Kathir's Redemption (Book 6)
Read Kathir's Redemption (Book 6) Online
Authors: Kristian Alva
Tags: #YA fantasy, #epic fantasy, #dark fantasy, #fantasy, #dragons
Kathir
’
s Redemption
Book Six of the Dragon Stone Saga
Kristian Alva
Defiant Press
Table of Contents
Other Books in the Dragon Stone Saga
Copyright Notice
Kathir
’
s Redemption: Book Six of the Dragon Stone Saga (Chronicles of Tallin)
Copyright Notice.
©
Defiant Press, 2015.
First Edition. This book contains material protected under International and Federal copyright laws and treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted without express written permission from the publisher, www.defiantpress.com.
Editor: Dorathea Thomas
Find out more about the author at her official website:
www.KristianAlva.com
.
Printed in the United States of America. The Dragon Stone Saga
®
is a registered U.S. trademark. All rights reserved.
Original Dragon Stone Trilogy
Book 1: Dragon Stones
Book 2: The Return of the Dragon Riders
Book 3: Vosper
’
s Revenge
Chronicles of Tallin Trilogy
Book 4: The Balborite Curse
Book 5: Rise of the Blood Masters
Book 6: Kathir
’
s Redemption
The Shadow Grid Trilogy
Book 7: The Shadow Grid Returns (forthcoming)
Book 8: The Fall of Miklagard (forthcoming)
Book 9: Sisren
’
s Betrayal (forthcoming)
Kathir's Redemption
Dragons Paired with Riders
Brinsop, f. carnelian dragon paired with Sela Matu
Duskeye, m. sapphire dragon, paired with Tallin Arai
Nydeired, m. diamond dragon, paired with Elias Dorgumir (offspring of Starclaw)
Orshek, m. onyx dragon, paired with Galti Thallan
Karela, f. onyx dragon, paired with Holf Thallan
Starclaw, f. emerald dragon, paired with Chua Hakmorr
Blacktooth, m. onyx dragon, paired with F
ë
anor the elf
Poth, m. onyx dragon, paired with Carnes
î
r the elf
Nagendra, f. carnelian dragon, paired with Amandila the elf
Charlight, f. (deceased), paired with Hanko
Other Dragons
Shesha, f. carnelian dragon
Atejul, m, emerald dragon (offspring of Duskeye and Nagendra)
Tallin awoke in darkness, deep inside the dungeons of Balbor. Many days ago, their group had gone to Balbor to destroy the temple and had been captured. Tallin, his aunt Mugla, and two elf dragon riders, Amandila and F
ë
anor, had been dragged into the underground dungeons.
The Balborites abandoned them in a dark cell without food and then ignored them. Armed guards walked back and forth in front of their cell day and night, the sound of their boots striking the ground on the other side of the door. No one spoke to the prisoners or even acknowledged they were there.
Tallin glanced over at Mugla. She lay against the far wall, emaciated from hunger. Even Tallin, who was used to going without food for days at a time, could feel the lack of sustenance gnawing at him. Luckily, they had access to water, which was occasionally shoved through the door in a leather water skin.
There were no windows in the cell
—
only a tiny slit in the door, which left the air inside stuffy and hot. They were all tied with enchanted ropes, except the elves, who were shackled against the wall.
Tallin felt his legs throbbing. He had been frozen in the same position for hours. He tried to wiggle his feet to increase blood flow, but it didn
’
t help much.
The Balborites had seized all their weapons, but Tallin had managed to conceal a small light crystal in his boot. Tallin kept the magical light deliberately dim when he used it. Any flicker of light was risky, but using the crystal was worth it to stave off despair. Sitting in darkness made their situation feel even worse. The small spark of light that the crystal produced would have been barely noticeable to human eyes, but since Tallin was half dwarf, it was bright enough to see everything around him.
While Tallin and Mugla sat on the floor, the elves were chained to the wall and, were in much poorer shape. Amandila and F
ë
anor
’
s ears were pierced with iron wire, which was designed to disrupt their powerful magic, including their ability to shape-change. Tallin had never thought he would feel any sympathy for elves, but it was impossible not to feel something for the two miserable-looking creatures who hung limply at his side.
The elves were both semi-conscious. With their ears pierced by iron wire, their carefully-maintained glamour was gone. Their eyes were slick and shiny, their faces swollen and bruised.
Both had screamed in agony when their ears were pierced, but now they just groaned, twisting their bodies as the iron slowly worked its way through their bloodstream. The iron was poisoning them, weakening them by degrees. Though the elves hung near one another, neither seemed to realize that the other was even there. Or perhaps their pain was so great that they simply didn
’
t care.
Tallin could reach out and touch them, and he had tried to remove the iron. But as soon as he had touched it, the wire only twisted tighter, causing Amandila to cry out in pain. He didn
’
t try again after that.
Mugla raised her head weakly.
“
Do ye know what day it is, dear?
”
Tallin shook his head.
“
I
’
m not sure. I think it
’
s been five days, but I
’
ve lost track of time. I can
’
t tell if it
’
s day or night anymore.
”
He kept his voice low.
Mugla sat up and propped herself up against the wall. She looked emaciated and had cracks at the corners of her mouth. But when she spoke, her voice was strong and level.
“
They
’
re starvin
’
us, weakenin
’
us.
”
Tallin looked toward the elves.
“
What about them?
”
Their faces were almost unrecognizable
—
grossly swollen and puffy.
“
Will they survive?
”
“
The odds aren
’
t in their favor, but at least they
’
re still alive. Keepin
’
an elf in captivity is a risky business. Elves are powerful and vindictive if they escape. I
’
m surprised the Balborites haven
’
t killed
‘
em yet.
”
“
I don
’
t understand why they haven
’
t killed all of us,
”
Tallin said.
“
I
’
m sure they
‘
ave their reasons. The High Priest probably wants to make an example out of us. As for the elves, they
’
ll fare worse than us. We
’
ll be hanged, but the elves will be tortured. The Balborites will kill them for sport.
”
Tallin raised his eyebrows.
“
What?
”
A humorless smile lifted the corners of Mugla
’
s lips.
“
An elf capture is a rare thing. The high priest enjoys watchin
’
‘
em tortured. Because elves are immortal, the show lasts a very long time. They
’
ll die eventually
…
but very, very slowly. Sometimes , they chain prisoners to a post and release dogs on them, to tear them apart. They kill rebellious slaves that way.
”
“
That
’
s barbaric,
”
Tallin said.
A metal door opened and shut, and then came the sound of heavy footsteps approaching. Tallin put a finger to his lips and shook his head back and forth. He extinguished his light crystal and tucked it carefully back into his boot.
They watched a square of light at the far side of the room grow as the door to their cell opened. Tallin blinked from the bright light that entered their cell. Skera-Kina stood behind the guard. She was accompanied by a younger man who was dressed similarly, but did not have facial tattoos. Tallin guessed he was her apprentice.
She pointed at Tallin.
“
You there
…
halfling. Stand up. The High Priest demands your presence.
”
The guardsman covered his nose, but the sour smell inside the cell didn
’
t seem to bother Skera-Kina.