Drakonika (Book 1) Read Free Page B

the dragon and the mage on the tower.
    “ I still think it's not right,” said a man in an early middle age, looking out of the window. “The mage always wins. I'm afraid it might influence the citizens of Ragna; everyone will want to become a mage. And that's not good. There are few enough of our Magi Policemen to keep an eye on them. Moreover, it puts stupid thoughts into people's heads. There is no such thing as dragons,” he said and let down the curtain which instantly covered the view of the city. The room went dim.
          No one else was standing on the other side of the room but Eagle and Jackal, this time sweating even more than usual because the general of the Magi Police himself was right in front of them and they were about to tell him some news he might not like.
    The general returned to his table, placing his hands on the desk. Not only was the table standing between him and the guards now but also columns of thick, heavy books, mostly pertaining to laws for using magick in the city. There were so many of these laws that it was easy for the inhabitants of Ragna to remember just one thing: magick of any sort executed by an unauthorised person was prohibited.
    He didn't make the situation any easier for Eagle and Jackal with his piercing stare. This man, feared far and wide for his lack of compromise had short black hair coming together on the sides of his head like two horns. You could see a few grey strands on one of them already. He was wearing a black uniform and a strong coat embroidered with a golden-red border. His nose was straight as a plank and his eyes as dark as the deepest pit. Yes, the Dark Pit. That was the place where he sent anyone who crossed the law.  His presence meant the end of all hope for every delinquent. If someone was scared of Eagle and Jackal, after seeing General Xanthar, he would run for his life.
    “ Come on you two, I don't have the whole day for you. Will you finally spit it out?” said the general impatiently. It was clear from his expression that he had asked this question more than once.
    Eagle and Jackal could not stop elbowing each other in the ribs. “You say it! You're always the guinea pig,” Eagle whispered to Jackal, poking him inconspicuously.
    “Nah, you say it!” said Jackal fearfully as he was defending himself from Eagle's pokes.
    “ I still have a chance to make a career, there's nothing that could go wrong for you on the other hand. You say it!” said Eagle fiercely, a little more audible this time.
    “ Meh? Why does it always have ta be meh? You say it! After all, you let 'im disappear! I at least asked 'im for the permit, even though it was fake an' -” Jackal slipped. They completely forgot about the general's presence in the room.
    A moment of silence ensued.
    “Well well well,” said Xanthar with an unpleasant sneer on his face. “I think I get what's happening now.”
    The sound of Xanthar's voice sent a shiver down Eagle's and Jackal's spines. They were entirely aware of the fact that they didn't complete their duties as they should have and both of them let their guards down after imagining a dramatic Magiker match.
    Strangely enough, general Xanthar had not sent them to the jail yet. He slowly sat on his padded armchair behind the table, taking a deep breath.
    “ You're lucky that I'm in a good mood today,” he said calmly, then cast another piercing gaze at Eagle and Jackal. “I want to see his report. If you even made one, that is.”
    The guards could finally say that they did something right. Silence came in that moment but unfortunately for them, Jackal's brain short-circuited.
    “But of course we did, sir,” said Jackal with a faint, dumb smile on his face. “What kind of guards would we be if we hadn't-” the next word didn't come out of his mouth because he felt another sharp poke in his ribs.
    “ Jackal! Be quiet!” Eagle hammered at him, realising what unfortunate words Jackal had chosen. In that moment, they both