Read Online Hatch (The Dragons Of Laton) by James Stevens - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: James Stevens
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the pain in his ankle too. Closing his eyes, he decided to make it a point to start collecting things like that as they traveled. You never know when you might…
“AMMON”
Stunned, he opened his eyes and found himself looking into Fulgid’s deep unblinking, amber eyes. That was the same voice he’d heard in his dreams twice before, but this time he was awake! He sat up, and his head pounded in rhythm with his heart. Fulgid watched him as he awkwardly scrambled to his feet and limped to the entrance to look outside. The clouds had broken up, and thin shafts of sunlight streamed down. A few birds chattered in the bushes. Shaking his head, he turned to see Fulgid had followed and was sitting beside him, curiously watching.
“That dream is so real, I’d swear someone was out there calling me!”
Rubbing his temples, he looked around one more time before hobbling back inside and kneeling down by the ashes. “Maybe I’m just going crazy.”
He restarted the fire from the few live coals that lay smoldering in the ashes, and put on the pot filled with the last roots and some rainwater he collected that morning. Fulgid stayed at the entrance still as a statue. Ammon was busy stirring the mixture when the cave suddenly grew dark. He banged the wooden spoon against the sides of the pot and turned to see a large figure filling the doorway and he nearly screamed. Tirate had found him!
Chapter 4
Found!
Boris mopped his face with a clean handkerchief and studied the tumble of boulders scattered before him. He had nearly walked past the boy’s hiding spot, and probably would have if he didn’t see the smoke rising up from between the chunks of granite again. Ellis had flown in as close as possible but he still had to pick his way through a quarter mile of thick brambles and rocks. Finding the entrance of the cave had been a challenge in itself and then it was all he could do to squeeze through the narrow opening. Once inside however, he found he had room to stand up, and as his eyes adjusted to the light, he could see the boy clearly.
Boris chuckled silently at the sight sprawled out in front of him on the cave floor. Gaping up at him was a short, but muscular lad with unruly blond hair and shocking blue eyes that peered out from a soot covered face. Obviously stunned, the boy didn’t try to move from his position beside a small pot bubbling over a tiny cook fire. A spit with a freshly cooked bird stood off to one side near a tattered blanket and a sheathed sword. Boris sighed. Finding the boy was only half the mission, there was no sign of the dragon anywhere.
Spreading his hands, he broke the silence.
“Well, aren’t you going to invite me in for dinner?”
A long silence filled the cave before the boy nodded. Easing himself to the ground, Boris leaned over and inspected the contents of the boiling pot.
“I’m not sure what you’re making there, but I think it’s starting to burn.”
Wordlessly, Ammon removed the pot from the fire and pushed the wooden spoon into it furiously. As he did Boris noticed the bandages around his leg.
“Now what happened here, lad?”
Ammon pulled his leg away, eyeing him suspiciously. Boris smoothed his moustache with a large callused hand and frowned.
“I’m not gonna hurt you son. Now here, let me take a look at that leg.”
This time Ammon held still, but his blue eyes watched intently.
Boris carefully untied the splints and slowly unwrapped the ankle before letting out a long, low whistle. He’d seen enough injuries to know it was badly sprained, and possibly fractured. It was no wonder the boy had stopped running; it was a miracle he’d made it into the cave. He gently moved the foot back and forth and the boy soundlessly gritted his teeth. He at least had to give the boy some credit, an injury like this would have most men screaming.
He leaned back against the stones and rubbed his forehead in thought. There was no way for the young man to hike out to where Ellis waited,
“AMMON”
Stunned, he opened his eyes and found himself looking into Fulgid’s deep unblinking, amber eyes. That was the same voice he’d heard in his dreams twice before, but this time he was awake! He sat up, and his head pounded in rhythm with his heart. Fulgid watched him as he awkwardly scrambled to his feet and limped to the entrance to look outside. The clouds had broken up, and thin shafts of sunlight streamed down. A few birds chattered in the bushes. Shaking his head, he turned to see Fulgid had followed and was sitting beside him, curiously watching.
“That dream is so real, I’d swear someone was out there calling me!”
Rubbing his temples, he looked around one more time before hobbling back inside and kneeling down by the ashes. “Maybe I’m just going crazy.”
He restarted the fire from the few live coals that lay smoldering in the ashes, and put on the pot filled with the last roots and some rainwater he collected that morning. Fulgid stayed at the entrance still as a statue. Ammon was busy stirring the mixture when the cave suddenly grew dark. He banged the wooden spoon against the sides of the pot and turned to see a large figure filling the doorway and he nearly screamed. Tirate had found him!
Chapter 4
Found!
Boris mopped his face with a clean handkerchief and studied the tumble of boulders scattered before him. He had nearly walked past the boy’s hiding spot, and probably would have if he didn’t see the smoke rising up from between the chunks of granite again. Ellis had flown in as close as possible but he still had to pick his way through a quarter mile of thick brambles and rocks. Finding the entrance of the cave had been a challenge in itself and then it was all he could do to squeeze through the narrow opening. Once inside however, he found he had room to stand up, and as his eyes adjusted to the light, he could see the boy clearly.
Boris chuckled silently at the sight sprawled out in front of him on the cave floor. Gaping up at him was a short, but muscular lad with unruly blond hair and shocking blue eyes that peered out from a soot covered face. Obviously stunned, the boy didn’t try to move from his position beside a small pot bubbling over a tiny cook fire. A spit with a freshly cooked bird stood off to one side near a tattered blanket and a sheathed sword. Boris sighed. Finding the boy was only half the mission, there was no sign of the dragon anywhere.
Spreading his hands, he broke the silence.
“Well, aren’t you going to invite me in for dinner?”
A long silence filled the cave before the boy nodded. Easing himself to the ground, Boris leaned over and inspected the contents of the boiling pot.
“I’m not sure what you’re making there, but I think it’s starting to burn.”
Wordlessly, Ammon removed the pot from the fire and pushed the wooden spoon into it furiously. As he did Boris noticed the bandages around his leg.
“Now what happened here, lad?”
Ammon pulled his leg away, eyeing him suspiciously. Boris smoothed his moustache with a large callused hand and frowned.
“I’m not gonna hurt you son. Now here, let me take a look at that leg.”
This time Ammon held still, but his blue eyes watched intently.
Boris carefully untied the splints and slowly unwrapped the ankle before letting out a long, low whistle. He’d seen enough injuries to know it was badly sprained, and possibly fractured. It was no wonder the boy had stopped running; it was a miracle he’d made it into the cave. He gently moved the foot back and forth and the boy soundlessly gritted his teeth. He at least had to give the boy some credit, an injury like this would have most men screaming.
He leaned back against the stones and rubbed his forehead in thought. There was no way for the young man to hike out to where Ellis waited,
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