Dragons of Kings (Upon Dragon's Breath Trilogy Book 2) Read online

  But more dragon roars sounded from the sky.

  Looking up, I saw a half-dozen dark shapes outlined against moonlit clouds. A dragon mind touched mine and I knew that Ysix and her brood had arrived. They swooped over the settlement, stirring up a wind with their leathery wings. Turning, I called out to the Three-Rivers clan, “The dragons have come to join our fight against Enric.”

  “Join our fight or finish us all,” Ryland muttered.

  Ryland unsheathed his sword, which glinted in the light of the torches and candles.

  I waved at him to put away his weapon. “Ysix comes. I know this dragon. She is kin to Saffron’s Jaydra.”

  Warriors and the rest of the Three-Rivers clan started to fall back, leaving only Ryland standing his ground. Ysix, and the dragons with her, landed a short distance from the Crimson Reds, who turned to watch the sea-green and blue island dragons. They seemed to be speaking with clicks and whistles and I wondered what they were saying.

  “Den-mother Ysix, welcome,” Saffron called out.

  Queen Ysix, I thought, wondering if she would hear me. You come just in time.

  I glanced around me. Saffron, Ryland and myself were the only ones left facing the dragons. All the others had retreated back to the settlement, taking their torches and lanterns with them. The last of the daylight lit the scene, leaving more shadows than anything. Ryland spread his legs wide, as if into a battle stance, his sword ready. He was not a man, I judged, to be dismayed by greater numbers, but now I wondered if he would ever be able to treat a dragon as an equal in battle?

  The dragons were still exchanging some kind of greeting that Saffron seemed to be able to understand, judging by how she was looking from Ysix to the red dragons.

  And then, to my astonishment, Ysix pushed her voice into my mind—but she seemed to address everyone at once. Saffron and Jaydra, Ysix recognizes you both. And Bower of Torvald, Ysix is come as promised. But what is the meaning of weapons lifted against dragons?

  Ryland’s mouth fell open and he glanced from Saffron to me and finally stared at Ysix as though he could not believe what he had just heard.

  I stepped closer to Ryland and said, “Best be respectful and listen to Ysix. She is wise beyond your years.”

  Ysix hissed, and then sent out her thoughts again. I am Ysix of the Western Isles. Who dares draw a sword against Ysix and Ysix’s brood?

  Ryland opened and closed his mouth uselessly. He dropped his sword. I kicked it aside so it might not be easily retrieved and told Ysix, “Queen Ysix, before you is Ryland of the Three-Rivers clan, who oppose the false king. Thank you, Queen Ysix, for hearing my call and coming to our aid. And please forgive Ryland. It has been too long since the Three-River clan had a dragon to instruct them. They have forgotten much as have the black dragons of the north, and even the Crimson Reds seem to no longer know how to share their thoughts with humans.”

  Ysix seemed to be enjoying this scene, or that was the feeling I got from her. The emotion came to me just underneath her thoughts. She bowed her head and something like a rattle or purr of pleasure rumbled in the air. Well met, Bower of Torvald. As Bower vouches for this Ryland, Ysix will recognize Ryland. After all, the blood of the true Dragon King flows through Bower.

  “You honor me, Ysix.” I bowed and when I looked up again, Saffron smiled and winked at me. I was going to take that for her approving of my words.

  Now formalities are done, what is there to hunt? Dragons cannot survive on gold alone.

  Ysix let out a roar that seemed laced with laughter. It was a little unfair of her to rub Ryland’s mistakes in his face, but when I glanced at Ryland I saw him staring at the ground as if ashamed.

  He looked up again and went down on one knee. “I…Queen Ysix,” Ryland said his voice thick and awkward. “I beg your pardon for greeting you with sword drawn. And noble dragons, forgive our mistakes. Bower is right—it was long ago that Dragon Riders came to us and much has been lost over the years.”

  Ysix inclined her head. Ryland has fought beside my family? Ryland is enemy of the dark king?

  “Aye, aye—queen.” Ryland nodded and stood. “And it would be an honor to fight alongside a dragon such as you.”

  I started to grin. At least Ryland could recognize strength when it landed in front of him. He had spoken as eloquent as any dragon-friend. Turning to me, Ryland again went down on one knee, leaving me shocked and speechless.

  “Bower of Torvald,” Ryland said, his voice not quite as strong as it had when he had spoken to Ysix. “If a queen dragon recognizes you as descended from dragon kings, then I must as well.” He stood and called out to the other warriors. “People of the Three-Rivers clan. We have guests to feed and oaths to pledge. From this day forward, we must seek to be friends to all dragons.”

  Glancing at the settlement, I saw the warriors had moved forward, their spears drooping much as had the island villagers. I knew then that they must have heard Ysix’s thoughts—she had spoken to everyone here. They all now knew that a dragon could not just speak to other dragons, but could speak to them as well—dragons would never again be regarded as dumb beasts.

  I looked to Saffron and she nodded back at me, then patted Jaydra’s neck. Pride swelled in my chest. We had done it. We had brought the Three-Rivers clan and the dragons together. For the first time, it seemed possible that we might have a chance to fight Enric’s dark rule and his foul magic.

  17

  How to Befriend a Dragon

  Ryland really is taking this well, I confided to Jaydra from where we stood at the edge of the meadow.

  Most of the Three-River clan had gathered in the meadow near the settlement. Scouts had been sent out to keep an eye on the king’s army and the Iron Guard, but so far there was no sign of a threat to the settlement. It was possible the king’s army was still in disarray after the battle on the other side of the mountain. But Ryland did not want to be caught unaware. And then Bower had insisted that the Three-Rivers clan must become better acquainted with the dragons. So here we were.

  I stood with my arms crossed, tired of waiting already, and even more tired of Bower’s pacing back and forth. Jaydra crouched next to me, warming herself. The sun had just peaked over the eastern mountains and the air held a cold bite.

  Just above the lush, green meadow, dragons either perched on the lower part of the mountainside or sat on the higher rocks, watchful and still. They all now had full bellies, I knew, both from the meats roasted and presented to them last night and from river fish they had hunted this morning.

  The red dragons seemed to keep mostly to themselves and perched higher than any other dragon. I wondered if the reds were by nature arrogant or shy. I would have to ask Ysix or Zenema when I had the chance.

  Jaydra huffed out a warm breath and thought to me, Reds cautious. They think Ryland too like a dragonet making foolish mistakes. But Ryland learns.

  I had to suppress a smile. Jaydra’s thoughts seemed to have a newfound maturity, and I wondered if now that Ysix was here was she perhaps trying to impress the den-mother?

  “If he doesn’t get his arm bitten off, that is,” I told her.

  Ryland was out near the red dragons with some of his warriors, offering them more platters of roasted pig. The reds didn’t seem all that interested, not with full bellies, and seemed to be enjoying ignoring Ryland and his men.

  Ysix had already told Ryland she would not fly with slavers, which was what she thought of the anyone who would imprison dragons behind bars in caves. When Ryland told his warriors they would have to free the rest of the black dragons they held, that had caused an uproar and a council meeting that had gone on long into the night.

  “It’s true,” I’d told Ryland. “You have to befriend them if you want them to fight for you. Either that or let them go.” Ryland had at least argued the rest of his clan into freeing the dragons. Half the settlement had gone to get the black dragons and bring them here.

  Coming up to me, Bower stopped, the stiff leather
s of the Three-Rivers clan squeaking as he moved. “This is going to work, isn’t it?”

  “At least the black dragons will all be free. That’s something.”

  From the mountainside, Ysix gave a roar.

  Looking up to where she sat on her haunches, her long neck stretched up into the sky. I thought that she already had decided she was in charge. That might prove to be a problem if things did not go to as she wanted them.

  “Here they come,” Bower said.

  I looked to the west where two of the burlier warriors stood on either side of an iron gate that barred one of the cavern openings.

  Ryland waved, positioning his warriors along a path that led from the cavern down to the meadows. All the men seemed to be white-faced and while I couldn’t see if they were shaking in their boots, I knew I would be if I had to face angry wild dragons that had been imprisoned since they’d come out of their eggs.

  A nervous silence seemed to settled on those gathered in the meadow. Everyone had to be expecting the worst—the dragons would attack. Or they would fly away.

  To be honest, I wasn’t sure what would happen, but I told Bower, “They need to stop seeing dragons as a threat.”

  He just shook his head and kept staring up at the iron gates and the cavern.

  The horn of the Three-Rivers clan sounded. Ryland lifted a hand and let it fall.

  The metal gates screeched and banged open.

  Ryland waved a green flag now, and several of his warriors took up packs and then started to spread something out of those packs, leaving a trail of something silver-looking from the cavern down to the meadows.

  “Do you really think the black dragons will stay for fish?” Bower asked and glanced at me.

  Fish! Jaydra lifted her head.

  I shrugged “It’s hard for a dragon to resist fish. But they may decide to feed on Ryland or at least take a bit out of his men.”

  Bower’s frown deepened.

  The warriors left the fish on the rocks in front of the cavern opening and all the way down to the meadow, hurrying away from the cavern as fast as they could.

  Bower shook his head and started to pace again. “Those dragons have had years of only seeing humans when they were dragged out and goaded into battle or into that ridiculous challenge of Ryland’s.”

  Leaning against Jaydra’s side, I told him, “The dragons need to see these people not as their captors but as friends. Fish is a good start.”

  Jaydra was snuffling the air and wondering why this silly human was wasting all his good fish.

  I kept my attention on the cavern where I could now see a writhing mass of four wild dragons. Four more came out, and then another four, and after that I almost lost count. It had to be almost twenty dragons now.

  The black dragons’ loud hissing was answered by the red dragons that hissed back and spread their wings. I could feel the black dragons setting every other dragon on edge—it was like having unruly children around.

  As the black dragons stepped into the sunlight and hesitated I could see they were thinner than any other island dragons. They looked to be a quarter of the size of the gigantic red dragons.

  A dozen of them sniffed the fish, their wings folded tight. Their heads were not the most graceful I’d seen, and spikes jutted out, looking vicious and mean.

  One dragon glanced around, one eye a milky white from an old injury. Others had cracked scales. They stepped over and around each other, weaving around as if sharing their body warmth.

  Blacks are frightened, Jaydra thought to me.

  I straightened, turned and hugged her neck. “Of course. Thank you, Jaydra.”

  Bower glanced at me. “What? Did you spot something terrible?”

  Waving at the blacks, I told him, “The dragons are scared. They’re moving like dragonets in a clutch. Young dragons rely on their clutch-brothers and sisters for reassurance. As feral and savage as these dragons might be, they are really like children.”

  “They need trust,” Bower said, tapping his fingers on his leather breeches.

  One of the black dragons lunged forward to seize another fish on the path. A gasp rose up from the crowd. Another dragon came over to steal the fish from the first dragon, and then noticed the fish further along on the path.

  The black dragons spilled down the mountain path, hissing and gulping down fish. The largest one with a white eye was the only one to be cautious. She held back and kept looking over to where Ysix and her brood perched.

  Ysix called out a hooting challenge to White-eye, who halted. I could see her trembling.

  “What are they saying?” Bower asked.

  I shook my head. “I think Ysix is wondering whether White-eye is a threat or not.”

  “White-eye?” Bower asked, and then said, “That’s a good name, but I thought a dragon always told you its name.”

  Before I could explain that the black dragons weren’t much for names or talking, the dragons swarmed into the meadow. I could count them now and nineteen black dragons sniffed the air. So far they had not tried to fly away, but a few of them started to spread their wings as if testing them.

  I nodded at Bower. “Now it’s up to us.” A shiver of apprehension trickled down my back, but I strode toward Ryland and his men, keeping the black dragons in front of me. Bower a few paces behind me, his boots rustling in the tall grass. Ryland might be the war chief of his people, and Bower might be the future king, but I was the only one who really knew what I was doing. But my fingers twitched and my heart raced as I approached these dragons—there were so many of them.

  And they are not of your den, Jaydra said, her mind close to mine.

  I glanced at her. She had taken flight and hovered not far overhead. I nodded to her, thankful she would be near to me both physically and mentally. I might have need of her very soon.

  The black dragons had stopped in the meadow and were now spread out in smaller groups of four or five. They seemed to be all claw, spikes, dark scales and wary eyes. On the mountainside, Ysix was now ignoring them, opening her long wings to show off her belly scales as she preened as if she had nothing better to do.

  It was a show of strength by Ysix. She wanted to prove she thought of this as her territory and was at home here.

  White-eye hissed and lifted her head. The other dragons seemed younger than her, for they all looked to her.

  Walking up to Ryland, I told him, “The dragon there with the white eye—she is the den mother. The queen. If you manage to get her on your side, the rest will follow her guidance.”

  Ryland looked tense, as if he had braced every muscle in his back and shoulders for action. He didn’t even look at me or Bower, but asked, “And how, by the three rivers, do I do that?”

  Bower gestured to a pack of fish that lay on the ground, which was now starting to stink. “That seems a good way to start.”

  Ryland reached into the pack and pulled out a large mountain-lake fish.

  I nodded to him and said, “Hold it up to White-eye. She can smell it from where she is. Make certain you have White-eye’s full attention.”

  Jaydra sent me reassurance that the black dragons were interested, but cautious.

  White-eye’s glance flickered to Ryland, but she turned to stare up at Ysix almost immediately. White-eye wasn’t going to be wooed that easily.

  I told Ryland, “Now throw the fish to White-eye.”

  Ryland did as I asked, but two of the other black dragons rose up and snapped the fish from the air.

  White-eye turned and hissed at them and they jumped back from her.

  “That didn’t go so well,” Ryland said.

  “White-eye is testing you—well, testing all of us, I think.”

  “I’ve got an idea,” Bower said and walked toward the black dragons.

  Fear for him flared in me and I snagged the hem of his tunic to stop him. “What are you doing?”

  He glanced at me and lifted a hand. “During the battle with Enric’s Iron Guard I managed to s
ummon the Crimson Reds. And I talked to Zenema. You said that was because of the power within my blood, that I am the rightful Dragon King. So maybe I can talk to them?”

  “All of them? At once? Will you look at just how wild these black dragons are.”

  Ryland glanced at the dragons and then at Bower. “If you can get these beasts to listen to you, you really are the Dragon King, and all will acclaim you as such.”

  I glared at Ryland. “They’re not beasts. Did you learn nothing last night?”

  Ryland shook his head and smoothed his beard. “I learned your island dragons are different. But I speak now of the black dragons. No one has ever heard a thought from any black dragon.”

  With a low growl, I fought down the urge to thump him. Keeping my voice low and to the point, I said, “The sooner you realize, Ryland, that all dragons have as much sense and even more brains than you, the sooner we will have a true army.”

  A sort of prickling behind my eyes swept through me and I sensed a mind reaching out to mine. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up as a wave of awareness stirred—an awareness of Bower.

  He stood staring at the black dragons, his fingertips pressed to his temples. It felt something like what Zenema could do, when she turned the force of her attention on you—waves of a bright mind, dazzling as the sun. I had not known Bower had such power.

  I could almost sense Bower’s thoughts.

  Glancing up at Jaydra, I thought to her, Can you hear Bower’s thoughts?

  Sweat trickled down Bower’s face. His forehead bunched tight. The black dragons started to turn and look at him, their expressions startled and suspicious.

  Wait, let Jaydra share minds with Saffron.

  Jaydra rarely shared her full mind and senses with me. But suddenly I could feel what it was like to be her—to have a body as long as a house, as strong as the mountains and as quick as a dancing bird. Scales like liquid metal contained a fire within that was always burning. And the world changed.

  I sensed the red dragons on the mountainside, breathing in their scents—the sea breeze of Ysix and her brood, the sulfur tang of the reds, and the earthy scent of the blacks. Their shapes seemed to glow, hot for the reds like a bonfire, warm for Ysix and her brood, and warm coals for the blacks. The minds of the other dragons touched mine—but the black dragons’ emotions seemed hot as a savage forest fire.