Dragonfae & The Soul Catcher by H. C. Brown Read Free Book Online

did not sing to you. You are mistaken.”
    “You called to me, little butterfly.” Lumos met her gaze.
    Thalia listened to the man’s rich baritone singing the song, her song. The prayer of deliverance from the horror in her mind, she had asked for the dragon to love her nightly now because no man ever would. How could he know these words? Perhaps, he’d heard her singing them last night and, if so, why did he think they referred to him?
    “I-I don’t understand. What you say is madness. By the goddess, if this is true, I believe the Magus has used us both for his own means.”
    “Thalia, little butterfly.” Lumos got slowly to his feet and spread his arms palms up. “I am Lumos, the Nightdragon. Your song brought me here. Look at me. Do you know of any Fae that have fangs? I am both Fae and dragon—a shifter. The gods mixed Fae and dragon blood to protect the innocent—never to harm. Although, it seems of late, the Magus has found a way to corrupt us.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I believe jealousy made Lucinda betray me to the Magus and gave the evil being time to plot for my imprisonment.” He dropped his arms. “The Magus waited here for my arrival with an army of Shadow Walkers and then hit me with a blast of dark magyck so powerful it knocked me senseless. I awoke trapped and bound in silver.” He smiled. “When you peeked at me around the oak tree, I was so glad to see that you actually existed. I thought the Magus may have conjured your song in my mind.”
    Sitting down hard on the fallen log, Thalia fought to gather her senses. My Nightdragon? He is my Nightdragon? He really exists? Goddess, could this be true? One second, this man had informed her he was a Faerie, the next a dragon. Shadow Walkers, an evil Magus—she had seen none of these in her forest. Did he think her time there alone had turned her into a blithering idiot? She pressed the palms of her hands against her eyes. Cymbeline, tell me what I must do.
    Thalia drew a deep breath and let it out slowly. She dropped her hands and met Lumos’ green gaze. “I think you have lost your wits.” She got to her feet. “One other thing, Nightdragon, why do you call me butterfly?”
    “It is the Fae meaning of your name.” Lumos frowned. “I see you doubt me, but I speak the truth.”
    “No…you don’t. You are no b-better than the men who raped me.” She straightened her shoulders. “You will not fool me with your silver tongue. My name is the reason my father banished me. He said my name means Soul Catcher—that I am so evil my parents left me for the wolves. In turn, he left me to his men.” Thalia turned. “It is obvious I cannot trust you either. I’ll not let you die because I’m no Soul Catcher but neither will I help set you free. It seems we are both trapped in this forest, Dragonfae, or whatever you are.” She called to Brew and took the path back to the cottage, walking swiftly until the building came into view.
    A feral roar, followed by the terrifying whoosh of thousands of birds taking flight, echoed through the forest. Small animals rushed by, their eyes bulging with fear. Thalia turned to see white smoke pouring into the sky. The stench of fire tainted the pristine air. Gods, the forest is on fire. The top of a silver ash shuddered, toppled,then crashed to the ground. Lumos. She sprinted back towards the meadow, dodging the terrified wildlife. On the perimeter of the circle she stopped. Fear shook her to the bone. Her jaw dropped open at the sight of Lumos punching his blood-soaked fists into a tree. Steam poured from the Fae’s nose with every sickening thud. The meadow hung heavy with the smell of fire. The tree toppled and with a tragic pirouette slowly crashed to the ground. Thalia ran blindly towards him. “Lumos. Stop! Please.”

Chapter Four
     
     
     
    Fullmount Palace
     
    Drog, the Magus of Fullmount, gazed into the scrying dish and chuckled with glee at the destruction Lumos was inflicting on