BooksBarbecue
Back Master of Dragons
Chapters (46)
  1. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  2. PROLOGUE
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5
  8. 6
  9. 7
  10. 8
  11. 9
  12. 10
  13. 11
  14. 12
  15. 13
  16. 14
  17. 15
  18. 16
  19. 17
  20. 18
  21. 19
  22. 20
  23. 21
  24. 22
  25. 23
  26. 24
  27. 25
  28. 26
  29. 27
  30. 28
  31. 29
  32. 30
  33. 31
  34. 32
  35. 33
  36. 34
  37. 35
  38. 36
  39. 37
  40. 38
  41. 39
  42. 40
  43. 41
  44. 42
  45. 43
  46. EPILOGUE

She has retreated back to Dragonkeep, to nurse her wounds and save her strength for the final battle. My guess is that the female warriors are responsible for hiding the army from my sight. They have the dragon-magic, and they are as strong in it as your mother and the other priestesses of Seth. They used such magic to fend off my kind for hundreds of years.”

Marcus slowly realized what this meant. “The army could be anywhere—right on our doorstep—and none of us would be able to see them—”

“You can see them, Marcus. That’s why I’m telling you. I believe it is because the magic they use is akin to the magic you use. It is the human factor in all this that plays havoc with my ability to penetrate the illusion. I will continue to search. The women who cast this magic have to rest sometime. The magic weakens them— the ‘blood bane,’ Melisande called it. The magic will take its toll, and if their spells weaken or falter, I may be able to locate them. In the meantime—”

“I will keep careful watch.” Marcus tried to sound confident, though his heart sank. That heart sank still further, as he watched Draconas’s expression grow darker. “Yes, what other bad news do you bear?”

“I was not going to tell you this, Marcus, because I did not have enough information to give you. I have to tell you, now, however, even though my fears are vague and ill-defined. There is another dragon involved in this plot to conquer humankind. She is powerful, one of the most powerful of my kind. Indeed, she was, for many years, our leader, honored and respected. Fear changed her. Fear consumed her. She is your most dangerous enemy, Marcus. Far more dangerous than the late Grald or the wounded Maristara.”

“And let me guess,” said Marcus. “You can’t find her, either.”

“I’m still looking for Anora, and so are others,” Draconas said. “But, in the meantime, you must remain vigilant and on your guard, both in your little room and out of it.”

Draconas picked up the draught of the opiate and tossed it into the slop bucket. “Sleep if you must, Marcus, but keep one eye open and one ear uncovered. And ride to Ramsgate as swiftly as you can.”

37

INSIDE THE CASTLE OF THE KING, SURROUNDED BY EVERY LUXURY, fed three meals a day—or more, if she wanted them—Evelina was not happy She paced back and forth, back and forth inside her chambers. A cage—even a gilt one—is still a cage.