Page 426 of Kingdoms of Night

FIERCE HEARTS

PREQUEL TO THE DRAGON OF UMBRA

EMMA HAMM

CHAPTERONE

CHAPTER 1

Rowan sank his paddle through the image of the moon, not caring that he’d scattered the brightly colored orb through the ripples. The moon guided Silverfell elves, not his clan. And the Silverfell elves were no use to him any longer. They had told him this journey would end only in his death and that he would cause his sister’s as well.

They knew nothing.

Rowan had seen the look on his sister’s face when the dragons came to their village. She had been terrified. She had stretched her arms out for him, her older brother, the protector of their family, as though she had wanted him to save her.

And he had failed. A single dragon was impossible to fight, let alone six of them who had descended upon their entire village with fire in their throats and jaws snapping in hunger. None of the elves stood a chance.

If they had been Silverfell elves, high in their homes in the trees, they might have scattered. And that tribe had managed well throughout the dragon attacks. None of their women were taken. Not a single one.

Yet, the Lowlanders had suffered from dragon attacks for years. It seemed everyone he knew had been affected by the dragons who always came to his home to search for their brides. All the elves of his clan had lost someone to the wings that beat in the air and the teeth that snapped at their flimsy weapons. The dragons were larger than their houses. What was a single elven tribe to do?

He hit the water harder with his paddle, determined as ever to reach Dracomaquia. The home of the dragons.

Rowan had spent the better part of a week paddling across the ocean that separated the Umbral Kingdom from the island. His mother had said he was insane for trying to save his sister. She’d claimed the sea would take him long before he found Aster, but he had to try.

Someone had to try.

And now the edge of the island was within his view, and he could say that no one had been right about this journey. He would be the hero in this story, and he would bring Aster home.

The subtle ebb and flow of the ocean drew him closer and closer to the shore. He had little time to prepare, so he pulled the paddle into the boat and set it behind him. Then, Rowan laid down in the belly of his small boat, stretched a blanket over his body, and crossed his arms over his chest. He planned on the lump of his form appearing to be provisions, as he was laying next to his pack of food. The rancid smell of rotten meat should cover his scent.

His plan was simple. Let the sentinel dragons who watched the sea think an empty boat had washed up to their shore. They must be familiar with debris from the ocean, considering how many boats were in the ocean. The humans liked to regularly fish, and the sea was an unfriendly mistress. Then, he would wait until he heard no sounds for hours on end, and make his escape. He would gather all his things, all the weapons that he’d brought with him, and start off onto the island.

It wasn’t a brilliant plan. He realized he was running headfirst into an unknown place that was full of dangerous beasts who could eat him in one chomp. Rowan also knew that he did not know where he was going or where they might keep his sister. If she was even still alive.

The bow of his boat hit the sand with a soft hushing sound. He listened for the sound of dragon feet that would come to inspect the boat. He knew that sound well. The thuds of their back claws hitting the ground so hard it made the world tremble. Then the horrible scraping of their front wings as they lumbered forward.

There it was. He could feel the entire boat shake as one dragon came over to investigate. This was the moment he had feared. If he could get past the shore, then he knew he could find his sister. But first, he had to make it onto the island without getting eaten.

Hot air nearly burned through the thin blanket he hid beneath. Rowan’s heart thundered in his chest as he felt the dragon nudge first his body and then the bag beside him. The creature recoiled the moment it touched the bag of rotten meat, and he heard it snorting out a breath as though it was trying to expel the odor from its nose.

Good. He grinned in triumph that he’d at least made the monster uncomfortable for a few moments. These monsters had stolen his sister. He could disgust them at the very least.

The dragon didn’t move, however. It seemed to stay where it was. Otherwise, he would have heard its thundering steps as it walked away from him. Instead, all was silent.

Rowan lost count of his breaths as he waited for the beast to leave, but it didn’t. He had to get going or the sun would come up! If he missed his chance to get out of this boat, then moving through the shadows would be impossible. They should all be asleep at night, shouldn’t they? This guard must have other things to do.

Finally, he lost his patience. Rowan moved his arm so slowly he almost heard his joints creak. He reached for the edge of the blanket and pulled it down until he could peer beyond it.

A part of him expected to see a giant eye the same size as his body staring down at him. Instead, he saw the back of the crimson dragon as the creature looked out to sea.

Was it... watching the waves?

The beast inhaled, and Rowan was certain it had caught his scent. But then it just... sighed.

Odd. But as long as it kept its eyes on the moon that danced across the water, then Rowan had an opportunity to leave the boat. Sure, he wouldn’t be able to grab as many weapons as he’d planned, but what good would those do, anyway? He knew no mortal blades could pierce a dragon’s hide.

He peeled the blanket off himself and then eased up into a sitting position. At any point, the dragon could turn to look at him. At any point, he could die.

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