“Truly, my brother,” Kyle waved for Patrick to stand and come over to his side, “we have a serious problem.”
Patrick’s heart lifted as he stood and came over to look at the maps. A serious problem meant a real possibility to carve out his place in the world.
“Father has received reports of a black dragon plaguing a village just south of here.” Kyle pointed to a spot on his map. “Eyewitness accounts tell us that the dragon has ravaged Dunham Castle, and the lord and his family were killed during the attack.”
Concern filled Patrick’s face. This truly was a problem. The dragons had all taken oaths to remain hidden from mankind. “Have you spoken with the guardian for this area?” He tapped the symbol on the map, marking the home of the dragon charged with monitoring the region.
“No,” Kyle shook his head. “She hasn’t reported in, so I sent a messenger two days ago, but he has not returned yet.”
“Did he fly or ride?” Patrick looked at the map, calculating the distance and time it should take to reach the guardian and return. Two days should have been more than enough if he flew.
“He flew.” The note of concern was heavy in Kyle’s voice. “I fear he has run into trouble.”
“Do you want me to find the messenger?” Patrick asked. This would be an excellent first mission to test his skills.
Kyle shook his head. “No. I’ve already sent William to search for our missing man.”
Patrick nodded. If Kyle didn’t want him to go after the missing messenger, what did he want him to do?
The tone of Kyle’s voice dropped as he went on. “It’s also reported that this dragon has started stealing maidens.”
Anger flared in Patrick’s heart. “My Lord!” There was nothing else he could say. No words could carry the horror and outrage Patrick felt at this statement. Such a dragon had inspired the persecution of known dragon families long ago. Hundreds of dragons had fled for their lives as mobs burned their homes and killed any they caught. Patrick’s family had been one of the first to be captured. He had been spirited away by an old woman whom his father had once saved, but his parents had not been so lucky.
Kyle turned in his chair to face Patrick fully. “We must stop him, Patrick. I want you to take two squadrons to Dunham Castle. Secure the village, find this beast, and bring me his head.”
Patrick’s mouth fell open. This was a mission for a senior dragon, not one just out of training. “My Prince,” he protested, “surely you want someone more experienced for this task.”
A smile turned the corners of Kyle’s mouth. “I can think of no one better. Besides, as my brother, you should be more than ready for this.”
“Everyone knows that’s a farce,” Patrick scoffed. “It’s well known that I’m an orphan, and a red dragon to boot.”
Kyle gave him a disappointed look. “You were raised by our Queen Mother and carry the name Mylan. You may not be her flesh and blood, but you are her son and my brother. And I dare anyone to say otherwise in her presence.” He tapped his finger on the table, emphasizing his point.
Patrick smiled at Kyle’s protective streak. He had always been there to stand up for Patrick in times of trouble.
“You have trained for this, and there is no one more deserving of this opportunity.”
It was true. Patrick had trained harder than the other members of Eternity. He believed in the cause and truly wanted to protect dragons from the possibilities of another purge. “But, why would anyone want to go into battle under me? I’ve never led troops outside of practice.” So many of the other Elites had real-world experiences that Patrick did not.
“Ah,” Kyle nodded, seeing Patrick’s point, “but there are two sides to this coin.”
This made Patrick raise an eyebrow.
“Once the dragon is destroyed, the village of Dunham will need a new lord. You may not know much about battle, but you do have knowledge of running a keep. And if this area is as ravaged as I fear, they will need a man with your experience.”
Enlightenment crossed Patrick’s face. “And the people of the village would be more likely to accept a leader who vanquished a dragon than a man appointed by the king.”
Kyle nodded. “Better a warrior than a courtesan.”
“So who will lead the assault on the dragon?” Patrick asked. Surely, Kyle had picked out someone better than he.
That impish smile crept back across Kyle’s face. “You will. But, I’m sure Daniel will be happy to help with planning.”
A relieved sigh slipped from Patrick. Daniel was well versed in the ways of war. He would be a great asset on this mission. “Very well, My Prince,” Patrick said, accepting his assignment. “I shall not fail you in this.”
“I know you won’t, brother.” Kyle reached out and squeezed Patrick’s arm reassuringly. “Good luck.”
“What a dreadful mess.” Daniel sighed as they rode up on what was left of Dunham Castle.
A quick glance had Patrick praying the place was livable. One wall of the battlement was crushed, and the stones of the keep were scorched black. Hopefully, the walls were thick, and the timbers inside hadn’t been caught by the dragon’s fire. “At least it still stands,” he pointed out. That was always a good sign.
Daniel let out a deep sigh and nodded. “For now.”
That was the truth if Patrick had ever heard it. They were going to need to call on the king’s masons to check the stability of the structure. It would not do to move into a castle that could fall on your head at any moment.
Patrick clenched his jaw as they rode unchallenged through the open gates. The place looked deserted. That was a bad sign. The lord of the castle may be dead, but surly there should have been someone tending the keep. Looking over the bailey, he understood why there was no one here.
“Now that is a mess.” Patrick sighed. Stone from the wall littered the grounds, and all the outbuildings were in cinders. Several charred bodies lay scattered around. At least they had died quickly. “Spread out and look for survivors,” he called to the men riding in behind him. “Defend if you must, but remember, we are here to help, not conquer. Bring anyone you find to the main hall.”
An agreeing murmur sounded from the men as they dismounted to search.
Patrick slid from his horse and handed the reins to one of his men. “Let’s get this over with.” He and Daniel loosened their swords as they mounted the steps to the main keep. The door was shut but swung open when they pushed on it.
“Hello?” Patrick called into the darkness inside. The only answer was the flutter of feathers as his voice echoed eerily around the empty chamber. Everything looked to be intact, but the main hearth was cold—something rarely seen in a castle, even in the summer months.
“I don’t think anyone’s home.” Daniel pushed the second door wide to let the afternoon light in. It cut through some of the darkness but left a lot of the room in shadow.
“Let’s see what we can find,” Patrick said. They were going to need torches to explore the darkness. Fishing for the flint in his pouch, he struck it on the steel of the fire cauldron by the door. The sparks should have caught on oiled tinder, but they died in cold ash. So much for the easy way.
Daniel chuckled as he scraped some of the dried thresh from the floor and tossed it into the metal bowl. “Try it now.”
Patrick shook his head and struck the flint, again dropping sparks. This time, fire caught in the kindling. Looking around, the two men found wood and fed the flames until they glowed brightly.
“Stay where you are.”
The men froze at the sound of a young voice. Slowly, they turned to face a boy, maybe eight or ten, holding a sword that was much too large for him.