Firedrake (Dragon Mage Chronicles Book III)

DISCLAIMER

This book is a work of fiction which contains explicit homoerotic content; it is intended for mature readers. Do not read this if it’s not legal for you.

All the characters, locations and events herein are fictional. While elements of existing locations or historical characters or events may be used fictitiously, any resemblance to actual people, places or events is coincidental.

Contents

Disclaimer

1. Home Port

2. Lighting the Spark

3. Breakout

4. Inquest

5. Alarms and Expectations

6. Preparations

7. The Winding Road

8. Into the Mountain

9. Flight Through the Dark

10. Confrontation

11. The Heart of Darkness

12. Discovery

13. Deliverance

14. Conflagration

15. Contention

16. Degeneration

17. Escape

18. Pursuit

19. Ascension

20. Rallying Cry

21. To the Bitter End

Art Gallery

Wardrake (Book III)

The Dragon Mage Chronicles

About the Author

Connect with J.A. Jaken

Other books by this author

Home Port

The city of Theros shone like a beacon through the dawning light, the flickering lamps on its pier reflecting out across the water with a welcoming glow.

We made it, Jander said, letting his breath out in a heavy sigh of relief.

Even though it was well into the morning, the sky was still heavily overcast from the previous night’s storm. A hard drizzle fell onto the deck of the ship, making him hunch miserably inside his cloak to ward off the persistent chill. The wind had died down considerably over the past several hours, however there was still a bitter edge to it that cut through his clothing despite his best efforts to keep himself warm.

Try some of this, Boaen said, pressing a mug of something dark and steaming into his hand.

Jander accepted the drink from him and sniffed at it curiously. The pungent aroma made him screw up his nose in distaste, giving the other man a suspicious look. What is it?

Some kind of tea, Boaen said, taking a sip from his own mug. His face twisted briefly in an expression of disgust before smoothing out again. Or at least that’s what the sailor who gave it to me said it was. Everyone on the deck is drinking it this morning. Tastes even worse than it smells, but it does take some of the chill off. The corner of his mouth quirked up in a grin.

Jander smiled briefly and bent to take a cautious sip from the mug. As promised, the drink was distinctly unpleasant in flavor, with a bitter aftertaste that suggested the tea leaves had been left steeping in the pot for too long, but the heat of it swept through him instantly and chased some of the cold he felt away. After another sip, he found he was actually able to stop shivering.

Thanks, Boaen, he said.

Don’t mention it. Boaen’s grin deepened for a moment before fading. His gaze moved toward the distant line of the shore.

Around them, sailors were busily moving around the deck of the Fool’s Luck, preparing the great steamboat for docking. The ship was much the worse for wear after their adventures during the night, having sustained significant damages from the storm as well as from an attacking sea dragon. But Captain Sardan’s crew had managed to make the necessary repairs, or at least enough of them to keep them afloat long enough to complete the voyage to Theros.

And now, their destination was finally in sight. Jander was looking forward to the prospect of having solid ground under his feet again, instead of the roughly rocking deck of a ship. The fiercest part of the storm might have died down over the night, but the winds were still considerable, whipping the waves around them into a froth of white-tipped frenzy.

I am never, Boaen said with a heavy sigh, going out on the ocean again.

The aggrieved weariness in the words made Jander smile. He had grown up near the ocean and was more familiar with sea travel than any of his friends, but he had to admit that at the moment, he felt the exact same way.

We’ll be back in Theros soon, he said, turning his gaze toward the shore ahead of them.

And that thought brought a whole host of other worries with it, now didn’t it? He thought about what they had learned on the island of Sutan-lei: that dragon eggs had been stolen from their parents’ nests, possibly with the intention of being used in a dark magic ritual that could conceivably give the caster the abilities of a dragon mage. To what extent those abilities would be present, or how strong they might be, was completely unknown. But Jander found himself dreading the thought of it.

They had also learned that the eggs were most likely being kept hidden somewhere inside of a volcano. Master Luth had said that the inherent chaotic energies of such a place could possibly provide an effective camouflage that would conceal the eggs’ presence in the magic, and Jander’s own semi-prescient ability had narrowed that down to a description that could only be a volcanic warren of some kind.

He had been hoping they would be able to return home to Vallerin after their adventures on the island, but the missing eggs were a threat that needed to be investigated first. At least they had a goal now, however nebulous it might be. Andrei had suggested that they talk to the duke of Theros to see if he was aware of any volcanos—active or inactive—that might be present in the region.

The thought of that was yet another cause for worry in Jander’s mind. The duke of Theros was Kirin’s younger brother, and because of that Jander wasn’t certain the man could be entirely trusted. So far he had appeared to support them in good faith, having even gone so far as to arrange their passage to the island and back again, but even so, Jander was hesitant to trust him completely. He knew from experience how treacherous Kirin could be, and how insidious his plots against them could become. Until they were safely back in Vallerin, Jander didn’t plan to take anything at face value.

On his shoulder, Gabrielle fluffed her wings against the rain and made low chuffing noises that were so soft he almost couldn’t hear them over the sound of the waves crashing against the ship’s hull. As much as she had enjoyed being out on the ocean, Jander thought she was looking forward just as much as he was to returning to the mainland.

We’re almost there, beauty, he said, giving her chin a light rub with one of his knuckles.

She crooned softly in response. Home, home, she said wistfully, speaking directly into his mind. The words were accompanied with a plaintive-sounding sigh.

Jander smiled slightly. Apparently he wasn’t the only one feeling weary of travel and wishing desperately for the comforts of home.

But their travels were not yet done. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw his master engaged in conversation with the ship’s captain on the upper deck. Andrei looked much the worse for wear after their struggles with the dragon, his rigid posture etched with tense lines of weariness and strain, at least to Jander’s discerning eye. The sight of him filled Jander with a surge of tenderness. All of them could use a lengthy rest at the end of this particular adventure.

He spotted Tanith sitting at the base of the stairs leading to the upper decks, hunched forward with her arms wrapped tightly around her shoulders. Lifting the mug of foul-tasting tea to Boaen in brief salute, Jander took another sip from it and went to join her.

We’re almost there, he said, sitting down on the step at her side.

The smile she gave him at that was wan. Thanks, Jander. She looked pale and shaken, and a bit ill from the rocking of the waves, but resolutely determined not to give in to her discomfort.

He wished he knew enough healing magic to help her with the seasickness, at least. The rest of it, only time would be able to cure. She had been on the deck when the dragon attacked, right there in the thick of it with them, and the horror of that experience would linger for all of them for quite some time. But she had remained strong and stood beside them in spite of her terror, even going so far as to use her magic to help defend them. For a former Drakkarim slave who had been raised to believe the dragons were gods, and that use of the magic by humans was immoral and evil, that had been quite a traumatic moment for her.

Her eyes took on a haunted cast as they rose to look at him. Is the dragon really gone?

His heart went out to her. Yes, it’s really gone. He had been keeping a close watch over the magic throughout the night, looking for signs that the sea dragon might be returning to threaten them once again. But it remained absent, returned to whatever unfathomable depths of the ocean it had originally called home.

She looked relieved. I’m very glad to hear that.

The plaintive note of the words made him smile slightly. Me, too.

Gabrielle fluttered down off from his shoulder to alight in Tanith’s lap, looking up into the girl’s face with a low, trilling croon. A smile spread across Tanith’s face as she lifted a hand to stroke down the kitling’s side.

Seeing the two of them together made some of the anxiety that twisted Jander’s insides loosen. They were alive, all of them, no matter what the fates had tried to throw against them. Whatever awaited them within the coming days, he knew that they would find a way to stand strong against that as well. What could possibly be worse than what they had already fought through and triumphed over?

The thought made him feel distinctly uneasy.

Will you keep an eye on Gabrielle for me? Jander asked. I’m going to go have a talk with Andrei.

Sure, Jander. Tanith gave him a small smile. The haunted look she had worn just a moment ago was entirely gone.

Gabrielle’s effusive charm and warmhearted nature could cure a variety of ills, Jander mused with a smile of his own as he rose to his feet. Stay with Tanith for a while, will you? he asked, sending the words silently to the kitling through the magic that connected them. I think she can use the company right now. Gabrielle responded by sending him a wave of agreement over the bond they shared, colored with a surge of affection for the former Drakkarim girl. She crooned softly, stretching out her neck as Tanith scratched around her ears with the fingers of both hands.

Shaking his head in amusement, Jander drained the last of his tea as he climbed the stairs to the upper deck. It was much less busy up here, with most of the sailors being engaged in activities on the lower decks. Relaxing into the relative quietude, he crossed to the part of the deck where his master stood talking to the captain.

Ah, the young mage-apprentice, Sardan greeted with a broad grin as Jander approached. The captain looked much the same as he had at their first meeting, unassuming in stature with thick dark hair and a sun-browned face, but somehow intimidating in spite of his modest size. There was a heaviness in his eyes, however, that had not been there a day before. Jander knew he had lost his first mate to an attack by the dragon, and the two of them had been sailing together since the very beginning of Sardan’s career at sea.

Captain, Jander said with a respectful dip of his head. His gaze flicked briefly toward the distant lights of Theros. How is the ship holding up?

"Ah, she’s a strong lass, the Fool’s Luck is. He slapped a hand onto the railing beside him for emphasis. It’ll take more than a little tussle with a dragon to shake her up beyond repair. He shook his head, looking suddenly rueful. Of course it didn’t hurt to have the lot of you here with us, helping out."

It was our pleasure, Captain. Andrei’s voice sounded tired, weary from the struggle of the past night, but the words were sincere.

Jander nodded his agreement. Anything we can do to help out before we leave, just let us know. I know my way around a ship if it helps any, although the ones I’m used to are a lot smaller than this.

I thank ye kindly, lad. Sardan sounded as if he honestly meant it. But I think we’ve got everything we need, and anything more we can purchase once we make port at Theros. ’Course if there’s anything that magic of yours can do about sealing a hull without resorting to hot pitch and manual labor, I wouldn’t object to hearing about it. He gave them a wry grin.

I’m afraid not, Jander said, feeling honestly regretful about it. Using the magic to repair ships was a feat far beyond his capabilities.

There may be something I can do to help strengthen the inner structure of your vessel, Andrei offered. A fortification spell, of sorts. It won’t be permanent, but it should give you some small degree of security in the days ahead.

Anything at all would be most welcome, Master Teresh. Sardan looked tired suddenly, and older than he had when they’d first boarded his ship several days ago.

I’m sorry about Josef, Jander said.

Sardan’s eyes glinted softly in the morning light. Fortunes of fate, lad. We all of us know going out onto the sea is a hazardous business, and we’ve accepted the risks. Josef wasn’t any different. It’s how he would have wanted to go, protecting the ship the way he did. He paused, turning to look out over the water. Sometimes even a fool’s luck runs out eventually.

Jander drew in a slow breath and nodded. He hadn’t known Josef well, but he had definitely liked what he saw of the man. It saddened him to think of all of the deaths the sea dragon’s attack had caused.

Are you aware of the recent problems Theros has been having? Andrei asked. The city’s populace have been turning against the mages who live there, blaming them for the sea dragon’s attacks on their ships.

My men and I don’t mingle much in the city proper, but I’ve heard rumors to that effect, Sardan said. And Nierin filled me in on the rest before we left port. There’ve already been a few riots, last I heard.

Yes. Andrei’s expression turned grim. Things were getting quite serious before we left, which is why we chose not to identify ourselves as mages as we were traveling through the city.

Both Jander and his master were wearing simple tunics and breeches that were commonplace among the working class, with only a plain overcloak for warmth, having opted to leave behind the identifying robes and sigils that marked them as mages in the service of the king of Corascia. It had seemed a prudent precaution to take, considering the recent disturbances surrounding the mages in the city.

You and your men don’t seem to have that particular prejudice, Jander pointed out. Neither had the inhabitants of Sutan-lei, actually. As far as he’d seen, only Theros seemed to be gripped by the paranoia and rampant antagonism the city had shown toward its mages.

Maybe we’re more practical than the folks who live in the city, Sardan suggested. His tone was wry. We don’t really have the luxury of surrounding ourselves with bigoted bastards out here on the open water....no offense to the city folk intended. If someone is willing to pull his weight and help us survive out here in the heat of battle the way you lot did, then he’s a friend in my book, regardless of who he is or what he might choose to do as a profession. He shrugged, clearly perplexed by the city’s reaction toward the mages who lived among them. I may not understand a thing about magic, but there’s no denying it’s damned useful to have around.

The heartfelt emphasis of the words made Jander smile, although he couldn’t help giving Andrei a nervous glance. Do you think the city’s going to change its tune once it realizes we got rid of the dragon?

Andrei considered the question. It will take a while for them to accept that the dragon is truly gone, he cautioned. I think we would do best to maintain our camouflage until we have a chance to speak with Nierin.

Yes, Jander thought that would be a very good idea indeed. As harrowing as the battle against the sea dragon had been, he couldn’t help feeling that the greatest dangers might still lie ahead of them.

Now all they had to do was hope that Nierin would choose to aid them, and not turn against them when they needed his help the most.

Lighting the Spark

Jander gave a genuine sigh of relief as he stepped off the gangplank and onto Theros’s pier, leaving the Fool’s Luck behind. As much as he had enjoyed the company of Captain Sardan