Read Online Stone Dragon (The First Realm) by Klay Testamark - Free Book Online Page B

shall remember it as long as I live. I wept that day, I am not ashamed to say, and I wept again when I heard of Prince Errol’s death. I despaired that we would descend into anarchy. I despaired that we would forget our laws and our traditions. I despaired, at the thought that our country might never again be a kingdom.”
    “Today I despair no longer. After laborious research, I have determined that House Lissesul survives—to this day!”
    Shocked silence, then a rising murmur as everyone started talking. Meerwen and I were the only ones not speaking, but then she said, “Is this true? Did you know about this?”
    “Only… this… week…” I said, and Valandil said, “And that’s not all. Ladies and gentlemen, there is a member of the royal family in this very room! ”
    There was a crash. I turned and saw Elrond in his guild robes. He’d dropped a bottle of his best peach champagne. Valandil was still speaking:
    “Imagine my surprise when the heir to the throne turned out to be my own apprentice! ”
    Everyone turned to me, the incoming journeyman in his white formal robes. I hunched over, dripping sweat, and hugged myself as if it would do anything. I wasn’t much to look at.
    “Ladies and gentlemen, I present Prince Angrod, formerly of House Veneanar, but now rightfully recognized as a true son of House Lissesul. Starting today, a new age dawns on the First Realm!”
    Meerwen backed away from me in shock.
    Then everything went to hell.
    * * *
    “Aaargh!”
    I fell to my knees, my stomach burning. I was mortified. Much as I didn’t want to be a prince, this was no way to come out as one. My guts turned to ice and my brain to flashing lights. I slumped to the ground, the world smelling like shit and blood. Blinking furiously, I rolled onto my back and thrashed. My vision juddered and my arms flailed. I was reminded of the fish I’d caught the other day. Foam bubbled from my mouth. Gods, what a way to start a dynasty.
    “Stay back, folks,” Meerwen said. “I’ve got this under control.”
    After a thousand years the fireworks in my brain went dark. Then the smoke cleared. I started coming back to myself. Everything was still shaky but I had enough motor control that I could push myself up.
    “You all right?” she asked.
    I smiled weakly. “I’ll be fine. S’just stress.”
    Then the PAIN hit me. I arched my back so much I stepped on my own head.
    “AAAArrruugrch!”
    I bit through my tongue. The inside of my mouth tasted coppery, and sweet. My skin bubbled, at least it felt like it was bubbling, each blister full of scalding pus. I’d have clawed my face off if I had motor control. I was screaming, howling, smashing my head on the cold marble floor. Anything to black out on the tearing in my guts.
    After nine million years the white-hot nails withdrew and I got my body back. I blinked, and I could see. I’d puked my guts, and what had been expensive grub was now just a smelly puddle on my face.
    “Angrod?” Meerwen said. “You’re going to be okay.”
    The wings tore out the back of my suit.
    If you’ve ever spent an hour with your elbows on a table, then leaned back and stretched your arms, you’ll know what it felt like. Only this was happening to a third pair of limbs halfway down my back. Felt completely natural, as if I’d had them all my life. A bit like hands, if the fingers were stretched and leathery. The skin was pink and shiny with blood.
    This wasn’t the last of my problems.
    Just when I was trying to stand, something forced me down. I fell to my hands and knees—the marble floor cracked beneath me. The seamless marble floor cracked , as if I’d gained hundreds of times my own weight.
    “Angrod? Angrod? ”
    “G-get away, Meerwen. Get away!”
    I was growing, but my torso was growing faster. My clothes were being shredded, of course, but then so was my skin. My eyelids and mouth stretched as much as they could, then tore at the corners. My arms grew so long the skin split