The Music of Dragons Read online

  “I don’t know why Boldfrost would want the first thing with a dog like you,” Godwin said.

  Good, Atusto continued. Keep going. Godwin, Tarsurian soldiers are all around. I’m sorry, but it’s the only way. They’ll stay hidden for now if you kill me. Move a step closer. I’ll slip you the bottle. Once I do we must quarrel, and you need to kill me. Return to your people and deliver this bottle to someone trustworthy. Don’t stop speaking. Another insult. Now!

  Godwin shook his head in disbelief. Was it possible that the Admiral knew about this? It seemed unlikely, but who was to say? “You need to tell me exactly what’s going on and why you’re doing this,” Godwin said seriously.

  “I’m doing it to save the world you imbecile!” Atusto shouted out loud. “But perhaps I should have known that you Westerners would be too stupid to see a helping hand right in front of your faces!”

  Atusto took another step forward. You must trust me, Godwin. Step forward. Quickly. I’ll slip it into your pocket.

  For half a heartbeat Godwin froze. Everything he knew about fighting and dealing with subversive enemies told him to stay away from Atusto. He could just as easily slip a knife between his ribs as a bottle in his pocket. But still…

  Godwin!

  Godwin stepped forward, closing the distance between them to next to nothing. He seized Atusto by the collar and pulled him to eye level. “You shouldn’t bite the hand that feeds you, Atusto,” he growled. Godwin felt something fall into the inner pocket of his cloak.

  Thank you. Now you must finish it. They’ll kill you if they reveal themselves. You have to kill me. The plan was never for me to go with you. They’ve been plotting my death for a while. You don’t know how they operate.

  “No,” Godwin said. “I don’t think you get to dictate terms from here on out.”

  “What a laugh!” Atusto responded, but with his mind’s voice Atusto’s tone was far more urgent. You idiot! You’ll get yourself killed before you listen to the message. Don’t think you can protect me. You can’t! Kill me and go. Quickly!

  “I think we should continue this conversation in a room with some people who are more qualified than I am to deal with you, Atusto. I have a suspicion that Boldfrost himself would be very interested in what you have to say. Him and his council. I should think a meeting will be called to—”

  “Listen!” Atusto shouted. It was all he shouted. The next moment a blood-stained arrow emerged through his head. The tip of it almost touched Godwin’s nose. Atusto was dead that instant.

  “Shit.”

  Godwin leapt towards the brush the moment before another arrow whistled through the air where his head had been a moment ago. Backpedaling, he observed several shadows moving towards him as the last of sunlight died. He instantly recognized the tight, black robes favored by the Tarsurian covert operations units. The hiss of swords on leather filled the air as his enemies closed in.

  Grimacing, Godwin crouched defensively while they approached. “Come on then!” he growled, leaping decisively at one of the assassins as they began to close in. The darksword flew from its sheath and cut through the opponent’s abdomen. Runes glowed hot red on the sword while the man screamed and died.

  Taking advantage of their momentary fear from seeing his magical weapon, Godwin flew at the next enemy. The man raised his sword to defend himself, but far too slowly. Keeping the momentum going, Godwin moved past the second dead man and started combat with the third. He was ready to take the Tarsurian’s head when a flash in his peripheral vision caused Godwin to leap backwards and dodge a strike that would have speared him.

  Cursing, Godwin circled on his feet to assess the situation. There were ten fighters coming at him from 180 degrees. Possibly more beyond the darkness.

  “Does Julius Hercinium have so little regard for a ceasefire?” Godwin said, hoping to buy himself a moment to come up with a plan.

  “A demon like the Odruri does not get the same courtesy as common soldiers,” one of the attackers said. Five swords leapt at Godwin at once. The runes of the dark sword burned with molten energy as Godwin moved with superhuman speed. Slashing like a madman, he cut three of the attackers with enough time left to dodge the other two. There was no time to tell which of them, if any, had died. The other five swords attacked. Spearing one of them in the stomach, Godwin used his muscular arms to lift the dying Tarsurian off of his feet and use him as a human shield as he barreled his way out from the circle of death that closed in on him.

  The effort took most of his energy, and he felt hot blood trickle down his body from several cuts he sustained.

  “Simply amazing,” one of the Tarsurians said, shaking his head. “It’s a shame such talent has to go to waste. But this is the end of the line for you, Odruri.”

  Panting, Godwin hardly had the strength to lift his arms. He was light-headed. The earth spun around him as he tried to calculate the number of enemies that closed in on him, but it was impossible. Darkness crept in from the corners of his eyes.

  “You’ve fought with honor, Odururi. Now your war ends. Rest.”

  The Tarsurians came for their final attack. Godwin prepared himself for death. Selena’s face flashed across his mind’s eye like a shooting star.

  He was still alive.

  The Tarsurians had stopped. Why?

  “Sometimes I don’t know if you’re more trouble than you’re worth,” a breathy baritone said.

  “Logun?”

  The Shigata stood in front of him, shielding Godwin’s body from the oncoming attack.

  “Admirable,” a Tarsurian said. “But we have the man power to kill you too, Shigata or not.”

  Logun cackled wickedly and raised his hand. Dozens of torches appeared on the periphery. Wolves from Boldfrost’s army moved in silently, circling the Tarsurians who moments ago had circled Godwin.

  “Very well,” the lead Tarsurian said, throwing down his sword. His men followed suit. “You’ve bested us. We surrender.”

  Godwin was nearly passed out, but he saw Logun’s white teeth flash into a wicked smile in the light of the fires. “Surrender? That’s a war term, my friend. But this is a ceasefire.”

  The Tarsurian stuttered with rage. “You…you bastard. This is a violation against the War Times Treaty. You’ll hang for this.”

  Logun’s hand raised again, and the wolves attacked.

  Further Reading

  That’s all for the free preview. If you enjoyed this sample get the full novel or read free in Kindle Unlimited:

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  mybook.to/TheMusicofDragons

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  Thanks, and happy reading!

  —C.S. Vass