Free Legends of the Dragonrealm: Shade by Richard A. Knaak

that.” Still, Erini nodded. Either one of them would have given their life for their daughter and son. Frowning, she asked, “How long before you march, then?”
    “The drakes are on the move from the Fire Lakes. The Red Dragon seeks to catch Penacles while it battles with Black in the southwest.”
    His comment caused a stirring among his guard. Someone muttered a curse at the drake lord.
    “He would never have been so forward if not for Black’s influence,” the queen replied, scowling. “Red lacks the confidence. Black must have promised him much.”
    “He did. He promised him Talak and everything in between, no doubt.”
    Thunder roiled. The nearby mountains attracted an unusual number of storms, believed by most to be due to the ancient magics said to permeate them. After all, the greatest of those peaks, Kivan Grath, was also the citadel of the Dragon Emperor, who had remained stubbornly silent on the subject of war despite missives from Melicard.
    “Best to get inside, milord,” the captain of the guard said as the wind picked up.
    Nodding, Melicard handed the reins to a waiting attendant. The queen placed a hand on his arm and the pair entered the palace.
    Dismissing all but two of his guards, Melicard led his queen up the grand stairway to the royal family’s personal quarters. From far to theright, he heard the faint sounds of Lynnette’s gentle playing. She had become quite proficient and Melicard loved to watch her enthusiasm when she performed before audiences.
    As they reached the second floor, the king peered to the left, where a pair of sentries stood stern guard over a thick wooden door leading to the chambers of the heir to Talak’s throne.
    “Does Rennek sleep well?” he quietly asked.
    “Sleeps well and safely,” Erini said. “Two men outside and two men inside. I’ve also seen to it that the windows are bespelled. No creature may enter and live.”
    Melicard nodded to the two sentries, then turned back to his wife. “So glad to hear.”
    His eyes widened. The king tore free of Erini, drew his sword, and whirled back to his son’s bedchamber.
    “Melicard!” the queen cried out. “What are you doing?”
    “See to Lynnette!” He had neither time nor breath to answer more. His entire focus was on Rennek’s room. Even despite the king charging toward them, the two sentries made no move, did not even change expression.
    Melicard barreled into them, sending both men sprawling. They fell as if marionettes cut free from their strings.
    He crashed against the door, muscle and armor forcing the last barrier to snap free and tumble inside. Ignoring the shock to his body, Melicard surged inside.
    His one good eye took in the horrifying scene. The two guards inside already lay sprawled, their bodies shriveled, cadaverous. They had perished violently, yet no sound had evidently reached ears beyond the door nor had anyone noted the spell cast over the men in the hall.
    But more terrible than the deaths of two, possibly four, brave men was the image of the prince in bed . . . and the monster looming over him.
    It spun to face the king, hissing and flapping its webbed wings. Melicard thought it resembled nothing less than a gigantic bat that hadattempted to take human form. Standing straight, it would have towered over the tall king, and even though permanently crouched over, it came to his chest.
    The fiend leapt at the king. The wings ended in sharp claws that sought to rend through the armor. The mouth was filled with pointed teeth as long as his palm. The eyes were without pupils and as white as death. The skin was barely darker, seeming more the pale ivory of a bleached bone.
    As it fell upon Melicard, the lord of Talak was assailed by a stench that reminded him of the dead rotting on the battlefield. He stifled the urge to throw up, aware that if he hesitated one second, then he would join the guards.
    Melicard brought up the sword. The blade slashed across the horror’s chest, but no