Death of a King_I, Dragon Book 4
Contents
Title Page
Copyright
I, Dragon Freebie
Wylie Westerhouse Freebies
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
Chapter 57
More From Nathan
About the Author
I,
Dragon
Death of a King
By
Nathan Roden
I, Dragon
Death of a King
Copyright © 2018 by Nathan Roden
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except in the case of a reviewer, who may quote brief passages embodied in critical articles or in a review.
This 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.
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One
Queen Jaclyn Lamont Morgenwraithe was dreaming. Oddly enough, she was dreaming she was asleep—on a filthy mattress in a dungeon cell. Something tickled her toe. She pulled up her legs, curling herself into a ball.
Rats, she thought.
Jaclyn feared rats almost as much as she feared bats. She moaned quietly. She held her breath when she felt hair brush against her arm. Jaclyn felt a nibble on her…on her breast.
Jaclyn’s eyes flew open. She opened her mouth in a silent scream.
Suddenly, she realized her dream was not real.
Her newborn son was hungry.
Jaclyn laughed at herself. She cooed and held the baby tightly. She helped him to nurse. Jaclyn reached for her source of comfort, which she carried in the pocket of her stolen trousers.
But the pocket was empty. She tried the other pocket. Empty.
No…
With the baby still to her breast, Jaclyn climbed to her feet.
It must be close by. It has to be.
She looked behind trees. She kicked aside leaves. She reached down to move a fallen limb.
“My queen?” Helena said. “What’s wrong?”
The baby’s mouth slipped away, and he began to cry. Jaclyn adjusted her shirt, and the baby found his way back.
“I’ve lost…a parchment. A very dear piece of parchment.”
“Oh,” Helena said. She reached into her pocket and took out Simon’s note.
“I forgot to return this to you. It fell from your pocket just before little Nicholas came.”
Relief flooded Jaclyn’s face.
“Oh, bless you, Helena!”
Jaclyn took the piece of parchment and held it to her heart. She put her free arm around Helena and kissed her cheek over and over again. She stepped back with tears streaming down her face.
“Do you know what this is?”
Helena smiled and nodded.
“It is perfectly preserved, as well, my queen. The rains have not marred it at all.”
“I have Caleb to thank for that,” Jaclyn said. She closed her eyes.
“Dear, sweet, Caleb.”
“Did you know that when Caleb took this note from the giant, it was torn in two? Caleb mended it, and now it carries a spell of protection.”
“I’m so happy for you, my queen.”
Jaclyn scowled.
“Did I not ask you to call me by my given name—as true friends do?”
Helena caressed the baby’s face. And then she put her hand to Jaclyn’s cheek.
“I am honored to be called your friend. But as long as I draw breath, you shall be my queen.”
Jaclyn sighed.
“I will not demand you address me a certain way. That would be foolish. But I want you to remember this, Helena. I was not born a queen. As a young girl, I enjoyed nothing more than playing with the rowdiest of boys—catching frogs. Climbing trees. Digging in the mud. I spent much of my youth filthy and sweating and it drove my mother mad. But I was so happy! I never wanted to be a queen—to have people bow before me and behave as if I am somehow better than they are.”
Jaclyn frowned. She swallowed hard.
Helena’s eyes opened wide.
“My queen? What’s wrong?”
Jaclyn opened her mouth—
And belched. Loudly.
She laughed—both at herself and the look on Helena’s face.
“You see?” Jaclyn said. “Is that the behavior of a queen?”
Helena failed to stifle a laugh of her own.
Jaclyn touched her baby’s lips.
“This is only mother’s milk. It imparts no holiness or magical powers. And for that, I am glad.”
“I want to be your friend,” Helena said. “But how do I be a friend and still show the proper respect?”
Jaclyn smiled.
“We will find a way, Helena, my dear friend. Together.”
Two
Captain Thaddeus Finn was jolted awake by knocking at his door. A lieutenant barged in.
“I’m sorry to wake you, Captain—but there has been an incident at the docks.”
Finn grabbed his trousers.
“What is it?”
“One of the ships has been taken, my lord.”
“What happened to the guards?”
“One is dead. The other is seriously wounded. He won’t live for long.”
“Do we know who took it?”
“At least two of the merchant crewmen are unaccounted for. We won’t know how many for certain until daybreak, my lord.”
Finn swore and pulled on his boots.
“Shall we alert Lord Lamont, Captain?” the lieutenant asked.
“No. He will know soon enough.”
Finn stood and put on his sword belt.
“Triple the guard on the docks. And provide them with crossbows. We cannot lose any more ships.”
“Shall we pursue them,
my lord?” the lieutenant asked. He lowered his head.
“Perhaps…send the dragons?”
Finn rubbed his chin.
“No. This is not the time to divide ourselves in the name of vengeance. We must marshal our forces against our true enemy.”
Finn narrowed his eyes.
“When this is all over, they will answer for their crimes. Go now and see to the new assignments. And see to the dead before the village awakens.”
****
Viceroy Nicholas Lamont and Captain Finn stared out from the guard tower at the main gate of Islemar. A dozen dragons circled overhead, led by the female they had come to know as “Mother”.
“It is hard to believe such a peaceful quiet will become a raging war,” Lamont said.
“Should we send some of the dragons to Morgenwraithe?” Finn asked. “If war is imminent, why shouldn’t we make the initial move?
“I have considered that,” Lamont said. “But that is Simon’s decision to make now. Our own relationship with the dragons is fragile. It is based on the communication skills of a ten-year-old boy and the clan’s loyalty to the mate of their former leader. We asked them to partner with us—not volunteer to be used as weapons.”
“I realize that, my Lord,” Finn said. “I raise the question only to limit the loss of life and to save our city. Sterling has cannons and he will bring them all—including those that belong to the hunters from the Southlands.”
Lamont nudged Finn.
“Your…friend is coming.”
Lady Magdalena and her brother, Tanner, climbed the steps. Lamont and Finn bowed their heads.
“Good morning, my lady. Lord Raven.”
“Good morning,” Magdalena said.
“I’ve never been addressed as ‘lord’,” Tanner said. “Not surprising, since I am an orphan runaway slave.”
“Hard times can break a man,” Lamont said. “Or they can make him a better one.”
He smiled at Magdalena.
“The same can be said for ladies.”
Magdalena looked out over the roads leading to the south and to the west.
“May the gods smile on you today, Lord Lamont,” she said.
Lamont sighed.
“Simon will be here before dawn. I instructed Noah and Oliver to return by that time.”
Lamont placed his trembling hands against the wall.
“Jaclyn…Jaclyn. Where are you, my sweet child?”
No one else spoke. Lamont turned and faced them.
“She could be anywhere. But we must protect those we can.”
“Tanner and I have something to do,” Magdalena said. “We will not be able to return before dawn.”
“Where are you going?” Finn asked.
“I must take care of something I should have done sooner,” Magdalena said. “The books and notes given to me by my teacher—they remain hidden inside my home. I have kept them hidden for years. Soon, I will need them.”
“Why?” Finn said.
“To end the curse. To give Simon his life back.”
“I will go with you,” Finn said.
Magdalena shook her head.
“Tanner and I can do this quickly. And without any confrontation.”
“We will be searching for the queen, as well,” Tanner said. He touched his nose.
“With these.”
Finn took Magdalena’s hand.
“Please, be careful.”
“We will. I’ll see you soon.”
Three soldiers approached from the south road. The gates opened, and they rode inside. One of the men climbed the stairs.
“Good day, Lord Lamont. Captain Finn. I’m afraid we have a reason for concern outside the village.”
Lamont ran a hand through his hair.
“More good news?”
“It’s likely not news at all, my lord. We were not prepared to feed fifty dragons. They have ravaged the livestock herds to the south and southwest. The people there are understandably angry and afraid. I hate to say it, my lord—but hungry dragons may not make good allies. And if they are forced to travel great distances to feed, we may lose them anyway. Or our people may begin to look appetizing.”
Lord Lamont stared into the distance as he gripped the railing. He nodded.
“Thank you, lieutenant. Have your men visit as many of the affected parties as possible. Assure them they will be compensated for their losses.”
Lamont stood straight and addressed Captain Finn.
“If we have not sighted Sterling’s approach before the second dawn—we will take the war to Morgenwraithe.”
Finn saluted.
“Yes, my lord.”
“May the gods be with us,” Lamont whispered.
****
Outside of the village gates, Tanner and Magdalena transformed into wolves. They followed the King’s Road toward Morgenwraithe Village. They slipped into the woods to avoid travelers, of which there were few. The people they saw were in a hurry and held swords or spears in their hands. Their frightened eyes scanned the sides of the road. The coming war was no secret.
The wolves continued their journey to the west. With the sun nearing the horizon, Tanner stopped abruptly and cocked his head. Magdalena stopped beside him. A high-pitched sound reached their keen ears. It came from the south, filtering its way down the mountainside through the dense forest. The sound came again, and then, no more.
The wolves became human.
“Did you hear it?” Tanner asked.
“Yes,” Magdalena said.
“Do you think—?”
“Yes. That was a baby crying.”
Three
Simon woke up somewhere west of Islemar and east of Morgenwraithe. He wondered if it was part of the life of a dragon—flying while asleep. His instincts told him he was traveling in the right direction. But if Boone Blankenship had not climbed high into the trees to tie a banner bearing the colors of the village of Islemar, Simon might have missed it.
Simon stilled his wings and glided toward the ground. He fell asleep again until something struck him between the eyes. Simon woke in a panic. He had flown directly into the path of a flock of geese.
A quick succession of birds caromed off of Simon’s head and body. He flapped his wings in an attempt to rise above the flock, but his wings collided with geese on both sides.
Simon lost altitude and crashed through the treetops. Heavy branches slowed his fall, and he came to a stop about ten feet above the ground. He closed his eyes and exhaled.
“Busy night, eh?” a voice said.
Simon opened one eye.
“It was.”
“I put up a banner,” Boone said. “Did you see it?”
Simon laughed. He kept on laughing until Boone began to worry.
“What would I do without you, Boone Blankenship? Seriously. What would I do?”
“I don’t know,” Boone said. “Where have you been?”
Simon grumbled as he wrestled free of the tree branches.
“Doing a favor for a friend—and sending a message,” he said.
“Sending a message? What does that mean?”
Simon breathed in and a deep, low growl escaped as he stared into the sky.
“Do you remember the day we met Helena?”
“Of course, I do.”
“How do you think she felt—living every day of her life as a servant inside the castle while her father’s head was picked clean by the crows?”
Boone stared at Simon for a moment in silence.
“I try not to think about that.”
Simon glared at Boone. His eyes narrowed and his nostrils flared.
“Why? Why do you not think about it? Do you think she can ever forget about it?”
Boone’s expression clouded over. He balled his fists.
“Because it serves no purpose! What are you trying to say, Simon? That I don’t love Helena? I haven’t suffered enough? That my life is so much easier than yours? Or Helena’s?”
/> “I’m only saying—”
“What if I don’t like what you’re saying? Which I don’t!”
“I’m trying to tell you where I’ve been—”
“Oh, is that what you’re doing? Because it sounds to me like you’re forgetting who your friends are!”
Another growl.
Boone folded his arms across his chest.
“So. Tell me. Where have you been?”
“There is a new head on the wall of Castle Morgenwraithe. Dathien’s head.”
Boone nodded in thought.
“Does Lady Jacobs know?”
“She does.”
“Good,” Boone said. “If vengeance or revenge can somehow ease her loss, then I am happy for her.”
Simon raised his head and snorted fire into the air.
“I…I don’t understand,” Simon said.
“What do you not understand?”
“My entire childhood—I was weak,” Simon said. “And helpless. I don’t know how I stayed alive. You were fearless, even as a young boy. You saved my life—more than once.”
Simon looked away.
“I’ve changed. I’ve grown up. I no longer have to be a burden to you. But since you met Helena, you have changed as well. We used to spend whole days together. You taught me everything I know.”
“There is more to life than hunting and killing,” Boone said.
“Not for me,” Simon said.
Boone sighed.
“It is true. We have not spent enough time together lately, my friend. I worry that you might forget…”
“What?”
“You’re a man, Simon. On the inside where it matters.”
“Each day that goes by now, I feel like less of a man,” Simon said. “I am surrounded by people who care for each other. I see people, like you, in love. And I…I have feelings, too. But these feelings have no fulfillment. They have nowhere to go. I do not belong—anywhere. My feelings only sour in my stomach and torment me. They fester and burn and I become angry—”
“I do care about you, Simon, but we need you to pull yourself together—”
“I don’t know how!”