Dragon Bones And Tombstones (Book 2) by Craig Halloran Page B

lance of energy from his fingers. It sailed over my ducking head, striking the cage bars. The Blue Racer roared and fluttered her wings, curling back up on the floor in a tight knot.
    “Drop your weapons unless you want to see the dragon start to smoke,” the magic user warned.
    Over the years, I’d faced, fought, dropped, kicked and punched my share of wizards, shamans and illusionists. And like I said, they were a crafty bunch. And sometimes, when they got the drop on you, it was best to do as you were told. I looked around. All the goblins that were gone had returned now, and then some.
    “I’m not surrendering to any goblin, Dragon,” Brenwar growled under his beard.
    I set Fang on the ground and held my hands up.
    “I don’t think there’s much choice.

 
    CHAPTER 16
     
     
    With the essence of the dragon's life linked to her cage, there wasn’t much choice other than to give up. The pair of goblin soldiers took my sword and bow along with Brenwar’s hammer while the others surrounded us. Above, the magic user jumped from the balcony and descended slowly, robes softly touching the floor. 
    The goblins held our arms while two others started to bind them.
    “Leave them be,” the magic user proclaimed. “And bring them to my throne.”
    The magic user took his seat as we were shoved onto the steps.
    “Don’t do that again, Goblin!” Brenwar warned, rising back to his feet, only to be shoved down again. 
    “That’s it!”
    Brenwar stuffed his heel in one's belly and shattered the knee of the next, making it let out a cry of pain.
    “Enough!” The magic user said. “Let the prisoner be.”
    Finally, the man pulled back his hood.
    “I am Corzan the Necromancer. Lord of the Burrow Goblins.”
    Lord of the Burrow Goblins? Hah! I wanted to laugh, but could not. I could laugh at a goblin, yes, but him, no. He worried me. My eyes met his. What I saw was unsettling.
    Corzan had the devilish features of a goblin but was still a man. His face was ill-tempered and scarred. A sorcerer of many battles won and lost. His eyes were dark, intelligent and probing. But, he didn’t look like a necromancer. No, too rough around the edges, very atypical of his ilk. His hair was long, thin, black as coal, and his side burns came down to form a beard that hung inches below his chin. His ears were clipped in metal points at the top and bottom. I’d never seen that style before, but it looked uncomfortable. His strange hands were coarse haired and rough, with dark metal arm bands wrapped around his wrists. He sighed as he folded his fingers and set them down in his lap, showing the humanity that he must have possessed at some time before. His serene gesture gave me no additional comfort at all. He was trouble.
    “So, I can only assume you have come to steal my dragon?”
    “It’s not your dragon , Corzan. Dragons are free creatures. Such is the way on Nalzambor. Dragon poaching is a crime, well known in all the world.”
    “Hah!” He slapped the stone arm of his throne. “Dragon poaching has been around all my life and always will be. The people of this world capture, hunt and eat the other creatures to decorate their tables. Cows, sheep, horses, goats ―and no one complains. I don’t see how dragons are any different.”
    That last phrase really got me going. My nerves inflamed as I stepped forward.
    “Dragons aren’t animals! They are the oldest race on Nalzambor. Vastly superior to the likes of you—Poachers.”
    Corzan motioned with his arm and said, “And yet one sits in my cage. Hah, I hardly consider them superior. Quite easy to catch, skin and eat, like any other rodent.”
    Red-faced, I stepped forward again, only to have four goblins lower their spears at my belly. I had Brenwar to think about, too. And getting myself killed wasn’t going to do the dragon any good. I had to settle down. Think things out. I let my anger subside.
    “So, you are Nath Dragon, I see. Every bit as ill-tempered as the