War In The Winds (Book 9)

War in the Winds

The Chronicles of Dragon: Book 9

By Craig Halloran

War in the Winds

The Chronicles of Dragon: Book 9

By Craig Halloran

Copyright © August 2014 by Craig Halloran

Amazon Edition

TWO-TEN BOOK PRESS

P.O. Box 4215, Charleston, WV 25364

ISBN eBook: 978-1-941208-57-1

ISBN Paperback: 978-1-941208-58-8

http://www.thedarkslayer.net

Cover Illustration by
David Schmelling

Map by Gillis Bjork

Edited by
Cherise Kelley

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recorded, photocopied, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review.

Publisher's Note

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

The Chronicles of Dragon

Book 9

War in the Winds

CHAPTER 1

It was evening. A stiff breeze billowed the curtains of Selene’s chamber inside the highest tower of Narnum, the Free City. Alone, Nath sat on her throne, long returned to his human form. He blew a ball of fire the size of an apple into his dragon-scaled palm. After tossing the red-orange ball high in the air from one hand to the other for a few moments, he blew another ball of fire, followed by another and another—and began to juggle the four of them with ease.

Eyes wide and with exhilaration fueling his veins, he said, “I’m amazing. Simply amazing.”

The great doors popped open. Selene came in, alone. She wore a grand sleeveless white gown with symbols of Barnabus woven into it. Her arms were scaled the same as his, and she no longer wore the crown of silver leaves. Instead, her raven hair cascaded unadorned down past her shoulders. She approached with a sensuous walk and a beguiling smile on her face.

“My prince has great mastery of his flames, I see,” she said, stopping at the bottom of the dais. “It pleases me to see it.”

Nath let the fireballs drop and extinguish on the floor.

“I have you to thank for that,” he said, rising from her throne. “Please, have your seat.”

“No, you sit. I’m comfortable with you in my chair. After all, we
are
both dragons.”

“Then maybe we should get another chair,” he said, smiling and brushing his red hair over his shoulders.

“I like the way you think,” she said, rising up the stairs to him and giving him a brief embrace. She kissed his cheek. “I like it very much.”

“Great dragons think alike,” he said, smiling at her.

“Indeed,” she said, sitting down.

The drulture flew in from the balcony, followed by the feline fury. The winged dragon-cat prowled up the steps and nuzzled Nath. He stroked it behind the eyes and horns. Its purring was like that of a coming storm.

Nath went down the steps, took a seat at the great table, and dug into the abundance of food.

“I could eat a herd,” he said, biting off a hunk of turkey leg.

He almost always felt hungry. Selene said she’d teach him to control it. She’d been patient with him so far, saying the most difficult test wasn’t becoming a dragon, but resuming and maintaining the form of a man.

In dragon form, he had flown for hours. It had taken Selene just as many hours to coach him down out of the skies, and another week to teach him how to turn back into a man again. At first, Nath hadn’t understood the need to retake human form. But Selene said it was important to earn the trust of people, and even more, he needed to master his powers.

“When do we fly again, Selene?” he said.

“Soon,” she said, tapping her fingertips together. “I just have a few more matters to attend to, and then the open skies it is.”

“You said that last week.”

“Oh, Nath, don’t think like a person. A week is but a second for a dragon.”

This was another agonizing step in his training: patience. He’d been in the company of people most of his life. He was accustomed to moving at their pace. Selene was persistent in slowing him down and often suggested that he sleep. It made sense. There were plenty of dragons he’d known that slept years at a time, in some cases decades. Even he’d done that once already, for twenty-five years, but if he slept too long, it was possible he’d awaken with the Truce gone. For all he knew, at that point the world would come to an end.

His thoughts drifted to his friends. He missed them.
I hope they are alright.

“Selene,” he said, “I’m ready to fly again now.”

“Oh,” she said, touching her hand to her chest. She gestured to the balcony. “Then by all means, transform and go.”

Nath dropped the turkey leg on the table, where it landed on the gold plate with a
clank
. His red brows crinkled. He’d only been in dragon form once. He hadn’t been able to resume it since. His eyes narrowed on Selene. Had she tricked him into becoming a man again so that she could control him? Did she fear his power in full form? Was he a threat to her?

“You’re too old to pout, Nath,” she said, checking her nails. “You know you can turn into a dragon, but you’re going to have to do it under your own power. Your own motivation. Not mine. It’s your body. You must control it.”

“And you said you would teach me how to control it, but you’ve been very quiet about that. If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were avoiding it.”

“And why would I do that?”

“That’s what I’m wondering.” He shrugged. “And there could be many reasons.”

“Such as?”

“Fear,” he said.

“Of what?”

“Not being able to control me.”

“I’m not controlling you now,” she said. “You decided to take the Truce to spare your friends, and you are doing well to honor that. Other than that, you have complete freedom, do you not?” She came down the steps and stood behind him, resting her hands on his shoulders. “A city full of people chant your name,” she whispered, “Nath Dragon, Dragon Prince … the Peacekeeper. The Truce Bringer.”

In spite of himself, Nath smiled.

Rubbing his shoulders deeply, she said, “Long before the Truce ends, there will be no more talk of war at all. The councils of men, elves, dwarves, orcs, and gnolls bring greetings and salutations to one another.”

He could feel the power of her grip through his scales. He leaned back into her and closed his eyes. Her voice was so soothing. 

“Think about it, Nath, the last great dragon war. What if it never happens?”

“I never thought about that,” he mumbled.

“But I have,” she said. “No one would die in a war that never happened. Together, we can bring peace to the land.”

“I don’t think Gorn Grattack wants that.” He twisted his neck toward her. “Are you turning traitor?”

“I cannot say,” she said, still rubbing. “But being with you, Nath, I’ve … well, I’ve begun to think about things differently.”

“Differently how?”

“I’ve always served Gorn. Been loyal. Faithful. I’ve been one of his own. But through you, I’ve glimpsed a side of things I’ve never seen before.” She swallowed. “You have friends you care about. I’ve never had any of those. In all truth, after centuries of life, I think you are the closest thing I’ve ever had to a friend.”

“Friend, huh,” he said. “Well, if you want to be my friend, you’re going to have to take me out to fly.”

She shoved his head and laughed.

“I open my heart to you, and this is how you respond.”

Shrugging, he said, “I don’t think you have a heart, just a beating lump of coal.”

Her chuckle was wicked and delicious as she strode toward the balcony, mainly in the form of a sensuous woman. She was something. An awesome kind of something.

Standing with her back to the terrace wall, she said to him, “Watch and learn, Dragon Prince.”

Her lips moved, and the words were soft and quiet. It was an ancient form of Dragonese. Selene spoke many such things, and Nath was beginning to pick up on them. Her body shuddered, and her flesh groaned. Two black shapes heaved up behind her back and spread out.

Nath’s eyes shone like golden moons.

Dragon wings. With a beautiful wide span. Everything else about Selene’s form was the same. She pushed herself up onto the wide ledge of the balcony and showed an enticing smile.

“You can join me,” she said, stretching out her hand. “Come and join me right now.”

Nath hesitated. He was angry. Jealous. Confused.

“You can do this, Nath,” she said. “Just focus. Envision it. Think dragon!”

He closed his eyes.

If she can do it, I can!

He felt a glimmer of dragon magic within. Calm. Dormant. Dragons had powers that no others had. Great mystic powers. Breath. Spells. Many little things. Nath’s mind probed deep within, and he tried to take command of his powers.
Obey me!

Nothing stirred, without or within. His eyes opened. Selene was there beckoning for him.

“Come,” she said. “I will take you elsewhere and teach you.”

“I should be able to do this myself.”

“True,” she said, batting her wings to hover in the air. “But it even took me a long time to learn it. Remember, Nath, be patient. Dragons should always be patient.”

He sauntered over to her, long in the face.

“Come,” she said, landing on the balcony. “We all fly here: me, the fury, the drulture, and soon you as well. Now, climb up here and stand by me.”

He did. Peering down into the darkness below, he could see the lanterns glowing, making a grid through the streets. Selene clasped him behind his waist and spoke into his ear.

“Have you forgotten the exhilaration of flying so soon? It is within you. Don’t you want to do it again, like us, like even the draykis?” She squeezed him. “Surely they are no better than you.” Her wings stirred the air, and his feet lifted from the ledge. “There is nothing that I can do that you cannot do, Dragon Prince.”

Nath needed to believe that, but he was having his doubts.

“What about the words you speak?” he said. “I need to know them.”

“No, you just need to find those words within. But,” she said, soaring far from the edge, “if you think it will help, then repeat after me.”

He nodded.

She spoke in Dragonese once again.

“I, Nath Dragon, do solemnly swear,” she started.

“I, Nath Dragon, do solemnly swear…”

“That I will grow my wings…”

“That I will grow my wings…”

“Before I hit…”

“Before I hit…”

“The ground down there…”

“The ground down—
what
?”

Selene released him with a cackle.