Trial by Sorcery Read online

  Trial

  by

  Sorcery

  Dragon Riders of Osnen Book 1

  RICHARD FIERCE

  Trial by Sorcery © 2020 by Richard Fierce

  This is a work of fiction. All events portrayed in this book are fictitious, and any resemblance to real people or events is purely coincidental. All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form without the express permission of the publisher.

  Cover design by germancreative

  Cover art by Rosauro Ugang

  Dragonfire Press

  e-Book ISBN: 978-1-947329-19-5

  First Edition: 2020

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  1

  I marveled at the vastness of the Citadel.

  It was home to the Dragon Guard, the greatest warriors of the kingdom. While that was impressive alone, it was made even more amazing because it was also the home of dragons. The massive, powerful creatures were kept in the lower chamber of the castle. At least, that’s what my father used to tell me.

  A wall forty feet high surrounded the city of Autumnwick, as well as the stone fortress that towered behind it. This was my first time seeing the place, and it was just as large and imposing as I’d always imagined it to be. The massive gates that provided entrance through the wall were manned with guards armed to the teeth. A small line had formed at the entrance as the guards checked everyone entering.

  I traveled downhill and joined the line, adjusting my sword belt. The weight of the blade continuously pulled down on my pants. It made me reconsider my decision to use a side sheath instead of one that went over the shoulder. It was too late to change my mind now. I’d spent the last of my coins to reach the Citadel, and I doubted the school would allow me to carry a blade during my training anyway.

  The line shuffled forward slowly. I did my best to remain patient, but it was difficult. I was finally here! The home of the Dragon Guard! I’d dreamed of joining their ranks for as long as I could remember. My father’s stories had always been filled with awe and wonder as he described his dragon and the bond they shared.

  Although it was still early in the day, the sky was clear and the sun beat down mercilessly. I could feel droplets of sweat running down my back and sides. I drank the last of the water in my canteen and continued to wait. After what felt like an eternity of baking in the sun, I was next for inspection. I glanced behind me and saw the line was much longer now. There were at least a hundred people waiting to get into the city.

  “Hold it there, low born,” one of the guards said.

  I looked ahead, thinking he was speaking to me. He wasn’t. His attention was on a girl in front of me with long black hair. They’d already given her sack a thorough check, but the one talking grabbed her by the elbow and pulled her aside. I couldn’t hear what he was saying to her because he’d lowered his voice, but whatever it was, the girl did not look amused.

  “You, stop gawking and get over here.”

  The other guard was glaring at me. I hurried forward. The guard looked me up and down and frowned.

  “What’s your business?” he asked.

  “I’m here to sign up for the school,” I answered, trying to ignore the sweat sliding down my back. The other guard was still speaking with the girl, and he was being a little too touchy in my opinion.

  “Another low born seeking fame and riches, huh?”

  The guard was wearing a helm, but the ends of his hair sticking out from under it were blond. He was a high born, a noble. They were all the same. They thought they were better than everyone else simply because they were born with a different shade of hair color. I’d been bullied in my hometown a few times, not just for my social standing, and I knew in a city this size that it would be much worse.

  The problem with this guard, however, was that he was only paying attention to my hair. He clearly didn’t notice the insignia that was sewn into my upper sleeve. I didn’t like to flounce it, but sometimes it was fun to bring a noble down a peg or two.

  “Stop it,” the girl with the other guard shouted. He’d pulled her close and was trying to kiss her. I’d seen enough. I turned my body so that the guard could see my insignia and smiled at him. His eyes widened for a brief moment, then he collected himself and waved me through.

  “Apologies,” he muttered.

  I nodded at him, still smiling, and walked over to where the other guard was harassing the girl.

  “Is there a problem, cousin?” I asked.

  Both the girl and the guard looked at me. The girl was confused and the guard looked irritated.

  “I figured you would have been lost in the market by now,” I said to the girl. I was hoping she would catch on to what I was doing and play along. She tilted her head ever so slightly as a wordless sign of thanks and stepped back from the guard.

  “I’m fine,” she huffed. “This gentleman was just telling me how to get to the school.”

  “How kind of you, sir,” I said, showing off my insignia to him as well. He looked at it, then looked me in the eyes. He hated that he couldn’t stop me. I could see the seething anger in his blue eyes.

  “Would you mind repeating the directions? My cousin is terrible at remembering things like that. Aren’t you, cousin?”

  I exchanged glances with the girl. She shrugged. “What can I say? I’m not used to doing things on my own.”

  The guard glowered at me. Through clenched teeth, he said, “Go straight. Through the market. When you reach the wall, turn right. The entrance is on the left.”

  Before I could antagonize him further, he stomped past me and returned to his post with the other guard.

  “A bit of a jerk, that one,” I said. The girl was already through the gate, leaving me talking to myself. I followed her and had to walk twice as fast to catch up.

  “I’m Eldwin,” I said.

  “Go away,” the girl replied.

  “I’m sorry, I thought I just helped you back there.”

  The girl stopped and turned around, placing her hands on her hips and giving me a death stare.

  “Did I ask for your help?”

  “No …”

  “Do I look like some sort of helpless wench that needs rescue?” she demanded.

  “Uh, no …”

  “That’s because I’m not,” she growled. “I can take care of myself.”

  “Sorry,” I said lamely, putting my hands up. Her eyes widened slightly at the sight of my right hand. “I didn’t mean to upset you. I just thought … never mind. Forget that I said or did anything.”

  I walked past her and continued following the road. The girl’s response to seeing my mangled hand was the same as everyone else who saw it. Horror, disgust, you name it. It came as no surprise to me anymore.

  The buildings on either side were short and squat, all of them built with a dull gray stone. The buildings on the right ended after several feet and opened into a large space filled with vendors. Multicolored tents were arranged in orderly rows and delicious scents filled the air, making my mouth water. My stomach growled and I absently patted it.

  My breakfast h
ad been filling, but I’d walked the last few miles to Autumnwick and now I was hungry. Considering I didn’t have any money for food, I was hoping the school would provide meals. My father had never told me about his training days, so I wasn’t sure what awaited me.

  All the sights and smells temporarily distracted my mind from the girl, who I found to be quite pretty. Her attitude, on the other hand, made me question my judgment. I watched the various vendors as they stood under their tents, hawking their wares and trying to negotiate prices with potential customers. The sun seemed to grow hotter by the second as I stood there. I wiped the back of my hand across my forehead and was about to continue to the school when the girl walked up to me.

  “I’m sorry,” she huffed.

  “Don’t worry about it,” I said.

  “No, really. I didn’t mean to be rude. It’s just …” she trailed off and looked down. “My whole life, people have tried to help me for their own gain. I’ve made it a point in my life to never need help from anyone.”

  What she said didn’t make any sense. She was a low born like me, so what would anyone have to gain by helping her? I pushed the thought away.

  “Apology accepted,” I said. “I didn’t mean to offend you or anything. I thought that guard was being a little forceful for his own good and thought I could help diffuse the situation.”

  “Thank you,” she said. She paused a moment, then said, “I’m Maren.”

  Maren. That was different … but beautiful.

  “Nice to meet you, Maren,” I said. “Are you really going to the school?”

  “I am,” Maren confirmed. “I want to be a Dragon Guard.”

  “So do I,” I said. “My father was one.”

  “Was?”

  “He died,” I answered. “In a big battle ten years ago.”

  Maren’s eyed widened. “Wait. Your father was Matthias Baines?”

  I nodded. “That’s how I got this,” I pointed to the insignia on my sleeve. “Noble by Deed.”

  She stared at the patch intently for a moment, then turned toward the market. “Something smells good,” she said. “Want to help me find what it is?”

  I wanted to say yes, but because I didn’t have any money, I was forced to decline. Thankfully, she didn’t ask for a reason. I wouldn’t have lied to her if she had, but I would have been embarrassed. My father’s heroics may have earned my family a noble title, but that title didn’t come with riches.

  “I’ll see you at the school,” I said.

  Maren shrugged and disappeared into the crowded marketplace. A droplet of sweat threatened to drip into my eye and I wiped it away, then continued toward the Citadel.

  Girls were odd creatures.

  2

  The entrance to the Citadel was much more heavily guarded than the city gates. And these guards weren’t the city guard, either. They were Dragon Guards. Their armor was decorated to look like dragon scales, but it was versatile and practical for battle. Behind the assemblage of guards was a long wooden table that had weapons scattered haphazardly on its surface.

  As I drew nearer, there was a whooshing sound that echoed off the massive walls and made the items on the table clatter. The guards seemed unperturbed by the noise, but I was trying to figure out what it was and where it was coming from. Suddenly, a massive blue dragon swooped down from the sky and landed in the courtyard.

  I held my breath in awe as I stared at the powerful beast. It was easily thirty feet long from its nose to its tail. The dragon’s rider slid off the beast’s back from the shoulder and landed on the ground gracefully. I snapped my mouth closed and blinked several times. In all the years my father had been a dragoon, I never had the chance to see his dragon. Aside from when the guards traveled the kingdom, dragons were to be kept at the Citadel under lock and key. I didn’t know why, though.

  Now that I was standing before a dragon, I could hardly fathom how big it was. Its shoulder was six feet above the ground and its wingspan was massive. I tried to eyeball the length, but it had to be almost a hundred feet across. My focus on the dragon was broken as the guards got my attention.

  “Hey there,” one of them called out. “Step forward.”

  I did as he asked and walked closer, but my gaze remained locked on the dragon. An older man approached the creature and took its reins, then led it around the back of the castle. With a swish of its tail, the dragon disappeared behind the fortress and I looked at the guard who’d spoken.

  “First time, huh?” he grinned. “I remember my first time seeing a dragon, too. It’s something you never forget.”

  “I had no idea they were so large,” I said.

  “Yeah, they’re impressive, all right. That one was full-grown, but blues aren’t even the largest dragons.”

  “There are dragons bigger than that one?” I asked.

  The guard nodded, still grinning. “Anyway, I assume you’re here to sign up for admission?”

  “Yes,” I replied.

  “We’ve got a big crowd this year. We can’t take everyone, but the best of luck to you.”

  “Thank you. Do I need to check my sword?” I asked, eyeing the table behind him.

  “Yes. We’ll take the weapons to the armory and catalog them to the appropriate students. Once you’re accepted as an apprentice, or rejected, you’ll get the weapon back.”

  I hesitantly unstrapped the weapon from around my waist and offered it to the guard. He noticed my uneasiness.

  “Don’t worry, we’ll keep it safe.”

  “I don’t doubt that,” I said. “It’s just … it was my father’s.”

  The guard pulled the blade a few inches from the scabbard and read the inscription on the blade, then looked at me with interest.

  “You’re Matthias’s son?”

  I nodded proudly. “Did you know my father?”

  “No, but I saw him around here a few times. He’s a hero, you know?”

  “I know.”

  “I know your surname, but what’s your given name?”

  “Eldwin,” I said.

  The guard nodded slowly and set the weapon on the table with what seemed like reverence. He wrote down my name on a parchment, along with a description of my blade. I waited expectantly for the guard to say something after he finished, but he remained silent.

  “Do I just go in?” I asked.

  The guard seemed confused. “Do you not know what to do?” he asked.

  I shook my head.

  “Ah, my apologies. You’ll go through the main doors there,” he pointed an armored hand toward the front of the Citadel. “The Administrators will sign you in and tell you where your room is. The ceremonies don’t start for a few more hours, but you can get some food from the dining hall if you’re hungry. Don’t eat too much, though. The stuff they serve at the ceremony is top-notch.”

  “Thank you,” I said. “It was nice talking to you.”

  I joined a small group of people who were heading for the Citadel’s entrance and listened to their excited conversations. Two of them were nobles by birth, both blond-headed. They were talking about their lavish trips to the Citadel and the disappearance of the princess. That was news to me. The king’s daughter was missing? I could envision legions of dragon riders scouring the kingdom for her.

  Three low borns were talking about all the amazing things they had seen in the market. That brought Maren to mind again and I glanced over my shoulder to see if she had entered the courtyard yet, but I didn’t see her. I stayed at the back of the group and kept my mangled right hand as concealed as I could. A short stairway led to the large oak doors that towered as tall as four men stacked atop one another.

  As I stepped inside, an unmistakable calmness draped over everyone. The excited conversations of my peers died. We all stood in the doorway, staring around the enormous hall. Marble columns were spaced every ten feet and supported the domed ceiling above. People dressed in flowing robes were moving in every di
rection, their steps quiet but purposeful. I couldn’t tell the difference between their ranks, though I knew there were a few different posts within the school hierarchy.

  “Name?”

  The question broke the silence and I snapped my gaze to the right to find a tall, elderly man standing behind a lectern. Atop the lectern was a book and quill. His robes were brown, plain and unadorned.

  “Speak up, boy, I can’t hear you.”

  One of the nobles leaned toward the old man and repeated his name so loud it echoed off the walls. His name was Simon. I didn’t catch his surname. The robed man dipped his quill into an inkwell and then wrote the name down, then told Simon what room he would be staying in. The process continued through all my peers until I was last.

  “Name?” the old man asked.

  “Eldwin Baines,” I answered.

  The man peered down at me and smiled. “Yes, I should have seen the resemblance. My eyes aren’t what they used to be.” He scribbled my name down in his book and then said, “You’ll be staying in the North Wing, second floor, third room.”

  “I’m sorry, but where is that?” I asked.

  “Don’t worry about that right now,” the man said. “You’ll meet your Curate at the ceremony later and they will show you to your wing, as well as explain the rules of the school.”

  I nodded. “The soldier outside said we could get some food from the dining hall?”

  “Yes, that’s correct. The dining hall is in the South Wing.”

  A robed woman was walking past and the old man held up a hand. The woman paused and the man gestured toward me.

  “Surrel, would you be a dear and show Eldwin here to the dining hall?”

  “Of course, Provost,” Surrel replied. She looked at me and smiled. “Follow me.”

  I fell into step behind the woman and glanced back at the elder. A new group had entered the hall and he began taking their names. He seemed nice. And apparently, he knew my father. Surrel led me down long, quiet hallways and eventually we turned a corner and the sweet smell of freshly baked bread drifted on the air.