Avian (The Dragonrider Chronicles) Read Online Free PDF

confidence. I started making things that were more complex, and buying better pieces of wood to use with the money I made. I bought nails, new hammers, and sanding tools. I spent all day drenched with sweat, creating new projects in my father’s old workshop. My hands got rough, and they got stronger and tougher every day. But as soon as the sun began to set, I knew it was time to get back to reality.
    At dusk, I saddled up Mavrik and took off to fly drills. I didn’t want anyone to see us, sweeping low over the mountains, flying patterns, and diving along the steep cliffs, so we always waited until dark. We flew for hours, until I was too tired to keep my eyes open anymore. Then we landed, and I went inside to eat dinner before I went to bed.
    I fell into a routine. The days ran together. The only thing that kept me conscious of the time was how often I bumped into Katty—which happened less and less. I saw her a few times in the city, and of course, she was always with Bren. She stared at me from afar like she was waiting for me to do something. She always managed to look angry and sad at the same time, like she wanted to choke me until I apologized to her. But I never spoke to her. I never went near her, or even waved. There was a distance there I didn’t think I could breach. It still hurt to think about her, and seeing her only made it worse. It was like there was a big, rotting hole in the middle of my chest. I knew I missed her, but I couldn’t decide if it was because she’d been that special to me, or if I just hated being alone.
    I was working on a new kitchen table for my house. Right away, I knew it was going to be one of the nicest things I’d made so far. I was taking my time, smoothing out the top with a big strip of rough sandpaper, when I heard a horse whinny outside. Immediately, I put my tools down. I wasn’t expecting any visitors, and I knew how a horse would respond to the sleeping dragon curled up in my barn if Mavrik decided to get curious. Horses and dragons didn’t get along.
    “Stay put,” I murmured to Mavrik, knowing he would hear me.
    I pushed the workshop door open and went out into the snow. The wind was frigid, and the snow was so deep it came up to my knees. Mithangol was not a great place to be in the winter months.
    A mail courier was riding up the drive toward my house. It had been weeks since I had even seen one carrying letters past my house, and none of them had delivered anything to me. When he saw me, the courier stopped and started rifling through his saddlebags. He was waving a letter in the air by the time I met him.
    “From Saltmarsh, outside of Southwatch,” he said as he handed me the letter. “Anything for delivery?”
    I shook my head and took the letter from him.
    The courier didn’t waste any time. He turned his horse around and trotted off back down the drive.
    Looking down at the weathered envelope, I saw the address scribbled onto the front. It didn’t say whom it was from, though. I knew where Saltmarsh was only because I had to memorize very detailed kingdom maps as part of my training at the academy. It was a small port city about ten miles to the west of Southwatch, along the coast. I didn’t know anyone living there, though.
    I had some hopes the letter would be from Roland or Felix as I opened it. But as I unfolded the thick parchment, I got a sick feeling in the pit of my gut. All it said was:
    I need you. Come quickly. – B.D.
    The message was vague, but I still knew who it was from right away. I only knew one person in the whole world with those initials, and I didn’t think she would go to the trouble of sending a letter like this if wasn’t an emergency.
    Beckah Derrick was the daughter of my former sponsor at the academy. She was one of the smartest and bravest people I knew, and she was also one of my best friends. If she needed me, then I wasn’t about to hesitate.
    “Looks like we’re taking a trip,” I muttered as I stood there in