The dragon's red eyes glowed with malice, its mighty wings sending gusts of wind rushing over the village with every beat. Even from my place behind a scorched wall, the heat from its fire singed the hair on my arms.

Nowhere to run. And if the attack continued, there'd soon be nowhere to hide.

A small hand tugged at my tunic, and I turned to meet Daedra's wide, blue eyes.

Her hair was a tangled mess, dark stands thrown about from our desperate dash away from the dragon, but she was blessedly unharmed.

For now. But the night was young, and if I wanted to keep her safe, I needed a plan-fast.

“Frederick, we need to get the others. The dragon hasn't attacked that side of town yet. Maybe they're still-.”

Her words broke off into a sob, and I instinctively pulled her into my side.

She was only ten. She shouldn't have to suffer like this. None of us should.

Had it really only been a few hours ago that all five of us sat around the hearth, trading stories and food? It felt like a lifetime, or some kind of dream.

I swallowed the hard knot in my throat and shoved the thought aside. It would do me no good now. I couldn't afford to break down in front of Daedra. As the eldest, I had to keep it together. Dragon or no dragon.

Putting aside the panic clawing at me like a desperate animal caught in a trap, I smiled with all the confidence I didn't feel.

“They'll be okay. You know how resourceful Collin can be. Just you wait, we'll get back home and they'll all be fine.”

Spirits above and below, please let them be fine.

Thankfully, Daedra didn't see through my mask of bravado. Her lips twitched into a tentative smile,  until she glanced at the dragon still circling overhead.

“Why isn't it going anywhere?” she whispered. “It was flying all over the place earlier…”

I hadn't noticed before-panic tends to blind you to details-but now that she pointed it out, it was strange.

The giant furnace with wings flew in lazy circles above us, those beady eyes seeming to scan the area.

Dragons were intelligent beasts. Was this one looking for someone specific?

But who in Dawncrest had pissed off a dragon?!

Daedra whimpered as her bare foot stepped on the sharp rubble and wood littering the ground.

Right, she hadn't brought her shoes when we'd left for our walk earlier. I hadn't fought her on it since she'd been on my shoulders most of the time. Now, I regretted that choice.

Kneeling, I tore the arm off my tunic and wrapped her foot, repeating the process with her other one. The coverings were rudimentary at best, but they'd do for now.

I ruffled her hair, hoping to distract her from the pain, even if only for a moment. “You're being very brave, Daedra, and I'm proud of you. I need you to keep it up until we meet up with the others, alright?”

She nodded, and I took the chance to analyze her condition.

A bar flashed above her head and, once I focused on it, the information unfolded.

Daedra

Level 1

Hit Points: 9/10

Mana: 0/0

Status: Healthy

Relief prickled along my skin, and I sighed. Good, the injury was minor enough it didn't even show on a status report.

We still had to get away from the scaly lizard in the sky, but so far, we were doing okay.

I bent low and gestured toward my back. “Hop on. Our fiery friend doesn't seem to be leaving anytime soon, so we'll take our chances running.”

If we stayed here, it was only a matter of time before that thing found us.

Dardra climbed on without complaint, her arms locking tightly around my neck as she cuddled closer. The rapid pound of her heartbeat was a balm to my frazzled nerves, and after one last glance up at the dragon, I ran from our shelter.

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

Smoke clogged the air, rising from the burning rubble around us in plumes. I took shallow breaths, thankful I'd removed my armor before the attack.

Running through the streets in full plate mail would have been hell, even without the sweltering heat pressing down on me.

I'd happily sacrifice some defense for extra stealth right now.

People ran around us, their screams shrill and ringing in my ears, but I paid them no mind. I had one objective: find the rest of my siblings.

Once I'd accomplished that, we could figure out the rest of the plan.

Just as our home came into sight- blessedly intact and free of fire damage- the dreaded screech of the dragon cut through the air.

One of the guards drew back his arrow and let it fly into the burning red sky with a shout. “It's moving again! Get as many civilians out of the buildings as possible. Evacuate!”

The arrows did nothing against the dragon. I narrowly dodged a burst of fire that careened into a nearby house, the sheer force of it sending me sprawling on the cobbled path.

Daedra’s hold broke, and she tumbled to the side with a soft cry. The sound drove a knife into my chest, protective instincts honed from years of being the eldest screaming to the surface.

I scrambled up, legs bunched to grab her and run, but something slammed down onto my back, ripping the air from my lungs.

Ash and dirt filled my mouth as I tried to look around. Whatever was pinning me kept my head pressed into the stone path, and I hissed at the heat burning my cheek.

Sounds blurred into a single mass of buzzing, and my vision went fuzzy. The weight between my shoulders increased, and my bones creaked in warning.

It was only when molten hot air brushed the back of my neck that the truth dawned on me.

The dragon had landed.

Its claws dug in, pain burning through my spine. I sucked in a breath to scream, only for the smoke to reduce it to a coughing fit instead.

Above me, the dragon laughed.

“Puny mortal, so ripe for the picking. If I hadn't enjoyed this errand so much, I'd be offended at doing such a meager task.”

It's voice was low and loud enough to reverberate through my chest. I forced my eyes open.

Red scales glinted from the nearby flames, and white teeth hovered barely a yard away. Its breath stung against my cheeks, and I shuddered, reaching desperately for the resolve not to piss myself.

I could just see Daedra from the corner of my eye, her expression slack with horror as tears carved twin paths down her cheeks.

She'd already been through too much thanks to her worthless parents. She shouldn't have to witness me getting eaten, too.

A blade of frustration and helplessness buried into my chest, but I didn't react outwardly. The dragon’s focus was on me for now, but one wrong move could change that.

I couldn't risk it turning on her.

Keeping my eyes on it, I flicked my fingers toward the house and hoped she got the message. Then, I pulled in a low breath and glared at the dragon.

“Why would someone send you here?  Dawncrest is a small village, one of the furthest from the capital. Hardly anyone bothers to stop here.”

I just needed to keep it talking a little longer. Long enough for the others to get away. My fate was sealed the second the dragon landed on me, but theirs didn't have to be.

I was going to die, but I'd do so ensuring they escaped.

Ice-cold determination buried my fear, offering the courage I needed to keep glaring at the dragon as it puffed a plume of smoke into my face.

I coughed, fighting for air as tears stung my eyes. Everything was a blur of red, orange and gray, but I could clearly see the dragon’s outline as it scoffed.

“Yes, such a dreadful errand I've been sent on. Hardly worthy of my time, but I made a deal, and that must be honored.”

It's head dipped until teeth the size of swords rested inches from my face. Scarlet blood decorated them, and I braced for the inevitable.

I hadn't bought much time, but hopefully, it would be enough.

Instead of tearing me apart, though, the dragon snarled.

“Such a pathetic morsel, cowering and braced for death under my claws. To think, you share blood with him. I was correct that he had nothing to worry about from you. Truly a waste of my evening.”

Displeasure oozed off the words and I scowled.

“What nonsense are you on about? I'm a bastard child, and my parents are long dead.”

The pressure on my back increased, and I grit my teeth as bones cracked loudly. A new wave of pain followed, but before darkness could take me-the edges of my vision already dancing with it-the dragon eased up with a low chortle.

When I could breathe again, I dragged an eye open and hissed at it. “What's so funny, you overgrown fire gecko?”

I may be going out, but I'd do it my way.

The laughter stopped short, its nostrils flared, and red eyes narrowed with anger. “Watch your tongue, human peasant. You speak to one of the last full-blooded dragons in the realm. Act like it.”

I didn't say anything further. After a tense beat of silence, the dragon continued, its tone laced with cruel amusement. “You are certainly a bastard, but your father is far from dead.”

The beast shifted, its claws hooking under my chest, rolling me over until its monstrous face hovered above mine, leaving me no choice but to look straight at it. Its foot repositioned, a claw tip now pressed dangerously over my heart. Then, its voice rumbled, deep and thunderous.

“Listen and know this before you perish, mortal. Your father is Lazuris, Nexus's rightful king, and you are nothing but a loose end that needs tying up.”

The world seemed to freeze around us as those words sank in.

The Mad King who'd plagued Nexus for decades…was my father?