Hatch (The Dragons Of Laton) by James Stevens Read Free Book Online Page B

reassigned them or forced them into retirement. Boris however had become a major stumbling block to getting his men promoted to the higher ranks. Those positions were necessary if he was going to assume the throne from his dear uncle Erik once the man died of his unfortunate illness. When Tirate got the dragon, that would happen quickly.
Turning his back to the window, he rang a small silver bell kept on the end of the desk to summon a servant. Within minutes a page was leaving his quarters with orders to bring Boris to his chambers. The page returned quickly with the older man following behind him. Broad shoulders nearly filled the doorway as Boris entered with his simple cloth shirt pulled tight across his muscular arms and chest. A few strands of gray hair hung around his balding head like a halo, and he stood tall and erect. Clear blue eyes missed nothing as he entered the room, including the bandages on Tirate’s hand, yet he said nothing.
Tirate motioned Boris to sit and turned the maps to face him. “I have a job for you captain, if you and your dragon are up to it?”
Boris grunted. “Ellis and I are as fit for duty as we were twenty years ago sire.”
Tirate sat on the edge of the desk and looked down at the man. “Of that I have no doubt,” he said with obvious disdain. “I need someone well versed in tracking by air and ground, and you are the most experienced in that area.”
Boris rubbed at the white mustache that flowed across his face, the sharp blue eyes never wavered. “If you don’t mind me asking, exactly who are you tracking that is so important that you need to take me from my duties? A kidnapper? Murderer? Why send the captain of the King’s Guard, why not one of your own men?”
Tirate leaned down and hissed. “Worse than a murderer, a thief! He has stolen a hatchling dragon from the east Nest.”
Boris sat back with raised eyebrows. “He stole a hatchling? Who in their right mind...? How?”
Standing up, Tirate continued, “One of the tenders took it, a miscreant not even old enough to shave yet. He’s hatched the beast and somehow escaped the city on foot. I have my men searching the surrounding areas but I want you to look in the northern forest. I want that dragon back.”
Boris nearly burst out of his chair, his face red. “ WHAT ? You want me to fly north to find a boy that has already linked a dragon and bring him back just because you want the dragon? And what do you expect to do with it? Once linked it cannot be undone!”
Tirate smiled and slid the map towards Boris. “An untrained link is a liability to the kingdom. I want you to bring the dragon back to me. Kill the boy if necessary, but a rogue link must not be allowed to continue. That is the law.”
Boris reached out with a large callused hand and ripped the map off the desk and stalked to the door.
“Oh and Boris? You are to leave immediately. Don’t come back without him, I want that dragon back. Take as many men as you feel necessary, but I think you can handle this alone.”
Boris hesitated slightly before giving a curt nod. “Yes, sire.”
Tirate watched him storm out the door with satisfaction. It was unlikely the boy went north, but if he were headed into those mountains, Boris would find him, though it would likely take weeks if the boy had any skills at all. By the time Boris returned Tirate would have the entire King’s Guard under his control and Boris would come back as powerless figurehead until he could be dealt with. Perhaps an accident could be arranged for Boris and they could hold a double funeral for the King as well. Tirate’s mood suddenly improved for the first time in days. To celebrate, he rang the tiny bell again and ordered tea to be brought.
 
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Boris could feel his pulse throbbing in his temples as he marched towards his chambers. For some time he’d been blocking Tirate’s attempts to control the Guard. Until now he’d managed to keep his position of captain only because he was also