Free Knights of the Wizard (of Knights and Wizards Book 2) by A. J. Gallant

the top of your head.”
    “Well,” said the wizard, “I will admit that she is beautiful.”
    As they flew they saw hills and the occasional cottage, some people liked to live solitary lives, risking having to defend themselves against just about anything. They saw a small group of unfamiliar soldiers, nine in all and all on white horses; they were stopped and apparently trying to get their bearings, two of them pointing in different directions. Marcus noticed a black bear at the edge of a patch of forest, just sitting and looking. Seemed a little peculiar, perhaps a person that had been turned into a bear? The land was haphazard, with past sorcerers having transformed a lot of it, not unusual to find a patch of winter, a blizzard sitting less than a mile from the heat of a dessert.
    Marcus noticed to the west seven niiwu warriors attacking a single cottage, some taking hits from arrows being shot through the shutters, one fell dead with an arrow threw her heart, both of her heads lifting up one last time. They were throwing so many spears at the wooden door, splintering it to such a degree that they were sure to get in and once inside there would be no stopping them. Probably devour the occupants alive.
    “Ryxa look, that cottage is under attack; blast them with fire so they’ll leave that family alone!”
    Ryxa pumped her wings and then dove, as soon as she got in range she exhaled and produced great ball of fire, setting four of them on fire and killing them. The others ran, looking back and hoping they weren’t going to be pursued by the black dragon, they wouldn’t return to this area anytime soon. They knew there was no hope in besting a dragon.
    The front door opened and a skinny fellow with a bald head and a chicken bone through his nose appeared in the doorway and as he tried to close the door behind him it broke in two. “Wot’s this then? A lad flying on the back of a dragon? Why doesn’t the dragon eat yer?”
    “This is Ryxa she’s my friend.” Marcus jumped down off the dragon and could now see children peeking through the windows from inside the dwelling. A little blond haired girl waved meekly at him.
    “Yer gonna eat us then?”
    “Not going to eat anyone,” said Ryxa. “We’re hunting for a small pond that’s supposed to be nearby, with palm trees.”
    Alard pointed to the pond behind them, a ten minute walk from where they were standing. “Yer can’t see the pond from the air, magic do fool things.”
    “Oh okay.”
    Raina was sitting by the pond, tossing pebbles into it as Marcus flew in on the back of the black dragon and the look on her face was priceless. “You have a dragon? Oh my goodness she’s so beautiful.”
    Ryxa instantly liked her.
    “I don’t have a dragon,” said Marcus. “Ryxa is my friend I don’t own her. Now what was so important for me to meet you here?”
    Raina approached Marcus and stood staring into his blue eyes, making him uncomfortable being so close. “A few miles from my kingdom lives a hermit named Tavarot, an ancient one that has been around for a long long time. He’s a scholar and knows many things about many things and he might know why your magic isn’t working properly. He’s so old that he doesn’t even remember his own age.”
    Marcus laughed. “If he can’t remember his own age how do you think he’s going to help me?”
    Raina looked up at Ryxa’s huge head. “He knows lots of other things. Anyway everyone believes he’s smart so it must be true. It’s not a sign of weakness to seek help.”
    “Hello,” said Ryxa.
    “Hello.” Raina had never heard of a dragon associating with a human, perhaps dragons were attracted to wizards or maybe he had unknowingly put some sort of spell her. “Anyway it couldn’t hurt to try.”
    “I agree,” said Ryxa.
    Marcus shrugged. “I guess.”
    Raina got just a little closer. “You know I’ve never kissed a wizard.”
    “Neither have I,” said Marcus. He tried to remain calm but he