“Belcher can live back there or not, but he will be alone. I’ve sent everyone else away; all of them. He’ll have to grow his own food and raise the animals, but if he does not, and dies, that cannot be my fault. He has food, shelter and glowing water.”
There were no more shouts from the barn. The one who was going to flee had calmed. Finally, there were whispers, and then a new voice called out, “You promise he won’t make us hurt anymore?”
Gareth called softer, “We know that none of this was your fault. I have arranged new homes for you, places where you will be healed, fed, and have warm beds.”
A boy of about six stepped into view, holding the broken handle of a rake or hoe ready to defend himself. “Why should we believe you?”
“Because the three of you and me are alike.” Gareth held out his empty hands to show them. “I want you to touch my mind. In there I cannot lie, as you already know.”
“You’re going to let us inside?” the boy asked as if puzzled that Gareth would allow it. While in there they could attack him.
They could try. Gareth locked and hid a portion of his mind, then reached out and invited the boy to touch his mind. Instantly Gareth felt the clumsy intrusion, the groping, and questioning, and then he felt the boy retreat.
“He’s telling the truth,” the boy said, letting the handle fall to the floor.
Two others stepped into sight. One of them said, “Belcher?”
Gareth reached out to Blackie and forwarded the image to all three boys. They exchanged looks. One fell to his knees and cried. Gareth spent the afternoon cleaning wounds and reassuring the boys all would be well as he wished he’d have kept Ann with him to help. He shared the little food he had but found a hoard inside the barn reserved for Belcher and they made a feast of it.
Gareth touched the mind of the Brother who was arriving with the troops. He’d warn the boys, but already there was a trust building between them. To the Brother, he said, “I have one more task I’d like to ask of you.”
*One may always ask, even if it is not granted.*
Just like the answers when he was a child. Gareth laughed before continuing, “I want the mountain pass closed off for a hundred years. I also want any other passes closed off. There will be three more.”
*I suggest that you ask the Sisterhood to do that. They are warriors who live in the forests and love to travel to new lands. They will embrace it, I’m sure.*
He was right. Ann might even take part. She knew where to look for the trails leading to the other civilizations out there. She might even wish to visit them. Gareth wanted that pass closed for a hundred years, he’d decided. Especially to young women who might have babies who would grow into the Sisterhood or Brotherhood. No more glowing water to drink for unsuspecting mothers would guarantee that.
And no more Belchers. The End.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR-LeRoy Clary
I have never met a dragon. Never even seen one. But wish I had. They fascinate me, so I decided to construct a mental world where they coexist with people. Most of my books are about them, and I call the people the Dragon Clan.
A book called DRAGON! started it. While similar to the Dragon Clan Series , it set up the idea of how to live and survive in a world where dragons are part of the landscape without resorting to cartoonish dragons or creatures as intelligent and conniving as people. The next hurdle was to keep the stories coming fast enough to satisfy the readers.
The book called the Blade of Lies was a finalist in an Amazon national novel writer’s contest, although under another name. It survives with humor, a medieval setting, and the idea that good guys do win. It is worth the read.
I've done a bit of everything before retiring from teaching high school math and special education. Before that I served in the US Navy, I worked in the electronics field as a technician, supervisor, and owner of a telecom business. I earned my papers as a sea captain for sailboats and motor craft, all of which gives me the background to write books about dragons.
Now that I have the time . . . I write. Every day. I'm writing about the Dragon Clan now, a series of interrelated books and characters. Each book is about them, but centers on one or two characters. They often meet each other in different books. I hope to have several more of them published soon.
AUTHOR’S NOTES
If you have any comments or suggestions—good or bad—or anything else to say, please feel free to contact me at my personal email leroy.clary@gmail.com I have responded to all emails, so far, and hope to continue that trend. I love the comments, and, at least, one future book is because of an email exchange with a fan.
Please return to Amazon Kindle where you purchased this book and leave a review, I will appreciate it. Simply scroll down to the bottom of the page where you purchased the book and fill out your review. The only way for others to learn if readers like a book are from reviews
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
Dragon! Book Two: “Revenge”
1st Edition
Copyright May 2016 LeRoy Clary
All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduce, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law
Cover Design Contributors: Aliencat/Bigstock.com and Karen Clary