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For a Dragon’s Touch
Charlie Richards
Release date
Excerpt
Ian wasn’t entirely certain why he’d followed Roark so readily, but something about the man intrigued him. Mayhap it was Roark’s calm surety of what they were chasing. Mayhap it was his confident demeanor. Ian would never admit that it could be the way he enjoyed watching the man’s arse in the form-fitting leather leggings.
Glancing up at his companion sitting several feet above him in the tree, Ian took in Roark’s heavy frame. An inch or two taller than himself, thick muscles and strong limbs, Roark drew attention just walking down the street. Ian ought to know. He’d watched him through the tavern window as he’d left town.
It wasn’t just his physique that made him stand out, either. The man’s dress also drew attention. Instead of the standard kilt with woolen leggings under it for warmth in the winter, Roark wore leather leggings in the darkest green shade, a soft-looking light green tunic—both items completely form fitting—and a heavy cloak.
Returning his focus to the herd of sheep, Ian rubbed his hand over the pommel of his sword. Would a dragon really come? What would it look like? Did Cairbre exaggerate? Or did it really have the head the size of a large hog and the body of three war horses? If it were true, how could they fight something that size?
In fact, now that Ian thought about it, he hadn’t even seen Roark carry a weapon. He opened his mouth to voice that concern, but a gust of wind and a shadow moving over the far left of the meadow distracted him. Peering through the trees, Ian noted the sudden restlessness of the bleating sheep.
Ian stared in shock as, seconds later, a giant flying lizard swooped from the sky. The wings spanned at least twenty forearm lengths, and the head was even larger than a ram’s. Scaly legs ended in long, sharp claws. The afternoon sun glimmered and shimmered off scales of varying shades of brown, from dark hues along its back and head to light tan on its wings and belly.
For several seconds, Ian froze in shock as he watched the animal land in the clearing and snag a large ewe in its massive jaws. The sheep’s bleat of alarm cut off quickly while the rest of the herd scattered.
“By all that’s holy,” Ian whispered.
Suddenly, another form appeared at the edge of the meadow. Ian’s jaw opened in shock upon seeing Roark stride toward the creature with no visible weapon.
“Tyrone of Lorwyn, the Circle of Elders orders your return to answer crimes against the safety of our kind,” Roark called loudly. “Will you comply?”
The dragon lifted its head, focusing on Roark, and curled its thick reptilian lips. The beast lunged toward Roark, snapping its massive jaws. The big man leaped to the side, barely avoiding losing a leg.
Drawing his sword, Ian let out a cry and dug his heels into Goat’s sides. His gelding squealed and lunged forward, breaking into a ground-eating gallop. In four and a half strides, Ian swung his sword at the beast’s wing. The dragon saw him coming and moved back a step and lowered the limb, using the two bony claw-hooks at the top of the joint to deflect Ian’s attack.
Before Ian could figure out where to try attacking the creature next, it swung its wing, aiming those same hooks at his chest. Ian leaped from Goat’s back as the gelding skittered sideways. His shoulder hit the ground and he rolled several paces.
Roark appeared, his cloak gone, and crouched over him, but he wasn’t looking at Ian. Instead, he glared up at the dragon, his lips curled in a feral snarl.
“Guess I’ll have to make you,” Roark sneered.
The dragon reared its head back, smoke curling from its nostrils. Its jaws gaped open and from within, Ian saw the flicker of red and yellow flames. He just knew that in seconds, they’d both be burned to a crisp.
As the dragon blew out a stream of fire, Roark hovered over him. “Don’t run,” the man stated. “I will keep you safe.”
Ian didn’t know how he’d be safe if he were dead, but miraculously, the flames seemed to hit a wall, which stopped them and caused them to veer around them. Ian thought Roark’s body appeared even larger than before, then he spotted the odd dark green formations flowing down Roark’s arms.
Not believing his eyes, Ian blinked in shock. The sight grew even stranger. Roark’s clothing seemed to melt into his skin and the odd green splotches thickened and formed scales. Roark’s body expanded.
After what was probably only a few seconds, but felt like several moments frozen in time, Roark was gone. In his place crouched a massive dragon, even larger than the other one. To Ian’s shock, the creature rocked back on its hind legs, stretched its wings, and launched at the smaller beast.
A mighty crash vibrated the ground as the second dragon slammed the first into the ground. The second dragon—this one with vibrant green scales that varied in shade from nearly white on its belly to hunter dark on its back—swung a long tail ending in a spiked club at the brown dragon’s wing.
Ian peddled backward across the ground, moving away from them both.