Dragons Rising by Daniel Arenson

Author:Daniel Arenson [Arenson, Daniel]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: NLA Digital LLC
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

CADE

On a cold evening, Cade and Amity saw the Dair Ranin mountains in the distance.

"We're finally here," Cade said, gliding on the wind. "Oh stars, Amity. We're finally here."

Fear clanked his scales. He had been traveling for long days and nights to this place, a hinterland in the north of the Commonwealth. Fidelity and the others were to meet him here, but . . . so many leagues lay between these mountains and the southern coast of Terra where they had separated. So many bonedrakes and firedrakes filled the sky between here and there. What if the other Vir Requis had not survived?

"You reckon the others are here yet?" Amity asked, riding on his back, wearing her stolen paladin's armor. "I bet we're the first. We're fast. Faster than those flying turtles."

"You mean I'm fast," Cade said. "I'm the one doing all the flying."

"And I'm the one goading you on!" Amity had removed her spurs--blessedly--but still gave him hard jabs with her heels. "Go on, kid. Faster, faster!"

Cade did fly faster, though not because of her goading. He wanted to reach these mountains before dark, and he was desperate to see if the others were here. Korvin, his mentor. Fidelity, his dearest friend. Domi, the woman he loved. He would even be grateful to see Roen, the man Cade had once envied but had come to think of as a brother.

And will my real brother be here too? Gemini?

As he flew toward the mountains, Cade's belly soured. He felt sick whenever he thought about his true family. He didn't want to be a Deus. He didn't want to think of Mercy and Gemini, corrupt and cruel, sharing his blood. He didn't want to think of Beatrix, a mistress of evil, being his mother.

My only family is Requiem, he thought, tightening his lips. Requiem and Eliana.

Just as much as Cade missed his fellow Vir Requis, he missed Eliana. She still lived in the Cured Temple, and Cade knew that he had to capture that Temple, not just for Requiem but for Eliana too.

You are my true sister, Eliana, not Mercy, he thought. Even if you don't share my blood.

He flew as the sun began to set. The mountains spread below him in a jagged wilderness, their crests capped with snow. Cade saw no human settlements, no roads, no forts, no sign of civilization for miles. He could have been flying above a primordial world, one without life. All was rocky slopes, snowy crests, icy valleys, barren and cold.

"Where are the damn ruins?" Amity said. As the sun dipped below the horizon, she leaped off Cade's back and shifted into a red dragon. She glided at his side. "I don't see anything."

"That's because it's night," Cade said.

She growled and lit with sky with dragonfire. "It's day now."

He jabbed her with his tail. "Stop that! Your fire can be seen for miles."

Amity snorted. "So? Nothing here for miles. Nothing but damn mountains and damn snow and a damn kid who thinks he's a warrior.

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