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

toward Elaine. All three of them had strange circular metallic objects in hand, and they raised them. The firelight coming from Elaine’s fingers flickered, radiating off those circular weapons that she sent shooting toward them, but the blades carved through the fingers of flame. They were like swords that wrapped in a circle, and when she flicked a stream of fire at them, one of the men whipped his weapon toward her, carving through the dragon magic.

“That’s not the Vard,” Joran said.

I glanced over to Joran. “It doesn’t matter. This is our chance to get in there and see if I can find my sister.”

I darted past him, ignoring his hushed protests. I slipped through the trees, heading toward the nearest wagon. It was the center wagon, glowing softly, as if there was a lantern within it that illuminated the night. Maybe there was. Maybe it was a trap the Vard had used to try to draw us in and capture us.

Distantly, I was aware of the mesahn growling, its voice growing fainter as he retreated into the trees. I scrambled for the first wagon I could reach, jumping up onto the top of it. I reached for my belt knife and pried it into the hatch as quickly as I could. As soon as I got the hatch pulled open, I poked my head inside and frowned.

I realized I should’ve gone for the third wagon. At least with that one, there was some light inside, illuminating everything. There was nothing inside this one.

I left the hatch open and jumped toward the next wagon, shoving my knife hurriedly into the hatch, prying it open as quickly as I could, wiggling my knife back and forth as I worked to try to pop the hatch open. When I did, I looked down inside.

Much like the last one, I couldn’t see anything.

“If you’re in there, come on out, Alison.”

I kept my voice soft, hushed, and had no idea whether or not she was even there, or if she was, if she was well enough to be able to respond. I jumped down, heading over to the middle wagon. It was the one that glowed.

There was noise near me, a certain chaos around us, and I could hear someone calling out. It wasn’t my name, at least not that I could tell. All I needed was to reach this next wagon, pop open the hatch, and see who was in the others.

This hatch was more difficult to work free. There was a lock on it. I slammed my knife onto it. Distantly, I heard the mesahn growling, and I felt a heavy rumble. Heat built inside of me, working through my stomach. Everything around me began to get tight. It must be from the coming daylight. The forest could be hot at times. I’d felt that myself over the years, and knew that it could be unpleasant. Not just humid, but hot, as if the canopy of trees would block any wind and keep the heat trapped within it. I slammed the hilt of the knife onto the lock again, then again.

It snapped.

I jammed the knife into the hatch, working at it, trying to pry it free. I could feel movement behind me. I didn’t have much time. Once I got the hatch open, I had to hope my sister would be inside. If she was, we could run.

I pulled the hatch open.

Light flowed out.

It was a strange and burning light. It made my skin even tighter than it had been before. I instinctively jerked back. But, not before I saw something inside.

There wasn’t a lantern inside of the wagon. That wasn’t the glowing light I’d seen at all. Instead, a small creature was curled inside.

Curiosity forced me to look again.

I didn’t have much time. I had no idea whether the Vard had returned, but I wanted to take another look. It was almost as if I was compelled to as if something demanded I look inside.

When I did, I sawwhat was there. The creature looked up at me. It had a long, angular face, ears that pointed back, a long and slender neck that met a wider body, and then two leathery wings that wrapped outward, filling the inside.

I knew exactly what it was I was looking at. I had no idea why the Vard would have one of these creatures , but there was no doubt in my mind what it was, and now I understood why I felt the heat that I did, the burning on my skin, and the strange sensation in my stomach.

Squeezed inside of the wagon, was a small dragon.

The Vard had captured a dragon.

16

My first thought was that Elaine had been willing to abandon the wagons with a dragon in them, but that wasn’t true. She’d been concerned about the Djarn, wanting to find the girl from the Wilds. She had been more concerned about protecting her than the dragon.

As it turned in place, I stared , unable to take my gaze off the creature that rested below. The heat radiating off the dragon practically demanded my attention. I had no choice but to stare at it. I could feel that energy, but there was something more than just the heat I detected. It was some aspect of the dragon itself that called to me.

A memory of something my father had said came to me, of the way that he had described the energy of the dragon burning within him. He had claimed that when he was around the dragon, he felt as if he had swallowed smoldering coals. That burning worked through my stomach as well.

A shout rang out, this time close.

I spun and saw three men at the front of the wagon caravan. They were approaching quickly. I had to get down. I had to get back to Elaine, to her magic, if only so I could be protected from these Vard.

Somebody reached over the side of the wagon, and I kicked.

I didn’t