Dragon's Heart Read Online Free

emerged with dragon ears and eyes, and a dragon's brave heart as well. Keeping secret their astonishing ability to speak mind-to-mind. They'd keep all the secrets safe, and that way keep all the dragons safe, too.
Because if the people of Austar find all this out, they won't stop to think that it's only hens who'd recently given birth who can give them the dragon gifts. Most Austarians don't know a female dragon from a male. They'd probably slaughter
all
the dragons just in case.
Jakkin shivered. He couldn't let that happen.
    "What's this? What's this babble?" An old man pushed through the knot of nursery folk. His sharp, ravaged face fell when he saw Jakkin, his one good eye staring, though whether it was shock or disappointment, Jakkin couldn't tell because the man's eyes immediately seemed to shutter, like a dragon's.
    "Hallo," Golden said, "look what I've found!" His voice bright, as if he were enjoying a vast joke.
    "It's little Akki, little Jakkin," Balakk explained.
    "Of course it's them," the old man retorted. "Any piece of worm spit can see that."
    At that, any good memories of Likkarn helping them escape a year ago into the mountains left Jakkin, and he felt a returning rush of dislike for the man.
    Kkarina collapsed in sobs again.
    "Well, here's a welcome home," Likkarn said, "though you'll find us all changed. You can tell us why you're alive later. We've still got a day's work to finish."
    It was more a slap in the face than a welcome home, and Jakkin almost said something, but Akki sent him a picture of his head going under a cold tap. "
Just stay cool
."
    She's right, of course.
No need to fight with old Lik-and-Spittle now. After all, he
did
owe the old man something for helping them escape from the wardens. So, instead, he said, in what he hoped was a cozening voice, "We found a new dragon, Likkarn. Maybe related to our dragons. Her color is interesting, at any rate. Could she have been sired by one of our escaped males?"
    Likkarn said nothing.
    "We thought we could—" Jakkin stopped, thinking that he'd be damned if he would beg.
    "We?" Likkarn was not going to help one bit.
    "Akki and me. You remember Akki, Master Sarkkhan's only child?" Jakkin was losing his temper again, and even a sending from Akki showering him with a waterfall of cold water didn't slow him down. "She probably owns the nursery now that her father's dead."
    Balakk said, "No, no, no."
    And Kkarina added, "We
all
own it."
    Likkarn smiled slowly. "I was the only one mentioned in Sarkkhan's will, boy. He knew Akki didn't want the place, and I was the only one to run it. And I now own half. The rest I've given to the nursery folk. Time served. You know."
    But he
didn't
know, and Jakkin's face showed it. He touched the dimple on his cheek, a sure sign that he was upset.
If I'd been a young dragon in the pit, I'd have been down on my knees in front of the older, slyer dragon by now, the two ritual slashes across my throat.
    "So, will you let us board her here?" It was Akki, the little dragon carried in the crook of her arm. "And this little one as well?"
    Likkarn laughed, and though it didn't have a particularly happy sound, it was clear he'd given in. "You've always been able to get around me, young lady. Welcome home."
    Noticing no welcome home for him, Jakkin thought about getting another mental dunking from Akki if he said anything. He didn't want that so he let his anger go.
    "Akki can shower first," Jakkin told Likkarn, Kkarina, Balakk, the boy. He ignored Trikko. "I need to get Auricle settled in." It was only then that the others even seemed to notice the pale dragon crouched by the side of the wall.
    "Back stall. Keep her away from the rest of the nursery dragons for now," Likkarn said.
    As if I didn't know that.
    "Take the hatchling, too." Akki handed the ball of dragon over to him. The minute he touched it, the hatchling uncurled in his hand, its tail now anchored firmly around his wrist, and looked longingly back at Akki.
    "
Or,
"