Siege At The Settlements (Book 6) by Craig Halloran Read Free Book Online Page A

screams. Their terror. Lamentations.
    A man approached from behind and stood at her side. She was a tall woman, but he was still much taller than she. A great heavy mace hung by his side. He had tattoos all over his forehead and some on his face. His voice was deep and powerful.
    “Nay, my queen,” he said. “No confirmation that he lives.”
    She turned toward him with narrowed eyes. Her black satin hair spilled over her shoulder. In her robes and décor she was everything a queen should be. An evil queen. She was Selene.
    “You still can’t help the flattery on your tongue, can you?” she said, placing her hand on his broad chest. “And after all that I have put you through.”
    He bowed his ugly head. “I worship you. That’s why I die for you.”
    Selene chuckled and tipped up his chin. “Kryzak, you’ve done almost everything a queen could ever ask. You’ve conquered cities. Crushed our enemies. But you have not found me Nath Dragon.”
    Kryzak stiffened. His face snarled a little. “I am not the only one to fail. Just let me have one more chance,” he pleaded. “One more chance to kill Nath Dragon.”
    Her black-scaled tail slid over to his cheek and stroked it.
    Kryzak’s hard face showed faint little scales. His great hands were like a lizard man’s. She had killed him decades ago when he failed, and she had brought him back part draykis.
    “These scales have served you well, Kryzak, but I will not waste my creation in vain.” Her tail fell away from his cheek and rested on the balcony’s edge. “We’ve conquered most cities, but now a glimmer of hope remains. Gorn Grattack is not pleased. Dragon Home still stands. Nath Dragon still lives.” Her clawed fingers dug into the rail. “We cannot have this.”
    A dragon swooped by. It was coppery in color, with a black tail and faintly glowing eyes. Bigger than a man, it perched itself on one of the towers nearby. It wasn’t alone either. Dozens of dragons sat perched and flying through the city like great birds of prey.
    One dove into the streets, snatched a man up from the ground, and dropped him a hundred feet.
    Selene chuckled. It was her way of keep a firm grip on things.
    “I found him before, Selene. Let me find him again. With the aid of the dragons—”
    “No,” she said. “Come with me.”
    She went back inside her room and made her way to a map of Nalzambor on the wall. Bright spots sparkled in a variety of places.
    “These villages and towns are where it is rumored that he was seen. He’s smart. They move all over this world like ghosts. But now, I’ve placed more dragons inside these nuisance cities.” She frowned. “He’ll hit one of them soon enough, and when he does, we’ll be ready. He can’t hide forever.”
    “Then can I take him?”
    A small feathered dragon flew inside and landed on a large perch that hung from the ceiling above the map. It stretched its neck out.
    “Ah, my pet returns,” Selene said, stroking its feathers. “And it has a little something in its mouth.”
    It purred.
    She removed something from its mouth. A small glass bottle with a note in it. The tiny scroll became larger the more she unrolled it. It had an image of a man on it and a map below it.
    “Humph,” she said, handing it to Kryzak. “Is this who I think it is?”
    He took the scroll and stared at it. “Aye, it’s Nath Dragon, and he’s just outside the settlement. This is great news. I will not delay.”
    “No, Kryzak,” she said, snatching back the scroll. “I need you here. I’ll send my own dragons out to play.”

Chapter 13
    “S tay put,” Bayzog said, holding Nath down by the shoulder.
    They were inside one of the homes of the settlement. Nath lay on a small bed with his head propped up by some pillows. For the past two days, Bayzog and some others had been tending to Nath. The wound Overseer Dormus had given him was deep. Nath’s situation had turned grave.
    “I want to see Dormus,” Nath said, brushing the long