The Lost Dragon
Cycle of Dragons Book 3
Dan Michaelson D.K. Holmberg
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Author’s Note
Series by Dan Michaelson
Similar Series by D.K. Holmberg
1
The power of dragons filled me. A dozen different dragons, all bound through the cycle I’d formed, and all sharing power. I was nothing more than a part of something greater.
I focused on the heat that came with that power, letting it flow through me as it filled me. Energy cycled through me so differently than most of the students at the Academy, though that power felt a part of me. If I could borrow that power long enough, I might be able to use it to help guide me through this room—which was empty, thankfully.
That didn’t slow the hammering of my heart, or keep me from glancing toward the closed door every so often. I wasn’t supposed to be here.
No one was.
This had been Jerith’s office before he had betrayed the Academy by working with Donathar to use dragons in an attack and making it appear like the Djarn were responsible. It was a large room, though the massive oak desk took up most of the space. The books that once filled the shelves had all been removed. The few sculptures he’d kept here had been claimed. Eventually, another master instructor would move into the space, but for now, it was a reminder of what had taken place.
I knew that Thomas had secured the office, but I could use the energy from the cycle of dragons to bypass those protections—doing so gave me the opportunity to slip in here and try to detect something else.
I didn’t see anything.
It wasn’t the first time that I had come here though.
I had a system: search until I detected somebody out in the hall, wait until they were gone, then leave.
There was always the possibility that one of the other master instructors within the Academy would pop in here, and if they did, I would have something to explain.
I had thought about how I could justify my presence, but it would involve claiming Jerith had been working with me more than he had. It might raise questions for anybody who was in the know about what Jerith had done and how he had betrayed the Academy—and the kingdom.
I doubted there were too many people who were aware that he’d been my mentor, and I didn’t want to risk spreading that information.
More than that, I didn’t want to risk Thomas learning that I had broken into Jerith’s office, and didn’t want to risk his anger in learning that I had tried to slip something past him.
I had already checked the desk—searched through drawers, papers, everything that I could find—but had come across nothing other than some notes on preparing different patterns. Those had been useful to me. I hadn’t known just how much power Jerith had been able to hold, having never really managed to tap into the dragon magic when I was working with him, and I was surprised.
I shouldn’t be. I knew that I shouldn’t be. I knew that it didn’t really make a difference whether I had an opportunity to study with Jerith or I stayed and worked with Thomas, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that maybe I could learn something more.
Thomas had his own technique, but now that I was connected to the cycle of dragons, I felt as if his technique might not be enough.
I heard the distant sound of voices.
I pushed the book I had been looking at back into the shelf, cursing to myself.
I’d kept the door slightly cracked and had traced a little bit of a flaming pattern along the doorway, giving me the opportunity to listen out in the hallway.
There were others there.
I hurried over.
As I poked my head out the door, I saw somebody I was not eager to see.
Slightly shorter than me, dressed regally, he stood with an arrogant posture.
Brandel.
I didn’t look forward to my next interaction with him.
Ever since I had attacked him, using my connection to the dragons to overpower him, I had avoided him. I wasn’t sure what role he had in all of this, but he had been training with Elaine. Most people believed Elaine had betrayed the kingdom by working for the Vard, but I didn’t believe that. There was something more to it, much like there was something more to Jerith.
All I had to do was find it. Find the evidence, then I could prove that the Vard weren’t responsible for the previous attacks.
I don’t know why using the Vard as scapegoats bothered me so much, but it did. Perhaps it was because of my friend and his family, and the connection I knew they possessed to the Vard. I wanted to prove to myself that they weren’t responsible for the attacks.
But it wasn’t really about proving it to myself.
I already knew the truth.
It was about proving it to Thomas. Proving it to the king.
Since the evidence of their betrayal had been destroyed—first Elaine’s, then Donathar’s and Jerith’s—there was nobody to ask.
They all assumed it was the Vard—the historical enemy of the kingdom.
“I should be testing for dragon mage soon,” I heard through the doorway. Brandel was talking to somebody, though he didn’t speak in the same way he spoke to other students. This was almost respectful.
That surprised me. Brandel didn’t even act that way with most of the instructors. He tended to sneer behind their backs, make offhand comments, and generally act like an ass around them.
“Are you prepared for the testing? It can be difficult, from what I hear. I have been using my contacts to see what they might ask during the testing, but I haven’t been able to uncover anything.”
It was a deep voice, one that I didn’t recognize, but it shared some
