Dragon Bonds (Return of the Darkening Series Book 3) Read Online Free PDF Page A

time that I had felt its presence. I wanted to reach out to Kalax, but I had to stay still and quiet. But I could feel that she had sensed the danger that I was in and was about to take flight.
    Kalax, no! I warned her.
    Of course, a dragon does what a dragon wants to do. I might be able to use my affinity to command dragons—but it was only a powerful suggestion. Kalax would make up her own mind.
    A sibilant, triumphant hiss filled the air as the wild dragon picked up onmy thoughts to Kalax. I wondered if that would get the attention of other wild dragons—or was this one just angry about another dragon being near? I just had to pray that Kalax did not come to me. That would attract the attention of Lord Vincent and the Darkening. If that happened, we’d all be lost.
    The wild Northern dragon was a creature I could handle. I wasn’t a match, however, for the forces of the Darkening.
    I wondered if this one dragon had decided to nest in the cinders here—maybe its wild nature had taken over and it just wanted to eat and rest.
    “Children, back!” Hu muttered, her voice low.
    I winced. Dragons had good hearing and even better sense of smell. The dragon would hear her words. I could only hope that the smoke from the fires had masked Kalax’s scent.
    The dragon’s guttural hiss sounded again. Wood splintered and cracked as the dragon rose up, shaking itself from the rubble where it had been resting.
    “To the shelter?” asked Joachim, his face pale.
    I nodded and told Widow Hu, “Hurry. Take them with you. Get to the shelter and hide.”
    She shook her head and glanced at Sparrow and two gangly-looking boys I didn’t know. The boys had slings and bows they had loosed. “You three, you know the drill,” she said.
    How many dragons have they faced already?
    The three stood and hurried off in different directions. Sparrow and the boy with the bow ran to the right, and the boy with the sling edged through the rubble toward the dragon.
    I headed to Widow Hu and whispered, “Are you mad?” Another loud crunch sounded and I heard the wild dragon snuffling, as Kalax often did after a late daytime snooze.
    Rolling her eyes, Widow Hu pointed to the corner just ahead of us. “We can head it off there. Unless you, Sir Dragon Rider, have a better plan?”
    Before I could stop her, she hurried toward the gap in the houses ahead of us. I couldn’t believe the half-blind, old Widow Hu was about to try to fight a dragon with only children to help her.
    Even I wouldn’t try to fight a dragon on my own. I headed after her, determined to stop her from making a very bad mistake. But she stopped, raised her staff and struck it hard against the cobbles. The sound echoed around us. I stopped and held my breath.
    Just past the rubble, glittering, onyx scales shimmered in the sunlight. The wild black dragon was turning toward the Widow Hu.
    The dragon roared again, its voice echoing through the wreckage. I could see its sinewy form. Compared to Kalax, it was thin, but barbed scales fanned out around its neck and jaw, and horns spiked its head. That head lifted now and I could see the dark eyes. Its head turned from side to side like a snake’s.
    This black was truly wild. I knew that at once. The Darkening wasn’t controlling its actions right now. I wondered if it had broken free of Lord Vincent’s control, or was this just a temporary freedom for the wild dragon?
    Widow Hu lifted her staff and struck it against the cobbles so hard a flare of blue sparks came from the end. The wild black dragon couldn’t resist the sudden noise and movement. Something strange had moved—it would attack.
    Sword in my sweating hand, I braced for the worst.

3
    Searching
    S taring at the fires in Monger’s Lane, I wondered how I would ever find Seb. I wasn’t even certain where his home was—or had been. In the time I’d known him, he had never talked much about his past and had never invited me to his house. For me, on the other hand, it seemed