The world of the Shadowlands is built on human mythology (with my own twist, of course) and there are four very important mythological beings in the Shadowlands of Britain that play a huge role in FIRST LIGHT. Today I’m continuing my series on the four main magical creatures in FIRST LIGHT with…
The Dragons
The people milling around the courtyard started to murmur, and then a few shouts rose from the castle walls and the guards began to run.
People were frozen, looking up, but every animal that had been wandering through the courtyard from the horses to the chickens had scattered, fleeing to any awning or covered alcove they could find, huddling against the walls, utterly silent in the human melee.
Carys couldn’t understand what the guards were saying, nor did she care. Something pulled her attention back to the sky. Her eyes were drawn to a thin line in the distance, a dark spot on the horizon. Her blood knew what was coming before her mind fixed it.
More shouts from the guards, then a word that was unmistakable.
“Dràgon!”
The beat of distant wings pulled her like a string plunged into her heart. She walked to the center of the courtyard, her eyes lifted to the sky as the worried murmurs of the people around her turned to cries. A woman yelled and a child ran past her, screaming for his father.
The wind grew wilder, whipping around her body, but she couldn’t seem to move. Her gaze was fixed on the shape coming closer.
A deep voice whispered in her mind.
Nêrys.
Another hawk’s cry, but this one grew from a screech into a thundering roar as the massive creature spread its wings, shadowing the courtyard as it circled overhead.
Shouts from the walls and soldiers yelling as they poured into the keep.
The creature let loose a stream of fire that heated the courtyard even from the clouds.
“No,” she whispered. “You’re scaring them.”
“Hold!” The guard who had spoken to her earlier was shouting at the archers on the walls. “Hold until we receive orders!”
The voice whispered in her mind again, a deep growl, gentle as distant thunder. Nêrys ddraig.
Carys shook her head and whispered into the wind. “Not Nêrys. My name is Carys.”
With the force of a small hurricane, the dragon winged down in ever-smaller circles and landed in the middle of the courtyard, announcing its arrival with outstretched wings and a thunderous roar that shook the castle walls.
Carys stood motionless, looking up at the magnificent creature with pebbled green flesh that shone with an iridescent light. She could see the column of red fire glowing through the skin at the beast’s throat when he raised his head.
This week is the LAST WEEK to preorder the ebook from my direct store if you’re not a Kindle buyer! You can buy direct and send it to whatever ereader you would like, including your phone, Nook, iPad, etc. But don’t delay because this is the last week before First Light goes into KindleUnlimited.
The hardcover of FIRST LIGHT will be available to order at all major retailers, but you can also order it direct from my Shopify store where it comes with exclusive stickers, bookmarks, and a signed book plate!
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