Accursed Read online

  Dragon Rider Academy

  Book 5

  Accursed

  Michael James Ploof

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  Table of Contents

  Dragon Rider Academy

  Accursed

  Would you like a free eBook?

  Map of Thrine

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Map of Thrine

  Chapter 1

  Min sat cross-legged on the grass in a meditative pose and tried to silence her mind. She’d never realized how many voices there were in her head until she stopped to listen to them all. One wanted food, another wanted to do something exciting, another was thinking about the day’s lessons, and the main voice, what Headmaster Fizziwig called the observer, was listening to them all.

  “If you are to achieve nirvana, you must stop listening to all those voices and instead listen to silence,” said the headmaster, who sat across from her. “Observe.”

  Min opened her eyes, and he closed his. She watched him with anticipation, and she didn’t have to wait long. Fizziwig’s eyes fluttered fleetingly, then he slowly rose off the ground and floated two feet above the grass.

  “Are you binding or unbinding yourself from the ground?” she asked.

  “Neither.” He opened his eyes and smiled, still floating. “I have simply made a bargain with the earth.

  “Come again?”

  “How can I put it so you will understand?” He stroked his mustache and glanced at the pink twilight clouds. “We are naturally bound to the planet. If we weren’t, we would float away on the day we are born. As you know this effect can be reversed by the Unbound. But it need not be one extreme or the other. You can control how much push and pull the world has on you.”

  “How?”

  “With patience, persistence, and practice. This is not something that can be taught, for it must come to you naturally. Fret not, there are practices to help you achieve your goal, and meditation is one of them.” Fizziwig slowly lowered himself to the ground. “Let us begin again. Close your eyes, focus on the vibrations around you, and forget yourself.”

  An hour later Min joined her friends in the first year dormitory’s common room on the fourth floor. Since the Accursed attack in the first semester nine months ago, the schoolyear had been blessedly quiet. They were a week from graduation, and she wondered where the time had gone.

  She’d excelled at her classes once things settled down, and with a high score on her final exams, she was hoping to graduate in the top 5 percent.

  “How’d it go with Fizziwig?” Smudge asked.

  Rix glanced up from the chess board. Tavvin had his queen surrounded, but Rix seemed much more interested in Min’s answer.

  “About as good as a penguin trying to fly.” She plopped on the sofa next to Smudge, stole the muffin in his hand, and took a bite.

  “You’ll get it,” said Smudge. “You’re good at everything.”

  “It doesn’t feel that way. I’ve been training with him for nine months, and I still haven’t had any breakthroughs.”

  “You worry too much,” said Tavvin. He moved his bishop into place and grinned. “Checkmate.”

  “Good game,” said Rix. “He knocked over his king, stood, and stretched. “You guys want to do something?”

  “Like what?” said Min.

  He shrugged. “Let’s go out to Big Torch Key and watch the stars.”

  “Wow, that sounds fun,” said Tavvin sarcastically.

  “Do you have a better suggestion?”

  “We should study for our finals.”

  “That sounds like a lot more fun.” Smudge rolled his eyes. “Let’s go out on the town. There’s a bard from Svedland performing at the Rusty Anchor. He’s supposed to be really good.”

  “Sounds good to me,” said Min.

  Rix and Tavvin may have had other plans, but they were forgotten when Min flashed them an excited smile.

  They threw on their heavy coats and started for the door. Winter had been colder than normal, and even thought spring was just around the corner, the humidity, mixed with the chill in the air, made it seem colder than it was.

  On the way to the Rusty Anchor, they passed through throngs of people clogging the streets. Min stayed close to her friends, but a group of rowdy boys split the group as they wrestled over an unbound ball. A hand slipped into her pocket, and she whirled around.

  “Hey!” She felt in her pocket, thinking her coin purse might have been snatched, but instead she found a small envelope.

  “Min?” said Rix. He had stopped and was frowning. “What’s wrong?”

  “Someone just put this in my pocket.” She remembered Fizziwig being poisoned nine months ago and regarded the envelope with suspicion.

  “You should take it to Morgotti,” he said immediately.

  She glanced around, but no one seemed to be paying her any attention. There was an alley between a bakery and an inn. “Come on,” she said and ducked into it.

  “What’s going on?” Smudge asked as he and Tavvin followed them.

  “Just keep a lookout,” said Min.

  “Be careful,” said Rix.

  “I’ve got gloves on, but we should all probably hold our breath.” She tore open the envelope. A small folded piece of paper was inside. She opened it, scanned the short note, and her heart dropped.

  If you ever want to see your precious dragon egg again, meet me at Mt. Fior this time tomorrow. Come alone, or the egg will be destroyed.

  “What’s it say?” Smudge asked, trying to look over her shoulder.

  She instantly ripped up the note and stuffed it in her pocket. “Just a bad poem from a secret admirer. Let’s go.”

  She passed Rix, who watched her intently. She wanted to run to the aeriary and check on her egg more than anything, but if the threat was real, she had to keep it a secret. Despite her worry, she kept a cool head and sat through an excruciating half hour at the pub, listening to the Svedland bard. The music was fun and whimsical, and the stories left most people laughing, but she barely registered any of it.

  “I don’t feel well,” Min said in a break between songs.

  Rix look worried. “I’ll escort you back,” he said rising.

  “You just ordered a pitcher of ale. Stay, enjoy yourself.”

  “What’s going on?”

  “It’s….” she badly wanted to share her concerns with him and her other friends, but she dared not. “It’s nothing.”

  He put a hand on her shoulder. “Min?”

  Smudge and Tavvin waited for the answer as well, and she let out a fake, indignant laugh. “It’s a girl thing, if you must know.”

  “Oh,” said Rix. “Sorry.”

  “I’ll see you guys soon.” She put a copper queen on the table. “Have a pint on me.”

  She left, clutching her tummy to further convince her friends, but as soon as the door closed behind her, she Burst high toward the aeriary. When she got there, she instantly knew something was wrong. For one thing, there were about four dozen Unbound soldiers gathered around the building, which was brightly lit and bustling with activity.

  “I must speak
with Professor Veedra,” she told the closest soldier.

  “And you are?”

  “That’s Min Varresh,” said another. “Wait here. I’ll inform the professor you’re here.”

  “Thank you.” She paced and bit her thumbnail. The man returned after an excruciating ten minutes and told the others to let her through.

  The guard led her down the dark staircase, and she noticed something dark on the stairs and walls. At the bottom, on the landing, a man was on a ladder, wiping down the ceiling. Beside the ladder was a bundle of blood-stained cloths.

  “What happened here?” she asked, but the guard said nothing.

  Veedra was waiting for her in the dragon egg vault. Her face was ashen, and she appeared stricken with worry. Her uncharacteristic fear made Min even more nervous.

  “Tell me it’s not true,” said Min.

  Veedra appeared to be on the verge of tears. She pointed at the vault door, which had been ripped off its hinges. Bloodstains colored the walls, and she spotted a small chunk of something that might have been flesh wedged in a corner. “Someone broke into the vault and stole Azuria. I’m sorry. I have failed you both.”

  Min tore her eyes from the bloody walls. “How many died?”

  “Six Unbound guards. They were….” Veedra’s voice cracked, and she took a moment to compose herself. “They were torn to pieces.”

  “Who could have done this?” she asked.

  “A very powerful Unbound,” said Fizziwig, leaning heavily on his walking stick as he crossed the room. Since the poisoning he’d had trouble with his left leg.

  For some reason she felt shame when she met his eyes. Once again people had died trying to protect her. Fizziwig regarded her with compassion, however.

  “How many other eggs did they take?” Min asked.

  “Just yours,” Veedra said.

  “Someone is trying to lure you out, no doubt,” said Fizziwig. “How did you know to come here?”

  She scrambled to think of a lie, but she couldn’t utter the words, not to the headmaster. “Someone slipped a letter in my pocket in town.”

  “Did you see who it was?”

  “No.”

  “What did it say?”

  She told them but added a small lie after all, telling them the kidnapper had instructed her to meet them in the small coastal town of Riverford rather than Mt. Fior. Fizziwig’s look of compassion turned to one of concern.

  “What do I do?” she asked.

  “Nothing,” said Fizziwig. “This is obviously a trap.”

  “But if I don’t go, they’ll destroy the egg.”

  “No, they won’t. One would have to be a fool to destroy a living dragon egg.”

  “That’s worse then,” said Min in a panic. “Whoever took Azuria will groom her into an evil, heartless killer. Sir, I swore on my life to protect the egg and the dragon within it. I must go.”

  “That will only get you kidnapped or killed,” said Veedra.

  “I must agree with the professor,” said Fizziwig. “By no means should you leave this island.”

  “That’s it? I’m just supposed to allow Azuria to be taken?”

  “It will be taken care of,” said the headmaster.

  “By whom?”

  “Dragon riders, of course. They will go to Riverford and retrieve the egg.”

  “I already told you they’d destroy it if I didn’t come alone,” said Min.

  “And I have explained that they will not.”

  “They might in desperation. Headmaster, I can’t take that chance.”

  “I’m sorry, Min, but I cannot in good conscience allow you to leave.”

  She knew she wouldn’t change his mind, so she nodded with resignation even while she was concocting a plan to rescue Azuria.

  Chapter 2

  Min returned to the dormitory where her friends were waiting for her. They’d heard about the break-in and wanted to hear the news. She told them what happened, only omitting that the culprit had told her to meet them in Mt. Fior rather than Riverford. She didn’t know why she was lying to them, and she felt bad doing so. Rix had a look in his eye that told Min he suspected there was more, but he didn’t press her.

  “Why did you lie to us about the note?” Tavvin asked.

  “I don’t know,” said Min. “I guess I felt like repeating it would make it real.”

  “What are you going to do?” Smudge asked.

  “What can I do? The headmaster forbade me to leave the island.”

  “That doesn’t sound like the Min I know,” said Tavvin.

  “I might be spontaneous, but I’m not suicidal.”

  “If we can’t go after the egg, we should try to figure out who put the note in your pocket,” said Rix. “Did you recognize anyone around you?”

  “There were a bunch of boys playing Unbound ball.”

  “I remember that!” said Smudge. “It was a group of third-years.”

  “That’s a start,” said Rix.

  “What are we supposed to do with that information?” said Tavvin. “That class has fifty students.”

  “It’s better than nothing.”

  “I remember seeing that Baker guy,” Smudge said. “William Baker, that’s his name. He runs with Whit Goodkind and Markus Small.”

  “One of them might be in the Brotherhood of Igarrus, like Rodrick was,” said Tavvin.

  “Perhaps,” said Min. She’d been so concerned about the missing egg that she’d forgotten the culprit had a connection to the city. “We can talk about this later. I’m really tired.”

  “What about the egg?” said Smudge.

  “Fizziwig said the riders are going after it. Let’s pray they are successful.”

  Min paced her room and chewed her thumbnail. She couldn’t take in a full breath because her chest felt like it was being squeezed too tight. Her mind raced as she tried to determine what to do. She’d lied to the headmaster, and dragon riders were mounting up and preparing to storm Riverford. Should she tell him the truth and hope the riders could save the egg, or should she steal a dragon and fly to Mt. Fior?

  Whoever had stolen the egg and killed the guards was powerful, she had no doubt about that. They’d easily dispatched numerous Unbound soldiers, men who were stronger than Min. But sneak onto the floating island and steal a dragon egg to lure Min out? Why didn’t they come for her directly?

  They want me alive.

  Min was sure the children of Igarrus were behind the kidnapping. During the first semester, they’d recruited Rodrick to poison Min and deliver her to the Accursed.

  Anger steadily grew as she paced. She was tired of hiding. She was tired of being scared. She’d promised to protect Azuria with her life, and she knew what she had to do.

  Long after the curfew bell sounded, and the students had settled into bed, she stood in front of the mirror and dressed in her leather armor, noticing how much more defined her muscles were. Many months of training and working at Red Burns’ smithy had left her tight and chiseled.

  She strapped on her daggers and retrieved a long leather bundle from the wardrobe. Inside it was the blade she’d made for Red, who had been so impressed, he told her to keep it. Rather than making nails and other tedious things, she was creating her own line of blades and daggers. She had named the sword Elza, after her mother. It was three feet long, thin and straight, with an ivory handle wrapped in dark leather. The dwarven steel was perfectly balanced and felt like a natural extension of her arm.

  She attached the sheath and slid the blade into it, enjoying the sound.

  She shouldered her pack, which contained food and supplies, and also her custom-made wingsuit.

  The hallway was lit by one torch. There was no one about, and the common room was empty. Min felt bad leaving without telling her friends what she was doing, but if they knew, they would insist on going with her.

  Min slipped out the front door and drew the hood of her cloak down low. She immediately turned onto the street and Burst over the ne
arest building. The night was clear and quiet. The crescent moon was just rising, and its pale silver sheen sparkled across the ocean. Min landed on the roof of the three-story library and looked at the aeriary.

  Getting out of the dormitory unnoticed had been easy, but stealing a dragon would be much harder.

  Something landed behind her, and she instinctively unsheathed her sword and spun around.

  “Whoa there, Min,” said Rix.

  “What are you doing here?” She scoured the surrounding rooftops, afraid Smudge and Tavvin had come along with him.

  “I should ask you the same thing.”

  “You can’t come with me.”

  “Where are you going?”

  “Riverford.”

  “No you’re not. You lied to the headmaster, and you’re lying to me.”

  “Rix—”

  “You’re never going to convince a dragon to fly you wherever you’re going. You’re likely to get eaten for trying.”

  “Maybe I intend to use a wingsuit.”

  “You’re going to fly hundreds of miles in a wingsuit? I doubt it. You need a dragon, and I happen to know where to get one.”

  Min gave him a dubious look. “You don’t even like dragons.”

  “I like dragons,” he said defensively “I just have a healthy fear of them.”

  “So where is it?”

  “It’s one my father used to ride. He was retired by the legion a few years ago.”

  “And why do you think he’ll take me anywhere?”

  “Us you mean.”

  Min tightened her lips.

  “He once told me he and I would ride together someday.”

  “He told you? Like mentally?”

  “Nothing like that. He’s very old, and he’s learned a word or two of the human tongues.”

  “Can you convince him to take me where I need to go?”

  Rix crossed his arms stubbornly. “Not without me.”

  “Fine, but I’m warning you. It’s going to be dangerous.”