Sea Dragon (Dragon Knights Book 9) Read Online Free PDF Page A

fishing expedition. Some days, he’d come back to the Lair and mention that he’d met up with his human female friend again, though he never told Seth her name. Some days, he’d talk about the way the fishermen on their little boats had cheered when he came to the surface with a massive shark in his teeth. Each day, Hrardorr seemed to grow stronger and more engaged in the world again. And each night, Seth became happier with the dragon’s progress.
    At the end of each week, Bronwyn would make the trek to Hrardorr’s chamber to check on his progress. After the first few visits, she had taken to sitting with the dragon for a while and bringing him up to date on the news in the Lair. Bronwyn was old enough to get away with such tactics, for a dragon would not be disrespectful to an elder—human or otherwise.
    Seth sat by her side, having made tea for them both in the small kitchen area that was mostly bare, except for the jar of tea and a tin box of crackers he’d placed there especially for Bronwyn’s visits. He’d taken a comfortable chair out of storage for her to use and sat himself on the wooden stool, near her side.
    “You are looking better each day, Sir Hrardorr,” Bronwyn pronounced after she’d settled with her tea. She’d already done a thorough examination of Hrardorr’s wounds. “I’m glad to see Seth is taking such good care of you.”
    “That he is, milady,” Hrardorr agreed, allowing both humans to hear his words. Dragons could direct their speech to one mind or several. They were highly skilled in such things.
    “I would take the credit,” Seth said, modestly, “but it belongs mostly to Sir Hrardorr’s daily excursions. Since he’s been flying out to swim and fish, he’s been gaining strength steadily.”
    “Word of your shark fishing exploits has reached the Lair, Sir Hrardorr,” Bronwyn said with a smile. “The townsfolk are grateful to you and have sent word to the leaders of our Lair in formal thanks. You’re fast becoming a local hero.”
    The words of praise didn’t have the desired effect, Seth could see, as Hrardorr snorted and black puffs of smoke rose from his nostrils toward the vented ceiling. Hrardorr shifted in the sand pit, ruffling his wings slightly.
    “Being known for fishing is not something I ever would have predicted.” Hrardorr let off a mighty sigh that sent more smoke rising upward. “How the mighty have fallen.”
    Seth decided a change of topic was in order. “How is it that you swim so well, Sir Hrardorr?”
    Hrardorr wiggled deeper into the sand in his wallow, getting comfortable.
    “One of my ancestors was a sea dragon,” he told them. “I’m told my coloration comes from her.”
    “I’ve lived on the shore all my life, and I’ve never seen a sea dragon,” Seth said, surprised by Hrardorr’s words.
    “I’m not surprised. They do not come up from the depths often. Their domain is the water, and they do not mix with humans or even other dragons, very often. My great-grandmother, Dureen, was injured in a mighty battle with a creature of the deep and washed up on shore, nearly dead. My great-grandsire, Jaranth, and his knight, Edjel, found her and nursed her back to health, but she was never able to swim the deeps again. She and Jaranth fell in love, and she stayed with him, building this very Lair with him after choosing Kael as her knight.”
    “I had no idea you were descended from them. I’ve heard the story of Dureen and Jaranth my entire life,” Seth told him, duly impressed. “They were legendary leaders of dragons and men.”
    “I thought coming here, to be in the place that they built, might help me heal,” Hrardorr said softly. “And, if nothing else, I could explore my sea dragon side a bit. Water is one of the few places I do not notice my shortcomings so greatly.”
    The conversation was rolling around to unhappy thoughts again, and Seth was at a loss as to how to fix it this time. Luckily, Bronwyn saved the