Trusted: Dragons' Trust Book 1 Read online

  Trusted

  Dragons' Trust Book 1

  By Krista Wayment

  Trusted

  By Krista Wayment

  First Edition, March 2014

  Copyright © 2014 Krista Wayment

  Cover Art Image copyright © 2014 Krista Wayment

  Illustrations copyright © 2014 Krista Wayment

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without express written permission from the author.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  For my husband and children.

  You are my all, my everything.

  Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter 1: Flyer

  Chapter 2: The Forest

  Chapter 3: Up a Tree

  Chapter 4: Broken Wing

  Chapter 5: Kind, Brave, and Trusted

  Chapter 6: The Wall of Water

  Chapter 7: Dragons Don't Talk

  Chapter 8: The River Rushes On

  Chapter 9: Run!

  Chapter 10: Dragon's Voice

  Chapter 11: Way Station

  Chapter 12: In the Hunters' Camp

  Chapter 13: Brave to the Rescue

  Chapter 14: The Dark

  Chapter 15: The Climb

  Chapter 16: Breathing Fire

  Chapter 17: Dragon's Nest

  Chapter 18: Dragon City

  Chapter 19: I Trust Them

  Chapter 20: Prisoners of War

  Chapter 21: Dragon Court

  Chapter 22: Enslavement

  Chapter 23: Proven

  Chapter 24: Air

  Chapter 25: The Gift

  Chapter 26: Turmoil

  Chapter 27: Marked

  Chapter 28: I No Longer Fit

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Acknowledgements

  Prologue

  A thousand years ago, our kind made a fatal mistake. We reached out to the young race of man to offer our guidance. We shared our knowledge and wisdom of the earth, healing, metal work, and many other things. At first, all was well. Man and dragon lived in peace, working side by side for the benefit of all.

  This delicate balance shifted when man gave in to their greatest failing—greed. Then what we had shared with them was turned against us.

  Men sought a most rare and precious treasure: the heart stones of dragons. They granted unbelievable power and unnaturally long life to the possessor. The hunting began. We dragons were hunted down—some were killed, others captured. Our numbers diminished at an alarming rate and man started to breed us like common cattle.

  They thought they could harvest the stone from our young. They were wrong. In order to thwart their efforts to subvert our race, our ancestors withheld the Awakening from the next generation of dragons.

  A new kind of dragon was born. These new dragons were mute and devoid of intelligence, but most importantly, their heart stones were dim and empty. Our mute brothers and sisters are now enslaved, forced to labor and serve the very kind who robbed them of their greatness.

  Those who remain of the old dragons live as fugitives, hiding from the ever–growing reach of man. We are fading from the world, disappearing into the darkness of history. But we will not go quietly. We intend to fight.

  Chapter 1: Flyer

  The dragon's call ripped through the crisp morning air. Renick looked up to watch the dragon approach. A beautiful red winged her way toward the landing area. Her melodious trumpeting seemed to echo and fade across the treetops. According to legend, her song was composed of her name and pedigree, and embodied who she was as a dragon. Renick wondered, if the legend were true, what such a song would really sound like.

  Spreading her wings wide, the dragon let her tail fall and hovered high above his head. The tow lines that were harnessed to the magnificent beast slackened. The handler, who perched on a board suspended in the tow lines, stood and wrapped his arm around one of the ropes. A passenger basket, made from woven reeds, came into view as it sank below the dragon. Renick could see the kiter in the basket working the rigging to hold the kite steady. One of the canvas sails folded under the command of the kiter and the basket dipped a little closer to the grassy ground.

  Dane ruffled Renick's already disheveled brown hair. "Nervous, Rub?"

  Renick shrugged, an action that brought an amused smile to his older brother's face.

  "Uncle Loren won't bite, but some of the dragons he stables might." Dane winked at him and then elbowed Jon, his next older brother.

  "Yeah, just come back from your apprenticeship with all your fingers, else you won't be any use to us." Jon punched Renick's shoulder.

  "You two leave him alone." Renick's mother, Anngene, placed her hands on her hips and with a scolding look on her face added, "And go round up the little ones. We need to get heading back as soon as we see Renick off."

  Dane and Jon took turns rubbing their fists into Renick's head before they scampered off to herd the younger children back to their mother. They chased after Mandy and Josie. Over and over again, the two girls deftly escaped their brothers' hold. Chasing them would never work. You had to coax Mandy and Josie into a trap, but Dane and Jon would never think of that. All the while, little baby Angie sat in the middle of the grass wailing, a crushed daisy clutched in her small hands.

  Despite the chaos, Renick's mother turned a soft smile on him. "Don't you listen to them. Everything will be fine. Your father will come check on you in a couple of months. Four years will go by before you know it." Her eyes filled with tears, and a little catch cut off the last of her words. She hugged Renick to her large form and kissed his forehead. "Take care," his mother whispered. Lifting her head, she yelled, "Mandy! Get down from there." Releasing her hold on her youngest son, his mother marched off to rescue his failing brothers.

  Standing alone watching the usual family antics, Renick felt a growing anxiety that threatened to steal his lunch as well as his ability to breathe. He would be on his own for the first time in his life. Renick closed his eyes and recited the list of reasons why getting away from his large family would be exciting. He made it halfway through when the tension in his stomach eased. Renick let out a sigh of relief. Losing his last meal in front of his brothers would unleash a maelstrom of taunts and ridicule.

  There was a soft whoosh as the passenger basket of the flyer settled on the grass. Renick turned to watch the graceful descent of the dragon, the wind from her beating wings pushing against him. The travelers disembarked while the men from the landing area unloaded their belongings from compartments that also served as benches. The kiter busied himself with inspecting the sails, his fingers running over each seam and edge. Meanwhile, the handler saw to his dragon, ensuring that she was properly fed and watered before the next excursion.

  A scream drew Renick's attention away from the scene and back to the pandemonium that was his family. Mandy had climbed up the watchtower and was skipping happily around it. The watchmen yelled for her to get down, but their words were swallowed by a shrill order to behave from Renick's mother. Renick sighed and started to walk toward them.

  "All aboard!" a voice called.

  Renick stopped. The other four passengers who had been waiting—a healer woman, a young girl, a boy just older than himself, and an old knight—were climbing into the flyer. Renick did not know what to do. He stood debating between boarding and assisting
his mother. If he got in the passenger basket now, he would not get to say good–bye to his family. On the other hand, if he waited too long, the flyer would leave without him.

  "Last call, all aboard!" The man looked pointedly at Renick.

  A jumble of arms and faces surrounded Renick, squeezing him tightly.

  "Bye!"

  "We'll miss you—"

  "Have fun—"

  "Good luck—"

  they all seemed to say together.

  And then they released him and he was ushered into the basket. Renick watched as his mother took a firm grip on Mandy and Josie, ordered Dane to scoop up the baby, and led her family back to the wagon. Renick sat in the front, partially turned so he could lean his chin on the railing and watch the dragon during takeoff.

  "Ho!" the handler, who stood between the dragon and the passenger basket, called.

  "Ho hep!" came the reply from the kiter, who was already positioned in the basket just a few paces from where Renick sat.

  In response to a pull on the reins from the handler, the dragon raised her wings and began to beat them backwards. The men from the landing area picked up the kite and held the giant canvas up into the path of the wind created by the dragon. The kite rose into the air until it caught a current of air and pulled taut. The dragon changed the angle of her wings and started to lift her body into the air. As the tow lines followed her, the handler's perch righted itself and he stepped up onto it. The last to leave the ground was the passenger basket. Once all the components of the flyer were airborne, the dragon began moving forward, towing the basket and the kite behind her.

  Before long, the dragon was flying gracefully above the forest canopy, pulling the passenger basket and kite behind it. Renick's eyes traced the methodical beat of the dragon's almost translucent wings. A small gasp broke the stillness. Renick looked up to see the blond girl traveling with the healer woman standing near him.

  "She's beautiful," the girl said with awe. "I wonder what kind she is." The girl leaned far over the basket, her head tilted to the side so she could see the dragon. She smiled and wiggled her head, which made her hair dance in the wind.

  Worried that she might fall to a horrible death, Renick relinquished his silence. "She's a mountain red. They're the best fliers, and have the most brilliant colors."

  To Renick's relief, the girl leaned back to a safer perch.

  "What's your name?" she asked, her gray eyes boring into him.

  "Renick."

  "I'm Lainey." She thrust out her hand. Renick reluctantly took it, noticing that the other passengers were watching them. Understandable, since they seemed to be the only two talking.

  "So …" Lainey leaned forward, bracing herself against the edge of the basket with her folded arms and pulling her knees up onto the bench. "How did you know what kind of dragon she is? And that it is a 'she,' for that matter?" Lainey smiled at him as she waited for a response.

  Renick cleared his throat. "My father is a dragon breeder." He pointed to the dragon. "See how the horns curl at the ends? That's how you can tell she's a mountain breed. And she doesn't have a thagomizer at the end her tail, so it's a she. At least that's true for mountain breeds."

  "Ah. You know a lot about dragons." After a quick glance over her shoulder, Lainey turned back to him. "My aunt's a healer. She works mostly with people, but she does a lot of dragon stuff, too."

  Renick looked at the older woman sitting on a bench behind the kiter. Her dark hair was pulled back in a tight bun, and her thin lips were drawn together. She seemed very sober in both dress and demeanor. Very unlike her niece.

  "… anyway, so that's why we are traveling to Trevinni. I'm going to train with her to be a healer."

  Renick blinked and looked up, unsure how he could have missed that Lainey was still talking. Lainey turned around in a circle, the skirt of her patched blue dress fanning out around her, and sat next to him.

  "What do you think of that boy over there?" she asked.

  He turned his attention to the two remaining passengers. The boy Lainey spoke of was obviously highborn. The pristine fabric of his clothes bore the symbols of a noble house. An ornate sword was strapped around his waist. The man sitting next to him, with a stern expression on his face, wore the garb of a soldier. The soldier's hair was graying and deep lines defined his face, but his eyes were bright and alert.

  The boy tossed his black hair and looked toward Lainey, the corner of his mouth twitching just a little. Renick turned back to Lainey and saw an expectant expression on her face. He could only shrug in reply.

  "Well, he didn't seem very talkative to me. I think he might be a snob. Just making polite conversation, I was. My aunt tells me that I talk too much which can be off–putting. It's not like I don't give others a chance to say things. I just don't like silence, so I fill it up. Don't you think having polite conversation with someone is better than just sitting here in silence?"

  Renick realized she was waiting for him to respond again. He blinked a couple of times before he spoke. "I don't know. I think I like them both the same."

  "Ah." Lainey bit her lower lip and swung her feet a few times. "Well, I think talking is better. He may be cute, but I really think it was rude of him not to talk to me. At least a hello or something. A small exchange of pleasantries. Really, I should've expected as much. You know, from his sort." She rolled her eyes and flicked her hand as if she was annoyed. "Do you think I talk too much?"

  This time Renick did not have time to form a proper response. All he managed to get out was, "Well …"

  "Of course you don't. I can tell. You are the sort of boy who would've told me by now if you did. But really, I don't think you are capable of thinking so." She smiled warmly at Renick and stole a glance at the other boy. "How old are you?"

  "Uh, fourteen."

  "Really? You look older than that. Like you could be that boy's age." She leaned on her hands and tossed her head in the highborn's direction. Renick thought he did not look that much older. He was probably only fifteen or sixteen.

  "I am only twelve," Lainey continued. "But my aunt says I can start an apprenticeship early on account of me being an orphan …" She trailed off, dipping her head as if ashamed.

  A strange whistling noise tickled Renick's ears. His eyes scanned the sky and the forest below in search of its source. He saw Lainey's aunt frantically waving a hand in her direction, trying to get her attention. The stern–faced man looked around with narrowed eyes. The other boy sat with his arms crossed, his brown eyes trained on Lainey, who had turned back to Renick, her mouth open to speak.

  And then the world seemed to slow down.

  Something—a long, dark something—cut through the bright–blue sky heading straight for them from the depths of the forest below. Renick watched, stunned, as the dark spot tore its way through the tight fabric of the sails. The sound of separating fibers sent a chill down his spine.

  The passenger basket bounced. The kiter leapt into action, attempting to control the darting sails as best he could. He may have shouted something to the handler below, but Renick could not hear it over the agonized wails of the dragon.

  Renick turned and looked over the edge of the basket to see the beautiful red thrashing in pain, her wings becoming helplessly tangled in her harness and tow lines. Renick felt a twinge of sadness. In midair, there was no way to free her from the leather straps, and with her wings bound, she could not fly. He knew what was coming. If they stayed connected to the dragon, she would pull them to the ground with her. A flash of light reflected off the handler's blade as he cut at the harness ropes. The last thread holding the flyer to the dragon fell away and the passenger basket swayed slightly. The dragon spiraled downward and crashed into the forest. Free of the twisting, heavy burden, the erratic descent of the basket slowed. The handler pressed his fingers to his lips briefly, biding the dragon farewell. He turned and started to climb up the now–loose ropes toward the basket.

  Renick heard a tearing sound a
nd looked up in time to see the main sail divide itself in half.

  The breath rushed out of his lungs and his stomach leapt into his throat.

  They were falling.

  Falling.

  Chapter 2: The Forest

  Renick's shoulder hurt. He tried to move his arm, but it did not respond. He urged his eyes to open and begged his voice to call for help. Nothing. The smell of soil filled his nose as he took a deep breath. After a second breath, Renick was finally able to force his eyes open.

  Green. All he could see was green. A breeze jostled the leaves and a few drops of sunlight filtered through the branches. Renick shot up to a sitting position. Pain pierced his right arm and he cried out. When his vision cleared, Renick realized he was on the wrong side of the forest canopy. He should not be on the ground.

  The sensation of falling came rushing back to him, but nothing else. He must have been knocked out during the crash.

  Renick moved to stand, which caused a burning pain to radiate through his shoulder. He turned to look at it and saw that something bulged unnaturally. He tried to stand again, this time supporting his injured arm with his left hand. It took some inventive footwork, but Renick managed to climb to his feet. He leaned against a tree for a moment, waiting for the pain to subside so he could move again.

  The passenger basket lay on the ground. It had tipped over onto its side and stood wedged between two large tree trunks. The sails, or what remained of them, were tangled in the trees above. There was no sign of the kiter, the handler, or any of the other passengers.

  "Hello?" Renick called. "Hello!"

  A faint moan emanated from the shadowy depths of the passenger basket. Renick picked his way over to it and poked his head in. Blond hair spilled over the woven sides of the craft.

  "Lainey?" The pain in Renick's shoulder prevented him from climbing over the debris to get closer. "Lainey."

  She moaned again. The hair shifted and her nose appeared.