James Wyatt - Dragon War: Draconic Prophecies, Book 3 (The Draconic Prophecies)

T HE D RACONIC P ROPHECIES
BY J AMES W YATT

Storm Dragon
Dragon Forge
Dragon War

T HORN OF B RELAND
BY K EITH B AKER

The Queen of Stone
Son of Khyber
November 2009
The Fading Dream
October 2010

L EGACY OF D HAKAAN
BY D ON B ASSINGTHWAITE

The Doom of Kings
Word of Traitors
The Tyranny of Ghosts
June 2010

This ones for Mom.
Thanks for reading my crazy books
and displaying them on your shelf.

I t began as an itch, a minor annoyance that grew until it woke him in the night. Gaven sat by the door of his cell, scratching at his neck, his shoulder, his arm, until his skin was raw. By morning it was a raging fire on his flesh, and he began to feel the lines.

He hadnt understood them then, the twisting lines of his dragon-mark. Or had he? His mind was so lost in the Prophecy while he was in Dreadhold. Had he unknowingly mumbled the verses that wrote themselves on his skin?

They first appeared as white marks against his red skin, raised like welts. A guard noticed them while Gaven was out in the yard. He yanked Gavens hair to pull him down for a closer look, ready to summon a healer. His eyes grew wide when he realized what he was seeing, patterns similar to the one on the wardens hand. He ran to tell his superiors, and Gaven stood in the yard, looking up at the clouds that churned the sky.

When the first fork of lightning struck the prison tower, Gaven laughed. He spread his arms and tasted the rain on his lips. The guards began to clear the yard, herding the prisoners back indoors. They sent four guards for Gaven. When they laid hands on him, the rain turned to searing acid, and cries of pain and surprise filled the yard. Another blast of lightning hit the high tower, and for a moment it seemed that the prisoners might revolt, as though the storm raged in their own hearts. Ducking their heads against the rain, the guards dragged Gaven to the nearest door. Gaven laughed at the acidic shower that seared his skin, laughed at the fist-sized hailstones that pummeled the last stragglers, laughed as lightning speared a guard on the outer wall.

He didnt resist as they dragged him through the corridors, carried him up the stairs, and threw him in his cell. He could hear the hailstones clattering on the stone roof above him, and he marveled at the elegant blue loops and swirls that stood out clearly on his skin, still burning, but also cool, refreshing.

He was marked after all. Wouldnt his father be proud?

* * * * *

Gaven?

The thunder of the storm had been so loud that Aunn could no longer hear his own voice. He stepped closer and saw the dragonshard clutched to Gavens chest. Gaven rocked the shard like a baby, gently, back and forth, his glassy eyes fixed on the stone in his hands, the brilliant red lines of his dragonmark coiled within it. The wrecked husk of the Dragon Forge loomed around them, the roof wrenched open by Gavens storm, steam rising in great billowing clouds from the infernal furnaces.

Gaven, look at me. Aunn still couldnt hear himself speak. Perhaps Gaven had been deafened, too. He reached out a hand but stopped just short of Gavens shoulder. Last time

They had been in the jungle of Aerenal, the cool of the evening beginning to clear the humid air. Gaven clutched the Eye of Siberys to his chest, rocking it forward and back. Aunn shook Gavens shoulder, trying to jolt him out of his trance or stupor. When it didnt work, he threw a punch at Gavens chin. But he never connected. A clap of thunder sent Aunn sprawling on his back.

Aunn wished they were back in Aerenal, holding the Eye of Siberys as Haldren puffed toward them. Aunn would do everything differently. Hed show Gaven his true face, and theyd work together to find Rienne, put a stop to Haldrens scheme before it cost hundred of lives at Starcrag Plain, stop Kelas too. There would be no clash of dragons, no Dragon Forge. And they wouldnt end up in the wreckage of the Dragon Forge, with Gaven lost in the depths of his dragonshard.

We wouldnt be here now, he thought.

Come on, Gaven, he said, shaking Gavens shoulder. His ears had begun to ring as they rebounded from the thunders assault. Gaven gave no sign that he could hear any better than Aunn could.

There was so much he wanted to say, so much he had to explain, so many questions he needed answered. He shook Gavens whole body, pushed him from side to side, but he couldnt break Gavens glassy stare.

Please come back, he said, taking Gavens head in his hands and staring into his eyes, trying to will Gaven to meet his gaze.

He felt Carts hand on his shoulder, glanced back, and saw Ashara there, her hands folded around Carts arm, fear etched on her face. In Aerenal, Cart had knelt beside him after Gavens thunder knocked him back, making sure he wasnt badly hurt, while Senya stood beside them both.

He dropped to his knees beside Gaven and rested his head on Gavens unmoving shoulder. At last he heard his own voice, howling his grief.

* * * * *

Arnoth stood over Gaven, holding out his hand and smiling. Gaven looked up, weak from his ordeal. Why was his father smiling? He had failed the Test of Siberys.

A Siberys mark, Arnoth said. Gaven, Im so proud.

Gaven looked down at his skin. No, he wasnt the young man on the brink of death, scorched by the sun and parched by the ocean wind. He was strong, and the Mark of Storm flowed over the rippling muscles of his chest and arm.