The Dragon's War: The Dragonprince's Legacy, #3 by Aaron Pogue

Author:Aaron Pogue
Format: epub

I sighed. “I know the ways a dragon gains in power—by capturing wealth unto its hoard, by murdering men or other broodlords’ dragons, and by swelling its ranks through overpowered foes.”

You say these things as though they are the source of power. They are the reflection of it. A dragon grows in might through the subjugation of Order. All these things you’ve named...they are demonstrations of that subjugation. But a dragon’s power is determined by its proximity to Chaos. Whenever the cold and binding magic of Order is disrupted, a dragon somewhere gains its wings.

“And what has this to do with human sacrifice?”

There is no greater source of magic than in sacrifice. There is no richer treasure to a hoard than human lifeblood spilled by men. I would trade a thousandweight of gold upon my hoard for the blood of one innocent slaughtered by another. To inspire such a deed, to kill a man with nothing but the threat of violence...it is a righteous thing indeed.

I shuddered at the greedy admiration in his words. “That is just what this broodlord has done. He’s taught men to make sacrifice to him.” A memory of that earlier conversation struck me. “He bragged that he had no need to raid the towns of men. It’s just as you said: he’s traded his hoard for the blood of innocents.”

The admiration from Vechernyvetr only grew stronger, but with it came a heavy wave of new fear, black and writhing. Get out of there, he whispered.

I shook my head. “I cannot.”

Leave that place. Leave those people. They are already under his control. If this one has built such a vast brood on a foundation of human sacrifice, then you cannot destroy him. You cannot even long survive.

“I have survived his threats this far. I have killed his broodlings and escaped more than one attempt to make of me an offering.”

You do not understand. This one is strong and growing stronger. I have seen it. If he does that not by conquest but by sacrifice...then there will be no end. There will be no limit to his power. If he can hold in thrall the men of that vast land...he will become by far the fiercest ally we have ever seen within the endless war.

“I will not sacrifice my countrymen for your war.”

I never thought you might. Nor would I waste my time to ask it of you. But you must trust me when I say the thing you face is more than you could ever comprehend. I did not even trust my own dark senses until you told me what you’d seen, but now I cannot doubt that it is so. This broodlord is the final answer in our war. This broodlord is the darkest thing your world has ever known. This broodlord would devour you even with your mighty host assembled at your back.

Vechernyvetr’s fear bubbled in the back of my mind, and I felt it too within my breast. My chest felt tight, my breath short.

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