The Dragon Marked Chronicles: Prince of Dragons (Book 2) Read online

  The dragon marked Chronicles:

  Prince of Dragons

  Books By Jay Lynn

  The Dragon Marked Chronicles

  The Dragon Sage

  Prince of Dragons

  Mission Stone: Quest of the Five Flames

  The dragon marked chronicles:

  Prince of Dragons

  Jay lynn

  Copyright © 2020 Jay Lynn

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or distributed in any form without prior consent, in writing, from the author.

  This is a work of fiction. All names, persons, places and events are entirely fictional. Any resemblance to anyone living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  First print edition 2020

  ISBN-13: 978-0-9993273-5-7

  Book cover design by: brosedesignz

  Editing by: H.B.

  For Holly and my Readers

  Table of Contents

  The Dragon Marked Chronicles

  Books By Jay Lynn

  Prince of Dragons

  Copyright

  Dedication

  Map

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Pronunciation Guide

  About the Author

  Map

  Chapter 1

  Cantering across an open meadow the wind brushed Alec’s face and hair. Briefly closing his eyes, he never felt freer. He regretted the action immediately. Flashes of smoldering corpses greeted his shut lids. Alec’s eyes shot open. Glancing to the side he looked over at his partner, Isabelle.

  Beaming, she rode the dark brown bay easily and seemingly without care.

  Alec sighed. She hadn’t noticed his momentary lapse. The sorcerer mentally shook himself. He shouldn’t have forgotten, even temporarily, the urgency of their mission.

  Newly appointed to the Emerald Sages, this was their first official assignment. Alec released a short humorless laugh. If someone told him a year ago he would be living in Malyndor and working as a sorcerer for the king, he would never have believed them. To think so much had changed. In almost a year to the day, Alec had earned his freedom from his Zerrokian master, became a Stafford soldier, learned he possessed magical abilities, befriended a dragon, dueled with another dragon, and then became an Emerald Sage.

  Giving his head a light shake, Alec peered at Isabelle once more. Lately, they seemed to be teamed up a lot. The warrior felt the one corner of his mouth twinge with a faint smirk. By some miracle she wasn’t talking a mile a minute.

  It could be worse, I guess. He could have been made to go with Jerric.

  Having gotten past her initial fears of battle, Isabelle was growing into an asset. What’s more, she was also a trustworthy friend. In a time with traitors lurking in the shadows, Alec wouldn’t have chosen another for such a dangerous mission. The only ones they would be able to rely on, were each other.

  ‘Remember, creation spell first.’ Alec recalled Malcolm reminding him as he got ready to depart.

  The great sage wanted to speak to him about something important, but after growing quiet for a minute or two, he told Alec it could wait until his return.

  I wonder what it could be, he thought, not for the first time.

  The surrounding fields were slowly consumed by the dense forest encasing the Black Mountains. A more northern route into Rhordack allotted them some much needed time within the ally kingdom. Otherwise, how else would they be able to judge if an evil force was lingering about? The pile of corpses invaded Alec’s mind. Something tainted was most certainly there.

  Though King Soren hadn’t reported anything unusual, Layfon strongly believed The Pure were using the mountainous terrain along the coast as cover. With various assaults on Malyndor’s most guarded strongholds, Rhordack was the most logical point of entry. Security was tight along the Sea of Narvee, and the kingdom’s spies gave no mention of The Pure’s army coming by vessel.

  Wherever their enemies may be hiding, they had to find them. At this rate, the Zerrokian Crown would fall. Then, Rhordack would crumble, leaving only Malyndor to fight off the coming storm.

  A few miles after descending into the middle realm, Alec dismounted.

  Bringing her steed to a halt, Isabelle frowned. What is he doing? She watched as Alec pressed a finger to his lips. Isabelle nodded. Getting down, she followed behind as he weaved his way through the brush. A good twenty yards from the path, Alec reached up and secured his reins to a branch, then aided Isabelle in doing the same. The prickly underbrush caught her clothing and scraped her skin as she trailed behind him.

  “Is this really necessary?” she mumbled with a hiss.

  “Quiet!” he ordered softly.

  Scowling, she did what he said. Alec was much better suited in judging the situation. None of her training thus far required such stealth. Fighting the urge to ask the numerous questions plaguing her mind, the sorceress kept her head down and her gaze forward as she stayed within the camouflage of the forest.

  Eyes continuously scanning the area, Alec tried to pick the best route through the foliage. Isabelle should have stayed with the horses. Traveling with her was no better than a herd of steeds.

  They were getting close. The sound of snapping twigs caused him to flinch. Holding up a hand, Alec motioned for the sorceress to remain behind while he crossed the road. Melting into the shadows, he traveled further up the path and disappeared from Isabelle’s view.

  Another two hundred yards and the road split, rounding a bend. It was there that Alec heard the first whispers of voices. Settling against the thick trunk of a tree, he watched and waited. The stillness of the forest primarily alerted him to the coming patrol. Dark eyes tracking the two men’s movements, Alec’s hand tightened upon his blade. The uniforms they wore were not of Rhordack’s grey wolf, but the white mark of The Pure. Three vertical lines adorned the front of the soldier’s tunics, as well as the pauldrons covering their shoulders.

  Alec lingered there until they vanished into the forest. His grip loosened slightly. It would be so easy to dispose of them. However, slaying the soldiers would defeat the purpose of his mission. The enemy was not to know they were there.

  The soft sounds of voices still had not dissipated.

  Making his way up the road, Alec followed the noise. Deeper into the woods he came upon their makeshift camp.

  Four soldiers sat around the fire ring cooking their meal and smoking. Tents were hoisted at the rear of the camp beside a crude fence post where several horses were tethered.

  Opposite his position, another patrol appeared through the trees.

  Backing away, Alec crept through the underbrush and retraced his steps. Passing by the fork he searched for any sign of the first patrol. Seeing none, he continued on towards the main path. Visually scanning the trees, Alec didn’t stop until he spotted a glimpse of Isabelle’s blonde hair and dark green uniform. She blended in fairly well with the forest. Eyes passing up and down the road, he quickly slipped over to rejoin her.

  A smile spread across the sorceress’s face. Opening her mouth with a deep breath, any forth coming words were c
ut off as Alec urgently shook his head. Blinking several times, it took her a moment to register he was pointing in the direction from which they came. Isabelle managed a nod.

  Once again the sorceress was following behind as Alec navigated through the trees. A few minutes passed prior to Alec stopping and clicking his tongue.

  A soft answering neigh sounded through the woods.

  Adjusting their direction, Alec headed straight for the clever steed.

  Beaming, Isabelle nuzzled the grey horse’s nose. “Good boy, Cloud.”

  “Not yet.”

  Scrunching up her nose, his partner made a face, but said nothing. Returning to the road the two companions mounted up then headed north.

  Hands gripping the reins tightly, Isabelle twisted in her saddle to peer behind. Frowning, she gazed at Alec.

  Looking straight ahead, he didn’t meet her eye. Cutting through the woods he remained silent even after several minutes passed.

  Isabelle raised her brows and stared at the warrior. “Well?” she questioned at last. “Why are we going this way? We can’t possibly be done yet. Was there something wrong with the road? Did you see someone? Why aren’t you saying anything?”

  Alec gave her a sideways look. “Perhaps, because you’re not giving me a chance.”

  Isabelle rolled her eyes. “My horse’s foot. You had no intention of saying anything till I questioned you. I swear you do this on purpose.” For a brief instant, Isabelle knew she saw the hint of a smirk. Drawing back, her mouth hung open. “You do, don’t you? One of these days Alec—”

  “Yeah?”

  Fighting a laugh, the sorceress shook her head. “Keep it up and you shall find out.”

  Alec chuckled, urging Cloud ahead as he jumped over a shallow creek.

  Isabelle tapped the bay’s sides and caught up with Alec easily.

  “So?”

  This time the warrior met her gaze. “Troops of The Pure were stationed by the road.”

  “The Pure? Already?” Isabelle whispered, instantly lowering her voice.

  This was not good. They hardly passed into Rhordack and they were running into advanced enemy forces. How many more might be hiding in the lush forest waiting to strike?

  Alec dipped his head in a quick bob. “Appeared to be a scouting patrol.”

  Isabelle frowned, her brows lowering. “Then why are we riding in the other direction? Shouldn’t we…you know…take care of them?”

  “Armies notice when their scouts go missing. A pile of corpses would alert too many to our presence.”

  “I suppose you’re right. So, where are we going?”

  A small half grin made an appearance. “Around them,” Alec answered nonchalantly.

  Shooting him a glare, Isabelle snapped the reins, urging the bay to canter ahead. The quiet sound of Alec’s laughter followed behind her, causing the sorceress to shake her head. A smile of her own spread across her lips. The man has a better sense of humor than people know.

  She led for another few hundred yards prior to dropping back to rejoin her companion. He’s lucky he’s so cute, Isabelle thought mildly. Little was said as they traveled through the forest.

  Alec carefully steered them onto a slightly higher mountain path which ran parallel to the main road. More of a hunting trail than anything else, it weaved its way among the surrounding hills and along a nearby river. Eventually, they were forced to descend back down to their original path. Alec went on ahead, leaving Isabelle in the strangely quiet woods. His return brought news of another scouting party hidden within the dense terrain.

  Carefully skirting around them Alec turned east, taking Isabelle higher into the mountains.

  “Alec,” she called out quietly. “We’re going the wrong way. Isn’t the village we seek to the west?”

  He dipped his proud head. “This is a necessary detour.”

  Gripping her reins, Isabelle pursed her lips. Why couldn’t he trust her enough to share his plan? The sorceress knew he had one. Scowling at his back, the rest of the journey was made in an uncomfortable silence.

  As they trotted up towards the main gate of Roskos, Alec hoped the villagers would be willing to offer him aid. He had a bad feeling about this mission. Years of battle taught him to trust his instincts. Isabelle might disagree, but preparing for the worst would only increase their chances of survival should they unexpectedly run into a greater number of Zerrokian troops.

  It was cooler up in the mountain village and Alec reveled in the refreshing change of humidity. The valley floor was blistering shortly after the sun rose with the break of dawn.

  While Alec slowly road up the path, a few people smiled and waved. Considering he only came with the Marcian patrol once, Alec was surprised they remembered him. Reaching the town square, he gazed at the familiar sight. The warrior could feel his partner’s eyes on him as he remained seated upon Cloud. When she went to dismount, he stayed her movements. Tall and proud, the sorcerer waited quietly as if made of stone.

  Crossing her arms, Isabelle slumped in the saddle. What are we waiting for?

  After a few minutes, an older man ambled towards them, cane in hand. Once he was ready to receive them, Alec descended from his steed.

  “Greetings, elder Jorrin,” Alec said as he and Isabelle approached. “How has the growing season faired?”

  A smile materialized on his wrinkled face. “Alec? I almost didn’t recognize you without the Marcian crest. Who might your new companion be?”

  “This is Isabelle.” He turned to his partner. “Isabelle, this is Jorrin, the village elder.”

  “It’s nice to meet you.”

  “A pleasure young lady.”

  “Jorrin, is there somewhere we can talk in private?”

  The man’s bushy brows rose. “Come with me,” he replied after a moment.

  Walking back in the direction he came from, Jorrin led them down the street and into a small hut. As they strolled towards the building two men joined them. Once inside, Jorrin motioned for them to shut the door.

  “Pray, make yourself comfortable.”

  Alec nodded and lowered himself onto a cushion beside the elder.

  Sitting on the warrior’s other side, Isabelle inched closer.

  Peering at her, Jorrin lifted a hand. “This is my son, Rin. The other man is Sean, a friend and council member. Both can be trusted with whatever you have to say.”

  “Thanks for hearing us out,” Alec began, his gaze encompassing them. “Jorrin, do you recall the attacked village Sir Blake and I spoke of during our scouting mission?”

  The man stiffened. “I do.”

  “Isabelle and I have been sent by King Titus to investigate the village. It’s believed members of The Pure may be using the area as a secret base.”

  The men’s eyes widened.

  “The Pure? Here?” Rin growled.

  “That doesn’t bode well for us. We aren’t able to defend ourselves against an army.”

  The sorcerer lifted his hands. “We still don’t know if they’re there for certain. It’s our mission to find out, and if possible, discover their plans.”

  “How can we help? We aren’t fighters.”

  Alec shook his head. “I’m not asking you to fight, but we could use a ride.”

  Isabelle jerked back while Jorrin flashed him a puzzled frown.

  An hour later, the five of them emerged from the hut. Jorrin willingly agreed to aid them, but Isabelle still wasn’t so sure. Now dressed in plain peasant’s clothing, she pulled her long hair back into a simple braid. Nothing about their appearance or possessions was to resemble Malyndor. Instead, Alec and Isabelle were to pose as Rhordackian commoners traveling to Woodcrest. Since they would be walking once they reached the outskirts of the village, the sorceress chose to wear breeches in place of a dress, as many poorer farmers did. Tying a simple sword on his belt, Alec materialized by her side.

  “Here,” he said handing her a knife. “Keep this on you.”

  Isabelle tentatively to
ok the weapon from him. Here we go. Taking a deep breath, she started to turn away.

  “Isabelle.”

  She stopped and spun towards him. Looking at the warrior’s outstretched hand, she frowned.

  “Your ring,” Alec clarified softly.

  “What?”

  “It’s a sign of the Emerald Sages. It would give us away.”

  Only then did Isabelle notice he wasn’t wearing his. “But what if we need to escape and prove who we are? Our horses are staying here, and Jorrin’s men won’t be coming for us for two days. Have you thought this through?”

  “We need stealth and a horse makes too much noise. This is what you volunteered for, Isabelle. I told you it was going to be dangerous.” Alec lowered his hand. “I won’t make you come.”

  As he was about to move away, Isabelle’s hand shot out to grab his sleeve. “No! No, I’m your partner. I swore I’d watch your back.”

  At the time when Isabelle volunteered, she hadn’t thought about the risks. She wanted to be with Alec. They were partners and for some reason, she felt protective of him. She recalled the conversation she overheard between Malcolm and Kalvin.

  ‘He is destined for greater things than we can imagine,’ the headmaster had said.

  Isabelle might not be as powerful as him, but she could still help. The golden blonde dropped her gaze to the metal adorning her hand. Isabelle just earned the precious item. However, Alec was right. She couldn’t risk their lives over a ring. Moving in slow motion, Isabelle slid the jewelry from her finger. Twirling it gently, she reached out to place it in his palm.

  “You will get this back,” Alec promised, holding Isabelle’s gaze for a second prior to meeting up with Jorrin.

  Leading the man off to the side, he discreetly gave him their rings along with a purse of coins.

  “For the horses, with my thanks.”

  The elder man’s eyes shimmered gratefully.

  “If you don’t return, I’ll send men to Marcia immediately and inform Lord Kegan of your situation.”

  Alec nodded. “If the worst comes to pass, give him these rings. He will know you speak the truth.”