Read Online Trusted: Dragons' Trust Book 1 by Krista Wayment - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Krista Wayment
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away without him seeing or hearing us."
Renick nodded in agreement. "Do you think if we sleep here, we'll be safe?"
Thane's eyes narrowed for a moment. "Yes, but we should keep watch. I'll take the first shift."
Turning, Renick relayed their plan to Lainey.
For a long time, the hunters were busy around the camp, making lots of noise and yelling, often using very foul language. At one point, Thane tapped on Renick's shoulder. Thane pointed to Lainey and then placed his hands over his ears. When Renick did not respond, Thane repeated the motion. Finally understanding, Renick turned to Lainey to tell her not to listen. She was lying on her stomach, her elbows in the dirt and her hands already clamped tightly over her ears. Just then the swearing in the camp got louder. Lainey cringed and pressed her hands tighter against her head. She gave Renick a little half smile.
After the men had made camp, they shared a meal of what smelled like hot stew. The aroma made Renick's stomach churn with jealousy. He begrudgingly passed out a few of the strips of dried meat he had found. He chewed on his half–heartedly and tried to imagine he was eating a large bowl of meaty stew like his mother made back home.
His stomach still growling, Renick sat with his back to a tree and closed his eyes. He was half asleep when Lainey nudged him. He looked over at her; Lainey pointed to the way station.
"I tell ya, there was a hatchlin' with that cow," one deep voice said.
"Well, there wasn't one by 'er carcass, and it wouldn't've wandered away from its mum," another said.
"It might've run off with its tail between its legs," the first voice said. The hunters laughed at this.
"It'd be too young fer the Awakenin'. It'd be mute. No need to track it down," another man replied.
Something the hunters said sparked a memory, a line in a story his father told him a long time ago. It was not like the other old stories, the ones his father told over and over. Renick had only heard it once. But it spoke of a baby dragon awakening to a new day, its mind alert and open to the world around it. He wished he could remember the exact words.
There was a thunk and one of the men yelped in pain. "After you shot down that flyer, you want to botch another job by leaving it unfinished?" a gruff voice asked.
Lainey gasped and clapped her hand over her mouth to silence the sound. She looked over at Thane and Renick. Renick's chest felt tight and his heart was beating fast. These dragon hunters had shot down the flyer and killed Plyth's mother. He turned to Thane, whose eyes were angry slits. "Later," Thane mouthed. Renick understood. It would be too hard to discuss this new piece of information now.
"We stick to the mission. But keep your eyes peeled for any leftovers," said the gruff voice. There were some grumbles, but no one challenged the order.
Renick settled back into his sleeping position, his head resting against the tree. He struggled to quiet the swirling questions in his mind. It was not until the hunters had found their own beds and were snoring softly in the night that Renick finally drifted off to sleep.
What felt like only a few moments passed before Thane shook Renick awake. He opened his weary eyes. "My watch?" Renick asked in a low whisper.
Thane shook his head. "They're all asleep, even the watchman." He added something under his breath. Renick did not catch it all, but it sounded like something about being lazy and putting the others at risk. "Lucky for us, though."
Renick climbed to his feet. Lainey was already standing, Plyth cradled in her arms. They moved quietly away from the way station. Thane took the lead, taking them north and toward the foothills of the mountain.
There was the sound of someone moving around in the half light, a thunk , a crash, and another thunk . Renick froze. The others did too. A man grumbled in his sleep, turned over, and continued snoring. After all had been quiet for several moments, Renick let out a sigh of
Renick nodded in agreement. "Do you think if we sleep here, we'll be safe?"
Thane's eyes narrowed for a moment. "Yes, but we should keep watch. I'll take the first shift."
Turning, Renick relayed their plan to Lainey.
For a long time, the hunters were busy around the camp, making lots of noise and yelling, often using very foul language. At one point, Thane tapped on Renick's shoulder. Thane pointed to Lainey and then placed his hands over his ears. When Renick did not respond, Thane repeated the motion. Finally understanding, Renick turned to Lainey to tell her not to listen. She was lying on her stomach, her elbows in the dirt and her hands already clamped tightly over her ears. Just then the swearing in the camp got louder. Lainey cringed and pressed her hands tighter against her head. She gave Renick a little half smile.
After the men had made camp, they shared a meal of what smelled like hot stew. The aroma made Renick's stomach churn with jealousy. He begrudgingly passed out a few of the strips of dried meat he had found. He chewed on his half–heartedly and tried to imagine he was eating a large bowl of meaty stew like his mother made back home.
His stomach still growling, Renick sat with his back to a tree and closed his eyes. He was half asleep when Lainey nudged him. He looked over at her; Lainey pointed to the way station.
"I tell ya, there was a hatchlin' with that cow," one deep voice said.
"Well, there wasn't one by 'er carcass, and it wouldn't've wandered away from its mum," another said.
"It might've run off with its tail between its legs," the first voice said. The hunters laughed at this.
"It'd be too young fer the Awakenin'. It'd be mute. No need to track it down," another man replied.
Something the hunters said sparked a memory, a line in a story his father told him a long time ago. It was not like the other old stories, the ones his father told over and over. Renick had only heard it once. But it spoke of a baby dragon awakening to a new day, its mind alert and open to the world around it. He wished he could remember the exact words.
There was a thunk and one of the men yelped in pain. "After you shot down that flyer, you want to botch another job by leaving it unfinished?" a gruff voice asked.
Lainey gasped and clapped her hand over her mouth to silence the sound. She looked over at Thane and Renick. Renick's chest felt tight and his heart was beating fast. These dragon hunters had shot down the flyer and killed Plyth's mother. He turned to Thane, whose eyes were angry slits. "Later," Thane mouthed. Renick understood. It would be too hard to discuss this new piece of information now.
"We stick to the mission. But keep your eyes peeled for any leftovers," said the gruff voice. There were some grumbles, but no one challenged the order.
Renick settled back into his sleeping position, his head resting against the tree. He struggled to quiet the swirling questions in his mind. It was not until the hunters had found their own beds and were snoring softly in the night that Renick finally drifted off to sleep.
What felt like only a few moments passed before Thane shook Renick awake. He opened his weary eyes. "My watch?" Renick asked in a low whisper.
Thane shook his head. "They're all asleep, even the watchman." He added something under his breath. Renick did not catch it all, but it sounded like something about being lazy and putting the others at risk. "Lucky for us, though."
Renick climbed to his feet. Lainey was already standing, Plyth cradled in her arms. They moved quietly away from the way station. Thane took the lead, taking them north and toward the foothills of the mountain.
There was the sound of someone moving around in the half light, a thunk , a crash, and another thunk . Renick froze. The others did too. A man grumbled in his sleep, turned over, and continued snoring. After all had been quiet for several moments, Renick let out a sigh of
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