The Lost Dragon (Cycle of Dragons Book 3) by Dan Michaelson (good summer reads .txt) 📗

This time, I felt something.

It was faint and faded, but as I focused on it, I could tell there was a hint of heat rippling around me.

That heat suggested dragons, though I didn’t see any. I couldn’t feel any.

I rotated power through my cycle, but didn’t come up with an answer.

I looked down into the cave.

The air was warm—maybe residual energy that came from those within the Academy using their connection to magic. Perhaps that was all it was.

I made my way to the forest, back out to the edge and the dragon pens.

A dark shadow loomed in the sky. In the last two days, I’d been focusing on the weave Walter had shown me, trying to master it. I grew faster at it, though was still not nearly as fast as I wanted to be. I could tell there were aspects of performing the weave that didn’t come naturally to me. It wasn’t nearly as easy as forming bands of power out of my hands and cycling it outward, but I could tell that with enough time and effort, I should be able to find a familiarity with it, and it could perhaps even become something that felt instinctive.

For me to use it as a defensive barrier, it would have to be instinctive.

More than that, I was going to have to be able to do it quickly, and perhaps find some other aspect to it that would shelter me.

I turned my attention to the sky again and noticed that the darkened form of the dragon was familiar. I could feel the dragon, though he was not a part of the cycle, not the way the other dragons were. When I touched upon the power within that dragon, opening myself up to it, I could feel an understanding of him, and I could feel his energy, but there was some aspect to him that seemed to push against me, advising me to avoid making that connection.

So I didn’t try.

There was no reason for me to force a connection with the dragon if he didn’t want one with me. No reason, and it would only potentially harm the dragon. Perhaps it had its own cycle—its own forest. Maybe it was another tree within that forest.

The dragon came to land in the center of the dragon pen, and a darkened figure sitting atop it caught my attention. I headed over to the bars of the pen, watching as Thomas slid off the dragon’s neck and made his way out of the pen, closing the gate and sealing it with a hint of power. Despite his age, he still moved with a fluid grace. His dark hair had streaks of gray, and when he looked over to me, his lean face was lined with fatigue, wrinkles crinkling the corners of his eyes.

“Were you waiting for me?” he asked.

I chuckled, shaking my head. I hadn’t seen him in days, though these days that wasn’t unusual. Thomas had stayed busy. “It was only chance I was here.”

He frowned. “Chance? There is no chance.”

“I was out here practicing.”

“Practicing what?”

I took a step back and began to form the weave Walter had shown me, wrapping it around me. Thomas watched for a moment before nodding and starting toward the Academy. I didn’t wait to keep up with him. I suspected I needed to hurry along; otherwise, he would leave me behind.

“How long have you been working with Walter?” he asked without looking in my direction.

“He showed me this pattern a few days ago.”

Thomas paused, spinning toward me. “A few days?” He arched a brow, then flicked his gaze toward the Academy. “Have you talked with Walter since he showed it to you?”

I shook my head. “No. Why?”

Thomas started to smile. “I would very much like to be there when you do.”

“Why?”

He chuckled. “I think it would be most interesting.”

“Now you have me concerned,” I said. I didn’t want to anger my instructors.

My goal was to become a full dragon mage. I felt I was getting close, but needed more training before I would be accepted as one. If I angered one of the instructors who was willing to work with me, I’d be pushing further away from where I wanted to be.

“There is no reason to be concerned,” he said. “But I must say, you have demonstrated an interesting level of control. I suspect Walter will approve.”

“He said he had other patterns he could show me after I mastered this one.”

“I suppose he will. This is a useful one, and I’m afraid it’s not one I ever got to know very well. I’ve struggled trying to master it myself.”

“You can’t do this pattern?”

“Not nearly that quickly. Walter does like to encourage everybody to form the pattern, but forming it and holding it are different matters altogether. I’m merely capable of forming the pattern. I can’t wrap it around me quite that well.” He shrugged. “Thankfully, I haven’t the need to do so.”

“It’s a pretty potent defensive technique,” I said.

“Potent, but useful only to some. If you can call upon it quickly, then it will be useful to you, but if you cannot, then it is useless. There are some related techniques you can learn, which can become even more useful when mastered. I think that’s part of the reason he starts with this one, but that’s only because he wants to ensure others are easier for you. Once you learn this weave, then the other patterns come more quickly.”

“I’ve been trying to master as much as I can,” I said. “It isn’t easy, and certainly not quick.”

“No, but I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised you were able to learn it in a matter of days. Most take more than that.”

“How much more than that?”

He started to smile before shaking his head and laughing slightly. “Much more than that.”

I followed him as he headed into the Academy. “Where were you coming from?”

“I’ve been traveling outside to see what the Vard have