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- Herausgeber: Dragonfire Press
- Kategorie: Fantasy und Science-Fiction
- Serie: Bound by Blood
- Sprache: Englisch
- Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2024
She will forge her own destiny.
Under the guidance of the elder dragon Kokoro, Kai must master her newfound abilities and train with her dragon to strengthen their connection.
As Kai’s strength grows, so does the shadow of her sister, whose dark ambitions will destroy everything she holds dear.
With the fate of the empire hanging in the balance, Kai must decide: will blood ties define her destiny, or will she become the protector her world desperately needs?
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Acolyte
Bound by Blood Book 2
Richard Fierce
Copyright © 2024 by Richard Fierce
All rights reserved.
This is a work of fiction. All events portrayed in this book are fictitious, and any resemblance to real people or events is purely coincidental. All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form without the express permission of the publisher.
Cover by Covers by Christian
Contents
Kai walked in the shadows of the great statues that loomed around the temple courtyard—dragons with furled wings and riders whose eyes were fixed on the horizon, seeing things that were lost to time. A gust of wind stirred the dust on the cobblestones, carrying with it the faint scent of smoke.
Ahead, Liu waited for her. His posture was relaxed but alert, and his sword hung loosely in his hand, the blade glinting in the early morning light of the sun. Kai could see the calmness in his eyes, the patience of a warrior who had seen countless battles. She drew her blade, and the metal sang as it came free of the scabbard, the sound sharp and clear in the stillness.
“Ready?” Liu asked. His tone was soft, but there was a hint of something more, an edge that told her this would not be an easy session. Kai nodded, mirroring his stance.
He moved first, a swift, fluid motion that brought his sword arcing toward her with precision. Kai met the strike with her own blade, the clash of metal ringing out through the courtyard. The impact reverberated up Kai’s arm, but she held firm, pushing back against Liu’s strength.
They moved in a dance of steel, each strike and parry a show of skill. Liu was faster, more experienced, but Kai had her owns strengths. She was learning to anticipate his moves, to read the subtle shifts in his stance that signaled his next attack.
“Very good,” Liu said. “Don’t just react. Think ahead. Where will my next strike come from?”
Kai tightened her grip on the hilt of her sword. She saw the flicker in Liu’s eyes, the slight shift of his weight, and she moved, bringing her sword up to block his next strike. Their blades locked, and for a moment, they were face to face.
“Better, but you’re still focusing on defense. Take the initiative.” Liu pushed her back with a forceful shove.
Kai took a deep breath, forcing her anger down. She shifted her position, her eyes searching for an opening. Liu was right. She was too reactive, too cautious. She needed to take control, to direct the pace of the fight. Feigning a strike to Liu’s left, he moved to block her, but she shifted her weight, bringing her blade around in a sweeping arc toward his right. Liu’s eyes widened slightly in surprise, but he recovered quickly, parrying the blow.
“You’re learning well,” he said with approval.
Kai didn’t let the compliment distract her. She pressed the attack, her strikes coming faster, more aggressively. Liu’s blade met each one, but Kai could see she was pushing him now, forcing him to adjust.
They moved across the courtyard, their swords flashing, the clang of metal resonating off the temple. Kai could feel the strain in her muscles, the burn of exertion, but she pushed through it, driven by the desire to prove herself.
Liu’s expression remained unreadable, but there was something in his eyes—pride, perhaps, or respect. It was hard to tell, but it gave her the strength to keep going, to push herself even harder.
Finally, Liu stepped back, lowering his blade. Kai hesitated, her chest heaving with exertion, but she lowered her blade as well, sensing the sparring session had come to an end.
“You’re improving,” Liu said. “But remember, Drakka are formidable enemies, and strength alone won’t win you battles. They will outmatch you every time. You need to outsmart and outmaneuver your opponent. Above all, trust your instincts.”
Kai nodded, wiping the sweat from her brow with the back of her right hand. She knew he was right. There was still so much to learn, but each session with him brought her closer to mastering the skills she needed to be Sworn. With Liu teaching her to fight, and Kokoro guiding her in the strengthening of her bond, she knew she would be ready when the time came.
Sensing a shift in the air, Kai turned to see Kokoro. She walked with measured steps and joined them. Liu bowed his head in respect and stepped away. Although Kokoro took the form of a human, Kai couldn’t deny her presence was undeniably draconic, and the power she radiated was palpable.
“I see your improvement with each day,” she said, nodding at Kai’s sword.
“This is easy to navigate,” Kai replied. “The bond less so.”
“The bond is like a muscle. The more you exercise it, the stronger it becomes. Have you heard her voice yet?”
“No, but I’ve felt something. Emotions that aren’t mine, but they’re fleeting. I haven’t been able to truly hear her thoughts.”
“That is the beginning,” Kokoro said, her tone reassuring. “The bond is still fresh, but you have already progressed further than I expected. It won’t be long now before she speaks to you. Go bathe yourself and meet me here when you are done.”
Kai sheathed her blade and bowed her head, then entered the temple and went to the bathing chamber. The warm water cleansed her body, but her mind was consumed with thoughts of her dragon. If Kokoro was right, she would hear her dragon’s voice any day now. Still, doubts lingered. After spending her entire life not hearing the dragon that had originally chosen her, it was hard to believe that her experience now would be any different.
She emerged from the bath feeling refreshed. After drying and clothing herself, she returned to the courtyard where Kokoro waited. Kai’s dragon was there, too, and her golden scales shimmered in the sunlight. With each breath, puffs of steam escaped her nostrils, curling and dissipating into the morning air.
“Today we are going to try something different,” Kokoro said. “Close your eyes.”
Kai obeyed, and she traced her fingers along the material of her pants, searching for a seam to run under her nails.
“Stop that,” Kokoro said. “Quiet your mind and focus on your connection to your dragon. Do not force it. Let it come to you naturally.”
Kai inhaled a deep breath and pushed all her thoughts aside. She imagined her bond as a thread of light, gold like her dragon’s scales. It pulsed with life and energy. For a long moment, there was nothing but silence.
Then, she felt it—a gentle nudge at the edge of her consciousness, like a whisper carried on the wind. It was faint, almost imperceptible, but it was there. Kai’s heart quickened as her dragon chirruped, but she forced herself to stay calm.
There was no voice, but there was a presence. A feeling washed over her, more powerful than any spoken language. Kai’s breath caught in her throat. She’d not felt her dragon’s spirit so clearly before. It was as though a door had been opened between them, allowing them to step into a place where their thoughts could meet.
Kai reached out hesitantly. The response came almost immediately, a wave of warmth that filled her with a sense of peace. She felt the true essence of her dragon; noble, fierce, strong. A rush of raw emotions flooded her mind—pride, love, determination—all amplified by the bond. It was overwhelming, but it was also beautiful. An unspoken word came to her, and she slowly opened her eyes to see Kokoro watching her intently.
“My dragon’s name is Hikari.”
Hikari.
It meant light, which Kai found fitting considering how her scales seemed to glow.
“A beautiful name,” Kokoro said, glancing at the dragon. “Your connection is growing stronger, but it is still a fragile thing. To forge it into something unbreakable, you must face trials that challenge each of you, both physically and mentally.”
“What sort of challenges?”
Kokoro’s eyes turned skyward for a moment before settling back on Kai. “The skies are the domain of dragons. To truly understand Hikari, to trust in your bond, you must take to the air together. You must learn to fly as one.”
The words sent a jolt of fear through Kai’s chest. Flying, something she had always admired from the ground, was frightening. She had flown on the back of Siran’s dragon to come to the temple, but that was a dragon with years of experience riding the skies. Hikari was practically a hatchling.
“I sense your fear,” Kokoro said. “It is a natural response for humans, but it is one you must master.”
“What if I can’t… what if I fall?”
“You are not alone in this. Hikari will be with you. You will need to trust in her just as she will need to trust in you.”
Kai felt a steadying presence wrap around her mind. Hikari’s confidence flowed into her, pushing the fear aside. Kai nodded, inhaling a deep breath.
“I will guide you through this,” Kokoro said.
Hikari lowered her massive body to the ground to allow Kai to climb onto her back. With trembling hands, Kai approached, running her fingers over the dragon’s smooth scales. She could feel the dragon’s strength beneath her touch, a living, breathing force of nature that she was now linked to. Kai hoisted herself onto Hikari’s back and settled into place at the base of her neck, just ahead of her shoulders.
The fear was still present, but it was overshadowed by Hikari’s confidence. The dragon spread her wings wide, their span casting shadows on the cobblestones. With a powerful beat, she lifted off the ground, and Kai watched the earth fall away from her. For a brief moment, panic made her stomach twist, but it was quickly smothered by the exhilaration that surged through her as they soared higher into the sky.
The wind whipped, tugging at her clothes and hair, but she barely noticed. Her entire being was focused on the sensation of flight—the rhythm of Hikari’s wings, the rise and fall of their movements, the way the world below grew smaller and smaller until it was nothing but a patchwork of green and brown.
Kai’s heart raced, but not from fear. The sky stretched out before them, an open expanse of possibility, and for the first time, she felt a sense of freedom she had never experienced before. She couldn’t help but laugh. Focusing her thoughts on the bond, she sent words through it.
This is amazing. I never thought I could feel like this.
The bond hummed with harmony, and Kai knew that Hikari shared her feelings.
The world around them blurred as they entered the clouds, but they parted to reveal the vast blue above. Tears pricked at Kai’s eyes, both from the sting of the cold and the pure, unfiltered emotions she felt. This was what it meant to be bonded to a dragon, to share not only thoughts and feelings, but experiences, to face the unknown together.
An unfamiliar voice touched Kai’s mind, but she soon realized it was Kokoro.
It is easy to fly in clear skies, but you must be prepared for the worst. Look southeast, toward the mountains.
Kai turned her head, and her eyes widened. Dark clouds swirled ominously, and lightning flickered within them, casting brief, jagged illuminations across the mountain peaks.
I see a storm, Kai said.
The bond is tempered with adversity. Fly through the storm.
The thought of flying into such dangerous conditions brought her forgotten fear back to the surface.
But we’ve only just flown together for the first time. What if…
What if you succeed? What if you learn to trust in your bond even when the world around you is in chaos? This is not about mastering flight in calm skies. This is about learning to trust one another.
