The Flames of Dragons Read Online Free Page A

don’t see anyone else, and all the animals within earshot are native.”
    Narunë nodded. “So what happened? A month is far too long to spend in Shikari.”
    “It was necessary,” Rondel said. “The mission went as expected.”
    Narunë pressed his thumb and index finger into the bridge of his nose. “I’d dared to hope that it wouldn’t,” he admitted. “Minawë believed so much in that young man. I wanted to think he would come back with you.”
    “Melwar has twisted Iren beyond recognition. He’s become a demon obsessed with revenge.”
    “Did you kill him?”
    Rondel’s wrinkled fists clenched. “I had him in my grasp, but Minawë intervened and saved his life. He escaped.”
    “So what will you do now?”
    “Isn’t it obvious? I’ll carry out Okthora’s Law. Evil must be annihilated. If Iren isn’t slain, he’ll corrupt Divinion and throw all of Raa into chaos. I’m going back to Shikari to find him. Iren Saitosan must die, just like his father.”
    Narunë folded his muscular arms. “How does Minawë feel about that?”
    Rondel sat on a fallen log. She shook her head. “I’m sure you know. I originally recruited her to deal with the Stone Dragon Knight. That was before I knew what Melwar had planned for Iren. Had I known that, I never would have brought her along.”
    “She cares for him.”
    “Not that the boy deserves it. After Minawë went to the trouble of saving him, the fool turned his back on her. He up and left, saying he would kill her if she interfered in his revenge.”
    “Is that why you were so late in returning?”
    Rondel nodded. “Minawë thought Iren would change his mind. She thought he was just speaking out of anger, and that he’d come to his senses. We waited for a month, but he never showed.”
    “Why come back at all then? Had you waited, he might have returned, and even if he didn’t, you would already be in Shikari. The trail will have gone cold by now. How will you find him again?”
    Rondel looked up at him. There was an expression on her face he’d never seen from her. It was pleading. “There’s something I need you to do for me.”
    Narunë pressed his fingers into his nose again. “Why do I get the feeling whatever it is will be unpleasant?”
    Rondel grinned. “Oh, it’s not that bad. It’s—”
    She cut off. Her smile disappeared. Her eyes swiveled across the jungle.
    “You did better than I expected,” Rondel said. “Black cat on a black night. That was smart.”
    A low vibration came from the forest. Narunë tensed. He knew that sound.
    Then he saw them. A pair of yellow eyes gleamed through the brush.
    The jaguar stalked up to them, teeth bared. It snarled, but it didn’t pounce. Instead, it reared up on its hind legs. As it did, those legs changed shape, lengthening and melting into brown leather with green embroidered leaves. The yellow eyes morphed into emerald ones, and the hair on the cat’s head changed to the same color.
    Minawë stood before her mother and uncle. Though she was now a Kodama instead of a cat, she looked as close to lunging as she had before the change.
    “Don’t think you can wander off,” Minawë growled. “Either of you.”
    Narunë held up both hands. “Hold on, don’t lump me in with a troublemaker like Rondel!”
    Minawë wasn’t in a joking mood. Her eyes fixed on her uncle. “You knew she wanted to escape. That’s why you told your men to keep such a close eye on me.”
    Narunë gave his most innocent smile. “You’re their queen. There are a lot of dangerous things in this jungle. I wanted them to protect you.”
    “Don’t lie to me. This jungle won’t hurt me. If you want to protect me, then don’t let Rondel out of your sight.”
    “Why not?”
    “Because I won’t let her escape. Iren’s beyond my reach, but Rondel isn’t. If they want to kill each other, eventually they’ll have to meet. I plan to be there when they do.”
    Narunë frowned, his mouth a thin line. So that was the