Dragon Boy (Hilda's Inn Book 2) Read online

  Dragon Boy

  Published by Cyn Bagley at Amazon.com

  Copyright © 2017 by Cyn Bagley

  Amazon.com Kindle Edition, License Notes

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  Image Credit

  M.C. Krauss artbymel.net

  Editor

  Doris M. Mace

  Dedication

  To my late-husband, Otto. I will love you forever.

  1947-2014

  Many thanks to Doris Mace who is my first reader and editor. She was the motivation behind this book. Doris, my goal is to have the next one written before your birthday.

  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-one

  Chapter Twenty two

  Chapter Twenty-three

  Chapter Twenty-four

  Chapter Twenty-five

  Chapter Twenty-six

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Other Titles

  Excerpt

  Dragon Boy

  Book Two of Hilda's Inn

  Prologue

  From Hilda's Inn for Retired Heroes:

  "Davi," Hilda called. "Do you have the fire bucket?"

  Davi swung the bucket. Hilda heard the bubbling sound of Sassy’s laugh.

  The horses were saddled and ready to mount. Between Hilda, Davi, and Sassy, they had one saddle horse, a packhorse, and a very long journey. Mary Rose had supplied them with enough essentials to make it to Koenigstadt if they were careful.

  Hilda didn't want to think of Lord Barton, but she had no doubt that the retirees would warn their friends and family of the man. When she reached the main Guild house, it was her duty to report to the Mercenary Guild of Lord Barton’s intentions toward the retirees who ran afoul of him. The guild protected their own.

  Hilda wore her mercenary gear. It had been a long time since she had dressed in light leather armor, strapped on her short sword, and small knives. Her long sword and scabbard were strapped to the horse. She had a flamethrower in a soft case strapped to her back. It was one of those things she had taken from the battlefield during the Wars. The fire mages were the only ones who knew how to use them.

  Her gear felt heavy and restrictive since she had been wearing light cotton clothing as an innkeeper. She tied her hair in a ponytail and then turned. Davi gasped. He had been watching her don her battle gear.

  "You look--" he paused "fierce."

  Hilda, if she had been able to look into a metal surface, would have seen the same battle-hardened soldier she had always seen except for the wrinkles that had accumulated around her eyes, the gray streaks in her hair, and the slight stoop. She straightened her back and took a deep breath.

  She didn’t want to take up the sword again. She would have plenty of time in the next few days traveling to Koenigstadt to mourn the loss of her inn. Plus she could spend a few hours each night training Davi in sword and magic.

  "Ready?" she asked Davi. He just nodded his head.

  Hilda held the horse's reins in her fist with the packhorse reins tied to the saddle, and then mounted. Davi walked to the front gate, and the horses followed him. She swore under her breath that Lord Barton would pay dearly for her losses. She stopped the horses so that Davi could walk through the gate alone as they planned.

  Davi walked through the gate with the fire bucket swinging by his side.

  When the guard stopped him, Davi whined, "But sir, my master told me to gather wood in the forest. He'll beat me." Davi cringed. Before the guard could turn Davi back, a merchant yelled at the guard. “Move it.” There was a plop and a steaming pile of horse manure dropped next to the guard’s shiny shoes.

  The guard slapped Davi’s back, and turned his attention to the merchant. There was some yelling about cleaning up the horse crap. Davi ignored the commotion and was soon through the gate.

  Now it was her turn. Hilda rode up to the same gate. Her horse danced just a little when they stopped by the guard. He looked up and then went back to arguing with the merchant. The gate closed behind her.

  No one yelled for her to come back. No mounted guards cantered after her. The road stretched before her. It was almost anticlimactic.

  When she reached the edge of the forest Davi was waiting. Hilda dismounted and tied the horse. Her legs were already aching and she had only been riding a quarter hour.

  Sassy leaped from the bucket and into her arms. She twined up and down her body, giving her the warm comfort of a small fire element. Hilda felt at peace.

  The journey had begun.

  Chapter One

  Delhaven castle

  Draugr

  The Draugr’s eyes popped open. The darkness covered him like a blanket. The mage had tasted good, so good. At the first bite, the mage’s magic had poured into him and he awoke. He was the spy-master, but he was not. The light that had seeped through the cracks in the door was gone. He sniffed, looking for the leather, metal, and bright souls that meant the guards were near. He wanted to rip them to pieces and eat every juicy bit. They wouldn’t still this craving though. He needed to eat another mage, well-steeped in magic, to keep himself awake.

  He sniffed. A small sparrow was nestled in a tree outside the courtyard door. He smelled the sour sweat of Lord Barton as he slept in his chamber in the floor above. Guards in leather, carrying swords at their hips, stood at the entrance to the Lord’s rooms. A slight stench of magic came from there. To the Draugr, the magic was too little to sate his hunger.

  Then he caught the scent of the dragon boy. It was so delicious. He remembered smelling him in the place where he had caught and killed the mage. Then he was more interested in killing his maker.

  Now he was free. The thought of eating a fully magical creature tugged at him. His stomach growled. He fought the hunger. As the spy-master, he knew of other mages hidden in the population. They spent their time on the docks. But the compulsion to follow the dragon became more intense. His body had other ideas.

  His mind fought, but his hunger became more insistent. His will power wasn’t enough to override his body. He ran and crashed through the main door of the castle. He heard the running feet of the guards. But he was already gone, running through the sleeping city. As he passed the burning street-lamps, a wind blew out the wicks, leaving darkness behind him. His mind gibbered to his body that someone, especially with swords, could follow him by the sudden darkness. He ran faster.

  A gleam of eyes glared at him from atop a wall. The Draugr stopped and grabbed a cat. It screamed as he ripped it op
en. He buried his face in its intestines and ate. The blood dripped down his face as his legs pumped and he almost flew. The dragon’s scent led him to Delhaven’s main gate.

  The gate was locked and the gate guard dozed in the shack next to it. The Draugur opened the shack’s door and ripped off the guard's head before the guard could scream. The Draugr munched on the head for a moment. The keys to the gate were on the dead guard’s belt. He took them, dropping the head beside the body. After eating a mage, non-magic folk didn’t have enough nourishment.

  He took a deep sniff as he opened the gate. Yes, that way. He could smell the dragon and fire magic. Oh yes, he knew he was a Draugr and ate human flesh. He had enough of a mind to be repelled at the idea. Still, if he wanted to live he would have to eat. The dragon would last for a long time and its magic would bring him back to life. He’d be a walking monster with a mind. If the muscles in his face worked, he would have smiled.

  The forest outside the gates welcomed him. He didn’t get tired and he could walk forever. The dragon would have to sleep sometime.

  Deep in the forest, sniffing the trail of the dragon and fire mage, the Draugr felt the first sun rays. He looked around for a place to hide. There were no caves, no under hangs, just trees and more trees. He covered his hands and face in mud and rolled in leaves. He wrapped his ragged coat around him to keep out the sun, then he slid down under a tree with his back against the trunk. The leaves and branches would protect him or they wouldn’t.

  He fell asleep as the world lightened. The one spot of skin on his ear lobe bubbled, burned, and blackened. He slept on.

  Forest North of Delhaven

  Davi Dracson

  The gentle rock of the horse relaxed Hilda’s body. Davi walked at her stirrup, stretching his legs and swinging Sassy. He could hear Sassy say “Weeee, weeee” in a high pitched voice.

  His sinuses cleared from the sewage, smoke, and human bodies of a small port city. His senses sharpened and he could smell the pine, and the slight musky scent of fungi. He heard the birds wing around the pine trees, trying to stay warm. The deciduous trees showed their fall colors in yellow, red, and orange.

  It felt good to stretch his legs. It had been too confining in the city. If he had changed into a dragon, there would have been no room for him to fly. The she-dragon had assured him that there was a limit to his magic. He wouldn’t be able to transform until he found his magical twin. It hadn’t registered what that entailed. He just enjoyed being a boy and feeling the world around him.

  He swung the fire bucket. “Higher, higher,” Sassy yelled, and then giggled. Hilda smiled at the two of them, then brought her attention back to the trail.

  Davi could have sat on the pack horse but he refused, because a dragon should only walk or fly. Riding another animal was demeaning.

  “Your loss,” Hilda had said.

  In the last few days he had grown taller than Hilda and was hungry all the time. If he grew into his human form, he would be a massive man. As a dragon he would be massive as well.

  “Keep your eyes open for rabbits,” Hilda said. Davi’s human form wasn’t a predator yet, but his dragon was. It was the essence of his dragon that had him sniff every few feet.

  Hilda had given him some coins. He could feel them in a small pouch against his neck. If they ever became separated, he would be able to pay for food. There wasn’t enough for lodging. His skills would help him there. He could get a job in a stable. He was good with horses.

  Last night they had found a stream, watered their horses, and prepared their food. Hilda hadn’t wanted to start a fire because they were too close to Delhaven. So they ate a cold meal. When Hilda was sure they hadn’t been followed, Sassy warmed some water so the two of them could have hot tea.

  Hilda had been stiff enough that she could barely move. Davi had noticed and pulled out some horse liniment. She couldn’t bend her waist to reach her legs, so he applied the smelly stuff to her legs, thighs and back.

  He didn’t have to tell her that it was Michael who had had the foresight to slip the liniment into his bag. So he slipped it back into his bag. She would probably need to use this stuff every day.

  He was learning that old age was real. Hilda didn’t complain about the aches in her bones and muscles. She winced a lot, though, as she climbed onto the horse and every time the horse moved.

  Hilda started to curse softly. Hilda had noticed first that the background noises of birds and small rodents rustling in the leaves were gone. Someone was out there, past the bend.

  She swung down from the horse, wincing, then stumbled as she handed Davi the reins. He held both horses and murmured to them, as she slipped into the bushes. Davi waited. The horses blew and jerked their heads up. The packhorse tried to push his nose into Davi’s shoulder. Davi held them until they settled down.

  “You there,” said a voice from the bushes. Davi could see arrows sticking out of the bush. “Walk slowly, ‘til you reach the woman,” the voice said. It was a high voice, but obviously had the tough tones of a man.

  Davi obeyed. He was still holding both horses in either hand so he was at a disadvantage. His sword skills were almost nonexistent, so he followed orders. When he reached the bend, he saw Hilda talking to someone.

  “Stop,” said the voice.

  Davi stopped and waited. The horses blew, then quieted when he whispered to them.

  Hilda Brant

  As quietly as she could, meaning she didn’t groan, Hilda minced to the bend in the road. In the middle of the road was a young girl about three feet tall with a bow in her hand. She held the bow easily and Hilda knew that the girl was ready to shoot if Hilda attacked. She could only assume the girl’s allies had already encircled Hilda, Davi, and the horses.

  After a long pause, Hilda decided to be friendly. "Hallo," she said. The girl didn't answer, but Hilda heard some rustling in the trees around the path. She looked up and saw arrows poking out of the leaves.

  Two small men came up behind her and took her sword. Then in silence these small men, and the girl, escorted her down the path. She could hear the horses clomping behind them, meaning that they had Davi as well. As they walked down the path, the birds and little animals went back to their important business.

  So still in silence, the group turned down a track that was barely big enough for the horses. It was a few miles on foot before they reached a clearing, a few acres of plowed ground bounded by forest.

  Hilda could hear the cattle and horses. She looked back at her horses and they looked comfortable and not nervous. There must be a stable here.

  Their little guards didn’t bind her or Davi.

  One of the men rang a bell in the middle of a cleared space between three houses. In minutes the entire village, approximately thirty people, came running to the little courtyard. The tallest of the group barely hit her armpit. She couldn’t see children, but if these people had any sense, they would keep their children in hiding. Strangers did mean danger in this world.

  A gray-haired woman stepped toward them. “Welcome to our village, Hilda.”

  Hilda felt a shock. She knew this woman.

  Chapter Two

  Delhaven, port city

  Michael Ordson

  It was humiliating. Just a short walk to the marketplace, and Michael was heaving like a horse on its last legs. He knew that his sister, Mary Rose, had sent a trusted servant to watch his every move, which made it even more humiliating. It would take a long time before his mind and body worked together again.

  The Grimoire bound in dragon magic had scarred his brain, weakening his entire body and not just his magic. He didn’t know if he would ever use his powers again. Unlike his two siblings, he didn’t have an elemental. It was not something he thought of often. Elementals could not be coerced. They had their agendas, just like humans. But some of the most powerful mages had elementals. Even blood magicians had demons.

  He tried to drag his mind back to his surroundings. There were hawkers yelling their
wares. Some sang. It was a noisy mess of humanity. When he was a student he would ignore the masses. Today he was a student no longer — and alive. Today he could hear the joy of living underneath the noise. For a moment he forgot that he was still dragging one leg behind him. He forgot that he needed a cane to support himself.

  Michael sat down on a bench and watched the colors around him. He smelled the cooking meats, pies, and bread. He watched the ribbon dancers. The colors swirled around the heads of the young dancing girls, who were not yet into puberty. He could almost see the wind dance.

  As he watched the dancers and then the jugglers, he felt someone sit beside him. He knew who it was, but he didn’t acknowledge her. She sighed, but he still didn’t look. After a moment she spoke, “Michael?” It was a soft voice that didn’t set off his annoyance, although he knew he would be annoyed at her message.

  “Your sister says to come back.”

  Michael hunched his shoulders and refused to look. He knew it was childish. He now knew the watcher was Mary Rose’s friend, Josephine. Mary Rose had found her in the streets. His sister had given her a job in the brothel. When his sister told Josephine’s story, her eyes gleamed with pride. Very few street urchins made it off the streets.

  Josephine had worked up through the business. Now she ran one of Mary Rose’s brothels that was near the marketplace. The clientele were usually merchants who supplied the wares that were bought and sold in the marketplace.

  “Michael,” Josephine said, and waited for his reply.

  He looked at her, but kept his face still. Every time he looked, his breath caught in his chest, and he couldn’t speak. A little bitterness in his head told him that she had that effect on many men, not just him. He resented it a little. He resented that he wanted to sample those charms and that he was little more than a bed-ridden cripple.

  He got up from the bench and leaned on the cane. He knew she watched him walk away. The world is ever with us. His mind had quieted for just a moment, but now the presence of Josephine made it churn. He wanted to escape.