The Dragon' Son by Kathryn Fogleman Read Free Book Online Page A

man jumped out in front of Keegan and slammed him to the ground before he could react.
     
    Keegan blinked. Through the tears, sunlight, and the daze from the sudden assault, he saw the man who had stopped him, coming toward him with sword ready to plunge into his smaller frame. However, to Keegan's surprise, the man stopped. Keegan wished that he would just get it over with, but he noticed that the man seemed to waiver. He wiped the tears out of his eyes to see the man more clearly.
     
    The man stood there, sword at the ready but not moving. His face was soft and compassionate and full of pity looking at Keegan. He let his sword down slowly, never taking his eyes off Keegan. He had ashen hair and a small scar on his left temple. His face looked very similar to Keegan's uncle. His eyes were the same color blue as Keegan's father's, and he did not appear much older than Keegan's mother.
     
    The man finally made a quick glance from side to side then looked back at Keegan. He opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but nothing came out. “Run, boy,” is all he finally said, then he turned his head as if he had never noticed Keegan and walked off. Keegan realized that he had been given another chance to live, and, even though he just wanted to go hold his father’s broken body, he knew that his father would want him to take this chance more than anything.
     
    Keegan jumped to his feet. He looked longingly at his father for a moment, his arms aching to hold him, then he turned toward the mountains and began to run for them with every ounce of energy he had left. However, his run was cut short. Men with hounds on leashes came around a corner and blocked his way to the mountains. The hounds caught sight of him and began to bark, bay, and jump for him. The men sneered at Keegan and pulled the dogs closer to turn them loose.
     
    Keegan turned on his heel and began to run as fast as he could, teeth clenched and warm tears streaming across his cheeks, toward the only way of escape: the Dragon’s Forest. He passed by his father and other dead members of the village, and, for a split second, he wondered if he were the only Wovlen alive and moving in the village.
     
    He soon heard the dogs’ barking growing closer, and he risked a glance over his shoulder. To his horror, there were more than just the dogs following him. The bear-dog creature and men on horses were also following him, like they were on a hunt. The creature was gaining ground faster than any of them and was nearly on his heals with teeth bared, grinning, pleased that he would be able to crush Keegan's body in his huge jaws.
     
    Keegan heard a snap behind him, and his heart stopped. He grasped his dagger and drew it from its sheath, and then he made a quick spin with his arm stretched out. He felt his dagger slice through flesh, saw enormous teeth, and heard a deafening howl. He felt hot blood splatter on his face, then he was running for the forest again with all of his might and with a bloody knife in hand. The dogs stopped baying and began to circle the wounded creature, but the horsemen were still pursuing Keegan.
     
    Keegan finally reached the forest. He didn’t think about where he was going. His legs just kept pumping. He jumped over a log then disappeared into the dark forest. The horses all came to a sudden stop at the forest’s edge and began to squeal in fright. The men turned their horses around toward the village, but they halted quickly when the man with the scar on his face, sitting atop his horse, was in their path.
     
    “What are you cowards doing?” he asked calmly. None of the men answered but sat silently atop their dancing, nervous horses.
     
    “Speak,” he said sharply, his eyebrows knit, the scar across his face turning white.
     
    “Forgive us, sire, but t-there are ancient d-demons of old in that forest. Dragons, in short, sire,” one man stuttered with a worried expression wrinkling his forehead.
     
    “Yes, sire, the