The Caged Dragon (Cycle of Dragons Book 1) by Dan Michaelson (websites to read books for free txt) 📕

the people lining up near the dragon mage. The soldiers motioned them into place, forming an orderly line. As they lined up, the dragon mage motioned for one to step forward. It was a young girl, probably eight or nine years old, wearing a pale-yellow dress with her hair braided into pigtails. She approached the dragon mage slowly, nervously, with her hands clasped in front of her. He crouched down next to her and pressed two fingers forward, touching her forehead. As he did, the girl jerked her head back.

The dragon mage motioned.

One of the soldiers guided the girl away and brought her back to the crowd. Someone within the crowd reached for her, pulling her back.

I frowned. Did that mean that she didn’t pass the test?

I couldn’t tell what was going on. It had to be some trick of the dragon mage, an aspect of his magic, but I didn’t know what.

Another person was summoned forward. It was a boy who looked to be about Alison’s age. He was dressed in a tattered shirt and pants. He likely came from the plains, possibly even a farmer like myself. He approached with a bit more confidence than the girl and looked up at the dragon mage with a hint of defiance in his eyes.

When the dragon mage reached for him, pressing his fingers to the boy’s forehead, the boy jerked back, no differently than the girl had. Once again, the dragon mage waved his hand, and someone else from the caravan guided the boy away, sweeping him back out into the crowd. He must have failed, like the first one had.

Was this what every test was like?

I had to wonder what the dragon mage was doing, and just how he could detect whether somebody would be a good candidate or not. Did it all involve dragon magic? There were rumors about dragon magic, about the kind of power that dragon mages could use. All the stories suggested that dragon mages borrowed from the power of the dragon itself, turning that into something more. It was a wonder with that kind of power that he wasn’t able to overtake the Wilds, though the Wilds were incredibly extensive, and much more dangerous than even the forest.

Another came forward. This was a boy about ten. He bowed to the dragon mage, tipping his head forward. The dragon mage touched his fingers to the boy’s forehead, and like the others before him the boy jerked his head back.

One by one the people who had been summoned forward approached, and one by one they were tested. Most of them failed, at least as far as I could tell. An older boy walked up to the dragon mage, as he looked around nervously. He had to be about Alison’s age . The dragon mage pressed his fingers up against the boy’s forehead, but this time the boy didn’t jerk his head away. The dragon mage stood there for a moment. It seemed as if the heat in the air intensified.

As it intensified, the dragon mage pressed his fingers up against the boy’s head again. He glanced behind him looking to the caravan, before nodding.

This time, a woman dressed in a gray jacket and matching pants stepped forward. She looked to be about my age, maybe a bit older, and she took the boy by the hand, guiding him away. Not back to the crowd, or to his family.

She took him to the wagons.

Did he pass?

It surprised me that we would have anyone here in Berestal, this close to the Wilds where there had never been dragon riders before the king took over these lands, that would be able to reach for the dragon magic.

Maybe that wasn’t what they were looking for. There were other studies within the Academy. Other ways they could serve the king. If that was the case, maybe this boy had a different potential.

Situated where we were on the edge of the kingdom, we didn’t have much experience with the Academy—other than by reputation. It was the only way to learn how to ride a dragon. More than that, if someone wanted to become a dragon mage, if they were lucky enough to have that rare spark, it was where they had to train.

There were still dozens of people before they even got to Alison. A young girl, probably no older than Sophie, approached. The dragon mage touched her forehead, and she didn’t jerk back either. He shifted, and the heat in the air intensified once again, as it did, he reached for her again, much like he had done with the boy. Another person stepped forward, grabbing her hand and guiding her back to the wagons. She had succeeded.

Several more went through, none of them passing.

Then it was Alison’s turn.

She approached carefully, jerking her head around, looking over to me. I saw a flash of false confidence in her eyes, an expression that I knew all too well. She approached the dragon mage. Her mouth was pressed in a tight line. What must she be thinking?

Probably the same as what I had been thinking. She would have seen what the others had gone through. She probably had no idea what it meant for those who were tested and passed. Much like I didn’t know. They would head to the Academy… and then what?

The dragon mage stopped before her.

Heat radiated from him. Flames swirled from his hands a moment. As he reached his fingers toward her, I found myself tensing. She didn’t jerk back.

“No,” I whispered.

Or, maybe I didn’t whisper.

People around me began to turn in my direction.

I stared, watching as the dragon mage pressed his fingers toward her again, and once again, she didn’t move away.

He turned toward the wagon, waving his hand. The same woman came forward to guide her back to the wagons. I tried to move forward, but the soldier blocked me again.

“That’s my sister!” I yelled.

“Then you should be happy that she was chosen.”

I went numb.

She would be