WREN Book Three Prince of Dragons

Battle for one soul

The camp was a sprawling sea of tents. It looked like foot solders held the outer ring. I saw one come close to us, at a glance, I didn't see a mark on him. I knew the marks could be hidden, but I didn't sense a dragon bond. I flinched away from his mind. If I touched it...

I sighed as I followed my once friend into the enemy camp. Wynlin was an air knight. He had been picked on for his small size. Often times I would find him hiding somewhere in the Wry to avoid the knights. This was about a year after I lost Wics. I had shut myself away from the humans that lived so close to me.

When I came across the small delicate form, I first thought it was a female. Even then he preferred to have longer hair. His eyes were too big for his face, making him look even more beautiful, scared or just wanting. He was huddled with his dragon in a corner of the top floor of the wry. The air dragon wasn't one I was familiar with, but even I could tell it needed help. It was badly injured.

"Allow me." I whispered holding out a hand toward the misshapen form of the dragon.

"Don't touch him, I'll fight for him!" the boy had yelled. I drew back.

"I won't hurt a brother." I whispered. Already my mind was seeking out that of the dragon.

What I learned from the small twisted animal was heart wrenching. He was hatched, but shouldn't have been. His body was deformed. He couldn't communicate with the world in words or voice. He had only pictures. He was a sickly beast. His own mother had shoved the egg out of her nest knowing it wouldn't amount to anything. I smirked now.

Wynlin had found the egg. Had taken it home to care for it until it hatched. This bond was stronger than any magic. They were bound by their shared loneliness, the need to be loved by another living creature. I still wondered, was that his true Nuare?

I nearly walked into him as I was lost in my thoughts. I lifted my head to see his narrow back. He was standing rigid before me. I peeked around him. A man stood there. He was huge. His tanned skin seemed to glow a golden brown in the afternoon sun. His shoulders appeared to be the width of two men. My eyes raked over his strong muscled bodied. He seemed to realize what I was looking at. He flexed.

His arms, veins popping out as he contracted his muscles. He wore a light tunic without sleeves, over shorts that revealed his thick hard thighs. His jet black bearded face was sweaty. I saw the pile of wood he had been chopping. I could tell, this man had to be close to Shea's age.

'General Karshden.' Ammedidon's tone was one of awe. This was someone he thought highly of.

"What waft have you brought us, Wynlin?" the general asked.

Wynlin set his jaw. As Ammedidon was in awe of this man, Wynlin harobored hate for him. I had a feeling my liking of him would follow more with Wynlin. I blinked as another man walked up behind him. Crap! This was such a bad idea! I could hide from the humans...

'But dragon kind can see through you're masquerade.' The dragons voice was sickly sweet. It dripped with venomous honey.

I had never heard of any thing sounding so... off. I shivered as the wind blew over me. I threw up my blocks, felt Zia slamming her locks over them, even so, I knew they could tell I wasn't who I appeared to be. I lowered my head with a laugh. Wynlin turned to look at me.

"Yeah, we didn't think this through. I was sure I could come help out the wolves that live near here. I was wrong." I stated as I stepped around Wynlin.

The air knight bit back his retort. I had a feeling part of it would have been to hiss out my name. My eyes went to the dragon as I dismissed the human general before him. As was his Nuare, this dragon was huge. It's bulk could easily match Tempest, Tanwen and Zia all lumped together, and he was in human form. I sensed his arrogance. It was so much like a fire dragon.