Balerion The Dread Novels & Stories

he laughed nervously, shaking his head. “Those nightcrawlers are a lost cause. They have lost themselves to madness and are incapable of having even a shred of sanity. Vile creatures,” he spat with so much venom dripping from each word. Hearing him say they are vile made me angry. He dare call them that when he was the one who took away their life, stripping it right before their eyes and made their lives a living hell. I could feel Valkerie tugging at me, wanting us to shift. Her urge to do so is overwhelming, I could barely keep her in line. I held her back, telling her to wait for the right moment to strike if anything happens.

His dark eyes shone pain and grief. The Fae Lord's son stood to his feet gracefully and waved his hand at the High Lord in dismissal. "You heard the Sybyl. If the Draekien has been awakened, the brethren follow after. You know your son is gone now, Icarus. War approaches. Keep Khthonia and the rest of your children safe. The disappearances have increased, so we have heard. Not just in Neradia. It is likewise in Gantreth and Elysium. Stop grieving and go take care of your Court." He looked down at the rest of the Lords and jerked his head towards the entrance. "Out. Father will not be discussing his wedding anymore. We have work to do."

Someone else’s. Vaelrion froze. Predatory focus snapped into place. “What was that?” His head turned toward the balcony overlooking the sleeping kingdom. The pain came again—faint, distant, young. The hatchling. Vaelrion moved instantly. One moment beside her, the next already crossing the chambers, pulling dark clothing over his shoulders with pure dragon speed. “Vaelrion—” “She’s hurt.” Fear surged through the bond. Not only fear—rage. Lyra scrambled after him as palace alarms erupted through the mountain halls. Cold dread slammed into her chest. The sanctuary. Something happened in the sanctuary.

Blankets, makeshift cots, and the faint copper tang of spilled life covered the stones that only yesterday had been scrubbed for wedding preparations. There would be no wedding now. Balor stood in the shadows of the eastern wall, his amber eyes catching the sun like molten gold, but the fire within them was not love. It was rage. His golden hair, normally combed back with soldier’s neatness, was unbound, loose strands falling across his jaw. He looked like a war god dragged from some bloody myth, his thick frame tense as a bowstring. Evandra approached quietly, but even without sound he knew she was there; the mate bond hummed faintly. His shoulders stiffened.

After two failures, everyone was eager to see if she would fall too, or rise above them all. --- Aliyah’s Trial – The Dreadtalon Aliyah stepped into the arena, where silence pressed heavy like a weight. The air turned colder. The light dimmed, as if the sky itself was watching. Then it came, a piercing scream from above. The Dreadtalon. A massive, terrifying beast, part bird, part shadow. Its wings stretched across the sky, its feathers glimmered with strange black light, and its talons dripped with venom. Its eyes burned red, locked on Aliyah.

Ballar, the most dangerous druid to walk the earth and one who had tried to wage total war on Tír na nÓg and destroyed most of Greenland in the process. “Your apprentice? You were the one who trained that madman? If you are his master then why didn’t you destroy him? Or better yet, simply refuse to train him in the first place?” I demanded hotly. “Because of him and his beasts, my parents are dead, whole continents are barren from his fight and now there are deadly packs of werewolves worshipping him with blood sacrifices!”

So, this was a dream? "Rise, my Knight," Gaea said in a soft motherly tone. When Sophia rose to her feet and looked at the queen, the latter continued, "I placed the curse on Elijah to keep him away from the Knights. He believes his form is the only punishment for delivering pain to his family without my order. They've found Elijah. The bane of the dragons is what they seek to destroy." Elijah? That must be Eli's true name... "What is a bane of the dragons?" Sophia questioned. "Who is after him? What am I supposed to do?"

“Arric will become the next King.” Anger flared through me, and I almost released my Dragon upon everyone. Bring my attention to Arion, I wanted to rip his head off his body. It shouldn’t have surprised me that he was vying for the position. A triumphant smirk danced across his face. “Sorry brother, but I am worried that you will lead us to our doom. I am only doing what is best for everyone.” Arion stood and began walking around the table. Thankfully at that moment, a shroud of mist spread across the room. Even as a Dragon, they wouldn’t be able to see through the mist. Thankfully, Kellan was on my side and had the one ability that was useful against them.

Then you will return to the Underworld and fulfil your promise to me,' They hit me like a knife to the chest. The world felt like it was caving in on me. How could I not have connected the pieces sooner? The seer Dela spoke of was Balor. My throat constricted, and I let out a shaky breath as I stepped further into my Grandfathers office. "You're mated to a human?" All eyes shot to me. Balor's sapphire eyes, so much like mine and my mother's, widened in shock. He frantically looked over me, his expression of confusion and concern.

The crown upon his head is a dark, jagged metal that looks like metal dragon claws curled around his temples. But it’s his eyes that unsettle me the most as I approach closer. They are not human. Not entirely. They are slitted like a dragon’s, watching me with a burning curiosity that makes my skin prickle with heat. I will not let him see my fear. The soldier shoves me down on my knees before him. “Before you is Dahlia Rhadaya Balerion,” the soldier announces. “Dethroned princess of Velmira, offered as your Queen tribute.”