Moon by Matthew R. Davis (fantasy novels to read .TXT) 📕

of him. He knew that it was harmless and he had no reason to feel that way, but he couldn’t help himself. “Do not allow Rien to test at you little one. He is a very proud man, and is married. He would never betray his betrothed. That is simply something he could not every do.” Pen knew she was speaking the truth. “How do you know he never would?” Urie lifted her head and said “Rien and I share an unbreakable bond with one another. The connection that draws us together makes us inseparable. I know everything there is to know about him. As any dragon should with their rider.”
They stopped in front of a large stone building. It was taller than most buildings Pen had laid eyes on. He counted seven windows from the ground. “This is where the two of you will be staying.” Rien said to Elva and Pen. “Apophis, you will come to the stables and stay with Urie for the night.” Pen nodded and helped Elva unstrap herself from the saddle on Apophis’s back. Once off, she placed her arm around his neck for support. “The man you will find behind the counter’s name is Pacco. I’m going to give you a bode of foreshadowing, He is a very strange man. Just tell him that Urie and myself have rented you the suite for the night.” Rien said as he climbed onto Urie’s back. Pen was about to thank him but Urie interrupted him. “Think nothing of it. You have all been through much recently and are much in need of a good rest. Consider it a welcoming gift from us to you.” Pen nodded and helped Elva up the stairs leading to the main entrance of the hotel.
Apophis joined Urie and Rien on the street. “Keep her safe now Pen. She is a keeper!” He yelled out with his mind as they vanished deeper into the city. Elva blushed feeling spoiled.
“You two are far to kind to me Pen.” She said.
“We only do it to make you happy.” He replied
“Your so modest.”
They made their way up the stair and into the building. It took a minute or two for their eyes to adjust to the interior light of the hotel. But once they did, they were awe stricken. The lobby was beautiful. The walls were painted in an elegant red. The floors were made completely of marble and were polished to the point that they were almost reflective. The roof had a complex system of lines and colors that all ran into the most stunning thing about the room.
In the center of the roof hung a massive diamond, sculpted into the shape of dragon. The diamond was the same color as Urie, the same color as the sky. Its detail obviously had taken many years to complete. But what surprised Pen the most, was the vast ocean of energy he felt radiating from the stone. There was enough energy in it, that he could see the energy clearly. Who ever sculpted the dragon had purposely left a cavity in the spot where a dragon’s heart would be. All the energy had collected in that cavity and was causing the cavity to shine white. The shining cavity lit the entire room with vibrance. It was unlike anything Pen had ever seen.
“It’s so beautiful.” Pen heard Elva whisper.
“Yes, zee look on your faces is exactly what everyones looks like zee first time they see it. Always with zee shock and surprise.” Said a man standing behind the counter.
“Your...Pacco, correct?” Pen asked
“Correct you are man. Welcome to zee Belaroughe. Zee fanciest hotel in Patheris. We pride ourselves in high hospitality and a clean and unique experience, You will find many things here you cannot find anywhere else.” Pacco said, almost without stopping to breath.
“Thats all fine, but i’m in a hurry. She needs to get off her feet.”
“Oh yes you are here to rent a room no?” Pacco Asked
“No we are here to rent one, Urie and Rien told us to tell you that they have rented us the suite for the night.”
“Hmm Rien has taken a liking to you has he. Well, right this way folks. We will be to the suite in no time because here at the Belaroughe we pride ourselves in high hospitality and a clean and unique experience.”
Pacco lead them to a hallway behind the counter and to a single door, concealed by a shelf lined with books.
“Now eh, you must promise to never tell anyone where zee location of our suite is okay? okay.” Pacco said. Then without allowing them time to respond he slid his fingers into a slot without a book. He pulled on something and the bookshelf make a click. Then it disconnected from the wall and swung out, supported on a set of four large hinges. Behind the book shelf was a door with a series of locks on it. Pacco undid the locks and opened the door. The room inside was as black as night, making it impossible to see the interior of it. Pacco handed Pen a candle. “Here this should give you some light for zee time being. I will return in a few minutes to light your crystal.” He said as he left, shutting the door behind him.
The room felt cold and damp. “Something is wrong Pen.” Elva said, her voice still to weak to be much more than a whisper.
“I feel it to. Lets get out of here.” Pen and Elva made their way towards the door. Pen grabbed the handle and pulled. It had been re-locked from the outside.
“It’s locked.” He told her.
“What is going on? Pen see if you can reach Apophis.” Pen expanded his mind. He frowned with dismay. “I can’t reach anything outside of this room. There’s something blocking my mind.”
“So what, were stuck in here?” She asked. Pen didn’t answer right away. “I’ll find a way out.”

******

Chapter 11
Granite

Apophis laid down in a soft bed of straw, aside to Urie. “Have you ever been paired with a rider Day Dreamer?” She asked him. He growled, letting her know that he had no plans of having a rider. Apophis looked around the large barn they were laying in. The roof was over thirty feet tall, and it was more than forty feet from wall to wall. Apophis still felt confined, making him uneasy. “I dream one day of leaving this town.” Urie said. “We both do.” motioning with her snout to Rien, who was busy tending to his sheep. “A rider is not meant to be a body guard, no matter how important it may be.” Apophis had never seen the point in sacrificing ones own freedom to become something that to him, made little to no difference in the world.
Dragons were becoming more and more scarce in the land, and Apophis held himself high as one of the last independent. Still, he longed for a mate. “The moon is beautiful tonight, do you not agree.” He said, lessening the tension between himself and Urie. She agreed and allowed herself to loosen. She stretched her wings and yawned. “We best be getting some rest now. In the morning, Rien and myself have some pressing matters to attend to.” Apophis was curious of course, but closed his eyes and rested his head on his folded fore legs.

Pen shoved his fists against the door of the room him and Elva where trapped in. The impact bloodied his knuckles, the door was impossible to break through. “That door must be at least five inches thick.” he said to Elva. “Do you think you could fragment a spell to break it? Or even weaken it?” She frowned and shook her head, a move that Pen barely caught due to the small amount of light the candle in her had offered. “I can’t try it with out an energy source to feed off of. Its to risky for me to do it with my own energy. We don’t know how much power it would take to break through.” she said.
“Damn it! What are we going to do?! We can’t stay in here forever.” Pen exclaimed
Just has he did, the door swung open. The light coming through the door blinded him. He couldn’t tell who it was or what they were doing here. “Ah so you have captured him. Very good. I will report this to the king. He will be most pleased.” a voice said.
“Yesh. I have done as you asked. Now, about zee money?” Pen instantly recognized the voice as Pacco.
“You will get your gold all in due time my friend. Bring the girl up to my room.” the voice said. Pen’s eyes were beginning to adjust as Pacco headed towards Elva. “No you don’t!” Pen yelled, pulling Lethian from its holster. He swung his sword at Pacco, with the intent to kill. Lethian stopped just shy of his neck, stopped by the blade of the man with Pacco. The man shoved Pen’s sword away from Pacco’s neck. “Leave her alone!” he yelled, swinging his sword at the man. He parried Pen’s blow and struck back with a blow of his own. The man’s sword rushed towards Pen’s knees. He smiled and jumped over the sword, as Elva had with Pen many times. Then, following his teachers exact moves, Pen pulled his self horizontally and kicked the man in the chest.
The man flew backwards and dropped his sword next to Pen’s on the stone floor of the cell. The man and Pen both struggled to get to their feet,winded from the impact of the floor.
Once Pen had collected himself he looked up to see the man’s sword heading straight for his face. Fear shot up his spine as the sword neared his face. Quick as a rabbit, Pen ducked and avoided the attack. He again decided to follow Elva’s moves and brought his fist up square with the man’s chin knocking him off his feet. Upon impact, Pen felt the man’s jaw snap. The man grasped his face and yelled out in agony. Pen took this opportunity to blanket the man’s conscious with his own and hold him there.
His victory was short lived however. Something hit Pen in his the right side of his face and knocked him to the floor. Then all Pen saw was blackness.
“You left him armed?!” The man said.
“I did not see his sword master.” Pacco replied, holding Elva’s mouth, tears streaming down her face.
“Heilia.” Pacco said, healing the man’s shattered jaw. Pacco drug Elva out of the room and shut the door behind him, leaving Pen in the darkness beyond it.

Apophis stretched his relaxed muscles and opened his eyes. He found himself staring directly into Urie’s eyes. “Good morning sunshine.” She said. Apophis shook his head and stood. “I am sure Elva and Pen are waiting for me by now.”
“Ah, yes i would imagine your friends have awaken by now. I sure hope they enjoyed their stay at the Belaroughe last night. I’ve always wanted to stay there myself, but as you are well aware, we are both to big.”
That made Apophis laugh. “I will accompany you to the Belaroughe. I’m vaguely sure that you do not know the route yet anyways.” Urie said.
“I’m