The Royal Order of Fighting Dragons by Dan Elish

Author:Dan Elish [Elish, Dan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Vesuvian Books
Published: 2019-07-14T07:00:00+00:00

For the next two hours, Ike, Elmira, Alexandro, and Lucinda sat at the banquet table in front of the laptop, watching Ike’s dad and the other members of the Ninth Order swoop in and around bands of locusts, incinerating them one after the other. Thaddeus ran the Order with great efficiency, but Ike soon discovered that his greatest joy seemed to come from teaching.

“Look at how Cameron Hollingsberry leans left into that turn,” the old man exclaimed, pointing at the screen with his cane. “Do you see how he only uses his middle and ring fingers to pinch Dartmoor’s neck before he shoots a flame? These dragons are sensitive creatures. As the saying goes, ‘a little bit goes a long way.’”

And then, “Elmira. Look how your cousin laid her body against Loch Lomond’s back until the last minute. Then bam. She fires the death shot. That’s what I call technique.”

And then, “Lucinda and Alexandro. See how your fathers grip Northumberland and Snowdonia with their thighs. That’s how you stay on at high speeds when you’ve got one hand on the reins.”

Ike was thrilled. In truth, he had been too young to see the show when it had been on the air. Then, after his father had died, it had been too upsetting to watch. Now that he was finally seeing him in action, he had greater appreciation—even awe—for what he had done, given his life to defend his country. By the time the lesson was over, Ike was shaking with pride and a certain amount of fear. Now he knew it for sure—his father had been a true hero. How could he ever live up to that?

Then Ike got some unexpected encouragement. Over lunch, Thaddeus sidled next to him.

“Hear me straight,” he whispered. His shaggy beard brushed against Ike’s cheek. “You’re every bit as talented as your dad.”

Ike swallowed hard. Was Thaddeus teasing him? He met the old man’s eyes.

“You really think so?” He looked to his Order mates, who were all digging in to sandwiches and chips. “Alexandro and Lucinda are so confident. And Elmira? She’s brilliant.”

Thaddeus placed a big, wrinkled hand on Ike’s shoulder. “They all have their special talents, but you have yours, too, my boy. I know what I see in you.”

Ike trembled. “You do?”

Thaddeus nodded. “A leader isn’t necessarily the loudest, strongest, or even the smartest. If the others feel they should be in charge, that’s good—I like an Order with confidence. But you’re a Hollingsberry. You’ll rise to the challenge. Trust me. I’ve been around plenty long enough to know.”

Plenty long enough to know?

Ike took a closer look at Thaddeus. The lines on his face were so deep Ike could see many of them through his thick beard. His hair was pure white. It was rude to ask an elderly man his age but after Thaddeus’s suspicious behavior the previous night, Ike couldn’t resist the opportunity to find out more about the man who ran their training.

“If you don’t mind my asking,” he began,

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