Stone Sacrifice ✔️Chronicles of Grey BOOK ONE [COMPLETED]

Chapter Nineteen

The dragon stood still for so long that my legs ached. Then finally, he made his decision and let out a snarl that was almost a bark then turned away, climbing his mountain of riches once again.

"Y-yes, Master. Right away, master." Said the Keeper quickly and rushed off through a door I had not known was there, small and used only for keepers I was sure, barely in the reach of the light.

I remained perfectly still and did not dare move or speak another word - I was confidant, not stupid.

By the time the Keeper returned, the dragon had curled back down into his mountain and appeared to be sleeping.

He rushed over to me, holding out a large but flattened wooden box with a clasping lid toward me with something like a bow. I felt more then heard the Shadows come up behind me as I lifted the lid.

Inside sat a small carving that looked like regular stone. Set into a leather chain, the carving was of a dragon in flight. There was very little detail and altogether looked like nothing special. In fact, if I were to see it anywhere else I may have thought a child whittled it then threw it away because it wasn't good enough even for them.

But I knew that this sorry looking thing was one of the most powerful charms ever created by an ancient mage whose name is long forgotten. The stone, in fact, was from a simple story, one most believed was children tales. Even Jovian had not known it truly existed until I insisted that it was, shaking the note my father left with me at him. "He says all the stories are true, Jovi! It has to be real!"

"I'm sure your father didn't mean that even the children stories were-"

"Why else would he want me to go to the North Mountains then? Surly not just for the map!"

And I was right. Here it was, sitting before me.

It was not the carving itself of course that was powerful, but the magic that it had been coated with.

It controlled the dragons. For so long as the one whose blood was shed upon the stone was alive, no dragon would dare touch him.

I could be blind to the dragons completely if I so chose.

Possibly even turn them on Marqis.

Next to the charm was a small knife that was nothing special at all. I used it without hesitation and cut my arm, letting the blood flow over the carving and into the pine below it. I felt a flare of magic deep inside, like being doused in hot water on a cool day and...

I suddenly knew that we were surrounded by dragons! Several dozen of them, listening through the walls and several more dozen waiting for the sound of my death and hoping for food. The king was not sleeping, but instead feigning sleep and listening warily. He had just given me a weapon that even he was not immune to, but he did so for revenge, and I would make sure he would not regret it.

I looked to the box again as there was one more thing inside it. This was flat and delicate, with faded ink and parchment so old it had cracked in some places.

A map.

"This is the way through the maze?"

"Well, it is actually more of a labyrinth really... yes." Said the keeper when I raised an eyebrow at him. "Those are the ways and passages to bring you safely through to the centre." He placed the box into my hands. "You have the night to safely study it, but the map cannot be removed from this mountain, nor will Master allow it to be copied with ink."

"The night?"

"You are welcome to stay until light touches the lake. Shadows in the lake are not safe. Come." He motioned. "I will show you to your rooms."