Free Dragonmaster by Karleen Bradford Page B

moved, as if they were keeping pace with him.
    One step.
    Another glance back at the sleeping dragon.
    Yet another step.
    His foot kicked something that clattered on the stone floor. The sound was so sudden and sharp that he jumped and his heart took a painful leap. He looked down. More bones. Animal bones? No, they couldn’t be. They were too big, the leg bones too long, the ribs too wide…
    Human! They were human bones and he was standing in the middle of them!
    A surge of disgust rose within him and he retched even as he leaped back in panic.
    Bruhn, the dragon’s voice whispered in his mind. And Launan. Do you remember?
    He whirled around to see Caulda watching him. Had she just been pretending to sleep? Playing with him? He began to shake.
    Remember—how could he ever forget! Bruhn had been Dahl’s friend, but he had betrayed Dahl to Launan, the instrument of the evil that sought to consume Taun. Bruhn had redeemed himself, but only by sacrificing his own life. He had plunged to his death while grappling with Launan in this very cave. Norl had watched them fall and the sight of their bodies lying on the ground where he now stood was etched into his brain.
    They fed me well, Caulda’s voice echoed in his mind, her eyes hooded. Their bodiesss…and their sssoulsss.
    “That is why you wanted me?” Norl asked, his voice a horrified whisper. “For…food?” He could barely get the word out.
    Oh, no, Norl. Not for food.
    Caulda shuddered. Her massive body rocked with a gurgling, rasping cough. For a moment it seemed as if she could not speak, then she shook her massive head and the sound of her scales rattling echoed and re-echoed in the chamber.
    Norl felt his soul shrivelling within him. The small aperture in which he cowered offered no protection from Caulda’s fire.
    Make it be quick, he thought, please, by all the gods, make it be quick!
    Caulda lowered her head until her eyes were on a level with Norl’s. Eyes that were wide open now. Immense. Bottomless. Norl could not look away, could not move. It was as if she held him hypnotized, drowning in their black depths.
    I am not going to kill you. That isss not why I brought you here.
    As Norl watched, trying to make sense of her words, Caulda writhed and twisted. She seemed to be struggling. Norl realized that the great beast was trying to get to her feet. The effort seemed almost too much for her. The faint hope that had flamed briefly in his mind rekindled. Caulda was obviously in pain. Perhaps even dying?
    But the hope fled as Caulda finally managed to stand. She swayed toward him and her tail lashed out in an effort to regain her balance. As he shrank back, Norl saw what lay beneath her. An egg! Crimson and gleaming like fresh-spilled blood, it pulsed as if it were a living, breathing entity.
    Yesss. She took a stumbling step away from the egg.
    My child, she said, a note of triumph in her words. And now that you have come, I can ressst. Finally. After all thessse hundredsss and hundredsss of yearsss.
    “I don’t understand…” Norl began.
    I will die before my child hatchesss, Caulda said. But when he doesss… She heaved a sigh, but no flame issued forth from her gaping maw, only a feeble tendril of smoke. You, Norl of Taun, she whispered with an effort, you will find food for him. You will be hisss guardian. Your magic will sussstain him.
    “No!” Norl cried.
    You will bring him food until he isss old enough to hunt for himssself.
    “But I can’t! Even if I wanted to. I have no magic!”
    You can fly. You can hunt for him.
    “You don’t understand,” Norl cried again, almost begging. “I cannot fly! I have no idea how I did it. I cannot do it again. Would I not have escaped from here if I could have?”
    When the need isss ssstrong enough, you will fly. And you will care for my ssson.
    “I will not do it,” Norl shouted. “I am to be the one who will rid Taun of dragons. I will not save your son. I will die first!”
    I think not, Caulda