Requiem's Hope (Dawn of Dragons) by Daniel Arenson Read Free Book Online Page A

me. We might not have a battle on our hands,
only a slaughter. I need you to fly west with Dorvin and Alina. I
need you to help them find the Vir Requis said to live there. If
there's any hope for Requiem, it lies in finding others."
    She shoved him back, eyes stinging. "So you'll just send me off
to safety, a herald of Requiem, rather than let me fight? I'm a
fighter. I've fought and slain many rocs, demons, and tribesmen."
She growled. "I'm the greatest warrior in Requiem."
    "Which is why I need you with Dorvin and Alina," he said.
"How can I send only two dragons on this mission? They need your
help, Maev. And . . . I need you to watch over them." He lowered
his voice. "I don't know that I can trust them. I need my own
blood on every path we take."
    Maev could scarcely believe his words. Across their camp, men and
women were already becoming dragons and rising into the sky. They
were heading out to war, yet how could Maev find glory far in the
west? If demons could truly pick up the scent of dragons, they would
surely follow the largest group north to Two Skull Mountain. That was
where battle would rage. That was where Maev had to be. Not some
guardian of two pups.
    She looked at all the others. "So Tanin and Issari will return
to Eteer and claim the throne; their glory will be eternal. So you
and Laira will travel north to Two Skull Mountain, forge an alliance,
and fight a great battle; forever your song will echo. And me?"
She blinked furiously. "I'll be in the west, far from any epic
battles, guarding a druid and a blockhead boy."
    She watched as the two approached, both still in human form. Dorvin
walked with a swagger, a crooked grin on his face, chattering about
finding a new group to lead. His sister was more subdued; holding her
druid's staff, Alina sang soft prayers. When they drew closer, Dorvin
winked at Maev.
    "Well, Maev, old beast," he said. "Looks like you and
I part ways here." He puffed out his chest. "I'm off to
find the others, become a hero, and win the war for us." He
shook his head with mock sadness. "You probably won't survive
long enough to see Alina and me return, what with all these demons
swarming about, but you—"
    "I'm going with you." Maev spat in disgust and glared at
her father. "Not that I want to."
    Dorvin's eyes widened and he raised his hands in indignation. "What?"
He reeled toward Jeid too. "I'm not going west with her! I've
seen feral mammoths less brutish than Maev. They smelled better too."
He pinched his nose. "Don't send your daughter with me, old man,
just because you want me to protect her."
    Jeid's face reddened and he grabbed the young man's shoulders. "You
got it backward, boy. I'm sending her to protect you . Maev has
slain dozens of demons. You've killed one." He snorted. "Maev
will lead you west and back. Try not to slow her down, pup."
    Dorvin fumed and began to object, flailing his arms. He strutted a
few steps toward Maev, chest thrust out like a rooster, and Maev
growled and raised her fists, prepared to pummel some sense into the
boy.
    If I must travel west with this pup, she thought, I will
tame him now.
    Alina, however, rushed forward and placed herself between the two.
The young druid slammed down her staff, and the crystal on its crest
blasted out light.
    "Enough!" She glared at Maev and Dorvin in turn. "Demons
scour the world to slay us. Let us not do their job for them. We've
lingered here long enough and we must move. With every breath danger
draws nearer." The druid took a few steps back and shifted,
becoming a slim dragon, her scales the same lavender as her robes.
She beat her wings and took flight. "Dorvin! Maev! Save your
strength for the demons. Now come, we fly."
    With that, the lavender dragon began flying west, leaving a trail of
smoke.
    Still standing below, Dorvin gave Maev a wink, a crooked smile, and a
nudge from his elbow. "See if you can catch up, Mammoth Arse."
He leaped into the air, became a silver dragon, and flew after his
sister.
    Maev