WREN Book Three Prince of Dragons

Allowed to dream

I spent the night in the castle of my ancestors. It was a bit lonely, daunting. With the heart now a part of me, I saw things differently. I knew I was no longer a child. The person who came here died last night. Reborn, I would return a humbled man. But did that have to include the ghosts!

I shivered as another streak of white flashed from one tree to the next. Keeping the warm glow of the heart bound to my hands, I had managed to keep the things around at bay. The chose to torment me with their presence. That was fine. Once my eyes closed I could forget about them, but then the sound came.

The scraping scuttling sounds like twigs scurrying over rocks. OK, small animals exist. It could just be them out enjoying the night air. That was what I tried to tell myself, but what was the howling? It was loud sounding like a human female in distress. Or it went to a pitch that chilled my bones. A cry of a baby had me pressing my hands to my ears. What was this place?

I had never been more relieved to see the sun poke its first rays of light up over the darken earth, than I was that morning. As soon as it lit up the sky, I snatched up my bag. I rushed out of the castle, stumbling, tripping over rocks covered by moss and vines. I cut my knee on the last one as I leapt away into the stillness of the field beyond.

I walked for about an hour. That was when I came upon a clearing. I was higher up than where the castle had once grandly sat. I moved to the edge of the rock cliff. Heights had never bothered me. I grew up leaping about on dragon back, why would I fear a fall? I chuckled as I watched the morning mist seep away.

As I watched the remains of the castle slip out from under its foggy blanket. I looked down upon it once more. It was cold, empty, but something was there. I could feel it. There was something looking back at me as I watched it. The wind rose up tempting my body to shiver, but I held it back.

They had survived. I knew that now. Their once golden prince had cursed the brother he had loved. I am uncertain as to how, or even what he did. But I know that he is the reason the king is so corrupt right now. Until I discover how to cleanse the land, no king will out live this twisted fate he sat upon that throne.

I turned away, a thought blossoming in my mind. He cursed the king. What if? A smile played at my lips. What if no king sat upon the throne? If Yuri were to come back, she could take her birthright. A queen! Would that be what could break the spell? Would the solider prince never have guessed that a queen could rule just as fairly?

I knew I would need to go back to the place of my birth. It would be the only way I could discover what truly happened there. I also knew, there was only one person who could help me. Two others who would follow no matter what their Nuare said. I smirked. Bran wouldn't deny Attroxia this mission.

Unless I refused to allow him to come along. The trick would be to get Dyami to lend me Wics. That would be if I could convince Shea to give me the former crown prince... All of this played in my head as I walked back to my original camp. I allowed my mind the preoccupation of daydreaming as I walked.

The smell of smoke touched my nostrils. It was the first indication of something amiss. My senses opened up. I could see the smoke curling up toward the sky. It was a grey, misty haze. I frowned. I was born in the woods. There was no way I left embers smoldering to set the land on fire. I rushed forward.

The sounds swirled around me. I could hear smaller animals digging in the underbrush. Insects going about their day. My heart pounded in my chest as I allowed the coolness of my ice to coat my hands. I burst through the last strands of trees. The sounds stopped. Nothing stirred here, but I could see him.

He sat beside a small fire. He had edged the pit with stone to keep it from spreading to the trees. His leather clad body looked strong, muscled. Thick tree like legs held him seated upon the large boulder. He had long silver white hair which was braided down his back. His face was in profile to me. I could see one sharp blue eye swirl to glance at my presence. His jaw was sharp, piercing as it cut a line through his face. All in all, he was remarkable.