A Draton Isles Tale : Book 1 (complete)
As the Kingdom of Riteron sacrifices itself in war, King Darius must give up his only child to his most trusted knight. Princess Sapphire, true heir to the throne of Riteron, was sent away to be raised amongst...
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The snarl that ripped through Buphas' throat was chilling, but I stood my ground. I kept my gaze locked with his as fury built beneath the surface, threatning his cool composure.
"I want them all dead, now." He said turning back to the rogue. I breathed a silent sigh of relief as I looked around the room. The clumsy rogue had provided an exit, but getting through it would not be easy, especially with the condition Eron was in. I had felty dizzy feom the few secinds Buphas had pulled my life force, I couldn't imagine the damage he had done onto the young dragon.
Sapphire slowly inched back across the room to Eron and placed her hand on his chest. She murmured something silently, and Eron shook his head.
"Princess!" Buphas yelled and Sapphire jumped, stepping away from Eron. I stepped closer to her, staying ready for any more mind tricks that Buphas may have.
"Which friends did you bring along?" He asked. Sapphire sighed heavily as she looked down.
"Only Eron and a few people to keep me covered." Buphas laughed as he bent down, inspecting her closely.
"I expected a much greater plan from such a powerful being. But I guess you must nurture the energy within someone to build them up. I could do that for you, Sapphire." A strange tone took over Buphas' voice again and I saw Sapphires eyes glaze over again.
"You can?" She asked, reaching out to Buphas with one hand.
"Oh yes, my dear child, I can make you invincible," he chuckled darkly.
"No!" I roared and snatched up Sapphire in my claws and took off for the hole in ceiling.
"Get him!" Buphas screeched and the rogue came batting up after me, smashing against the chandeliers and beams.
"You must save her, or we all die," Erons voice rang out in my head. Feeling guilty, I glanced back once at him, but he nodded firmly, knowing exactly what he was getting into.
I shot out through the window, startling the rogues around me and furiously began beating my wings to rise higher above the castle. I banked left and headed towards the woods, desperately seeking cover.
"Taurus!" Sapphire screamed from my claws. I threw her up in the air barrel rolled beneath her in a practiced move, waiting for the thud of her body on my back. She scrambled up and leant down my head.
"There is a lake in an opening near the centre of the forest, you can fit in it!" She yelled. I nodded my understanding and sank closer to the treeline, scanning it for any sight of water.
Behind us, the rogues chittered and screeched, desperately trying to catch up with us. Just as I was aboht to change plans, I spotted a small stream running through the trees.
"I found it, hold on!" I yelled up to my small companion. I grew ice around her feet to keep her grounded to me as I shot down quickly, praying that the stream opened up wider before I reached it.
"Princesss!" A rogue bellowed as he snapped at my heels. I whipped my tail around until I felt a satisfying crunch of impact and sighed as I spotted the large body of open water.
I dove down, head first, into the water and instantly froze it up around me. Sapphire gasped, holding her breath as I turned to focus on the rogues. Four of them cricled the water and I quickly shot up two large spikes of ice, halfing their team. Seeing their brethren impaled so suddenly, the other two dragons took off in the direction we came. Hyperaware of my very human companions inability to breathe underwater, I broke through the surface and melted the ice, letting her roll onto land.
The body of the two rogues floated lifelessly in the water as I waded up onto the riverbank by Sapphire. She lay face up on the grass, gasping for breath.
"What are we gonna do?" She asked looking up at me, drenched in ice cold water.
"First, I'm taking you to camp."
*****
I made it back to the mountains within minutes and catiously crept up them to where my clan rested.
"Taurus is back!" A young dragon nearby yelled and others emerged from the hidden caves.
"We need fire for Sapphire!" I called and a small flame like dragon scurried forward, quickly wrapping himself around Sapphires body. I smiled briefly, trying to ignore the pain and memories of Soria and the first time I had met James wjth her wrapped closely to him in the same way. Sapphire in turn, laughed and hugged the baby dragon, clearly already at home.
"Where is James, Sapphire?" I asked her as the dragons settled around us. Her eyes went wide for a moment as she remembered.
"Magnus, he tricked me with a fake soldier into coming to an abandoned tower. James and the others were outside and he sealed us in. By the time they broke it down, he was dragging me down some tunnels to you in the main castle. I have no idea what happened to them," she finished quietly. The young fire dragon cooed in her lap, nudgung her gently into a smile.
"James will be fine," I told her "he knows this land better than all of us, and, he's not alone." She smiled gratefully at me, and for the first time in a long time, I felt the satisfactory pull of our bond.
"We've already located your friends," Alatnor said as he walked down the mountains "they are on their way now with the help of some earth dragons. Are you too alright?" He asked. I was still unsettled by this gentle side of him.
"We come with terrible news," Sapphire said as she looked up at the Elders.
"Buphas is stronger than we could have imagined because of all the energy he steals, especially from rares," I started "right now, he is draining Eron for his power." Horrified gasps and growls swept through the crowd. Eron may have been reckless, but he was still one of our own.
"What did he want you for?" Rucktus asked as he settled down, almost blending in with the mountain side.
"Did any of you know I was his descendant?" I asked, my voice slipping into a defensive and icy tone. Rucktus hing his head down but Alatnor answered me.
"We knew that he had had relations with your grandmother, but no one in your family exhibited any signs of his power..." he trailed off and looked away.
"Except for me?" I finished, remembering the times I had gloried in the bloodlust of human nations with shame. Alatnor nodded and sighed heavily.
"Because I am of his blood, he can take my life force at will," I told him "he transferred it to Magnus while we were there."
"Magnus is dying," Sapphire chipped in "he needs the dragon energy to stay alive. Something tells me the missing subjects in the castle were experiments gone wrong. Magnus isn't strong enough for Buphas' plan, so now they both need life force, and desperately."
"So then they both must die," Alatnor said firmly.
A little monday evening treat for you, my little readlings.
