Free Deadly Intentions (Blood Feud - Volume 2) by David Temrick

islands teaming with life for us to hunt on and when those
ran dry we began to hunt in The Expanse. It was around that time
that Henjis began to believe that this world was becoming, or would
become as warlike as our old home. He came to me one night and
expressed his concerns. He wanted our dragon host to subjugate the
mortals to ensure peace.
    I wouldn’t hear of it. I knew, as he did,
that the war began because we interfered in mortal affairs. Out of
fear and hatred he began to assume human form, supposedly to gather
the proof he needed to convince us of his mad plan. Eventually
though, he mated with a sorceress from Deus. We had hoped that this
meant he was done with his plan, but then the pair of them began Draconis’ Bane . Originally, the group was supposed to be a
movement designed to draw my attention to the growing number of
anti-draconic feelings that plagued magic users and the wild tribes
in the Expanse.
    Instead, when his mate found out what he
really was, she tried to assassinate him. She raised her daughter
to hate and despise dragons. Eventually Veronica Rhodes, the former
leader of The Bane, found out who her father was. She
murdered her mother in her sleep and escaped to the pirates’ cove
you found her castle built above. Out of hatred for our kind, she
altered the mission of The Bane to hunt down all dragons and
kill them before they could subjugate mankind.”
    The dragons all stirred around them, forcing
Tristan’s attention back to the present. It was then that he became
keenly aware of how personal this information was. Every dragon
here lived with this pain and shame. Their hope became their prison
and now they sought to undo the damage done.
    “For fifty years she warred against our kind.
At first she and her slayers were little more than an annoyance.
Then she began making bargains with the sorcerers, and they slew
their first batch of hatchlings. Slowly they gained in power and
influence until they slew their first adult dragon.” He nodded his
head toward Raithia.
    “Ryanite was their first real victory. Around
that time word reached me that a sorcerer had found a crystal that
could be manipulated into capturing dragon magic. I couldn’t
believe that such a gem existed.
    Around that time I had begun to assume human
form so that I could hear firsthand what the humans in my country
believed. Contrary to Henjis’ experience, the people of Vallius
held me in awe. The King hoped to convince me that he needed a
dragon councilor on his staff. I showed up at Vallious Palace one
afternoon and was rushed to an audience with the King.
    For weeks he made his case for greater
dragon/human cooperation. At that time a lady was visiting the
palace and she took a liking to me. We spent one night together
before I left. Later, I found out that she was betrothed to the
king, and also happened to be betrothed to Roger, the King of
Terum. Our child was born and sent away so as not to dishonor her.
Though she eventually returned and when the King realized he
couldn’t have children of his own, he named his nephew, Dion, his
heir.
    In the meantime The Bane secured a
piece of this fabled crystal and began to tap the power of dragons
using Ryanite as a subject. They captured him and drained his power
with the crystal. Then they slew him.” He choked.
    “We were all furious of course, by then
though; our powers had begun to diminish. Your father told you
about the natural disasters that damaged each of our patron
countries. The remaining dragons gathered here as a council. They
brought their un-hatched eggs and together we cast a spell over
them so they wouldn’t hatch without our magic to help. Bethia was
the last of our children. During that meeting I found out that
Socolis and Lesariu had also parented human children, and were
about to become grandparents as was I.” He looked at Tristan with
pride.
    “You, Mina and William were born on the same
day, though you were miles apart. We each felt your births