Rise Of The Dragon King (Book 5) by M. R. Mathias Read Free Book Online

them, this group would have been destroyed.
    Knowing the truth of it made Rikky swallow hard. Already, Zahrellion would probably skin him for putting her son at risk. Aikira would certainly try to put knots on his head. For a moment, he entertained thoughts of taking the boys to Three Forks by dragonback, but something old Herald once said—actually, the first thing Herald ever said to him and Master Kember’s group when they met him—sprang to mind: “It’s just the possibility that we might not ever make it back home that makes it thrilling.”
    These two boys needed, more than anything, to stay and deal with what had just happened. Running home to protect them was exactly what they didn’t need.
    Or maybe Rikky needed to stay, for the thought of running home had been his, hadn’t it?
    “It is Linux!” a form shouted as it eased from the trail below the cavern intoit. “Don’t shaft me, man.” He was speaking to Brawn, who was watching the opening with his bow in hand.
    Seeing he was recognized, Linux visibly relaxed. “There’s no need for that.” He indicated the bow. “There are two dragons circling above.” He looked at Rikky then. “I went after the forester, but…” He shrugged and shook his head grimly. His eyes shot to Pascal then, and he let loose a sigh of what might have been relief.
    “I’d hate to be you, Rikky Camille,” the druid said. “Aikira and Zahrellion are going to beat your arse.”

    The kingdom of Vikaria was modest in size, but apparently wealthy. The port in which Richard and his liberators arrived was crowded, and Baru pointed out that it was shared with the neighboring kingdoms of Kartania and Dal’Kar. The climate was not unlike the island he’d just left, only it wasn’t misty or steamy here. The sun was bright, and the breeze was warm out of the south. Baru also pointed out a balcony, high up the side of a castle that overlooked the bay. On the balcony were five or six female figures, all of them dark-haired and bouncing excitedly around a man and woman who were dressed so gaudily that they had to be the king and queen.
    Richard took three charging strides up to the foredeck of the boat; fromthere he waved at the royal family and gave a flourishing bow. Baru said he didn’t think it was all that appropriate, but Richard was certain that those girls up there were eyeing him like hawks pacing a mouse in a field.
    The people of Vikaria, especially the staff of the castle where he was taken, were very welcoming. His quarters were more than adequate, and a whole wardrobe of what Baru called ‘modern wear’ was in the room. Richard asked for a bath, first thing.
    Baru said that Richard could come and go as he pleased, and that he would be protected from afar as he did so. That meant his every move would be reported, so he decided to ease into the situation and take his time feeling his way around. Already, twice he had had to fight away the voice of Gravelbone in his head telling him to attack and maim people. One of those he almost murdered was again Baru.
    After a few days, Richard started getting the hang of the full Karian language and its many dialects. In fact, he almost fully grasped it now. He’d achieved this through sorcery, of course, for one of the first things he did upon arrival in Vikaria was to quietly seek out practitioners of the dark arts. He’d found a pair of would-be wizards, skilled apprentices, really. They studied with Master Taqu, King Chad’s castle mage, in the mornings, but they spent the rest of their time mixing potionsand learning any spells they could find. Dinaqu was the taller of them, Kovin the shorter and wider.
    Everyone seemed happy with their acquaintance, too, for in the afternoons, the two scholars, very visually, taught King Richard about the political history of the land and showed him maps and notable places, giving Baru a chance to coordinate the nightly gatherings put on by the Vikarian princesses. Richard was almost