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

attack me. I waited for the Vard to turn toward the mesahn. That would be my opportunity to lunge at him, to attack, but he didn’t turn at all.

He kept his focus on me. I glared at him.

“I’m going to get my sister back,” I said to him.

He chuckled, an irritated sound rumbling from him. “I think it’s time for us to deal with you.” He lunged toward me.

I started to scramble back, but then a burst of heat and energy came from the hatch. The pale glowing light that I had been seeing exploded out of the hatch, and the dragon’s head that had been poking up out of the hatch fully protruded, when suddenly flames roared from its mouth.

I could feel it along my skin, the way it baked me, tightening everything, sending that heat washing through my entire body. The burning coals inside me were there, sizzling, almost as if they were responding to the way the dragon was using its flames. When the roaring flames eased, the Vard was gone.

Why hadn‘t the dragon used fire to escape before?

Magic of some sort. There had to have been something confining it within the wagon.

And now I had freed it.

The dragon continued to work its way out. It got halfway, when it seemed to get stuck. I looked around, but it didn’t seem that there were any other Vard coming. I didn’t think we had much time, knowing that if they were coming for us, that I needed to get moving.

“I don’t know if I can help you,” I said to the dragon.

It watched me, pale-yellow eyes staring at me. It reminded me of the way the mesahn had looked at me, something incredibly knowing and intelligent in those eyes, something that cried out for me to understand. Even as I stared at the dragon, I didn’t know if there was anything I could do.

“I can’t open this hatch any wider,” I said.

The dragon started to growl, and turned its head toward me. I cringed, and when I did, I noticed movement behind me. Spinning off to the side, I saw another Vard crawling atop the wagons.

The dragon shot more flames out of its mouth. They exploded into the night, rising high over the treetops, burning everything. The fire that raged through me built with a violent intensity, and I fell forward, slamming my hands on the top of the wagon.

When I did, something cracked. The sound of it was thunderous, like a boom of thunder mixed with lightning, and the burning within my belly exploded outward.

Then came a flurry of movement. It took me a moment to realize the dragon had crawled out of the wagon, slithering away. Then it disappeared into the trees. There was a glowing light that faded, growing ever more distant as the dragon disappeared altogether.

I crouched on top of the wagon, looking at the broken remains of the roof.

The dragon had fought its way free. And it hadn’t harmed me.

I needed to find Alison.

The wagon started to slow.

They must’ve realized what was happening. I jumped, reaching the next wagon, and focused on the hatch, digging my fingers underneath it, and pulled, yanking the top of the hatch free.

I poked my head down. “Alison?” There was no answer. “If you’re down there, I need you to come up. We’re going to try to get away.”

Nothing.

I turned, jumping to the next wagon. We were coming to a stop. I heard a shout, and knew that I didn’t have much time. I grabbed the hatch, pulling, and freed the lid.

As soon as I did, I could feel something behind me.

It was a strange sense. Almost like a longing, a drawing feeling, as if it were trying to call me away. It reminded me of what had happened earlier. It was like a band that wrapped around me, circling my mind, trying to pull me forward.

I had to fight it.

“Alison?”

There was nothing.

“Please,” I said.

Slowly, I heard a shuffling of feet on the bottom of the wagon. Alison poked her head up, looking at me. “Ashan?”

“Come on,” I said.

I grabbed her hand, pulling her free.

As soon as I did, the pulling sensation on me continued to intensify, almost too much for me to withstand. I tried to fight, knowing that I had to ignore it, that I had to withstand the energy that was calling to me, trying to trap me. If I didn’t the Vard would catch me.

But they wouldn’t get Alison.

I shoved her back toward the rear of the wagon. “Go. Run into the forest. There’s Joran. Go!”

She looked at me, and I thought that she might argue, but she shook her head and spun, jumping from the wagon and running into the trees.

It was just me now.

I stood there, transfixed, unable to fight the strange pulling sensation. It was trying to force me to stay here. It was some sort of Vard power. It had to be.

It had already held me once before. It would do it again.

But this time, Alison had gotten away. This time, I had succeeded.

That thought stayed with me.

I tried to turn, to focus on the Vard as they approached.

The wagons had come to a complete stop, and I knew that it wouldn’t be long before the Vard got to me. At this point, they probably would dispose of me. I had been far too much trouble for them, and it would only make sense for them to eliminate me altogether.

Suddenly, a deep rumbling echoed from the forest.

I frowned. It sounded like the mesahn. It was coming closer.

The hold on me started to ease.

I could move my arms.

I turned, looking toward the front of the wagons, toward the three horses guiding the wagon caravan, and saw five Vard there. All of them had turned their attention to the forest, away from me.

Two Vard had been burnt by the dragon.

Were those the only five remaining?

I fought, trying to break through whatever was holding on to me. When another rumbling erupted from the