The Wings of Dragons: Book One of the Dragoon Saga by Josh VanBrakle Page A

just as
easily perish. Each dragon administers a different test. In
Divinion’s case, Maantec lore says that he judges based on purity
of heart. When I helped Amroth seventeen years ago, he gave me his
account of your finding. I suspect that when your mother died, she
dropped you. As you fell, you rubbed against your father’s blade.
As an innocent infant, you easily passed Divinion’s test. You’ve
been the Holy Dragon Knight almost all your life.”
    “ But I never healed myself
until last night.”
    “ Of course. Holy Dragon
Knight or not, Divinion’s power remains locked within the Holy
Diamond and the Muryozaki. That’s why your finger didn’t heal until
you touched your sword. Specifically, it didn’t heal until you
touched the symbols on the hilt. Those kanji spell out the
enchantment that connects you to Divinion. Unless some part of your
skin touches them, you cannot use his magic.”
    Iren’s head spun with all he had learned,
but he nevertheless jumped to his feet. “Come on!” he cried. “Let’s
hurry and tell Amroth! With Divinion, we can defeat the Quodivar
easily.”
    Rondel downed the last drops from her flask.
“Don’t you listen to anything I say? Do you not realize that I
could have told you all of this at any time while we rode? Amroth
can’t know about Divinion.”
    “ Why not? We’re all in this
mission together.”
    The old hag said derisively, “You really
think so? Take care, little boy. That man you admire so much means
to send you to your death.”
    “ Amroth saved me from
execution, you drunken windbag! He gave me my chance for revenge!
He’s only acted kindly to me, unlike you.”
    “ Acting is indeed the right
word for it,” Rondel countered. When Iren folded his arms and
scowled, she waved her hand dismissively. “Fine, fine, don’t listen
to me. But whether you trust Amroth or not, know this. There’s more
to this mission than simply defeating the Quodivar. Far
more.”

CHAPTER EIGHT
Okthora’s Law
     
     
    On the fourth day since departing Haldessa,
the village of Veliaf finally came into view. All day, Iren and the
others had watched as the boreal forest Akaku grew on the horizon,
spreading from east to west in a blanket of conifer spires. Iren
had considered the tiny wood where Rondel told him about the
dragons impressive, but Akaku put that to shame. Its giant trees
must have been at least twice the size of any in that thicket, and
they grew so close together that almost no light could penetrate
them. Iren could understand why Lodians feared it so strongly.
    Veliaf didn’t look much more welcoming. A
high stone wall encircled it, so as they approached, Iren could see
nothing of the village itself. The only entrance appeared to be a
solid metal gate, which faced the road.
    “ When we reach the gate,
let me handle it. Don’t say anything.” Amroth turned in his saddle
and glowered at Rondel. “Especially you.”
    Iren gave the captain a sideways glance.
Even if he didn’t believe her, Rondel’s warning about Amroth
unsettled him.
    Then again, considering the way Rondel could
change her personality on a whim, she seemed the more likely
actress. Immediately after reentering camp the other day, she had
assumed her typical idiotic self and proceeded to grate on
everyone’s nerves, Iren’s included, all the way to Veliaf. At the
moment, she was complaining about the road conditions and how her
horse kept stepping in every pothole. The useless beast of burden,
she whined, would surely cause her to fall and break her arm. She
waved an empty bottle in the air as she bellowed, having finished
the last of her alcohol an hour ago.
    The crone gave an impressive performance;
Iren had to give her that. She didn’t look like someone who could
speak seriously about Maantecs, dragons, and events that happened
thousands of years ago. Nor did she look like the kind of person
who could kill six Quodivar without breaking a sweat. If anyone in
their group was disguising their