Blood Bond Read online

  He recognized the voice. His father. Anger flared within him. He rounded the corner. His father didn’t seem surprised to see him. Soren’s eyes traveled from his father to the other two people with him. He recognized the large man as his father’s assistant who had grabbed him the other day. It was the young girl who held Soren’s attention. Upon a closer look, she wasn’t a girl at all. She was petite, but her face was clearly that of a young woman.

  “Thank you,” she said taking the coins Joran offered her. She handed Joran the bag as she flashed a smile at Soren. “You were quicker than I gave you credit for.” She winked at him before sauntering down the alley.

  “That’s my bag,” Soren said.

  Joran ignored him as he opened it and pawed through the contents. With a look of disgust, he threw it. The bag landed a few feet from Soren. The tools from his father’s workshop spilled onto the ground.

  “You stole them, just as you stole the journal.” Then as he put it together, his father gasped. “You were the one that stole the leather harnesses. I blamed my assistant.”

  Soren glanced at the burly man standing a few feet away.

  “Not him,” his father snapped. He threw up his hands. “The boy showed promise. Something you never did.”

  Joran stepped closer. Soren fought the urge to step back.

  “Give me the journal.”

  “I don’t have it.”

  Joran struck out, backhanding him. “Don’t lie to me.”

  Soren staggered backwards. His hand brushed his dagger and the next thing he knew it was in his hand. He held it out in front of him.

  His father laughed. “You think you are going to use that on me?”

  “What’s going on here?” a deep voice from behind Soren asked.

  He turned around to find two men standing a few paces behind him. One was a big, burly bald man with a dark beard. He wore a sleeveless tunic that showcased his rippling muscles. The other man was shorter and thinner with blond hair. He leaned on a wooden crutch. Both wore the emblem of the Walencroft guard on their shirts.

  Soren stepped back, putting the dagger away.

  “Nothing,” Joran said, holding up his hands. “Just a disagreement between father and…” He sneered at Soren. “Son.”

  Joran’s assistant balled his fists, glancing to Joran as if waiting for the signal to pummel someone. As Soren retreated to stand by the guards, he saw his father shake his head slightly at his assistant. Soren noticed the tools on the ground and quickly retrieved them.

  “We will continue this discussion later, Soren,” his father said before walking away.

  “I am sure we will,” Soren said softly. He noticed the two men regarding him. “Thanks for the help.”

  “No problem,” the man with the crutch said. “We saw the girl snatch your bag and came to help. We would have been here sooner but…” He held up the wooden crutch as an explanation to their slow movement.

  “Tough break,” the larger man said as they walked down the alley toward the main road.

  Soren glanced at him curiously.

  “That being your father.”

  Soren rubbed his sore cheek. “Yeah.” He stopped when they reached the main street. “Thanks again.”

  He grasped his bag close to his body as he walked down the street. He had hoped his father had left town while he was gone, but he realized he should have known better. His father would not leave disgraced. Not if it also meant Soren was favored over him. He wouldn't be able to handle that thought.

  Soren sighed. He didn't want to watch out for his father at every turn. If his father thought he had the journal he knew he would be running into him again. He also knew he had better keep this meeting to himself or Dex would surely suggest he not walk alone anymore. He pushed the incident with his father from his mind as he neared the tannery. He pulled open the door. Two men worked some leather by the fire. They looked up as he entered.

  The older man rose. “Can I help ya?”

  “I need two harnesses for...”

  “Can’t do it,” the man interrupted. “We have a dozen orders from guards for items needed for the upcoming battle. Your harnesses will have to wait.”

  “If you give me the leather, I can do them myself.”

  The man shook his head. “We don’t get many who want to do it themselves. I guess I can check with…” He paused as the back door opened and Vaughn entered. “Vaughn. This fella here wants to make his own harnesses.”

  Vaughn’s frown turned to a smile as he spotted Soren. “So, you have returned. I assume this means the harness held?”

  Soren grasped the man’s hand in greeting. “It did. I need to make two more harnesses. I know you are busy. If I can just get the supplies, I’ll get out of your way.”

  “He is making harnesses for the dragons,” Vaughn explained to his assistants. “Any time he comes in, give him what he needs. King’s orders.”

  Soren raised his eyebrow at Vaughn’s words, but the man didn’t notice. He crossed the room and selected several long flat straps of leather, slinging them over his shoulder. He grabbed a bag and began filling it with supplies.

  “What else will we need?”

  “We?”

  Vaughn laughed. “We may be busy, but the King said the dragons were a priority. Plus, I’ve never been close to a dragon. I cannot pass up an opportunity like this.” He opened the bag and tilted it so Soren could see inside. “Anything else? I can grab a second set of tools if we need them.”

  Soren patted his bag. “No, I have some. On second thought, I don’t have a strap cutter. Last time I used a knife.”

  Vaughn cast a disapproving glance his direction, and Soren raised his hands as if in defense.

  “I know. I failed to grab a cutter and had to do with what I had.”

  “It couldn’t have looked good,” Vaughn muttered as he grabbed a second strap cutter.

  “You saw the harness already,” Soren reminded him.

  “Hmmph.” Vaughn tossed the bag to Soren as he grasped the leather straps hanging from his shoulders. “Let’s go.”

  Working with someone skilled made the job go much faster. Vaughn needed little instruction and had a good eye for estimating the lengths of straps, even before they held them up to the dragons. Soren was surprised how well Vaughn had taken meeting the dragons. Thella, Dubbin and Aria were there when they arrived. Since then others had landed nearby.

  “I still don’t know how you know which one is which,” Vaughn said as he helped adjusted a strap on Aria’s harness. “No offense, Aria, but besides being smaller than the others, you all look alike.”

  “I could say the same about you humans,” Aria said.

  Soren laughed. He patted her side as he climbed onto her back to check the harness. “I guess it is because I haven’t met too many at one time. It gives me a chance to see their differences. You are right. Aria is smaller than Thella but to me, Thella always appears sad. It’s in her eyes. Warnox moves with the air of a leader and his mate, Rakkah, tends to always be looking at me like I could be lunch.”

  “We wouldn’t eat you, Soren,” Aria said. “If out of respect for Dex if nothing else.”

  Vaughn gave a weak chuckle as he took a step away from her.

  Soren laughed. “Don’t worry. She's kidding.”

  “Am I?”

  “Hey, Soren,” Quinn called to him. “Come down and meet the new recruits.”

  He slid to the ground. Next to the young man was an older man, probably about ten years ahead of Soren. He had a square jaw and piercing blue eyes. His blond hair was cut short.

  “This is Corbin. He has been riding Cabis,” Quinn said.

  Soren grasped the man’s hand in greeting. He turned as the other two men walked over. He broke into a smile as he recognized them as the men from the alley.

  “We meet again,” the man with the crutch said, offering his hand. “Kincade. And this here is Royce.” He gestured to the large man beside him.

  “So
ren.” He grasped the man’s hand.

  Royce looked him over, stopping first on the mark on his cheek left there by his father and then on the brand on his neck. “What’s that?”

  “I saw it too,” Quinn said, leaning forward. “It looks like a sleeping dragon.”

  “It is the mark of a dragon rider.”

  Soren turned at the deep voice. King Arden and his assistant stood a few feet away. The others bowed. Soren hastily followed suit.

  The King inclined his head, his eyes on Soren. “I came to see your practice, but first, Soren, I need a word with you.”

  Soren nodded. He gestured at the targets set up on the field. “Run whatever practice you have been doing,” he said to the other dragon riders as he hurried to fall in step with King Arden as he moved away from the others. He noted out of the corner of his eye the others had gathered around Kincade. His attention returned to the King as he began to speak.

  “I wanted to talk to you as tonight at dinner will not be the right time. King Edric will be joining us.” The King stopped walking to watch the dragon riders mount their dragons. “It is King Edric I wanted to warn you about. As expected, he is less than thrilled with our alliance with the dragons. I don’t think he will do anything to jeopardize the upcoming battle, but you and your men need to be on alert.”

  “He already approached me.”

  The King raised his eyebrows. “He has?”

  “As soon as I landed. He said all the dragons would be destroyed after this battle.”

  “I entered into this alliance with the dragons to protect Walencroft. I will not harm them. This I can assure you.”

  The King fell silent as the dragons took off. Royce on Dubbin led the group as they flew in a V formation, two dragons on either side. They flew low over the field as the riders shot arrows from their backs. Again and again, they hit their targets. After the first pass, they circled higher as two other dragons crossed the field. Their riders were armed with rocks. Again, they hit every target.

  Suddenly, a gold blur flew a few feet from the ground. Aria turned quickly. Kincade sat on her back, firing arrows into the targets. The golden dragon banked quickly again, narrowly avoiding a supply wagon. She made another pass. Kincade hit every target. As she neared the end of the field, Aria disappeared, only to reappear above the middle of the field. Soren had never seen a dragon Blink and return that close to the ground. This time as Aria made her pass the other dragons followed her. All of a sudden, all the dragons Blinked, appearing in the sky above.

  “Amazing,” King Arden said as the dragons circled. “I know General Thayer was upset to lose Kincade. I see his skills will still benefit Walencroft. Royce is a good strategist. Now the General didn’t approve at all him joining the dragon riders either. But those two grew up as brothers. Where one goes, so does the other. They will make your unit stronger.” He looked to Soren. “After a demonstration like that, it is hard not say our alliance with the dragons should continue. But our alliance with Rison is long standing, and I don’t want to jeopardize it either. I will have to tread lightly. All I can say is this, I have no intention of siding with King Edric and his plans to destroy the dragons.”

  The dragons landed. King Arden walked over as the riders dismounted.

  “Impressive demonstration,” he said. “Keep it up.”

  As the King and his assistant left, Soren studied Aria. Her golden color gleamed in the sunlight. Blinking twice in a short period didn’t seem to have affected her.

  “How did you do that? I thought dragons needed to rest between Blinks.”

  “The drain comes from the distance, not the number of times. Short jumps like the ones I did today are nothing. Blinking to the other side of the village will be draining.”

  “Interesting.”

  His mind whirled as to how this might help with his plan to steal the scepter. An idea had been forming for some time, and this could help. He would need to discuss it with Dex.

  “I still can’t get used to that,” Kincade said as he glanced between Soren and Aria. “Talking silently.”

  “Rude.” Royce frowned. “To talk without us.”

  Soren stared at Kincade. “How did you know?” He shook his head. “Never mind. It doesn’t matter. I was asking Aria about Blinking so often.”

  “What about it?”

  “Blinking drains a dragon, so they don’t do it too often. Aria did it twice with no consequence.”

  Kincade nodded. “She suggested that at our first practice. I thought it might come in handy during battle.”

  “I agree,” Soren said as he saw Bevin approaching. He walked with a slight limp. His gaze lingered for a moment on Soren’s check. He raised an eyebrow. Soren shook his head. “It’s nothing. What did the healer say?”

  “Exactly what I said he would say. I’m fine.” He gestured to the mark on Soren’s cheek. “Your father?”

  Soren waved off the question and introduced Bevin to the others. He stifled a yawn. He yearned for a nap, but a glance toward the sky told him there was no time for that. After days of travel, he needed to clean up and a change of clothes before dining with the King. He excused himself and headed back to town.

  Hours later, Soren left his dinner with King Arden. The sun was a sliver on the horizon. Long shadows filled the streets. If he had only met with the King, he thought the evening would have gone better. King Edric, General Thayer, Colonel Hader and both wizards had also attended. It was a complete disaster. Both King Edric and General Thayer scowled at him through the meal. The food became tasteless under their disapproving looks. At least King Arden enjoyed his tale of recovering the scepter. Even Cane had seemed impressed by the way they had worked through the various traps Drachen had set to protect his fortress. Finally, the meal was done, and Soren escaped. He hurried down the stairs, his thoughts on returning to Dex and getting some sleep.

  “Soren!”

  He turned to see Darvin coming down the stairs.

  “You look worn,” the man said as he caught up and began walking beside Soren.

  “I am,” Soren said. “It’s been a long day.”

  “I bet. Mine too and it isn’t over yet.”

  “Where are you off to this late?”

  Darvin sighed. “We received word earlier the rest of the army from Ballinger should arrive tomorrow. The Rison army shouldn’t be too far behind them. I need to check on preparation for their camp.”

  “Shouldn’t you be heading that way?” Soren gestured to the west.

  “I will. I need to pick up something first. Do you have more training in the morning?”

  Soren shrugged. “They seem fine without me, but I guess Dex and I will go. Is there any news on how close the other army is?”

  Now it was Darvin’s turn to shrug. “The scouts estimate it is about three or four days. Warnox posted a few dragons along the main road. When they spot the army, they will Blink back. That should give us adequate time to prepare for them. I would expect some meetings with the General on attack plans.”

  Soren grimaced. “I am not looking forward to that. General Thayer doesn’t seem to think much of the dragons.”

  “I heard King Arden was impressed by the demonstration today.”

  Soren nodded. “He was.”

  “The General could change his mind if the dragons help retrieve the scepter from Samaren.”

  “From who?”

  Darvin raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean…oh wait. You were gone. When King Edric arrived, he identified the wizard. Her name is Samaren.”

  “It is a woman,” Soren said, a smile tugging at his lips. “I knew it.”

  Darvin laughed. “King Edric heard from Bristol about her some time ago. I guess she was causing problems even then. And you won’t believe this. She is a descendent of Drachen.”

  “I guess that explains why she has his scepter.”

  By now, they had reached the edge of the village, and Darvin continued to walk with him. Soren cast a curious glance
at the man.

  “Weren’t you going to retrieve something?”

  Darvin jerked. “Oh…yes. I guess I got caught up in our conversation. I had better go. Goodnight, Soren.”

  Soren headed down the path. His body ached. His mind had that fuzzy feeling it got when he had been awake too long. As he neared the trees, he looked back to see Darvin still watching him. Soren shook his head and disappeared into the woods. A few minutes later, he cleared the trees and saw Dex curled up asleep. He stumbled over to him, settling down with his back to the dragon. The instant his eyes closed, he too was asleep.

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Soren blinked. Squinting at the bright sun, he glanced toward the sky. Mid-morning, he noted as he stretched. Turning, he saw Dex watched him.

  “You could have woken me.”

  “You needed your sleep. From what I hear you had a full day.”

  “Heard?” Soren asked as he rose.

  “Bevin stopped by. He will be back with breakfast for you. I understand we have training in a little while.”

  “I suppose though I don’t know that they need me.”

  “You’re their leader, Soren.”

  Soren made a phht sound. He examined the slashes from the Shadow Stalker. They had healed over. He ran his finger over the scab of the closest one.

  “Warnox said these were deadlier than you implied.”

  “Really? I guess you learn something new every day.”

  Soren scowled at him. “Don’t do that again.”

  “It is no different than you not telling me about the run-in with your father.”

  “What?” he exclaimed, in his haste speaking aloud. He continued the conversation silently. “How did you know?”

  “Bevin told me.”

  Soren shrugged. “It was no big deal. Besides I would have told you about it.”

  Dex regarded Soren, who squirmed under the scrutiny.

  “Okay. I might not have.”

  “So what did happen yesterday?” Dex asked.

  He told him about his run-in with King Edric and the strained dinner. He had just finished Aria’s Blinking demonstration when Bevin arrived with sweet bread and meat for his breakfast.