Dragon Sword: The Dragon Lord's Bride Book 2 (Dragon Shifter Romance) E-Book

Mac Flynn

• Herausgeber: Crescent Moon Studios, Inc.
• Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2024

Beschreibung

Rose and William Thorn have finished one adventure and begin another, this time in the land of the fabled elves.

Unfortunately, their arrival in the vast woods of the fair folk is greeted with less hospitality than they had hoped. A blight has fallen on the green woods of the fair elves and suspicion has fallen on all outsiders. Only Will’s old association with them keeps the pair from being thrown into the grassy pit of a dungeon.

To make matters worse, they’re not the only new arrivals. A pair of humans stumbled into the woods searching for something they won’t name. Their suspicious behavior combined with their unpolished nature landed them in the dungeons. Their warnings of danger fall on the preoccupied pointy ears of the elves who are desperate for a solution to their problem.

That solution comes in the form of a famous elf lord who arrives eager to study the blight. The elves are overjoyed but Rose finds herself mysteriously repulsed by the fair-haired newcomer.

As the troubles mount along with the tension, Rose and Will must find a way to navigate politics and suspicion to find out the truth before their shadowed foes deal with them.

Leseprobe

DRAGON SWORD

THE DRAGON LORD’S BRIDE BOOK 2

MAC FLYNN

CONTENTS

Copyright

Author’s Note

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Sneak Peek: Dragon Heir

A Small Favor

When’s the Next Book?

Series by Mac Flynn

About Mac Flynn

COPYRIGHT

Dragon Sword (The Dragon Lord’s Bride Book 2). Copyright © 2024 by Mac Flynn.

Published by Crescent Moon Studios, Inc.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, disseminated, or transmitted in any form or by any or for any use, including recording or any information storage and retrieval system, without the prior written consent of the author and/or artist. The only except ions shirt excerpts or the cover image in reviews.

This is a work of fiction. All the names, characters, organizations, places and events portrayed in this novel or on the cover are either products of the author’s or artist’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author or artist.

AUTHOR’S NOTE

Dear Reader,

Thank you so much for joining me on a journey through my imagination. If you’re looking for romance and adventure with a guaranteed Happily Ever After, then you’ve come to the right place. My books contain paranormal plotting and fantastical action, and I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoy writing them.

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You can keep in touch with me by joining my newsletter or checking out my website for the latest updates.

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Thank you for giving my book a chance, and Happy Reading!

- Mac Flynn

CHAPTERONE

I was sliding and sliding fast. Literally.

“How do we stop?” I shrieked as the green forest flew past me.

“We stop when we reach the bottom!” Will shouted back.

“What?!”

Will and I found ourselves sliding down a muddy embankment at a pace only slightly slower than the speed of light. The bottom was hidden by the greenery, the branches of which created a dark tunnel effect, blocking out all hope of light and escape. Poor Will got the worst of the trip as I was seated in his lap and his butt scraped across the hard, swig-strewn ground. My higher position, however, meant I had to duck to avoid my face being smacked by those light-blocking branches.

After a half minute of terror, I saw light at the end of the tunnel. Unfortunately, the color was a murky blue.

“Water!” I shouted one second before splash down.

We crashed into the water and quickly discovered it was well above my height. Will discovered that I wasn’t a good swimmer.

“Will!” I gasped before my head dipped below the surface.

Will’s strong arm looped around my waist and he drew me against him. He kicked us upward back to the surface and I took in some much-needed air. I clung to him as he paddled one-handed to the shore and deposited me on the grassy slope. He wasn’t long in joining me with a sloppy flop at my side.

We lay there for a long moment catching our breath and trying to gather our thoughts. There was only one thought in my head, however.

I parted my soggy strands of hair from my face and gave Will a pleading look. “Is there an easier way to the elf kingdom?”

He shook his head. “I’m afraid not. They are a very reclusive people and only those most hardy are allowed into their domain.”

“Don’t they have one road?” I wondered as I sat up to look over our surroundings.

The steep hill down which we’d slid rose in front of us. The brae was covered in a thick bed of bushes and tall trees. I could just barely make out where we had stood at the top before my poor footing had doomed us to a long slide.

“I’m really sorry about grabbing you,” I apologized as Will plopped himself on the shore beside me. “It was just instinct.”

He smiled and shook his head. “There’s no need to apologize. I would not have allowed you to travel alone regardless.”

I studied our new location and found we had slid into a pond some hundred feet long and fifty feet wide. The surface glistened once more and I could see the deep bottom with its myriad of stones and rotting wood. The shadows down there reminded me of a bog and I couldn’t help but shudder.

Will stood and offered me a hand. “We should continue onward. It shouldn’t be far now.”

I accepted his help and he pulled me to my feet. A teasing smile slipped onto my lips. “Didn’t you say that a few hours ago?”

He grinned. “This time isn’t merely to lift your spirits. I would guess we are only half a mile from the edge of their domain.”

I brushed off some of the greenery from my thick pants and sighed. “Then we should get going before I start growing moss.”

Without a trail, the going was slow and rough. Will went first and I paused several times to watch him wrestle with vines and branches. These woods were thick with the smells of moss and damp leaves. Everywhere I looked there was a curtain of green. Birds sang and a few wild deer raced away from us, but outside of those we were all alone. It felt like we were the last two people on earth or the first to crawl out of the primeval sludge.

It’d been that way for almost three days.

I brushed my wet hair out of my face and winced when the tangled mess entrapped my fingers. “Are the elves good at combing hair?”

“They’re quite proficient at a great many skills,” Will assured me as he ducked beneath a thick low branch. “Their great age allows them to become masters.”

I lifted an eyebrow. “How old do they live? As long as you?”

He shook his head. “No. They ‘return to the air,’ as they say, after several thousand years. Some have been quite old indeed before their passing.”

“And you’ve known them for a long time?” I guessed.

“As long as I can remember.” He paused and tilted his head back to admire the greenery around us. “I should have visited far sooner than this. I only hope Alisa will forgive my tardiness.”

“Not likely!”

We snapped our heads to the left and some color left Will’s face.

“Cease your gawking and come over here to help an old woman!”

Will sighed and took my hand. “Let us see what she desires.”

He led me leftward and we meandered through the thick undergrowth before the way opened to a small clearing. Sunlight shone down through the trees and cast a gentle light over the myriad of flowers. There were all the colors of the rainbow and more, and they grew in clusters or alone to create a dazzling display of random colors.

A single stump sat in the middle of the meadow of green grass and a tiny old woman sat on its top. She had pointed ears and a soft aura seemed to surround her. The woman was attired in a simple white dress and soft slippers. A wreath of flowers lay atop her gray hair, the strands of which shone as brilliantly as the flower petals that surrounded her.

The old woman held a rope in one hand which had a bucket attached to it that sat on the ground near her. A bit of water splashed about as she shook her wagged her finger at Will. “You have not visited me in a good century, young man!”

Will smiled as he guided me over to our new acquaintance. “My apologies Alisa. I had meant to come sooner but-”

“But nothing,” she scolded him as she kicked the bucket with one foot. “Now help an old woman with this water.”

“You still prefer the stream to the river?” he teased as he picked up the bucket and offered her an arm.

Her corners twitched upward at his offer but she tamped down her smile and used his arm to stand. “Of course. You know I despise the sweet taste of those lilypads.”

“May we accompany you back to the capital?” he offered.

She lifted her twinkling eyes to him. “Has your memory failed you after so long an absence?”

He grinned at her. “Let us just say that I would prefer a guide to walking alone.”

She scoffed. “Then I suppose I will do the task, but I expect something more favorable than a simple bucket carry for the trouble, and we both know you are trouble.” Her attention fell on me. “And who is this young beauty you have brought?” She leaned forward and squinted at me before her eyes widened. “My goodness!” Alisa whipped her face up to Will who was all smiles. “You have finally found her!”

He bowed his head. “Indeed and my patience has been worth the wait.”

“And what is your name, my dear?” Alisa asked me.

“Rose,” I told her.

She gave a nod. “A good name. Humans so rarely give their children proper names. Now then, let us be off before I find myself covered in grass.”

Alisa traipsed northward in the general direction of where we had headed. Will and I followed behind her and I was about to suggest he lead the way through the thick foliage when a miracle happened. Just as she reached the edge of the meadow, the trees and bushes ahead of us parted. Their absence revealed a long stretch of road that disappeared around a gentle corner.

“Wow,” I breathed.

Alisa paused long enough to look over her shoulder and smile at me. “A simple friendship with the woods will make a path easier. Now come along.”

The old woman walked down the path with us following behind and Will struck up a conversation with our guide. “How are things in the kingdom?”

A dark cloud settled on her brow as she stared ahead. “Not good, Will. Something has come into the woods and we have naught to fight against its darkness.”

Will lifted an eyebrow. “Is there any way we might help matters?”

She pursed her lips. “I hope so, but we shall see.”

We continued onward until we reached the gentle corner. The path turned and the way opened to reveal a valley hidden in the forest growth. My mouth really dropped open as I beheld a glistening city of white marble situated against a tall mountain. Even the streets were paved with the precious stones and elegant homes dotted the mountainside, creating tiers where beautiful gardens cast their color against the white. Blocks and blocks of elegance stretched in all directions down the narrow valley and blended perfectly with the formation, creating a seamless transition from city to forest and vice versa.

A huge tower with a spired top stood in the very middle tier with a large open square at its base. The stones of that tower were not of marble but some grayish rock that was as smooth as a mirror. It reflected the light but didn’t shine it back, otherwise everyone would have been blinded by its brilliance. There were no windows or doors that I could see, but the spire was open like a lighthouse with an empty observatory.

Alisa led us to the edge of the path where it gently dipped down to the main road and smiled. “Welcome to Turva, the land of my people since time immemorial.”

CHAPTERTWO

The road wound its way down the gentle slope and leveled off some hundred yards before the main stone gates of the city. The gates were bordered by a huge stone wall some fifty feet high with battlements.

All of this, however, lay beyond the fifty-yard gap that cut the valley in half and separated the forest from the marble city. I stretched my neck to get a good look at the drop as we approached the wide stone bridge that crossed the gap. My heart dropped into my stomach when I saw the plunge. It was some quarter of a mile and ended in a roaring river that tumbled over rocks and around the curve of the hill to disappear out of sight around the bends to our left. The smooth, straight walls of the canyon meant if you dropped in there wasn’t any hope of getting out without wings.

I scooted away from the edge and pressed my side against Will. He took my hand in his empty one and gave it a squeeze. “I won’t let you fall.”

I leaned against him and snorted. “It’s not you I distrust, it’s gravity.” He gave me a curious look and I shook my head. “Just a word that means the force that keeps our feet on the ground.”

He nodded but I didn’t see too much comprehension in his eyes. I wasn’t too worried about his confusion, though as we stepped onto the bridge and walked across the gap. All my attention was on not looking down and failing. A lot.

However, Will kept me far from the edge and we reached the opposite end of the bridge with Alisa still in the lead. The gates were even more imposing from close up as the slabs of foot-thick wood towered over us. Two pointy-eared guards stood watch, one on either side of the gates. The men were slightly taller than even Will and wore smooth plates of silver armor. Their faces were smooth, hiding their great age, no doubt, and their sharp gray eyes watched our every step. They both held a spear but in opposite hands so the weapons were grasped toward the center of the bridge.

At our coming, the pair of guards stepped closer to the center and thrust out their weapon arms to block our path. “Halt!” one of them shouted.

Alisa glared at them. “Halt yourself! What is the matter with you two?”

“You know the orders of the king, Alisa,” one of the men scolded her. “No outsiders are to be allowed into the capital until further notice.”

She scoffed and waved a hand at Will. “Is Lord Thorn considered an outsider now? Especially after what he has done for us?” The guards glanced at each other with indecision. Alisa threw up her arms. “Such foolishness this is! Let us through!”

Alisa didn’t give them a chance to argue but marched between them. She swept her hands up and a soft green light came from her palm. The guards’ spears were pushed away, creating a clear path into the city. The guards themselves stumbled to the side a few feet before they caught themselves.

Will tightened his grip on my hand and walked me through them. They didn’t look too happy about our passing and one of them flung up his hand. I flinched away as a green light was thrown into the air and burst into a small sparkling firework.

We rejoined Alisa on the other side of the bulwark where she took up the bucket. “We may call ourselves even now. One entrance for one bucket of water.”

Will smiled down at her. “We’re grateful for your help.”

She scoffed. “Do not thank me just yet. The guards have alerted the king to your presence and you are bound to receive a visit from the palace guards.”

He chuckled. “We’ll be sure to accept their kind invitation. Before that, are there any welcoming doors to weary travelers? Preferably one that leads to a hot spring.”

She rolled her eyes and adjusted the weight of the bucket. “You know perfectly well, Lord Thorn, that the only private hot spring in the whole of the city besides the one owned by the king is on my parcel.”

“Is it?” he wondered as he feigned surprise. “Then it’s quite the coincidence we should be looking for a room and you have just what we need.”

She shot him a sharp eye and wagged a finger in his direction. “Mind you, you will not be getting the room for free.”

He smiled and bowed his head. “I will pay the price, whatever it may be.”

Alisa lifted her nose in the air. “I will think of the proper price later. Now hurry along before we catch a crowd. The women do like to gossip and without travelers, they are very thirsty for fresh news.”

We followed Alisa through the elegant though winding streets. The city half of the valley was rather narrow so the builders had to make do with the space provided, meaning some streets angled upward toward the higher tiers of the city while others descended to the very edge of the canyon. I saw dozens of elves go about their daily lives visiting one another, plucking the bountiful fruits and vegetables from the plants, and working away at crafts.

Unlike our more earthly guide, the majority wore elegant robes of silk and smooth cloth that trailed behind them as they walked. Their long hair glistened in the sunlight and their gray eyes flashed with life and happiness. The windows and doors in their houses were wide open and the sweet melodies of lyres and flutes floated everywhere. A few stood in their gardens weaving green magic over their vines, coaxing them to grow across trellises and up the walls of their houses.

There was one point that marred the beauty of the majestic city and its people, and that was the gap below us. Porches, decks, and other artificial structures stuck over the precipice and gave sightseers a grand view of the horrible drop. The citizens gleefully sat against the railings admiring the precipitous plunge.

Will noticed my preoccupation with the balconies and gently nudged my side with his elbow. His eyes twinkled down at me as he nodded his chin at the canyon. “Do you want to see the gap over one of those? Outside of the tower, they have the best view of the Rohkea Vali.”

Some of the color drained from my face and my mouth fell open. “Hell no!”

My voice echoed up and down the road, catching the attention of the few other occupants of the street. They turned and their eyes widened as they beheld Will and me. I shrank beneath such attention but Will gripped my hand tighter.

Alisa, however, didn’t quake but gave each of them a sharp eye. Her simple gesture embarrassed the onlookers and they quickly turned away, though more than one snuck a peek as we passed. Our ascending travel gave us a good view of the city and I couldn’t help but pause at an intersection and turn to look over the marble metropolis.

I tilted my head back and gazed up at the tower that occupied the center of the city. Its gray walls were dreary beside the marbled halls and streets, and the rough stones were like nails on a chalkboard compared to the smooth exteriors of the rest of the city. The cap, too, was garishly improper with its high peak made of rough timbers. In essence, it looked like the tower had grown from the earth and the city had been forced to build around it.

I squeezed Will’s hand and caught his attention where I nodded up at the tower. “Why is that. . .that-” My nose began to tingle. I twisted my face about but it was no use. A violent sneeze escaped me, one that forced me to stop and have a fit in the street.

Will waited for me to finish before he clasped my other hand in his. “You’re cold. We should get you to bath and bed.”

“Then hurry along!” Alisa scolded him

I could only nod as he led me after Alisa. Our guide took us toward the cliffs that towered behind the city and a faint scent of water tickled my nose. The walls of the cliffs were damp from natural springs and the coolness of the thick rock. One of those springs poured forth out of a small hole in the rocks and ran down a descending pile of stones to disappear behind a small home. The houses beside the cliff were older with marble stained with countless years of moss and the road being made not of marble but of simple stone like the tower. The homes, too, were smaller than those closer to the canyon and featured small yards with flower beds. Butterflies flew hither and thither filling their stomachs with tasty treats while birds sat in the gnarled branches of the old trees and sang their hearts out.

Alisa guided us to one of these comfortable abodes and led us down a path of small stones to the door. She half-turned to us and smiled. “Welcome to my humble little home.”

CHAPTERTHREE

Alisa opened the door and revealed a quaint interior with simple rugs and walls filled with all sorts of odds and ends. There were frames filled with dried flowers, paintings of elegant hills and forests, and even one of the city itself with the tower standing tall in the center sans the domed roof, and a few white-painted masks in the shapes of animals hung near the chimney. The fireplace was of the same simple stone as the path and had an assortment of pots and pans at the ready for fast cooking.

The entrance opened into a large room and the other rooms branched off from them. There was a small kitchen with a wood stove and in the wall opposite the front door were two entrances into a pair of bedrooms. A narrow hall between the kitchen and the closest bedroom led to a rear door to the backyard.

Alisa hobbled her way over to the fireplace and poured the bucket of water into a large cauldron that hung in the hearth. She set the bucket down and turned to us with a heavy sigh. “There. That will make a great many soups.”

“What do you think?” Will asked me as he watched me study the room.

I shrugged. “It’s. . .different from the rest of the city.”

Alisa nodded. “This has been my family’s home for many generations, almost before there was a king, or so some books say.” She waved her hand at the picture of the tower. “One of my ancestors even helped build the Vahti.”

I blinked at her. “The what?”

“The tower that rises out of the city,” Will told me. “It means ‘sentinel’ in the elven tongue and was once a watchtower.”

Alisa wrinkled her nose. “Yes, before the guards grew lax in their duties and decided the King’s Mound wasn’t worth watching.”

I looked to Will for another explanation and he smiled. “A burial mound for the first king of the elves. According to legend, he’s buried in the center of a ring of stones on the other side of the canyon and further down the road, though within sight of the Vahti.”

“Did you know him?” I asked my ancient husband.

Will chuckled. “I’m old but not that old. The king in the legend died some seven thousand years ago, a few centuries before even my birth.”

My stomach interrupted any further talk. I set a hand over my growling belly and sheepishly smiled at the pair. “Sorry.”

Alisa sighed. “I suppose I will get something cooking for you, but do not expect a meal out of me every day.” She paused and lifted her eyes to Will. “How long do you intend to stay?”

Will shrugged. “We hadn’t discussed it, but long enough to enjoy the sights the elves and your lovely forests have to offer.”

Her wrinkled face drooped. “I will not be having you here for a century.”

My husband laughed and shook his head. “Not that long, but at least a week, if you’ll allow it.”

Our hostess rubbed her chin in one hand and furrowed her brow. “I will allow it but the proper price will go up.”

Will bowed his head to her. “I would expect nothing else. How long will dinner be?”

She shrugged. “About half an hour.”

Will turned to me and offered me his arm. “There’s something I’d like to show you.”

I lifted an eyebrow but looped my arm around his. Will guided me down the hall and out through the back door. I jerked to a stop just past the threshold and gaped at the sight before me.

A small luscious garden stretched from the rear of the house to the rocky, moss-covered cliff face. Flowers sprouted everywhere in a picturesque chaos with ferns and grass sharing the same space. The plants cascaded over small stones that lined the gentle waters of a small spring. The spring filled the air with a sweet scent and fed the short trees that hung their low willow-like branches over the glistening water. I expected the air to be chilly but in fact, the waters warmed the small space.

The spring dipped low and entered into the bottom of a round wooden bath large enough to fit three people. A low board on one end allowed for the excess water to escape, keeping the depth at a consistent two feet. Steam rose from the water and cast a soft mist over the area. It was like a delicate blanket wrapping around me and I couldn’t help but break free of Will’s grasp and hurry over to the barrel. I grasped the edge and peered into the water. The spring was so clear I could see it swirling along the bottom, refreshing the heat. I dipped my hand in and reveled in the soothing heat, just the right temperature for a dip.

I looked over my shoulder as Will joined me at the tub. “Can we go in?”

He grinned. “Any time you like.”

“After dinner?” I suggested.

He nodded. “I would like that.”

I couldn’t wait for the coming dip but the garden had other joys. The flowers had innumerable scents, everything from lemon to lavender, and even a chocolate smell. I moved from bed to bed admiring their bold colors and luscious petals, each different from the last. Even the trees fascinated me as their soft branches tickled my nose as I slipped under one to watch the spring flow toward the barrel. Small golden birds the size of sparrows were perched in the branches with many of them having their heads tucked under their wings for a long rest.

“This place is so much different from the rest of the city,” I commented.

Will took a seat on a stone bench along the half-hidden rock path that wound around the garden and watched me, a smile ever on his lips. “Alisa’s family has a great gift for the natural plant magic all elves possess. I once witnessed an ancestor of hers grow a tree from a sprout in less than a minute.”