The Green Dragon: A Claire-Agon Dragon Book (Dragon Series 3) Read Online Free

one knee and grabbed Elly by his shoulders, looking intently into his eyes. Elly was riveted and could not move. When the old man was sure that he had the boy’s attention, he spoke in a compassionate voice, firm and steady. “We buried your father in the Greenfeld three days ago. Do you understand me, Elister?”
    Elly nodded, more tears flowing freely down his face, and he refused the urge to wipe them. “I understand. What is to become of me?”
    The old man hugged the boy and then held him at arm’s length again. “You, Elister, will come with us. The Mother has spared your life for a reason, and now your fate lies with the Order.”
    Elly nodded. “What is the Order?”
    “You . . .” the old man said, his eyes piercing Elly’s soul, “Elister, will become one of the order, the order of the Arnen, servant of the Mother and protector to her and her children.
     

Chapter 2
 

 
 
 
Murder
     
    “It’s a beautiful day for a hunt, Lucina,” Helvie said, looking at her bodyguard and confidant from atop her horse as they sauntered near the Greenfeld, crossing a large grassy plain.
    “Aye, my lady, it will be,” Lucina said from atop her heavier mount.
    The sun started to rise in the east, and the pair of women rode in front of a long double-column line of soldiers, one score strong, carrying the banner of Baron Vulgrin the Fourth. Helvie wore a utilitarian set of riding leathers over her cloth shirt and pants. She had a small, decorative blade tucked into her belt, with a spear that was sheathed onto the side of her slender steed.
    Her bodyguard, Lucina, wore heavy plate mail that gave her a masculine appearance, and her closely cropped blonde hair lent to the illusion. She had a lance secured to the side of her mount, a sword that hung from her belt, and a shield strapped to her back. Compared to the soldiers who accompanied them, she was easily the largest person in the group.
    “What’s going on over there?” Helvie asked, motioning to a gathering of people at the forest’s edge.
    “I don’t know, my lady, but it looks as if something caught the town people’s attention,” Lucina said, straining to see what the excitement was about.
    Helvie spurred her lighter and faster mount, pulling it toward their left, toward the group. “Let’s see what’s up. Race you there!”
    Lucina wheeled quickly to follow, shaking her head at her carefree ward she was tasked with protecting. The young lady’s curiosity had gotten her in hot water on more than one occasion, and oftentimes Lucina received a goodly portion of the blame for it as well.
    The twenty mounted troops rode in unison as well, with the second lead rider carrying the banner as it flew proudly above them. Their approach did not go unnoticed, and several of the town’s people waved the soldiers over. Pulling their horses up, they saw the remains of a large bull lying on the bloodied ground.
    “In the name of Baron Vulgrin the Fourth, what is going on here?” the lead rider said, presenting himself to the people from atop his mount.
    “Oh please, Godfrey, let’s dispense with the formalities,” Helvie said, giving the announcer a look of displeasure.
    The look was returned in kind, and Godfrey spoke. “Lady Helvie, your father would expect no less than proper greetings within his realm, especially coming from his noble daughter and—”
    “Yes, yes, yes,” Helvie interrupted, “I get it, but let’s move on already.” Turning to several of the townsfolk who stood nearby, she asked, “What happened here?”
    Godfrey rolled his eyes, muttering under his breath. “That’s what I already asked . . .”
    Lucina was content to see that she wasn’t the only one dealing with the baron’s daughter and her fickle temperament. As a Fist of Astor, she was tasked by the master of her order to protect the noble woman at all costs, and the job wasn’t as easy as it first appeared.
    “Something’s done and took the Hamills’ bull,” one