*Book 1 in the DragonKin series*
Vada and her siblings spend their days carving out a living in the Rystwith Mountain village of Riska. Together they live as outcasts in a small two-story hut just outside the lowland village centre, cast out due to...
Here it is, the final chapter of Dragonkin - Awakening! I hope you've all enjoyed reading this first book and that you return for the second. Thank you so much for all your support, votes and comments! I look forward to meeting you all again for a second instalment of dragonkin adventures!
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
A strange icy sensation spread slowly from the venomous sword. The cold gripped her, reaching to the very tips of her toes it seemed to swallow Vada's soul, plunging her to the depths of a dark frozen lake, lost and alone.
Numb. Stiff. Silent.
One by one her nerve endings died and with they her connection to the world, reality drifted further away with each drop of poison that dripped into her blood stream.
It was a peaceful place, the further she fell the more her pain lessened until she floated harmlessly, unaware of the events unfolding around her lifeless form.
*******************************
Breaking free of his chains, Rivik leapt to his feet as he watched his brother crumble into the arms of the dragonkin Chieftess. Madness ensued, hearts and minds enraged, but across the field his father, Chief Han'ril, stared with disappointment. Not even a glint of grief showed on his face.
The kin charged as one, their unified war cry reaching to the heavens, their elements around them in full flow. Cas led the stampede with tears flowing freely down his face.
The Junketta were divided, half stumbled forwards, throwing furtive glances to their Chief, hoping for orders. When none came they engaged in battle but were easily outmatched. The other half fell immediately to their knees, hollow eyes fixed on Bram, regret written all over their faces.
Ignoring the chaos, Rivik took off at a desperate sprint. As he ran he heard others following, glancing over his shoulder he found the young shamen Ryke, struggling to keep up with his heavy backpack, and the tall regal magi, Prince Tuari.
Bram and Vada had slipped to their knees, still locked in each others arms, their foreheads resting together. Rivick had never seen his brother look so vulnerable, he had always been a huge human shield, protecting others and giving everything to honour his promises. Like abandoning his seat as heir to the Junketta tribe to care for Diya because his little brother was too cowardly. At that thought something salty slipped between Rivick's lips, he was crying he realised. He had often cried as a child but that had quickly changed when his father had beaten him half to death for showing weakness. Bram had stepping in then too.
'Be careful!' Tuari barked as Rivik slipped his hands beneath his brothers arms to pull the couple apart. Bram's hands twitched and his grip on Vada's arms tightened. But the Chieftess made no movement at all.
'He's alive,' Rivik yelled, glaring at the magi, 'We have to help him!'
Bram's eyes flickered open slowly but he looked only at Vada, 'help her,' he croaked, blood leaking from the corner of his mouth to land on the crossed blades between them.
'It's too late!' Rivik insisted, tugging at his brothers body again. Bram was too weak to resist this time, his body began to fall back into his younger brothers arms. The swords had not cut cleanly through their targets. Peering over Bram's shoulder Rivik frowned down at the blades, 'they hesitated.'
