The Betrayed Dragon (Cycle of Dragons Book 2), Dan Michaelson [best books to read all time .txt] 📗

so much? If that’s the issue with you, then I can assure you that I am just as committed to the kingdom as you are.”

“I doubt you’re just as committed to anything,” she said.

I shot her a hard look. I didn’t want to have any sort of battle or argument with either of them.

At this point, all I wanted was to figure out what was going on, especially with the dragons, and how I could intervene.

I ignored them, turning to the green dragon. As I focused on his power, it swept through me. It would be a simple thing for me to reach for that power and use it, turning it upon Brandel and Cara and . . .

Why was I thinking like that?

“Aren’t you paying any attention?” Brandel snapped.

I glanced over to him. “No,” I said. “I stopped paying attention to you.”

“They will find the dragons you released,” he said.

“That I released?”

“You were there for the first one.”

I frowned. “The first one?” I looked to the dragon pen and realized he meant the one Jerith had used for my test. “That dragon returned.”

“No, it didn’t,” Brandel said. “Don’t pretend like you weren’t involved in freeing that dragon.”

“The only thing I was involved in was getting stranded out in the forest,” I said.

“I’m sure you were stranded,” Cara said. “You probably had help from your friends in the Vard.”

I laughed. “If you knew anything about me, then you’d know I’d found a traitor who’d infiltrated the Academy selection.” I studied them for a moment. “Or did you know that? Maybe you were involved with her? It’s possible Elaine had others who she’d been working with who were tied to her. Maybe that was you?”

“You need to be careful with what you accuse others of doing,” Brandel said.

“Shouldn’t you take your own advice?” I asked.

“We’ll be watching you,” Brandel said. “And the moment you make a mistake . . .”

I ignored them, turning my attention back to the dragon pen, focusing on the green dragon. The other two started to move away, leaving me alone in the pen. It was better than having them lingering here.

My mind worked through what I had experienced. The dragon hadn’t returned.

Here I thought he had.

What had Jerith said?

I glanced over to the Academy building, frowning to myself. I could feel the energy of the dragons around me, the energy of those who were trying to touch upon the dragons, and distantly, even the power of those within the palace connected to the dragons, the dragons themselves hidden somewhere deep within the building.

It was strange that I should be aware of that, and I didn’t know if there were something within me that had shifted and changed, or if it were merely a matter of my strength intensifying. Maybe I should have stuck with Thomas so I could more deeply understand the connection I shared with the dragons.

If the Djarn were responsible, I wanted to know.

There was no doubt in my mind that the dragon had been pulled into the forest, though I’d thought that was all part of the testing. If the Djarn were involved at that time, and if somehow they were involved with what happened to the dragon, then shouldn’t I let Thomas know?

I tapped on the dragon pen bar. “I may need your help,” I whispered to the dragon.

Turning toward the forest, I could still feel the edge of power coming off of Thomas. It was faint and vague, but the sense of it was there. If he was out there searching for dragons, then perhaps I needed to look as well.

17

I knocked at Jerith’s door. The sound was a dull thud in the hallway, and I looked along the length of the hall, shifting my stance, feeling a bit self-conscious about coming here. I knew there wasn’t anything I could even do, but at the same time, I felt that I needed to be here. When there was no answer, I traced my hand along the etched symbol of the dragons on the door.

I had never taken much time to really look at it. The dragons looked to be in flight, three of them chasing each other, flames shooting from their mouths. It was either three dragons playing, or three dragons fighting.

Considering what I’d seen of the dragons in the pens and those that I had encountered within the city, I had a hard time thinking they fought each other at all. At the same time, I didn’t really know. I couldn’t imagine what a war fought with dragons would be like.

I waited again before finally knocking one more time.

There was still no answer.

I turned, looking along the hallway.

I hurried through the Academy, wanting to find Jerith—and find answers—but I also wanted to avoid others in the hall. I didn’t need questions. Especially now that I knew how the king viewed Thomas.

It added an element of danger.

Maybe Donathar would have returned to the Academy. I had questions for him. I needed to ask him about his time with the Djarn. He wouldn’t have embedded with them if he weren’t willing to understand and work with them. He would have to have a different insight.

Instead, I turned to the forest and heard a soft howl as I reached its edge.

It was faint, though strong enough that I recognized it.

Mesahn.

That sound was distinct. It was a mournful sort of cry, edged with a bit of violence.

As I started to turn back, I heard a shout.

I froze.

When the shout came again, I decided.

I moved through the trees. It was getting darker, and it was difficult for me to see much of anything. I could feel the trunks of the trees on either side of me, and the air was a little bit cooler. Thomas was still out there. He would have to be. Searching for the dragons. Maybe even for the Djarn. I didn’t know if doing either was safe for me, or if that put me in any greater danger.

Unsurprisingly, I could