The Dragonet (Dreamer of Dragons Book 1) by Cordelia Castel

Author:Cordelia Castel [Castel, Cordelia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-07-22T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 12

Tigris turned his head, probably wondering why I’d suddenly become panicked, and swooped down toward the other side of the volcano. Far in the distance stood the small peak I recognized as Stratolava Hill, with the palace glowing in the moonlight.

He landed on the ground with a tiny bounce and asked. “What’s wrong?”

“You can’t go near Strato.” I wrapped my arms around the dragon’s neck, trying not to picture the mounted dragon heads displayed in the Royal War Museum. “If anyone knows of your existence—”

“I’m not afraid of humans.” Tigris let out a smoky snort. “At the first sight of my flames, they will run back to their homes like ants.”

I squeezed my eyes shut and pinched the bridge of my nose, fighting off the beginnings of a headache. If Volcania didn’t have such a bloody history with dragons, I might have agreed.

However, some warriors were so experienced in dragon slaying that they could document their techniques in an encyclopedia. Recent events stirred peoples’ desire to fight, and I feared that Tigris would fall victim to his own pride.

In my gentlest voice, I said, “Strato is filled with people hunting the maleficore. Many of them are former dragon slayers.”

Tigris growled. “Why would humans want to kill dragons?”

“I think they were at war.” I swung a leg to the other side of the dragon’s back, slid down his flanks, and landed in a crouch.

Tigris was massive compared to his dragonet form, but that didn’t mean he was invincible.

Gordo’s paintings depicted over a dozen hunters tracking a single dragon, hurling weapons in the sky enchanted to attack anything on two wings larger than a raptor. Tigris needed to understand the dangers.

I walked around his large body, stood at his front, and beckoned for him to bring his head down to my level.

“You’ve got to listen to me, Tigris,” I said out loud.

The dragon gave me a firm nod.

“King Sancho has put a huge bounty on the head of a mythical creature, and everyone with a suit of armor or who can cobble together protective clothing is out there, trying to make their fortune.”

“Can any of these fortune hunters fly?” Amusement laced his voice.

“Dona Prava has a flying cloak,” I replied through our connection. “And there are flying trunks, flying carpets, and broomsticks that can be enchanted to carry people through the sky.”

Tigris tossed his head. “All of which can be burned by my flames. But very few animals could outfly me as a dragonet, and I’m faster now—”

“Please.” I placed my palms on his warm snout. “Don’t risk your life.”

The slits in his pupils narrowed. “What is this maleficore? Is it as strong as a dragon?”

“Nobody knows what it looks like, but it consumes the life-force of witches and those with magical ancestry,” I said.

The gold in his eyes flared, turning them the brightest amber. “People like you.”

We stared into each other’s eyes for several moments. Tigris’ sulfurous breath fanned across my face, bathing me with a moist, comforting warmth. I

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