Dragon: A Histories of Purga Novel

Chapter One

Dragon (A Histories of Purga Novel), 2015 Published by Rustin Petrae.

Copyright © 2013, Rustin Petrae. All rights reserved.

No similarity between any names, characters, persons, and/or institutions in this publication is intended and any such is purely coincidental. HISTORIES OF PURGA (including all prominent characters) featured in this novel (and the distinctive likeness thereof) is copyrighted by Rustin Petrae.

Keiara woke with the sunlight filtering through her window. It was dappled as it passed through the canopy of her forest home. She got out of bed with excitement filling her heart and hurriedly and quietly got dressed. She pulled on her long skirt and threw on a simple white shirt. Then she grabbed her wrap and carefully arranged it over her upper body until it was situated just right. She took her lustrous black hair and pulled it up into a ponytail. When she was finished, she tiptoed to her door, pulled it open as quietly as she could and headed down the hall to her little brother's room.

She opened his door as quietly as her own and silently went inside. She found Asher underneath his covers, his feet near the head of his bed and his head near the foot. He was snoring loudly, the sawing noise of it making her feel like giggling. She stifled it and gently shook him.

"Asher," she whispered.

He moaned, turned over and then started snoring louder.

She smiled. Then she reached out a hand and shook him again, this time rougher.

His eyes flew open.

"Wha-?" he asked, his voice a sleepy slur. "Wha's goin on?"

"Asher, wake up," she whispered.

His eyes fluttered open.

"What are you doing?" he complained. "I don't have any chores to do. Lemme sleep."

"Nope," she responded. "And be quiet. You want mom and dad to hear us?"

That caused him to get up, his body alert and cautious.

"What do you mean?" he asked, his eyes narrowed with suspicion. "What are you planning?"

She smiled mischievously. Her brother might only be twelve, but he was definitely sharp.

"Oh no. No. Absolutely not," he shook his head. "Mom already said no."

"I know, but it will be such an adventure. Just imagine it," she returned, a wild gleam in her eyes. "We'd get to see the forest and the animals. Then there's the wide open air. The beautiful sky. I've seen it, Ash. It's like nothing you've experienced before."

Asher sighed miserably. His big sister was a notorious adventure seeker. She was always looking for the next thing to sate her seemingly insatiable need to explore.

"Mom and dad are going to kill us if we go."

"That's why we leave before they notice we're gone," she replied, flashing him her most charming smile.

He let out a miserable breath.

"Fine, but only because I have to be the one to look out for you."

"Whatever, Ash," Keiara replied. "Hurry up and get dressed. I'll meet you at the backdoor."

She got up and left him to it, navigating herself downstairs and through the back hall to the kitchen.

She stopped suddenly. It felt like someone was behind her. She turned around slowly and a gasp of fear escaped her.