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

lady said, bowing in respect to the noble woman she addressed.
    “What do you mean by something?” Lucina asked, suspicion in her voice. “And what could have done this butchery?”
    The scene was gruesome. The bull indeed looked as if it was butchered with a dull axe or blade. Blood covered the ground around it, and it had been gutted with its bowels strewn around the ground as if a giant child had played in a big bowl of noodles. Large gashes had been inflicted on its flanks, and the skin was torn in several places. One horn was missing, and a leg was turned completely back, broken in at least two places.
    “We don’t know,” the same woman replied, giving the holy warrior a curtsy.
    “You’re supposed to bow to the Fist and curtsy to the baron’s daughter,” Godfrey began, getting a frown from both women in his group.
    Helvie ignored the commander. “Where are the Hamills?”
    “They live a league distant, west of here,” the woman said, trying to curtsy this time for the noble woman.
    “Who’s in charge here?” Lucina asked, looking over the group of townspeople who were dressed plainly enough, no one looking particularly extravagant.
    “That would be me,” an elderly man said, approaching from a few dozen feet away in the direction of the small town.
    “Your name?” Lucina asked as the man closed on the group, accompanied by two other men brandishing a knife and an axe.
    The old man nodded. “I am Mayor Fergus, and this is my son, Fauke, and our magistrate, Clive. You two must be the baron’s daughter, Helvie Vulcrest, and her courtesan, Fist Lucina Dimars.”
    “I am no courtesan,” Lucina said, her voice stern. “I am the protector of Astor and defender of Vulcrest and its nobles. I serve the lady and the Mother.”
    “Yes, don’t we all,” the mayor said somewhat sarcastically, giving the impression that the titles and pomp of the realm’s nobles, rulers, and leaders were less than desired out here amongst the simple folk. “No need to take offense, Fist Lucina. It’s just that we’ve heard this all before a dozen times.”
    “I should have you taken in front of the baron for talk like that,” Godrey said, turning his mount to face the man as he arrived with his companions.
    “Go ahead, Baron Vulgrin was the one who appointed me,” Fergus said, standing now with his arms crossed, taking in the scene. “Mother of Agon, help us,” he said, making the sign of warding at the bull and its remains.
    “Agon is the Mother,” Lucina corrected the man.
    “Well, even mothers have to have their own mothers, wouldn’t you agree?” Fergus asked.
    “Blasphemy,” Lucina said, her hand reaching for her sword.
    Fergus nodded in agreement. “That’s what the last Fist of Astor told me as well.”
    Sensing that the situation was getting tenser than she would have liked, Helvie interjected to get the attention of her bodyguard and the local mayor. “I do not recall my father appointing you to office.”
    “Of course you don’t. It wasn’t your father,” Fergus said matter-of-factly.
    “But, you said—” Helvie started.
    “No,” Fergus interrupted, “I said Baron Vulgrin appointed me. I didn’t say which Vulgrin.”
    “Go on, enough of your games, Mayor Fergus. Which Vulgrin appointed you?” Lucina said, tiring of the man’s antics and finding an unlikely ally in Commander Godfrey, as the leader nodded.
    “Your grandfather did,” Fergus said, addressing Helvie.
    “He passed a long time ago,” Helvie said. “That would make you . . .”
    “Very old. I know, it’s hard to grasp. Nevertheless, your grandfather and I played together as children when he visited our village.”
    “Impossible,” Godfrey said, doing the mental calculations. “That would make you over a century old.”
    “Correct,” Fergus said, nodding.
    The soldiers exchanged looks, indicating that the local mayor may be senile if not flat out crazy. It was left to Helvie to soothe the situation and to focus