Wyrms of Regret (Shadow of the Dragons Book 5) by JMD Reid

Author:JMD Reid [Reid, JMD]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Fallbrandt Press
Published: 2022-05-16T16:00:00+00:00

“Repent!” the wyrm shouted.

Ruan’s heart clenched. Tattooed beneath the wyrm’s eye was a blue teardrop.

Just like the one the Master of Doubts had.

Her mentor, the second most powerful member of the Apostasy, wore that sign. She had never given it much thought. Humans often tattooed themselves. They put strange markings on their arms. Prayers to gods. Totems of protection. Boasts of virility. Seeing the same teardrop on this wyrm weighed her stomach with dread.

“We have built our home on the bones of the innocent!” the wyrm cried. They whipped their arm-tendrils over the heads of those hurrying by. “You can hide, but you will never escape the truth. It will explode and bury you. We will pay for the crime of our ancestors. Weep! Weep one and all for the innocents we have crushed beneath our tails. Their blood waters the very stone we dwell in!”

“I don’t like the sound of that,” Euddán said. He gave the crier a wary look.

“Nor do I,” Ruan said, tightening her grip on her glacial glaive.

“The dragons must be freed from—” The wyrm leaped from their box mid-sentence and fled down a street into the tunnels. Ahead of Ruan, the crowd parted to let three wyrms in red skirts and holding cudgels race up. Their garments rustled.

Two of them darted down the tunnel after the crier. The third glanced at them. Beady eyes focused on them with suspicion. Ruan didn’t like that at all. They were some form of city guardsman.

“What was that about?” Vounée asked the red-garbed wyrm. “They were talking about dragons. Why?”

“A Regretter,” the guard barked. “They are spreading madness. Do not listen to them. Do not heed them. The Great Archon has condemned their blasphemy.” The wyrm smacked their cudgel into their right leg, rustling the skirt. “You do not want the Judges’ eyes on you, sunborn.”

“Judges?” Euddán asked.

The wyrm fixed him a flat stare. “Judges of Blood. The city guard.” The wyrm spread their arm-tendrils wide as if daring Euddán to ask a stupid question. “The Archon of Blood is committed to keeping order. The Regretters bring only discord. Now, be off, sunborn. You are blocking traffic.”

Ruan nodded and nudged Euddán. She did not want to get involved with these internal politics, but the Regretters worried her. Those words . . .

“What’s the Archon of Blood?” Euddán muttered as they continued down the Seventh Promenade.

“There is an Archon for each of the elements,” Thaaph answered. “And the Great Archon presides over them. They rule the country. Each Archon has their role. Blood is justice and order, Flesh is protection. The defenders serve the Archon of Flesh. Warmth is about knowledge. Breath is trade. Illumination is the growers and farmers. Negation are the mulchers, who handle the dead and the city’s garbage.”

“Why did that wyrm speak like they were a member of the Apostasy?” Vounée asked. “‘Bring back the dragons.’ Saying we have to undo the mistakes of the past.”

“Yes,” said Thaaph, giving Ruan a look. “You never mentioned the Apostasy had planted a cult here.

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