Jake's Justice, Book Three of Wizards Read Free Page A

been expecting that response, but never let it be said that Esmeralda would back down from a challenge. She unscrewed the top and shook the jar’s contents at them.
    I could feel the dragons shudder. Whatever Dragonsbane was, they didn’t like it at all. Fifty spurts of dragonfire shot at the jar and my valiant lady dived out of the way, sensibly letting go of the bottle first. I put a protective shield around us as the bottle and its contents were vaporized. My reserves of power were vanishing fast and I wondered if I could protect us from the next onslaught. Reaching out my hands to touch my women I tried to hop us to Earth. Nothing happened.
    [YOU CANNOT PASS THROUGH DRAGON FLESH IF WE CHOOSE TO STOP YOU, WIZARD, AND WE FORM A SPHERE WITH HALF OF US IN GLIM.]
    I uttered a very coarse four letter word. I had hopped into a trap and there was no way out. ‘Time to act like a man’ , I told myself.
    “Go back into the Palace, you two. There’s no point in us all getting killed.” I let my ladies go and stepped away from them. Noble me, I could feel my arms and legs shaking. I didn’t want to die.
    Jenny and Esmeralda looked at each other and I saw what might have been a nod pass between them. Jenny offered a hand to Esmeralda and helped her to her feet. Good, they were going to go. So why did I feel so betrayed?
    They stepped towards me and each took one of my arms.
    “If we’re going to go, let’s go together,” Jenny said in an unexpectedly cheerful voice. Esmeralda clung so hard to my arm it hurt.
    [AS YOU WISH.]  
    The leader of the dragons sounded almost regretful. I heard the creatures above me take in a deep breath as one. I strengthened the shield as much as I could. But it was clear it was not going to be enough.
     

3.            Salvation of Sorts
     
    [Stop!]
    I opened my eyes and peered upwards. Fluffy had glimmed in and was protecting us with his great bat-like wings. While grateful for a few seconds more among the living, it was a foolish move. There was no reason for all of us to get killed.
    The leader of the Dragon smiled indulgently at Fluffy. I’m one of the few humans who would recognize that expression on a dragon, but then I’m one of the few humans to have grown up with a dragon.
    [A NOBLE GESTURE, RETNOR, BUT YOU MUST KNOW HOW FUTILE IT IS. STEP ASIDE AND LET US COMPLETE THIS DISTASTEFUL TASK.]
    [And what of the prophecy?]
    That question gave the dragons pause. Their heads turned to look at each other and I could almost hear the rapid telepathic conversation that took place between them. Their leader turned his head back to Fluffy.
    [HE CANNOT BE THE ONE. THERE MUST BE ANOTHER.]
    Fluffy lifted his head and laughed the way only a dragon can laugh. Flames spurted everywhere and I raised my shield again to protect my girls from the spillage.
    [Have you truly read the prophesy? Have any of you?]
    The derision running through Fluffy’s telepathic words caused some of the dragons to flex their wings and beams of sunlight appeared in the sphere before being quickly extinguished. I missed my chance to escape, but if they did that again I was getting us out of here.
    [The Wizard of the prophecy has immense power. But have you not considered the foolishness of his actions? How likely is it that the multiverse could ever breed two like Jake Morrissey?] my dragon asked the assemblage.
    “Don’t be nasty, Retnor,” Jenny said primly. “Jake isn’t that bad, usually.”
    [THE RIDER DEFENDS HER MATE,] the leader said and puffs of laughter-induced flames shot across the inside of the sphere. Parts of the Palace roof ran with fire and moss on the tiles lit and glowed red. I hoped the roof was flame proof, though its designers could never have anticipated this.
    [Do you accept my logic?] Fluffy asked. His real name is Retnor by the way but neither of us discovered that until a year or so ago and he has been Fluffy to me since he hatched.
    [IT IS IMPECCABLE AND YOU WILL BE A GREAT DRAGON IF