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

I ignored it, trying to get away.

Another shout.

I kicked again, moving as quickly as I could.

Already I knew I wasn’t going to be fast enough.

The Vard were closing in on me.

After all of this,I wasn’t even able to rescue my sister. I turned, whipping my knife out . I could dive into the darkness of the forest, but I didn’t know if I had time.

Two of the Vard came close. They were dressed in the dark jacket and pants of the Vard, a strange emblem embroidered on the left chest. It looked like two spears crossed over each other, flames burning around it.

I’d seen that symbol before.

Tara had been writing in a journal with that marking.

Not only had I seen that symbol, but I’d seen that man. One of the men was dangerous looking with dark hair, and something about him shimmered with intensity and danger. He’d been in the city during the testing.

Of course, he would have been. All of the Vard would’ve been in the city during the testing, knowing that the Academy was there, and they would have been looking for an opportunity to attack the Academy caravan.

I hadn’t seen any sign of this dragon during the testing, though. Where had that come from?

At the time, I hadn’t realized it was Vard. They were much more than just Vard sympathizers.

If I managed to escape this, I would have to have words with Joran. I didn’t know if he was going to share the truth with me, but he needed to be honest, especially if his family was as deeply involved with the Vard as it seemed they were.

I backed away, holding on to the knife.

“Where is he?” the man asked. He had dark hair that was shorn close. Deep-set eyes glared at me, reflecting the strange glowing light from the dragon. He was solidly built, and looked as if he might have grown up on a farm, much like myself.

“I don’t know who you’re talking about.”

The man growled. He gripped his sword, and I could practically feel the tension coming off of him as he stalked toward me again. I was ready for him to swing and strike me, I had to prepare for whatever I might be able to do to block him.

There wasn’t anything I could do.

Where was Elaine?

I needed her help to get out of here. I heard a steady rumbling in the forest, though it seemed too far away. The burning within me continued to build.

I backed toward the trees.

They were close enough that all I had to do was run into the forest.. I might get lost, but I would at least have a chance. Staying here meant that I would end up captured. I didn’t know if my sister was even with this caravan.

“We can make it easy on you,” the man said.

I took a step toward the trees.

“Go after him,” the man said to someone else.

I spun, running into the forest.

“We found this one,” another voice said.

I hadn’t gone very far when I turned, spinning around the trunk of a tree, holding on to my knife. I peered into the glowing light, looking to see just who they’d found. If it was Elaine, then I wouldn’t have to worry. She could use her dragon mage magic. She might not be able to easily escape, and the Vard might have some way of controlling her, but I had to believe that she had a better chance of escaping than even I did. I didn’t feel any of the energy that I had detected before, nothing to suggest that she was using her dragon mage magic.

I wasn’t prepared for Joran to be caught.

One of the Vard had a sword held up against his back, forcing Joran to march forward.

“There you are,” another voice growled.

I spun, holding out the knife.

The Vard standing across from me glanced to the knife before looking up at me and chuckling. He had a lean face and a scar along one cheek. There was another marking on his other cheek, and I couldn’t tell if it was a tattoo or a birthmark. In the faint light coming from the dragon, it was difficult for me to see much of anything.

I didn’t have any difficulty seeing his sword, though. The blade glittered in the light. The slight curve at the tip was pointing at me, threatening me.

I took a deep breath, staring at the sword. “All I want is my sister.”

“You came all the way out here for your sister? How sweet.” He jabbed at me with the sword, and I jerked back. “Get moving.” He tipped his head, nodding toward the wagons. “You’re going to be our guest. Don’t think you can—”

I didn’t give him the chance to finish.

I raced around the trunk of the tree. I prepared to slam into the man’s back, but when I reached the other side , he wasn’t there.

I squeezed the hilt of the knife. It wasn’t going to be enough against one of the Vard, but at least it would give me a chance.

I spun, looking for the Vard, but he wasn’t there. There was nothing.

Twisting in place again, I searched for him. I stayed close to the tree, keeping my back up against it, at least not wanting to have that part of me exposed, were he to get too close to me. As I slipped forward, moving around the tree, I could feel the heat radiating off the dragon.

I needed to get back to the clearing, to Joran, but I wasn’t sure I would be able to do that without help. Elaine was out there, but so was the mesahn. I knew the Vard feared the mesahn. Maybe I could use that.

The glowing seemed to intensify. Heat built along with it, the pressure building in the air around me.

It was a strange sensation I had no way of resisting. It was almost as if something had wrapped around my legs