variety of books—everything from picture books to spy thrillers.She especially likes to write about fantasy creatures such as dragons and fairies.Her children’s books are written under the Rebecca Shelley name.Her thrillers and other books for adults are written under the R. L. Tyler pen name.She also has two books out under the R. D. Henham pen name—Red Dragon Codex and Brass Dragon Codex.

Book preview

Table of Contents

Nikeron the Great

World Map

Part I

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Part II

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Part III

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Books by Rebecca Shelley

Nikeron the Great

Book One

In this prequel to the Dragonbound Series, set in Stonefountain’s distant past, an adolescent Nikeron struggles to master his newly acquired Naga powers. Unhappy with his destiny as hair to the Stonefountain throne, he and his dragon seek adventure outside the confines of the Palace, but their path leads them into a confrontation with vicious Great Red dragons. This swashbuckling adventure is sure to please longtime Dragonbound fans as well as new readers to the series.

Copyright © 2019 Rebecca Shelley

Published by Wonder Realms Books

All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any print or electronic form without permission.  All characters, places, and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual places or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Cover: ID 53780834 © Sundraw | Dreamstime.com and ID 110360742 © Valentyna Chukhlyebova | Dreamstime.com

Part I

Treasure Island

Chapter One

Bonding with a dragon does not solve every problem in the world. It certainly couldn't solve Nikeron's problem, not his biggest problem; he wanted freedom. He strode across the courtyard, saluted the guard at the entrance to the hall that led to the Fountain chamber, and continued on until he reached the door to Stonefountain. Two more of his father's guards flanked the door.

Good morning, Niki, Charles, the elder of the two guards said. You're up early.

Morning Charles. Morning Wilhelm, Nikeron said. Is my father inside?

Yes, of course, Wilhelm said. Can't you sense his mind? You've been bonded for some time. It should be second nature to you by now.

Nikeron barely managed to hide a glare at Wilhelm, softening his face to a grimace instead. Wilhelm was right; Nikeron had not gained control of the Naga mind powers he had attained from the bonding to his dragon, Kachanaba. But Wilhelm also knew the intense nature of Stonefountain’s power made it impossible for most Nagas to sense someone’s mind while in the chamber.

Charles cleared his throat and attempted to make amends for his partner’s bad humor. Sorry I missed your bonding ceremony. You know how it is, guard duty all the time.

Nikeron appreciated the fact that Charles always tried to be nice to him. So many others expected Nikeron to be the perfect little prince, the perfect son of the perfect king, a mold Nikeron had never succeeded in fitting. Ah, guard duty is so boring, Nikeron said, unable to think of a way to thank Charles for diverting Wilhelm's criticism. I don't know how you manage it. I'd rather clean out the privies than stand around all day doing nothing. Nikeron pushed the door open and left the two guards behind him, ignoring the whispered thought from Wilhelm to Charles.

I worry about that boy. He's sure to come to a bad end.

As soon as he stepped through the door, the guard’s thoughts scattered from his mind, replaced by the music of Stonefountain. He stood in a large chamber with walls lined with glowing crystals—a rainbow of pastels that flickered with a life of their own and sang in a swell of endless voices raised in glorious music. There was power in the music, in the stones, and in a huge fountain of water that bubbled up from the rocks at the center of the cavern. King Zaiden, Nikeron's father, was on his knees, using his power to manipulate stone to carve the scene of Nikeron's bonding ceremony into the side of the marble basin that caught the waters of the fountain’s spray before letting them flow off through the conduit and out of the castle to the waterfall that spilled down the side of the mountain. The elegant marble basin with its carved histories was Zaiden's addition to Stonefountain. He took his work at the Fountain seriously. Nikeron almost changed his mind and backed out of the room instead of disturbing his father, but his father looked up and smiled at him, and it was too late for Nikeron to retreat.

Morning, Father. Nikeron shoved his hands into his pockets.

I'm glad you're here, Niki. What do you think? Zaiden motioned to the elegant scene he'd just carved.

It's beautiful, but I came to ask you— Niki plowed on with his purpose since it was too late to go back— can Kachanaba and I fly out to the coast and spend a few days on the beach?

A slight frown creased Zaiden’s face, and he stood. What purpose would going to the beach serve?

The weight of his father's mind settled onto Nikeron's, gently probing his thoughts. Nikeron tried to throw up a shield around his own mind, but the thoughts shattered to nothing before they could form a coherent barrier. His father's frown deepened.

I like the beach, Nikeron blurted out. It's beautiful. And it wouldn't be here. Anywhere would be better than here, he thought. Even knowing his father was reading his mind, he couldn't stop his thoughts from broadcasting the truth of his feelings, so he went on talking aloud. And there are boats, coming in, you know, coming back from all around the world, and they have cargo, stuff from everywhere, and you can see the sails as they come tipping over the horizon, and the waves sizzle against the shore. And I can do whatever I want, and my mind isn't crowded out by everyone else's thoughts and feelings.

His father nodded. You know, not everyone masters their powers right away. You will learn to shield your mind soon, I'm sure. But running to the coast won't help you. You need to focus more on your lessons. Pay attention to what Tanveer is teaching you. If you will apply yourself more to what you're being taught instead of resisting at every turn, you will adjust to the bond and the power soon enough.

Nikeron wanted to scream in frustration, but he balled his hands into fists in his pocket instead and tried to speak respectfully. Tanveer drones on and on and on, and there are a hundred other things I could be doing with my mind and my hands if I— Nikeron jerked his hands out of his pockets and spread them open in front of him. If I weren't a Naga, I could use my hands instead of my mind. Why couldn't I have been human? Then I wouldn't be locked up here in this palace, and I could join the crew of a ship and sail all over the world. I hate it here.

His father's usual lecture, one Nikeron had heard countless times, about what an honor it was to be one of the few to unite the humans and dragons into a race of intellectual and powerful beings, and how that honor also required sacrifice and service to all people of the world, washed over Nikeron's mind from his father in a fleeting second, and then vanished behind his father's mind shields. It's no use explaining it to you again, is it? his father said.

I'm just one boy. I can't serve and protect the whole world. I can't even . . . even understand my own mind, let alone control it. Father, just let me go to the beach, where I won't keep disturbing everyone. I promise I'll work on my lessons while I'm there.

Zaiden sucked in a heavy breath and let it out slowly. I will ask Tanveer if he will take you to the coast where you can continue your studies somewhere . . . less crowded.

Arg, then I'll be taking all the boring with me. Nikeron pressed his hands against his face as if that would work to keep his father from hearing the thoughts that blurted uncontrolled from his mind.

Instead of chastising him, his father chuckled. Niki, Niki. Go to the beach. I'll send Tanveer with you. Let him help you. You have your whole life to find adventure, but believe me, any adventure you set out on will go much better for you if you've learned the lessons Tanveer has to teach you first.

Nikeron threw several robes and underclothes into a travel bag and heaved it onto Kachanaba's back. Kachanaba's name, meaning golden hued body, seemed a bit unnecessary, Nikeron thought. Of course he's a gold dragon. Only the gold dragons wanted anything to do with humans. The other Great dragons still thought of humans as unintelligent creatures only good to be hunted and eaten. The Great dragons often destroyed the humans' dwellings just for fun. Nikeron ran his hand down Kachanaba's cool gold scales. At least the humans at Stonefountain had been safe since Nagaron and his family had made the bond with the first gold dragons, and the subsequent Nagas had gained the power to protect humanity from the other dragons.

Kachanaba leaned his head down and nudged Nikeron in the chest, knocking him over backward. I can't believe your father gave you permission to go, Kachanaba said, speaking into his mind. The mind speech was the way all Great dragons communicated. Of the humans, only the Nagas could hear it and reply in kind.

I can't believe it either. Nikeron spoke aloud, still a little uncomfortable with speaking with his mind. He preferred verbal speech whenever possible, but Kachanaba didn’t have a problem with that. Nikeron let his eyes sweep across the brocaded tapestries and bed curtains of his luxurious room, wondering what else he should take with him. Of course Tanveer and Mythris are coming with us. Mythris was the gold dragon that Tanveer, Nikeron’s tutor, had bonded with.

Tanveer is always so focused on his books, he'll never notice if we slip away. We can be gone for hours before he realizes it and comes looking for us. Just think what fun we can have in that amount of time. Kachanaba let out a pleased trumpet.

We won't sneak anywhere if you're noisy like that, Nikeron said, smiling as he picked himself back up off the floor. Anyway, we'll go as soon as I bid my mother farewell.

Nikeron dared not leave the palace until he had said goodbye to his mother. Her chambers were an easy walk from his own, and he found her in her reception room, waiting for him, of course. Whoever had first thought that Nagas being able to read everyone else’s mind was a blessing, not a curse, must have been crazy.

Nikeron, my little man. Your father says you are leaving with Tanveer to study at the coast. The concern in her voice and thoughts was prominent as she took him by the shoulders. He had grown much in the last year, and now stood taller than her, but that did not stop her from treating him like a little boy. I don’t think you should go. It’s dangerous. Humans are safe here at Stonefountain, but it’s not like that in the rest of the world. The Great dragons hate humans.

They don’t really hate us, Mother. I think they rather like us . . . for dinner. Nikeron couldn’t stifle his laughter, and it rang out like the sunlight reflecting off the white limestone walls of the palace.

His mother released him, shut her mind off from his, and walked over to stare out the window down across the city. At the foot of the mountain closest to the palace stood several grand, stone mansions—the homes of the Nagas, built by the Nagas and their dragons. The Naga powers and the strength of the dragons had brought stonemasonry to a fine art. Beyond the Naga homes, stood human homes, every bit as lovely, built with the Nagas’ help. Early ones were also stone, but more recently the humans had started to build with wood—comfortable frame buildings that could be built more quickly to keep up with the humans’ population growth. It was true that Nagas lived longer, but for some reason they were less fertile. The wooden houses were a relatively new development, only possible since the Nagas could use their powers to keep marauding dragons away from Stonefountain City. Dragon fire was not feared here. The frame homes had become so popular with the humans that wood had become scarce and had to be shipped in from other continents. And those ships fascinated Nikeron. How were they built? How did their sails work? How were they steered? He’d plagued Tanveer with questions, but Tanveer had insisted ship construction and sailing were not his concern. He had a dragon. He did not need a ship to travel; he could fly. What’s more, his duty was here at Stonefountain, not anywhere else in the world.

It’s not a joke, Niki, his mother’s firm words startled his thoughts away from sailing. Her shoulders were tense and her arms tightly clasped. Many dragons do eat humans, even the Great dragons, despite their intelligence. The world is a dangerous place. Even for Nagas. We have to stick together in cities so we can repel dragon attacks.

Despite his good humor, Nikeron did not like to see his mother worried. Tanveer is going with me, he reassured her. He has centuries of experience fighting dragons. And we’ll just be at Jaffa. The port city is safe. If it weren’t, the trade ships wouldn’t be coming and going. We’d be isolated here from the rest of the world.

His mother let out a brittle laugh that held no humor. Trade with other stray pockets of humanity would never have been possible without us. Ships that sail without a Naga on board to repel the dragons seldom make it to their destination or return. The coast is dangerous Nikeron. You should not go.

Nikeron felt his temper slipping. He should have known it was useless to try to convince her. Father already said I could go. I just wanted to tell you goodbye and I love you and all that.

She turned to face him, her eyes severe. You are the heir to the throne. We cannot risk losing you.

Nikeron stepped back and let his gaze slip down from her face to the bulge in her slender figure. But you and father said soon I will have a brother or a sister, so really, I don’t think it matters if something happens to me.

Nikeron, her voice rose and became severe, but she didn’t get a chance to continue because his father strode into the room.

Anjori, Love, he said laying a hand on her shoulder. Nikeron isn’t a child anymore. He’s bonded; that means he’s a man, and he needs to learn to use his powers to be able to protect his people when he is king. Let him go. Tanveer will look after him.

He’s fifteen, his mother protested. He won’t need to assume the throne for many hundreds of years. He hasn’t even mastered the very basic use of his powers yet. It is madness to let him go.

And even more madness to make him stay when he’s so unhappy here, his father countered.

Nikeron backed out of the room and hurried to Kachanaba. Let’s get out of here, Chan, while we still can.

Kachanaba bent down, and Nikeron slipped into the natural seat on the back of his neck. When he stood, he lifted his head so his headplate came down over Nikeron’s lap, locking him in place. The two of them launched from the window into the open blue sky and winged west along the Jaffa