White Stag_A Novel by Kara Barbieri

Author:Kara Barbieri [Barbieri, Kara]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Amazon: B07CWSBJ8M
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Published: 2019-01-08T00:00:00+00:00

12

DRAGON KILLERS

THE BLOOD RUSHED in my ears as the sound of my footsteps bounced off the black ice. Soren was one pace behind me, checking back over his shoulder to make sure the lindworm wasn’t preoccupied with its now-running prey.

The immense power from the lindworm, one of the most viscious types of dragons, squeezed the air from my lungs until every breath was a gasp. Soren’s power, the Erlking’s, they had nothing on this creature. This was the type of power, a crimson wave that lingered in the peripherals of my vision, that could level cities, kingdoms. This was the power of a predator unrestrained by any earthly or personal ties.

So why were we running?

“Wouldn’t killing this thing give us a significant boost?” I shouted, following Soren’s sharp left turn into a narrow tunnel through which the lindworm wouldn’t fit.

He paused, catching his breath. “Are you mad, Janneke?”

“Think of the power that thing has,” I said. “We’re just going to run?”

“Yes,” he said, grabbing my arm and pulling me down the pathway. “We’re going to run and hope that Lydian and his retinue are enough of a feast that we’re not followed.”

For the first time, there was a tremble in his voice.

“Are you afraid of it?” I asked, incredulous. I didn’t think Soren could be afraid of anything.

“You aren’t?” he said. “My nursemaid told me bedtime stories about those things before I started walking. You’d have to be an idiot not to be.”

Soren had a nursemaid?

We hurried through the passageway, the walls constricting. My lungs heaved in my chest as the walls closed in. They were so close together, if they collapsed, we’d be buried under a mountain of rubble. I forced myself to breath normally. Calm down. You’re not going to smother to death.

“Your kind has an odd idea of what constitutes a bedtime story.” Soren shoved me through an opening in the tight passage, and I tumbled to the ground, landing in a mess of feathers, moss, and bones. The iridescent crystals from before formed piles high to the ceiling, and stalagmites shot up from the ground.

Soren slid down after me, stopping before he fell face-first onto the rough earth. But as soon as he got his bearings, his eyes widened at something in the corner of the large cave.

Along the floor, littered with the leftovers of prey, among the swirling feathers, were giant eggs. They were a rich golden color swirled with soft cream, and sleeping soundly beside them was another lindworm.

Its massive body curled around itself, the blue sheen of its scales glittering against the lights from above. Five wickedly sharp claws lay at the end of its massive front legs, and sharp fangs slid out over its lips. Even its snoring shook the walls until pebbles rolled to the ground.

Soren swore softly, eyes scanning the area for another way out. His hands trembled until he clenched them into fists, fighting for control. The nervous, panicked look on his face, his darting eyes, and the way he stood frozen on the spot were all alien to me.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.