Heir of Amber and Fire by Rachanee Lumayno (read aloud books .TXT) 📕

“Three hundred gold,” the voice said. “Or don’t waste my time.”

“Queen Melandria of Calia sent me to find Kye,” I said desperately. “My business with him is most urgent.”

There was a pause as the brown eyes sized me up. The silence stretched out longer as I stood on the doorstep awkwardly. Finally, with a decisive bang, the panel slid shut and the brown eyes disappeared.

I turned to go, my eyes stinging with sudden tears.

The door swung open behind me. I turned around and was face to face with those brown eyes again. They were set in the face of a man who looked near my age, or maybe a few years older. His dark brown hair fell over his forehead and he pushed it back impatiently as we stared at each other.

“Well? Come in,” he said, and held the door open for me.

Chapter Fourteen

AS I ENTERED THE HOUSE, my eyes were drawn to all the fantastic things on display. Whoever lived here was obviously well-traveled, as souvenirs from all over the Gifted Lands and beyond were featured all over the room. I spied a small square of stained glass layered on the window, its rich blue and green rays of colored light illuminating the wooden carvings on a table nearby. A lush red silk robe hung on one wall, and an impressive tapestry of the night sky hung on another wall. I longed to examine it up close. And everywhere I looked — on bookshelves, on the mantle, even on the windowsills — there were little painted figurines of various kinds of dragons.

But even though all these interesting knick-knacks initially drew the eye, they couldn’t disguise the peeling paint on the walls, the warped wooden furniture, or the fraying fabric curtains drawn back from the windows. This sad backdrop to the bright and beautiful objects surrounding us made me feel that, instead of a proud display of a well-lived life, they were testaments to a faded glory.

The young man observed me as I gaped at everything. “That’s the usual expression people have when they first come here,” he said.

“These are amazing,” I said, giving into the temptation to study the celestial sky tapestry. I stopped myself from running my fingers down the intricate weaving. “Everything here is so beautiful. You must have traveled everywhere, Kye.”

“I’m not — ” he began to say, when he was interrupted by an older gentleman who hobbled into the room, leaning heavily on a cane.

“Who’s here, Beyan?” the man asked my host. He had the same features as Beyan, but there were gray streaks through his brown hair and at his temples, and his face had a more weathered look. His right leg was deformed, twisted in a way that was unnatural. He subtly winced with each step; even though the injury looked old, I could see it still hurt him. Despite his infirmity, he gave off the sense that he was still very capable.

“A potential patron,” said Beyan. “Says Queen Melandria of Calia sent her to find you, Father.”

The older man smiled. “Now there’s a name I haven’t heard in a long time. But when I met her, she was still Princess Melandria, you know. She wouldn’t become queen until years later, when her father passed away.”

“You’re... Kye?” I asked the older man.

“That’s right,” he confirmed.

“Can you help me? The queen specifically told me to seek you out. I’m looking for a dragon,” I said.

Kye laughed. “Of course you are, or you wouldn’t be here. But I’m retired, and have been for some time now.” He gestured to his leg with the cane. “I never really recovered from my last seeking engagement. Not much use in the field now.”

“I don’t suppose I could convince you to come out of retirement?” I asked doubtfully.

“No chance whatsoever,” Kye said cheerfully. “I’m quite happy at home, painting dragons instead of chasing them.”

So the dragon figurines were his creation.

“I saw all of those miniatures when I came in. They’re beautifully done,” I said.

“They’re not just little show pieces,” he said. “Each figurine is a dragon I was commissioned to seek.”

“Really?” I took a second look around the room, now paying closer attention to the colorful statuettes.

“Sure,” Kye said. He pointed at a blue dragon. “That was an ice dragon I was tasked to find in the frigid north. What an expedition! I thought my limbs would all freeze off before we found her.” He indicated a purple dragon figure. “This was my first ever seeking engagement. Just a little earth dragon, but he was a feisty one.”

My eye caught a golden dragon, similar to the painting on the door. This figurine was larger than most of the other dragons. “What about this one?” I asked.

Kye’s expression clouded over. “He’s a fire dragon, with a fair amount of magic as well. His name is Joichan.”

My eyes widened. So this was my father!

I studied the figurine closely. Larger than most of the other figurines, it seemed more alive than the other carvings on the shelves. Perhaps it was the proud stance, or the wise expression. Or maybe it was the majestic tilt of the head, the way the flight-ready, curved wings spoke of power simmering under the surface.

“It’s a remarkable likeness,” I murmured.

“Thank you,” said Kye. “It’s something to amuse me in retirement, and I make a bit of money selling them off.”

I turned back to Kye. “Your injury... so you fought the dragons you were tasked to seek?”

“Goodness, no,” Kye said with genuine revulsion. “Everyone in my direct family line has been a dragon seeker for at least five generations back. Seekers are peaceful. Our job is to find them, not hurt or kill them. That would be a perversion of our gift.” He became more animated as he spoke, waving his cane around. When he put his cane back down, it slipped and Kye wobbled with it.

Instantly Beyan was at his side, arm around Kye to support him. “Let’s get