The Dragon' Son by Kathryn Fogleman Read Free Book Online

slammed into the horse’s chest with all of his might, pulling its mane, clawing for the reins, and trying to grab the top of the animal’s neck. The horse, terrified by this assault, reared and charged forward, hoping to plow his attacker down.
     
    Keegan held on for dear life and managed to scream, “Flee, Braidden!” as the horse charged forward. He let go when the horse ducked its head, and he fell underneath its hooves. The horse stepped on his right arm then jumped over him, kicking him in the back as it did so. Keegan rolled to a stop on the ground with the wind knocked out of him. He lay there for a moment while his back throbbed and his lungs screamed for air. He twisted his head around enough to see that Braidden and Eloria were gone. Gone out of the village he hoped. Braidden was bull headed, however, and he would probably come back to find Keegan. He had to get out of the village before Braidden came back.
     
    Keegan sat up, and everything began to spin, making him feel like he was floating in the air. He shook his head, knowing that now was not the time to be dazed. He slowly, shakily stood up, feeling like his muscles had turned to pudding, and his vision slowly began to stop spinning. As his vision cleared, he spotted his father valiantly cutting down enemies from the back of his bay horse. Unexpectedly, a massive, bear-dog creature, leapt from the other side of his father's horse and careened into him, bringing him down. The creature did not bother with Keegan’s father but went on to the next villager and killed him with one snap of its powerful jaws. From there, it leapt onto an ox and shredded it.
     
    However, Keegan was not worried about the creature. He was worried about his father. His father staggered onto his feet just as a man on foot, a black hood concealing his face, came up to him and swung a sword for Barden's neck. Barden ducked under the swing then charged his attacker. The man sidestepped Barden's charge and brought his sword down to the ground near Barden’s back. Barden spun around to face his attacker again with a firm face and bloody sword raised.
     
    The man charged Barden, and their swords met with a clang. The evil man pushed down on Barden, trying to bring him low and make him lose his ground. Barden pushed the man off and charged him, catching the man in the shoulder. The man yelled and jumped aside. His hood fell from his face, revealing a terrible jagged scar.
     
    Keegan gasped, and his heart’s pace quickened as dread gripped him. It was the man who had been at the forest's edge the day before, spying on the village. Barden adjusted his grip on his sword and charged the man again, swinging his sword for the man's scarred face. With supernatural quickness, the man parried Barden’s blow, whisked a dagger out from inside of his cloak, and ran it through Barden’s abdomen.
     
    Keegan’s mouth dropped open as he watched his father slump over the man's knife, drop his sword, and sink to the ground, blood soaking his shirt. A scream waited in the back of Keegan's throat, but it never emerged. He stood between reality and denial as his father's body broke before him. He didn't want to believe that his father was dying before his very eyes, yet it was happening, and he was helplessly watching it.
     
    The man withdrew his dagger from Barden’s crumbling body then spat on him. He sheathed his knife, picked up Barden's sword, and walked away, holding his bleeding shoulder. He paused a moment and looked at Keegan with a cold stare. He glanced back at Barden's body then back at Keegan, and a smug expression slowly came over his face. He walked away, unperturbed and victorious.
     
    Keegan was petrified. He felt numbness overtake his whole body, and a tear fell down his face as he stared at his father's form. Something snapped inside of him, waking him up. He screamed and began to run for his father’s crumpled body as the tears began to flow freely down his face. Suddenly, a