The Endonshan Chronicles Book 1: DragonBond Read online

The Endonshan Chronicles Book 1

  DragonBond

  By Cy Bishop

  Copyright 2016 Cy Bishop

  With special thanks to:

  My patient family, Google, and Jessica Dodson for the fantastic cover

  Table of Contents

  Start of book

  Pronunciation Guide and Glossary

  About the Author

  352 years before The Division

  Chapter 1

  My legs ached as I crested the hill, dark clouds making ominous rumbles above my head. I paused a moment to survey the valley below. The tip of my bow smacked against my thigh as I stopped, and I had to readjust its position and resist the temptation to throw it off and leave it to rot on the side of the road. It was mostly just for looks. Anyone looking to stir up trouble with travelers on the main road was less likely to harass a solitary Elf woman if it looked like she might be able to defend herself. Still, if any trouble did arise, I’d be reaching for the sword hidden under my pack, not the bow.

  But appearances mattered, and a fight deflected is better than a fight won. I sighed, settled my bow in place, and returned my focus to scouting the valley for tonight’s resting place. The trees thickened into a forest further down the hill, all but obscuring parts of the road which only remained clear of the underbrush due to regular travel. From my position, I could see a village nestled at the foot of the hill in a cleared section on the south side of the road. It was shockingly tiny for a settlement along the main road. Further in the distance, I could see smoke rising as a friendly sign of a larger settlement another hour’s travel away.

  Another rumble preceded a cold gust, making me pull my cloak tighter around my body. It was later than I would have liked to still be on the road, especially with the threatening weather. I ignored renewed complaints from my legs and proceeded down the hill. One of those two settlements was sure to have an inn. Hopefully the closer one.

  I slowed as I neared the village and got a better look. Three buildings rested along the road, with a larger covered area behind them forming the village center, a community gathering space. Smaller buildings circled that covered area, most likely homes. The buildings along the road would be businesses, and now I could see the symbols neatly fixed to the doors indicating first a healer, then a smithy, and lastly an inn.

  The symbols made me rethink my choice. Only the most traditional Elves still used those as indicators of services. The rest had adopted the more common hanging signs used elsewhere along the road. I had no problems with tradition as a rule, but without knowing if the village was Traditional or Sectarian, it could be dangerous for me, a woman traveling alone, to stop there. A Traditional village would find it abnormal, but would still treat me as it treated all women, as a valuable treasure to be honored and protected. A Sectarian village, on the other hand, saw women as little more than slaves, lesser beings designed to serve and tend to the men. Walking into such a village without a proper guardian was ill-advised.

  Better to avoid the risk entirely, especially when I knew a larger settlement was within reach. Larger meant more likely to follow modern customs. It might not even be an Elf settlement at all. That would keep things simpler. I kept my eyes forward and continued on. I wasn’t looking forward to walking another hour, but it was for the best.

  The clouds chose that moment to give up their burden. I instinctively ducked my head as heavy raindrops pelted down, the wind blowing them directly into my face.

  It wouldn’t hurt to at least step inside the inn and see, I quickly decided with a reverse of direction. If it turned into a bad situation, I would simply leave. I ducked into the building and shoved the door closed behind me, blocking out the frozen wind in exchange for the comforting heat of the firepit in the middle of the room.

  Four men sat together at one of the long tables on this side of the firepit, looking up from their interrupted discussion. On the other side of the firepit, two boys and a smaller girl stared at me from their work in the kitchen.

  “How is that soup coming?” a woman asked, brushing past the children to approach me. They immediately returned to work.

  The woman smiled and spread her hands in greeting. “Good evening, raisa. Welcome to Emsha and our inn. Come in and dry off.”

  “Thank you,” I said. I took another step in, deliberately taking it slowly until I had a better gauge on the men’s reaction. They were all watching the door behind me, waiting for my guardian to follow me in.

  The woman politely dipped her head toward the men. “Pardon the disruption, tabe-me, but we have a guest to attend to.” Her voice rolled smoothly over the endearment form of the male honorific.

  The darker-skinned man quickly stood. “Of course, raisa-me.” He turned to me. “May I offer you tea, raisa?”

  “We would both enjoy a cup of tea. It’s just the thing on a day like today,” the woman said, sitting at the nearest table and gesturing for me to join her.

  I immediately relaxed. It was Traditional. I would be safe here for the night. “Thank you,” I repeated, taking off my wet cloak and hanging it on one of the provided pegs on the wall. Thankfully I’d coated it recently, or it would have soaked right through. As it was, I still left a trail of water droplets on the floor as I crossed to join the woman and set my pack and bow down on the floor beside me.

  She beamed at me. “I’m Tarvia, and this is my husband Thone. Our children, Luka, Kaisal, and Fasha.” The boys gave quick, practiced bows at the introduction and then returned to their work. The girl curtsied, but lingered, staring at my bow.

  “It is an honor to meet you all. If it pleases you, my name is Alita,” I said. Perhaps a bit more formal than necessary for an innkeeper’s family, but it never hurt to err on the side of politeness in a Traditional village. It actually surprised me how easily I fell back into the old dance of manners and polite phrasing.

  “Is that yours?” Fasha asked, pointing at the bow.

  “I’m sure it belongs to her guardian,” one of the men at the table behind me said, his voice heavy with meaning. “I trust he’ll be along soon?”

  I felt my muscles tense. Most Traditional villages understood by now that not all women traveled with a guardian, whether Elf or otherwise. Thone and Tarvia’s interactions made it clear enough this wasn’t a Sectarian village—no Sectarian Elf man would let his woman give him directions, no matter how subtle and respectfully put—but perhaps I’d made an error in assuming a Traditional village would accept my position in life.

  “I’m sure he’s on his way,” Tarvia supplied. “Fasha, get your space cleaned up.”

  “Yes, Maman,” she sighed, still looking at me over her shoulder as she took her time returning to the kitchen.

  It would be easy to lie and say my guardian was detained, but that wasn’t me. “I must beg your pardon, tabe-ro,” I said, deliberately using the elevated honorific for bonus manner points.

  “Speak as you need,” Thone said, looking a bit pleased at my wording.

  “I am sorry to tell you that I do not travel with a man.” Sorry to tell them, yes. Sorry to not travel with a man, no. “I am not married, and my family…” An unexpected catch hit my throat. I took a slow breath. “My family is no longer with me.”

  The man who had spoken earlier looked even more displeased now, but Thone merely said, “We understand that some people are unable to hold to the old ways. You are welcome to rest here as long as you need.”

  The sour man stood and wandered closer, eying me from under bushy brows. “One might wonder what a guardian-less woman is doing with such a fine bow.”

  “Erret,” Thone said, warning in his voice.

  I merely smiled. “I hunt.” There were limited acceptable tasks for Elf women in Traditional villages, and hunting was borderline. But if they were willing to accept me being without a guardian, they should accept that as explanation enough.

  Erret’s frown deepened.

  Thone spoke before the other man could. “Forgive me, my friends, but I must see to my duties. We will continue our discussion another time.”

  “Of course.” A wiry man lightly tugged at Erret’s arm. “Maker watch you, tabe-ro, raisa-ro.” The other men echoed the farewell and left, though Erret did so with greater reluctance.

  I glanced from Thone to Tarvia, suddenly grateful I’d chosen to err on the side of politeness. They weren’t just innkeepers; the villager’s use of the elevated honorific meant that these two were the leaders of the village. “Forgive me. I don’t intend to cause trouble.”

  “There’s no trouble.” Tarvia accepted a steaming mug from her husband and smiled at him as he placed another in front of me. “We see many different types of people along this road. Not all hold to our traditions the way we do.”

  Thone kissed the top of his wife’s head and sat beside her, sliding one hand into hers and taking a sip from his own mug with his other hand. “If I may ask, what brings you here, raisa?”

  “The storm, I confess. It caught me as I was passing.”

  He nodded. “We see many travelers pass by, but few stop.”

  Thoughts raced through my head, namely among them being that if they used the more common way of advertising their services, they might see more business, but I knew it wasn’t my place to say such things to the village leader. I sipped my tea instead and felt the warmth spread through my body.

  “You said you hunt?” At my nod, he continued.
“Is that your trade, then?”

  “Less a trade and more of a way to care for my needs. Meat to eat, fur to trade.” It was true enough, though it wasn’t my bow that felled the animals. No reason for them to know such details.

  “You have furs to trade? We may have some who would be happy to discuss a deal with you. Fats as well, if you have them.”

  Tarvia adjusted her hand in his and gave it a squeeze. His dark skin, nearly matching mine in tone, looked all the darker in contrast against her light hand. “I’m sure that our guest is tired at this late hour and may not wish to address matters of business, tabe-me.”

  Thone looked slightly embarrassed. “My apologies.”

  “It’s fine,” I said. “I will thank you for a comfortable bed, but I’ll be glad to barter tomorrow, if there are some who would be interested.” I paused. “I may go out in the morning, briefly, but I’ll be back before long.”

  “I’ll see who might be interested in trading before you return, then.” Thone drained his mug. “As for the comfortable bed, a night’s stay with evening and morning meals will be two regals.”

  I nearly choked on my tea.

  “But we can go to one regal with some trade supplies if needed,” Tarvia quickly supplied.

  I shook my head. “No, two regals is fine.” They’d misunderstood my reaction entirely. I’d never seen such a nice, well-kept inn along the main road charge so low. I’d even been to rathole taverns well off the beaten path that charged five regals, and you had to sleep with one eye open to avoid getting robbed blind.

  “It’s more than reasonable,” I continued. I wanted to say more, but again, it wasn’t exactly my place. I hoped they might pick up on the hint in my statement and press for details, giving me permission to correct their business practices, but neither seemed to notice.

  Tarvia smiled. “It’s settled, then. Relax, child. We’ll do whatever we need to help you feel at home.”

  I almost laughed out loud at being called a child, but managed to hide it with a gracious smile and dip of my head. At thirty-seven, I was considered well into adulthood in any other place I stopped. Some might even consider me to be approaching old age. But this was a Traditional Elf village. I wasn’t yet forty, so I was still, for all intents and purposes, a child.

  I dried off quickly sitting beside the fire and eating the hearty soup served by a shy and giggling Fasha, then retreated to my room for the night. It was cozy but far superior to most places I had stayed. Especially considering that last night’s lodging was the back end of a cave. I nestled down under the blankets and was asleep in no time.

  The earliest rays of morning woke me, promising much nicer weather than the evening before. I prepared for the day as quietly as possible and slid my bow and quiver on my back. The pack could remain in the room; I trusted these people to be too honorable to rummage through a guest’s belongings. And I wouldn’t be gone long enough for there to be trouble requiring my sword.

  I slipped out into the main room to find Thone, Erret, and the wiry man turning to greet me.

  “Good morning, raisa,” Thone said. “I trust you slept well?”

  “Your accommodations are most comfortable,” I said, trying to regain my composure. I hadn’t quite expected anyone else to be there so early.

  “Since you have no guardian, I thought it best to ask Erret and Rik to accompany you into the forest for your hunt.” Thone lifted a hand before I could figure out the polite way to voice my protest. “I understand that you are likely accustomed to hunting alone, but there are dangers in these forests which you may not be used to. I would feel responsible if harm came to you.”

  Great. I had no answer to that one, no reasonable way to insist against the escort. I was stuck with these men, which meant I had to abandon my original plan for the morning. It might even mean I’d have to actually hunt. How long had it been since I last fired my bow? I couldn’t remember. I couldn’t exactly back out and pretend I hadn’t been planning on hunting, either. Not with the bow so obviously on my back.

  At least the smaller man, Rik, looked pleasant enough. Erret looked about as pleasant as he had behaved the night before.

  “Would you care for something to eat before we leave, raisa?” Rik asked.

  “Thank you, but I’ll eat when we return,” I said. With any hope, hunger would force us to return before we found anything.

  “Then let’s get on,” Erret grunted, picking up his own bow and striding to the door.

  Rik politely dipped his head and gestured for me to precede him.

  I hoped my smile looked mannerly rather than forced.

  We entered the forest directly across the road, the underbrush a bit thinner so near the main travel route but the broad tree roots more than making up for it. I was grateful that the men seemed as interested in silence as I was. I kept my eyes on our surroundings, watching for any little signs of movement. At least I was still practiced in that.

  We walked for nearly an hour with no signs of game. Enough time had passed to make a reasonable retreat. “Perhaps today is not my day,” I said quietly. “Thank you for accompanying me, but it seems returning to Emsha may be the best choice.”

  “Good,” Erret grunted, turning.

  “Game is thin here,” Rik said. “But we may find more if we go a bit further.”

  “Not too much further,” Erret said, shooting him a look from under those bushy brows.

  “Of course not. But we’re well within…” Rik glanced at me. “Well within our rightful territory.”

  It was sweet, Rik being willing to go further for my hunt, but I was ready to be done. “Thank you, but I think it’s best that we turn back. I do not wish to delay my travels. But again, I—”

  Movement caught my eye, interrupting my statement. Tawny brown fur moving at a casual pace through the trees just ahead. Exactly what we’d been looking for and what I’d partially hoped not to find.

  The men caught my pause and glanced the direction I’d been looking, falling silent at the sight of the lithe rekin. Good meat, soft fur, strong leathers—just what any hunter should be looking for. Rik gave me a little nod to go ahead.

  I moved slowly, taking my bow and preparing an arrow, my mind once again trying to remind me that it had been far too long since I’d actually used such instruments. An Elf woman traveling alone and hunting for trade was hard enough for these Traditionalists to swallow. An Elf woman traveling along and hunting for trade who couldn’t make a shot like this would be even harder for them to believe.

  I drew in a slow breath at the same pace I drew the bowstring. Found my aim. Prayed to the Maker that my skills hadn’t grown too rusty over the years. Released the string.

  The rekin fell.

  Rik smiled. “Perfect shot.”

  My smile was more of relief than triumph. Either I was very lucky or the skill had, like the polite dance of Elf society, lain dormant but undamaged by time in my mind.

  “Satisfied?” Erret asked. “Or do you require more game, and so we must continue this pretense that we accept this sort of behavior out of a woman?”

  Rik gave him a harsh frown.

  I didn’t break my smile. “I have found your pretense most satisfactory, tabe-ro. Rest assured it is quite over now. As I said, I do not wish to delay my travels.” I headed toward my prize, ignoring whatever response he might have. Perhaps my words had been a bit more sarcastic than necessary, but I wasn’t concerned. I actually felt much like he did. The pretense was over, and I could move on.

  Three Elf men reached the rekin at the same time we did. The largest one stepped forward. “Good morning, friends.”

  A hand caught my arm. Rik stepped forward, lightly pushing me just behind him. Erret stood at Rik’s side. Neither touched their weapons, but I could see how tense they’d become.

  “I would wonder,” the large one continued, “what you folk from Emsha might be doing in our territory.”

  “I’m afraid you are mistaken, tabe-ro,” Rik said. His tone was submissive, overly polite, though his posture remained upright and stiff. “Krenish hunting territory begins another fifty paces from here.”

  “Is that so?” It didn’t sound like the man was looking for an answer. He glanced back at the other two, then eyed the rekin. “This is an excellent shot. Who made it?”

  Rik and Erret looked at each other. Neither spoke.

  I stepped around Rik’s side. “I did.”

  All eyes fixed on me.

  “You?” the leader asked, raising an eyebrow.

  “She is just a traveler,” Rik interjected. “We were merely providing temporary guardianship. She is not a member of our village.”

  The leader ignored him, sizing me up. “Come here. Who are you?”

  I stepped forward and politely dipped my head. “As he said, I am merely a traveler. If it pleases you, my name is Alita.”

  I caught a flicker of motion and looked up too late. His fist slammed into my jaw, knocking me off my feet. Bursts of light exploded in my eyes as my head crashed into something solid on the ground. My heartbeat pounded in my ears as my senses fought to restore order.

  My hearing cleared enough to hear Erret shouting something about laying a hand on a lady. Rik crouched beside me, one hand on my shoulder, but his focus remained on the three strangers, his other hand on his sword. Erret’s own weapon was drawn, his tan face a shade redder as he shouted at the other men.

  The leader’s eyes narrowed. “Do you intend to challenge me, pest? Have you forgotten what happens when your people stir up trouble?”

  Rik stood and pushed Erret’s sword hand down. “We did nothing wrong. We were well within our hunting territory. And the lady is not a member of our village, so your rules do not apply to her.”

  “That’s exactly what will spare Emsha from suffering our wrath. There would be dire consequences if she had been part of your pathetic little village and shot a rekin in our part of the forest.” The leader paused, glaring at Erret and Rik. I could barely hear his next words over my heartbeat still drumming in my ears. “Unless someone feels the need to disagree and interfere with our business.”

  Erret bristled, but reluctantly sheathed his sword. Rik looked at me with a pained, almost apologetic expression.

  I tried to get up, but my body wouldn’t cooperate. Everything was too fuzzy still, too muddled, and that blasted pulse in my ears seemed to only be getting louder.

  The leader stepped forward and set an arrow on his bow, aiming it squarely at my chest. “This area of the forest belongs to the city of Krenish. Hunting here is punishable by death.” He drew back the string. “Pity you chose to rely on these cowards as your guardians.”

  Of all the times to be without my sword. I struggled to move, but my body was still trapped in the haze of pain that wracked my head. My heart thundered in my ears all the louder.

  Then I realized why the heartbeat seemed so loud.

  It wasn’t mine.

  “No!” I managed to gasp.

  The man laughed. His thumb caressed the end of the arrow in preparation to release.

  And then he was flying through the air, his scream echoing behind him. The arrow bounced off a nearby tree with a dull thump.

  A massive, scaled hand with long talons at the ends of its three fingers shook the ground as it planted beside me. I heard the other men shouting in alarm as the rest of the dragon followed, a huge, purple-hued head lowering down and exhaling blasts of hot steam in their direction.

  Which one hit you?

  I drew in a slow breath, still trying to regain control of my limbs. The one you already knocked halfway across the forest.

  Oh, good. I’m sure he won’t be too hard to find. She crouched in preparation to leap into the air. I’m going to roast him whole and paint a mural with the ashes.

  The world shifted around me. I was losing my grip on reality. Axen…

  She paused, almost looking abashed. Right. Sorry.

  I dimly saw a scaled finger hovering above me, the ridged edges of each scale which stood out prominently in other areas softened and worn down. A flood of energy rushed through my body, jolting my system so sharply that I gasped and bolted upright. It wasn’t quite a healing energy, not like healers use, but it would help the mending process begin and keep me standing for a time, at least.

  Seeing and hearing clearly once more, I took in my surroundings. The remaining two strangers stood to one side, looking outright terrified. They had their weapons drawn and aimed at Axen, but even they could see how pitiful their tiny swords looked against her massive figure, her head easily larger than all of us combined. Erret and Rik stood to the other side, both looking confused and frightened. They kept a careful distance from both the dragon and from the other men.

  Rik saw my look and gestured frantically. “We’ll distract the beast,” he whispered loudly. “You run!”

  I had to resist laughing at his misguided, though sweet, bravery. Instead, I turned to face the other men. “There appears to be a misunderstanding. These men are not my guardians.” I put a hand on Axen’s cheek. “This is my guardian. If you have a problem with me, you’ll have to take it up with her.”