Dragonbound: Blue Dragon Read Online Free PDF Page B

be suicide.
    A shout went up from the wall. "They've caught him!"
    That shocked Kanvar into action. He headed for the gate, still clutching his bedroll. Other colonists converged in the street, all eager to see the captured Naga. The sudden press of people made progress impossible for Kanvar. He fell to his knees in the crowd and was almost trampled before he could crawl to the closest building and drag himself back up.
    No use trying to get to the gate. Kanvar headed in the opposite direction. If they'd caught the Naga they would most likely take him to the town square below the watch tower. Kanvar limped toward the center of town and climbed the stairs to the bottom platform of the tower. Above him, he heard the chatter of the soldiers who manned the spy glasses.
    "Don't see the Great Gold now. Wonder where it went."
    "It's still cloudy, so we should see it if it flies up out of the jungle canopy. Just keep your eyes open for it."
    The throng of people made its way down the main street toward the square. Kanvar shuddered. He hated crowds. There in the center of the shouting angry mob a group of soldiers surrounded a single man with wild blond hair. They'd bound his hands behind his back and tied a singing stone against his forehead with a leather thong but left the fine sword hanging at his side as if it were accursed and no one wished to touch it. Kanvar winced at the thought of how painful the singing stone must be for the captured Naga. But the Naga strode confidently amid the soldiers, head held high, his eyes scanning the crowd as if looking for someone.
    They brought him into the square amid the shouting crowd. "Burn him! Burn the Naga!" The closer the singing stone came, the more its wail drowned out the cries of the angry humans. Kanvar reeled in pain and dropped his bedroll onto the platform so he could use his good arm and hand to grip the stanchion to keep himself from falling.
    General Samdrasen met the soldiers just below the watch tower. The soldiers savagely forced the Naga to his knees in front of Samdrasen. The Naga glanced up as his knees slammed against the rough volcanic stone. His eyes locked with Kanvar's for a split second before the soldiers forced his head down into submission at Samdrasen's feet.
    "Devaj," Kanvar cried, but his small voice was lost in the shouts from the crowd. He couldn't believe it. His brother had changed some as he grew older, but there was no doubt, the Naga was Devaj. Joy spread through Kanvar's heart and was smothered by a blanket of fear. Devaj would not survive the day.
    Samdrasen held a hand up, and the shouts died down to angry mutters.
    "Why have you come here?" Samdrasen demanded. "You know your life is forfeit."
    "I've come seeking peace. This land is big. There is room for all. Dragons and humans once lived side by side. We could do so again," Devaj said.
    Kanvar didn't know how Devaj could even talk instead of just writhing in pain from the singing stone. His announcement must have taken all Devaj's force of will to make.
    Samdrasen spat in Devaj's face. "Tell that to the blues."
    Devaj swallowed and looked up into Samdrasen's face.
    "Don't you dare look at me." Samdrasen kicked Devaj in the jaw, sending him reeling backwards. The soldiers caught him and forced him down flat on the ground in front of Samdrasen.
    "I've come to act as an emissary between you and the blues," Devaj said through gritted teeth. Kanvar could barely hear him beneath the scream of the singing stone. "I believe if both sides would just listen to each other, we could bring this war to a close."
    "Never," Samdrasen said. He kicked Devaj again and ordered his soldiers to burn him.
    During the brief exchange between Samdrasen and Devaj, more soldiers had erected a wooden pillar in the center of the square. The colonists brought armloads of dry straw, sticks, and logs to pile around the pillar.
    The soldiers dragged Devaj over to the pillar.
    "No!" Devaj shouted above the roar of approval from the