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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

“Look, Dracon—Draca, I don’t want to see anything or hear anything except what you can tell me that will help me kill the dragon.”

“To help you kill the dragon? You need your brother.”

Ven snorted.

“I’m serious,” said Draconas. “The sons of Melisande—both the sons of Melisande—should come together to avenge their mother.”

“That’s not going to happen,” Ven said, adding with a burst of impatience, “Just tell me what I need to know, damn it, then you can leave. That’s why you’ve been hanging around here, isn’t it? Nursemaiding me! Like those idiot monks! Well, you don’t have to anymore. I can take care of myself.”

“You have a strange way of asking for help, Dragon’s Son,” Draconas said.

“Don’t call me that,” said Ven.

“What? Dragon’s Son? You are, you know.”

Ven was silent.

“You can’t keep denying it forever,” Draconas said quietly. “You can kill your father, but you can’t kill the truth.”

He paused, then said, “I’ll make you a deal, Ven. I will give you what help I can, which isn’t much. There’s no time to teach you how to use the magic, and that is what you truly need to fight Grald. Nevertheless, I will do what I can to aid you. In exchange for my help, you must agree to come with me.”

“Come with you where?”

“To the palace of Grald. It’s going to be a bit of a climb to reach the entrance. Are you strong enough?”

“Palace? His lair, you mean.” Ven was suddenly eager. “Yes, I’m well enough. Is Grald there? Perhaps you and I together—”

The child shook her head. “I would like very much to have it out with Grald, but I have to forgo that particular pleasure. He is strong and powerful, and he might get lucky and kill me. And though it may be egotistical of me to say this, I can’t afford to die right now. Events have been set in motion that must be stopped, and I’m the only one in a position to do that. Besides, Grald is not in his ‘palace.’ I made certain of that before I came looking for you.”

“Just tell me what’s going on, will you?” Ven said, frustrated. He jerked his hand free of the child’s. “I don’t like all this goose chase, run about.”

“I can’t simply tell you,” Draca said with somber gravity. “You have to see for yourself, Ven. Otherwise, you would not believe me.”

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