Dragonkin Read Free

of years of knowledge that had been around since the time when the dragons first bonded with the spellcasters. It contained maps of the whole dominion, from when the five territories weren’t even formed yet, to the most recent showing the once no-man’s-land that had been incorporated into the Athenaeum. A secondary college had been set up to teach the more advanced magics. The Athenaeum had constant contact with the other establishment. She rose and walked to the window. Dragons flew by and circled the aerie.
    To be able to fly the skies once more would be heaven. To be able to bond with a dragon again, but none will even come near me. The council forbids me to go near dragons. There has to be someone, somewhere who can overrule the council. Maybe I can go to the source.
    Something Castigan said went through her mind. He had said to go back to the beginning and look toward the mountains. Why didn’t I think of that long ago? Now might be the time the gods are giving me a second chance.
    Kestrel wove through the library, ignoring the stares of the others around her. The loathing came off them in waves. Most of her colleagues knew something of her sad tale or thought they knew the details. After she was coherent, she had told the council exactly what transpired. Once Castigan had extinguished, she was left with a huge hole in her soul. It took her six months to function again. It took her another six to access her magic. That was disastrous. The gifts of his dragon fire and whatever was left of his power made her the single most powerful spellcaster the Athenaeum ever had. The only reason she relearned what she had been taught was because her dragon had wanted her to live. She had only done it for him. Other spellcasters had attempted to befriend her. A couple had even tried to win her heart, but after a few of tussles in the sheets, they left her bed. No person filled the abyss in her heart. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t connect with anyone on an intimate level.
    Kestrel stopped at the section they had for maps. It’s been right in front of my nose for centuries. I’ve never even considered it. She pulled out the newest map she could find and rolled it along the table. Five territories surrounded the Athenaeum. Mountains encircled them on all sides on the outer edges of the dominion. In between them were the lush lands they lived in. Beyond the western mountain range was a vast wasteland that nomads traveled to the sea. Two great and perilous rivers split the dominions into quarters. Both rivers started in the high Northern Mountains where the peaks were snowcapped and the dragons originated from. That’s where I have to go. The highest peak had a dragon head drawn on it. There were no roads to the mountain. If the oldest dragons still exist, then I have to plead my case. Maybe they can tell me exactly what Cas did to me. Spellcasters can channel dragon fire for a few minutes, but we can’t hold the power. Oh, Cas, what gift did you give me?
    She rolled the map up and tucked it under her arm. The couple dozen spellcasters were all staring at her. Kestrel met their gazes, but didn’t care what they thought. The only one who had authority over her was the council. As she wove through the halls, her pulse pounded in her ears. Council chambers were directly before her. The doors were open, which meant they were not in session. She gazed around the large room. The long, curved tabled where the five members of the council sat was pristine. The high-backed seats behind it were empty. Nearly hidden away in the corner was another open door. She walked over and knocked.
    “Come in.”
    She drew in a deep breath and walked inside. A fire crackled in the fireplace. The council was replaced every twenty-five years to keep things fresh. Each was chosen by the lords of the other territories and sent to the Athenaeum. Simeon had been there for a year as council leader. They had only spoken once before and not up