All Chapters of The Dragon Thief: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

74 Chapters

Chapter 31: The Choice

Yet Skylar’s heart beats wild and true,To crimson scale and golden hue.She will not watch their young be torn,From dragons' hearts so bruised and worn.RyukiWhen Bynjym tells me what Ylys said to Skylar, I watch her reaction. She stares at Cyryl as she caresses her head.“Is it really a choice, Skylar?” I ask her quietly.“What do you mean? Of course it is,” she says.“You’re telling me that going back to your fiancé is preferable to staying with Cyryl?” I ask in disbelief. Is she really that in love with him? She said they were well-matched. I thought that meant she maybe had a fondness for him but didn’t necessarily love him.“Of course not, but my father is there. My people are there,” she says.“People who steal dragon eggs and sometimes let them die because they have no idea how to hatch a dragon. And don’t even get me started on what it takes to raise one. People like me, the poor people, would die because the royals would take all our food to feed a dragon hatchling and it s

Chapter 32: The Riders

So cloak and dagger, hood and knife,She walks the path, the dragon’s life.By torchless trail and starless ridge,She dares the depths, to cross the bridge.SkylarMy decision obviously pleased all of the dragons, but mostly I’m concerned about MY dragon. There’s no doubt in my heart and soul that Cyryl and I are bonded. It shouldn’t have happened, according to Ryuki and the dragons, but it has.‘I knew you were meant for me before I hatched,’ Cyryl says, following my thoughts.‘I'm glad. I love being your human," I tell her before asking the question that has been worrying me."Would you have really killed Ryuki?’ I’ve been distracted, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t see my dragon lunge like she was going to take Ryuki’s head off.‘Bynjym wouldn’t be worth his silver scales if he let a hatchling attack his rider,’ she says, glancing up to Bynjym and Ryuki are watching us. ‘A green, sure, especially since I’m a queen, but not a silver. There’s a reason queens mostly mate with silvers.

Chapter 33: A Bad Decision

She takes the eggs and returns them home,To nests where grieving mothers roam.A whisper in the wind, a ghost,The dragon thief they hate the most.RyukiI didn’t really think through the scenario of bringing Skylar to see the other riders. I knew she needed to meet them, but I can already tell the men are sizing her up as a potential partner. According to Bynjym, if a rider has a preference for another rider, it gives that rider’s dragon a better chance of flying the female when she takes her mating flight. Shao, being a bronze rider, could give Jyshy a better chance of flying Cyryl if Skylar likes him.Now that they know Skylar can hear all the dragons, Shao, who was already the strongest rider besides me, has suddenly become very interested in Skylar.“You can even hear Ylys, right?” Carme asks.“That’s right. I didn’t realize no one else could hear them. I thought she was forcing me to hear her. I thought anyone could hear them if they chose for them to,” Skylar says.Almost as on

Chapter 34: Talking to Ryuki

But love is forged through fire and flame,When Ryuki’s heart enters the frame.A dragon rider, fierce and brave,No king commands, no crown to crave.SkylarI wake up slowly. I can feel Cyryl’s head resting against my body. Her breathing is even so I know she’s asleep.I shift, adjusting my aching ribs into a more comfortable position. Honestly, I’m surprised I’m not more sore. Cracked ribs should take longer to heal, but I seem to be healing faster than I normally would. I wonder if that’s because of Cyryl. I’ll have to ask her.“Easy, Skylar. Are you okay?” Ryuki’s soft voice asks.I nod without opening my eyes. “Just adjusting so my ribs aren’t as sore.” I frown. “Did I pass out?”“You did, but I caught you before you fell. We wouldn’t want your concussion to get worse.”“No, we wouldn’t. I’m surprised my body doesn’t hurt more than it does. Is that normal?” I ask, reaching my hand out to lay it on Cyryl’s head.I smile when she begins clucking happily in her sleep.I hear Ryuki ch

Chapter 35: Boasting

With Bynjym, bonded soul to soul,He guards the wild, the dragons’ role.He sees the war, the theft, the pain;And vows to break the royals’ chain.Ryuki‘She trusts us,’ Bynjym says proudly as Skylar falls back to sleep in my arms.‘She said that?’‘Not directly, but I could feel it. When Cyryl is asleep, Skylar’s emotions are easier to hear and feel. Cyryl protects her rider’s thoughts and emotions when she’s awake, just like I protect yours. But when Cyryl is asleep, Skylar projects more loudly.’I feel the teasing note from my dragon before he speaks again. ‘She also likes the way you look.’I frown. ‘You mean she finds me attractive?’‘Yes, but she likes your body. She likes how muscular you are.’‘Well, we talked about what it takes to be a dragon rider,’ I say.‘Yes, but the feeling from her wasn’t just awe or amazement. There was an underlying feeling of desire as well. She’s pure and may not understand what she’s feeling, but she’s attracted to you physically. That’s good for

Chapter 36: Attack

To him, the eggs are not a prize,But children born beneath the skies.He fights to free them, wing and scale,A rider sworn to truth’s own tale.Skylar‘How are you feeling? I was worried about you,’ Cyryl says as I lean against her body. She wraps her tail protectively around me as we watch Bynjym rise high into the sky.‘I slept well, better than I expected honestly.’‘You like Ryuki,’ she states.‘Yes. I do. I feel safe with him, and I feel like I can trust him. I understand why he didn’t want to tell me about your mating flight yet. He explained it to me, and it made perfect sense. Do you trust him?’‘I trust Bynjym and, therefore, his rider.’‘Why do you trust him?’ I ask, honestly curious since the dragons seem to have a different set of criteria than humans do.‘He’s shown me that he’s willing to protect you and he’s shown me that he could be a good provider if I was on a nest of his eggs.’‘But we don’t have to worry about that for six more months, right?’ I ask her.‘Right. Y

Chapter 37: Flight to Safety

When fate’s soft wind begins to stir,And Ryuki meets the thief, thoughts blur.At first, he sees a cloak and blade,A shadow where no oath was madeAugustusI watch as my daughter is carried away by the silver dragon and his rider.I’d realize a moment too late that she was the one on the back of the queen. I’d yelled for the soldiers to hold their fire, but it was too late. Then, I’d watched as Skylar fell off the dragon and began plummeting to the earth.“NO!” I screamed, just as the only silver dragon with a rider dove underneath her before quickly flying back up into the sky and out of reach of the harpoons.We thought they had her, and now we know they do. They’ve kidnapped my daughter and they’re obviously willing to let her die to save themselves. That queen basically dumped her off her back.As the dragon flies away, I see my daughter clinging to the rider, obviously terrified of falling to her death. I have no idea what they want with her. There has been no ransom request, no

Chapter 38: Queens

But in her gaze, a storm of stars,A sorrow deep as dragon scars.She sheds the mask, the truth she speaks,Of hidden days and stolen weeks.SkylarI have no idea what just came over me. I kissed Ryuki. I kissed him and my entire body responded.That never happened with Kenneth. My body didn’t respond to him. I like him, sure. I have a lot of respect for him, except when it comes to the dragons, but this? This felt primal. This felt like what Ryuki was trying to tell me about being driven by our dragons' desires.I’m so embarrassed by my actions that I tuck my face against his neck. He might be able to feel the heat of my blush, but that doesn’t mean I have to put it on display for him.Once Bynjym lands, Ryuki does that amazing feat of strength where he holds me in his arms while he stands up again.Since I’m wrapped around his body, I can feel every one of his muscles flexing against mine. Yet again, I feel my body responding in ways I’m unaccustomed to.I hear Cyryl crying piteously

Chapter 39: Possessive

“I’m Skylar, daughter of the crown,Yet all my life I’ve been let down.My father steals what can’t be bought,Without a care or conscious thought.”RyukiI have no idea how Skylar did what she did, but Bynjym said she gave Thyyd the strength to get Symy to us and then … then she began healing Symy.‘How is that even possible?’ I ask him as I look at the unconscious woman in my arms.I turn her immediately toward Cyryl who is already beginning to panic.Yyls begins clucking at Cyryl, calming her while I hold Skylar out for her to sniff and look over.‘Bynjym, I could really use you back here to help me understand these queens,’ I tell him.‘I'm on my way, but Ylys is telling Cyryl that Skylar overexerted herself again. Cyryl should be calming down now.’‘She is,’ I say as Cyryl begins nudging me to a place where she’s decided they can rest comfortably.Since we’re not in the nest, I find a large rock that I can lean against and sit with Skylar in my arms. Cyryl lays beside us and rests

Chapter 40: Transfer of Power

The rider sees the fire within,A rebel soul, a kindred kin.Though blood may mark her royal name,Her heart has fled the throne of shame.SkylarSomehow, I once again wake up in Ryuki’s arms.“What do you mean you’re hoping I can answer it for you. You don’t know what happened to me either?” I ask. I feel disoriented, tired, and very hungry.Bynjym begins clucking, then he blows his fire, and hands me a piece of charred meat.“You were hungry before all this happened. Eat and see if that helps you regain your memory,” Ryuki says.I begin eating faster than I should, choking on the food that I can’t swallow fast enough.Bynjym lowers a water flask, holding it until I can finally reach for it.‘Slow down, Skylar. I know you’re hungry. You may very well be feeling your dragon’s hunger as well, but you won’t help anyone if you choke to death,’ Bynjym says, gently admonishing me.‘I’m just so hungry,’ I say to him. I’ve never felt this gnawing feeling of humger before.“You exerted a lot o

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