Read Dragons of the Valley Online
Authors: Donita K. Paul
Dragons of the Valley
Donita K. Paul
“The writing is crisp and the setting imaginative. This series will speak to all ages of Christian readers, from preadolescent on up.”
—
Publishers Weekly
review of the DragonKeeper chronicles
“Engaging characters, enchanting locales, and perilous creatures await the brave soul who enters the realm of Amara. Donita K. Paul’s DragonKeeper chronicles will surely delight fantasy readers with the kind of story that allows a reader to escape into it, but its powerful message lingers long after the final page is turned.”
—W
AYNE
T
HOMAS
B
ATSON
, author of The Door Within trilogy
“Donita K. Paul is amazing!
DragonLight
has the allegorical depth to satisfy the most discerning adult reader seeking spiritual depth, and yet it’s fun enough to fascinate a child. This book will enthrall, uplift, and if allowed, change lives, as we are gently drawn to realize that each of us is flawed, that each of us must have patience with other flawed believers.”
—H
ANNAH
A
LEXANDER
, author of
Double Blind
“
DragonFire
is a soaring adventure. But I wouldn’t expect any less from Donita K. Paul, as she always gives us a delightful read: intriguing, challenging, and full of blessing.”
—K
ATHRYN
M
ACKEL
, author of
Vanished
and
Outriders
“Donita K. Paul never fails to satisfy the imagination and delight the soul. In
The Vanishing Sculptor
, she takes us beyond the boundaries of her beloved DragonKeeper chronicles and opens up vast new realms of wonder. The adventure of Tipper, the sculptor’s daughter, will strike a responsive chord in the heart of every reader who has ever faced a seemingly impossible challenge. This is fantasy that truly illuminates reality!”
—J
IM
D
ENNEY
, author of the Timebenders series
“Stunning beginning to a new series! Rarely does an author recapture the exquisite charm and the bold freshness first discovered in her initial series. Donita K. Paul fans are in for a treat as they uncover new wonders and enchantment in the world of Chiril. New readers will revel in the magical blend of mischief and mayhem woven with witness and intrigue throughout this engaging tale. From the zany disposition of Lady Peg to the spirited charm and wit of Tipper, her youthful daughter,
The Vanishing Sculptor
tingles our most fervent emotions of love, joy, and hope. It’s an exciting compliment to the DragonKeeper series and a fantastical adventure for inaugural audiences of all ages.”
—E
RIC
R
EINHOLD
, author of the Annals of Aeliana
THER
B
OOKS
BY
D
ONITA
K. P
AUL
The Vanishing Sculptor
DragonSpell
DragonQuest
DragonKnight
DragonFire
DragonLight
Y
D
ONITA
K. P
AUL
AND
E
VANGELINE
D
ENMARK
The Dragon and the Turtle
D
RAGONS OF THE
V
ALLEY
P
UBLISHED BY
W
ATER
B
ROOK
P
RESS
12265 Oracle Boulevard, Suite 200
Colorado Springs, Colorado 80921
The characters and events in this book are fictional, and any resemblance to actual persons or events is coincidental.
Copyright © 2010 by Donita K. Paul
Published in association with the literary agency of Alive Communications Inc., 7680 Goddard Street, Suite 200, Colorado Springs, CO 80920,
www.alivecommunications.com
.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Published in the United States by WaterBrook Multnomah, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House Inc., New York.
W
ATER
B
ROOK
and its deer colophon are registered trademarks of Random House Inc.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Paul, Donita K.
Dragons of the valley : a novel / Donita K. Paul. — 1st ed.
p. cm.
eISBN: 978-0-307-45911-4
1. Dragons—Fiction. I. Title.
PS3616.A94D729 2010
813′.6—dc22
2010021910
v3.1
Dedicated to:
Jessica Agius
Hannah Johnson
Ian McNear
Rachael Selk
Rebecca Wilber
Joshua and Kayla Woodhouse
Acknowledgments
God is so good to give me pushers and prodders, supporters and cheerleaders!
Mary Agius
Jessica Barnes
James Matthew Byers
Evangeline Denmark
Jani Dick
Jack Hagar
Jim Hart
Kathy Hurst
Heidi Likens
Joel Kneedler
Shannon Marchese
Shannon McNear
Carol Reinsma
Faye Spieker
Tiffany and Stuart Stockton
Case Tompkins
Beth and Robert Vogt
Kim Woodhouse
Laura Wright
Theft
Bealomondore stood in the doorway of the darkened hall. Shadows hid the statue he’d been ordered to steal.
His heart told him to retreat. His feet wouldn’t move. But the kimen, whose wildest flying lock of hair reached only to the tumanhofer’s knee, insisted that the statue be stolen.
The artist cast the kimen a menacing look. The rude little man had startled him out of a sound sleep and proposed this ridiculous escapade. Bealomondore only wanted to go back to his chamber. In the middle of the night, the proper place for an aristocratic tumanhofer was his bed.
He had not had time to dress properly. He looked disheveled. He straightened his tie, but he couldn’t do anything about his wrinkled shirt. He closed his fine dinner coat and fastened two ornate buttons.
Bealomondore resented the fact that the small creature had managed to get him out of his bed, dressed, and actually contemplating the theft. An apprentice stealing the work of his esteemed master? Ludicrous!
“Come on,” said Maxon. His tiny hand pushed at the back of Bealomondore’s leg. “We haven’t got all night.”
“This is ill-advised,” said Bealomondore. “Those statues have just been reunited. Why would your Wulder want one stolen?”
“Not stolen.” The kimen’s disgusted look further aggravated Bealomondore. He winced at the high-pitched protest flung at him. “I told you, ‘Removed from harm’s way.’ ”
The tumanhofer surveyed his serene surroundings. Cool blue moonlight lay in lopsided rectangles on the floor before the ornate windows. Portraits hung mutely on the walls. An elaborate rug silenced footsteps on most of the marble floor. Not even a flatrat would raise a skittering noise.
His gaze returned to his companion. “We’re in a guarded castle in a well-policed city with military posts all around. What harm could come to the statues here?”
Maxon crossed his thin arms over his wee chest. “I have my orders.”
“I don’t see why your orders are mine as well.”
“You’re needed.” He backed up a step, placed his fists on his hips, and glared at the taller tumanhofer. “Are you going to turn your back on a call to service?”
