Iron Dragon: An Epic Fantasy Adventure (The Dragon Misfits Book 2) Read online

  “He did,” Jason said.

  “And now he knows about these two dragons.”

  “He does.”

  He looked up, trying to comprehend the dragons perched all around them. They were arranged in a formation, the five dragons that had come from Dragon Haven toward the center, and the others that Jason had freed with them. Surprisingly, the red dragon was alive, despite what Therin had claimed.

  “What will you do?” Jason asked.

  “We need to protect this land,” Sarah said, marching forward. “The rebellion had abandoned any attempt at trying to claim additional land, but if you can protect the dragons, pushing our influence might not be necessary.”

  Jason took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. The pain in his body began to retreat, leaving him with an ache, but it wasn’t nearly as bad as it had been. “I don’t know that you need me for that.”

  “You’re the one who knows how to do it.”

  Jason looked over at David. “He can help.”

  “He’s an Auran,” Sarah said.

  “An Auran who’s been helpful. An Auran who worked with me to fend off this attack.”

  Jason didn’t know what motivated David, but he did believe David wasn’t going to harm them. And there was something David was not sharing with them, though he thought he needed to know what that something was.

  “Will you help?”

  David looked up. “I cannot.”

  “Even after everything you’ve seen.”

  “And what have I seen? I’ve seen rebels who continue to attack, who celebrate the dragons in that unhealthy way. I’ve seen a man my people would call a slave who has more power than he should. And I have seen Therin bring to bear a dangerous sort of weapon for Lorach.” David got to his feet, clasping his hands behind his back. “These dragons are impressive, but they shouldn’t exist.”

  “Without them, we wouldn’t have survived.”

  “On the contrary, without them, none of this would have occurred. There would’ve been no need for a fight. There would have been no need for you to get involved.”

  “I’m sorry I got involved.”

  David turned and watched him, saying nothing for a long moment. “You should not be.”

  Heat exploded around him and he twisted his hands in the same movement Therin had made, and flames circled him. He disappeared on a blast of fire.

  Jason stared at where he had been.

  “What now?” Sarah asked.

  “Now I return home.”

  “Even after what you know?”

  “I know the dragons will need my help,” he said. The more he thought about it, the more certain he was that was true. He would do whatever it took to offer that protection to the dragons. The ice dragon would be a part of it, and if they could free more of the dragons, then he would. It wasn’t for him to decide what would happen then. The dragons would choose. Regardless of what Dragon Haven thought, they would make up their own mind.

  The forest in the distance caught his attention. The dragon there would need help and protection. There were other hatch mates that would need the same. The ice dragon would be a part of that. The iron dragon, too.

  Jason glanced down at his hand. The dragon pearl had molded onto his flesh, forming a second sort of skin. It had encircled the entirety of his hand, all the way down to his wrist. It was a deep gray, and strangely, he was able to flex his hand. Every so often, he thought the metal shifted across the surface of his skin, but then that sensation disappeared.

  “You aren’t going to abandon the dragons,” Sarah said.

  He took a deep breath. He didn’t have an ice dragon pearl anymore. The one he had was broken, shattered when Therin had dropped it.

  At least Therin didn’t have it, either. He didn’t have any of the dragon pearls he’d claimed from Jason. Which meant Jason didn’t have them, either. For his part, he didn’t care. None of that mattered to him, not anymore.

  “I’m not going to abandon them. I do need to visit home, but I will return.”

  She turned to him, taking his hands. “Do you promise?”

  He looked into her eyes. There was warmth, and there was something else. He felt a twinge, and a different kind of warmth flashed through him, one he never felt in his village.

  Family first…

  “If I return, will you put me in a cell again?”

  “You understand why I had to.”

  “I don’t understand. I’m not sure that I ever can, but I’m not returning for you.” He looked at Henry. “Or for you.” He didn’t know what had become of William, but William was a friend, regardless of how short a time they’d known each other. But he wouldn’t even do it for William.

  And yet, he would for the dragons. They needed his help.

  Jason looked up, staring up into the clouds. Somewhere up there was the ice dragon. He let out a heavy sigh, wondering whether he would even be able to contact the dragon.

  Without the dragon pearl, it might not be possible for them to have that same connection, and he felt a bit of regret at that. He had enjoyed the fact that they shared that bond. It was something that reminded him of where he had grown up.

  A cloud parted and a shadow streaked toward them. Jason smiled to himself as the ice dragon crashed down near him. He leaned his head forward and Jason climbed onto the ice dragon’s back.

  “Just like that?” Henry asked.

  “I’ll return. But my family needs me right now.”

  “What about them?” Henry asked, looking around at the dragons.

  “They need me, too. And I will be back.”

  With that, the ice dragon took to the air.

  Surprisingly, the iron dragon followed, jumping into the air, his body fluctuating with heat. He circled behind them and then disappeared.

  “Stay safe,” Jason whispered.

  He had no idea if the iron dragon could even hear, but that probably didn’t matter.

  The ice dragon flew, heading north. As they traveled, the air became colder. The wind whipped around him. Eventually, snow started to swirl, making it difficult for him to see, even with his dragon sight.

  He was warm, almost hot, and he realized he was still dressed in the dragonskin. And he couldn’t even change back into the bearskin. David had his clothing, which meant that he was going to be stuck wearing the dragonskin.

  “You don’t care for it?”

  “It’s not so much that I don’t care for it, it’s more that I know how others will react to it.”

  “Others in your village wear it.”

  “They do.”

  Knowing what he did about the Dragon Souls, he now had to wonder where others in the village had acquired their dragonskin. As far as he knew, it had been handed down over the years, and yet, why would that be?

  It was a question for another time.

  He watched over the dragon’s neck, hugging it tightly as they circled ever closer to the icy northern cold. In the distance, the mountain peak pierced the sky, and he stared at it.

  “Why don’t we return near the cave?”

  “If you choose,” he said.

  They swept down and the dragon glided to a stop, landing within the stream.

  Jason leapt off the dragon’s back and looked over at the ice dragon. “You need a name.”

  “So you’ve told me.”

  “So does the iron dragon.”

  “If it’s important to you.”

  “I think you should have a name for yourself, not because it’s important to me.”

  “Would it be easier for you to call me?”

  Jason grunted. “Without a dragon pearl, I don’t know that I’ll be able to call you.” That wasn’t entirely true. Somehow, when he had wanted the dragon to help him return home, the ice dragon had known and had come down for him.

  Maybe they were connected.

  “The pearl was nothing more than a medium,” the ice dragon said.

  “What do you mean by that?”

&nb
sp; “The pearl allows those who don’t have a natural ability to draw upon it. It would make our bond stronger for you, but even without it, you don’t need it.”

  Jason shook his head. “I don’t have enough connection to draw power without it.”

  “And yet you have.”

  The dragon glided off, sliding through the stream before disappearing into the cave.

  From there, Jason had no idea where the dragon would go. And perhaps it didn’t matter.

  He looked up the slope of the mountain, staring into the growing clouds. It was afternoon, which meant the storm was coming. Wind whistled, and in the dragonskin, he was far warmer than he ever had been before. It fit him well, molding to him, and he started forward.

  As he walked, he plunged through the snow. If the ice dragon was right and he was able to use power without the dragon, then he should be able to employ it to walk above the snow.

  How had Henry and Therin done it?

  They had imagined it. At least, that was what they claimed. In doing so, they’d allowed power to flow through them, and they were able to summon enough to walk above the snow.

  Jason focused on power, letting it fill him. As he did, he found himself floating.

  He laughed to himself. Maybe he could do that.

  As he walked, the wind no longer bothered him quite as it had. He lost track of time as he headed up the face of the mountain, and he tried to count off how many days he had been gone.

  Several days. In that time, what had changed here? His sister should have had enough meat, and yet, he wondered if she did.

  When he reached the edge of the village, he saw a figure behind his home.

  They were digging through the snow.

  The thief.

  Jason darted forward and grabbed them, throwing them down. He used more force than he had intended, drawing upon power he didn’t know he had.

  The person rolled over and Reltash looked up at him.

  “Dreshen?”

  “You’ve been stealing from us?” Jason said. He stood over Reltash. “You would deprive my family?”

  Reltash stared at him. “Who did you steal the dragonskin from?”

  “No one from our village.” He leaned close. As he grabbed Reltash, he lifted, drawing power through the ice dragon. He threw Reltash back. “You will leave my family alone. You will not steal from us.”

  “And why not? You have to be stealing from someone. There’s no way you would have caught that much on your own.”

  “What makes you think I was on my own?” Jason loomed toward him. “If I find you stealing again, I will make sure it’s the last thing you do.”

  He glared at Reltash until the thief scrambled away, disappearing into the growing darkness.

  Letting out a heavy sigh, Jason turned back to the home and headed inside. There was no one within, and he paused, looking around, checking the back room. His mother was there, resting quietly, breathing comfortably.

  Where was his sister?

  It was late enough that she should be here.

  Unless…

  Jason stepped back outside, looking down the slope of the mountain.

  He ran, sliding every so often, but mostly running, and he reached the cave.

  When he darted inside, he held his breath. He could feel the ice dragon somewhere in here, drawing upon his energy, but there was something else, and he wasn’t sure what it was.

  As he approached, he did so slowly, carefully, holding on to the power of the ice dragon. It was a time like this that he wished he had the dragon pearls, but maybe he truly didn’t need them. He still had the strange connection to the iron dragon, the glove that had formed over his hand, and with that, he had a link to a different sort of power.

  He reached the inside of the cave. A figure stared down into the water. A pair of crystal blue eyes looked back up, but the dragon didn’t move.

  Was that a Dragon Soul? They were clad in a heavy black cloak, a thick fur that reminded him of Henry, but he didn’t think so. None of the Dragon Souls would wear that kind of clothing—other than Therin.

  The build wasn’t right for Therin. He thought Therin was still gone, and he doubted the man would’ve returned to the cave, not without reinforcements. He would’ve known better, and would’ve realized that he wouldn’t have much of a chance at trying to capture and control the dragon without having other Dragon Souls with him.

  There was only one other person he could think of.

  “Kayla?”

  She spun toward him, her eyes wide. Her gaze swept over him, pausing at his dragonskin cloak, then moving to his hand, and finally to his waist. Jason looked down before realizing he had a sword strapped there, a weapon he had never used and had no idea how to wield.

  “Jason. There’s a… There is a…”

  He stepped forward, grabbing her, wrapping his arms around her. He took a deep breath, nodding. “I know.”

  “There’s a dragon in the stream.”

  “I know.” He led her away, motioning for her to sit, and she did so slowly.

  “How long have you known?” she asked him.

  “Since the last time I was gone.”

  “You didn’t tell anyone?”

  “I couldn’t. They would’ve tried to hunt him.”

  “This is a dragon.”

  “I know. And there’s something you should know.” Jason glanced to the dragon, who poked his head slightly out of the water before retreating. His eyes blinked before they disappeared altogether. Jason frowned. The dragon had wanted her to see him. “It’s about our father and how he died.”

  “A dragon killed him.”

  “That’s what we believed, but that’s not how he died.” He took a deep breath. It was long past time that his sister knew. It would make it easier if she did. Perhaps he could convince her to head down the base of the mountain, to safety, where he didn’t have to worry about her finding enough to eat. “Let me tell you what I’ve been doing.”

  “I want to know about the dragon.”

  “What I’ve been doing has been all about the dragon.”

  Kayla turned toward him. Jason took a deep breath and then began to tell her everything.

  The Dragon Misfits continue with book 3: Forest Dragon!

  Looking for more in this world? Check out the Dragonwalker series, staring with: Dragon Bones.

  Author’s Note

  Dear Reader,

  Thank you so much for reading Ice Dragon. I hope you enjoyed it. If you would be so kind as to take a moment to leave a review on Amazon or elsewhere, I would be very grateful.

  I’m also always happy to hear from readers! Email me at [email protected]. I try to respond to each message. Don’t forget to follow me on Facebook as well!

  Review link HERE.

  All my best,

  D.K. Holmberg

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  Also by D.K. Holmberg

  The Dragonwalkers

  The Dragonwalker

  Dragon Bones

  Dragon Blessed

  Dragon Rise

  Dragon Bond

  Dragon Storm

  Dragon Rider

  Dragon Sight

  The Dragon Misfits

  Ice Dragon

  Iron Dragon

  Forest Dragon

  Elemental Warrior Series:

  Elemental Academy

  The Fire Within

  The Earth Awakens

  The Water Ruptures

  The Wind Rages

  The Spirit Binds

  The Chaos Rises

  The Elements Bond

  Elemental Academy: Spirit Master

  The Shape of Fire

  The Cloud Warrior Saga

  Chased by Fire

  Bound by Fire

  Chan
ged by Fire

  Fortress of Fire

  Forged in Fire

  Serpent of Fire

  Servant of Fire

  Born of Fire

  Broken of Fire

  Light of Fire

  Cycle of Fire

  The Endless War

  Journey of Fire and Night

  Darkness Rising

  Endless Night

  Summoner’s Bond

  Seal of Light

  The Dark Ability Series

  The Shadow Accords

  Shadow Blessed

  Shadow Cursed

  Shadow Born

  Shadow Lost

  Shadow Cross

  Shadow Found

  The Collector Chronicles

  Shadow Hunted

  Shadow Games

  Shadow Trapped

  The Dark Ability

  The Dark Ability

  The Heartstone Blade

  The Tower of Venass

  Blood of the Watcher

  The Shadowsteel Forge

  The Guild Secret

  Rise of the Elder

  The Sighted Assassin

  The Binders Game

  The Forgotten

  Assassin’s End

  The Elder Stones Saga

  The Darkest Revenge

  Shadows Within the Flame

  Remnants of the Lost

  The Coming Chaos

  The Depth of Deceit

  A Forging of Power

  A Threat Revealed

  The Council of Elders

  The Lost Prophecy Series

  The Teralin Sword

  Soldier Son

  Soldier Sword

  Soldier Sworn

  Soldier Saved

  Soldier Scarred

  The Lost Prophecy

  The Threat of Madness

  The Warrior Mage

  Tower of the Gods

  Twist of the Fibers

  The Lost City

  The Last Conclave

  The Gift of Madness

  The Great Betrayal

  The Book of Maladies

  The Book of Maladies