Dragon Kind

By Karen Elizabeth Brown

When Marsilynda Weston’s grandfather dies, he leaves her a magic sword that sends her through a time portal, on a quest to kill a dragon. Plus, he requests that his associate, Richard Carnes, become her protector. But what happens next is a total surprise when the dragons turn out to be her friends and the nearby king and his knights her enemies. Will Marsilynda accept Richard, who she thinks will foul up her quest? Will she return with Richard through the time portal or will she stay with the dragons and fight their enemies?
Richard decides he can’t allow Marsilynda to be stranded on the other side of the portal, so he races after her, only to find that she has bonded with a dragon. What does that mean? Will she ever come home? He has to find a way to convince her that she needs to return to the modern world. But he is captured by a forest gnome who takes him on his own quest to release a dragon’s mate from captivity, after being held by the king for many years. Will he succeed in earning his own freedom? Or is it all a ruse?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Karen Elizabeth Brown
• Release date: Aug 1, 2012
• ISBN: 9781476042695

Karen Elizabeth Brown

Born in Southern California, I migrated to Southern Oregon in 1974 and have enjoyed living among the trees and mountains since then.My passion for writing was on hold until a few years ago, when my daughter bought me a computer. It was after this that I transferred my stories down from the scratchings on paper to a sensible form.

Book preview

Dragon Kind

By

Karen Elizabeth Brown

Copyright 2012 Karen Elizabeth Brown

Smashwords Edition

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License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away without express written permission from the author. If you enjoyed this book, please return to Smashwords.com to discover other works by this author. Thank you for your support.

This ebook is a work of fiction. All names, characters, places and incidents are fictional. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons is entirely coincidental.

Cover photograph from:

Bigstock.com

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Table of Contents

Part 1 - Chapter 1

Part 1 - Chapter 2

Part 1 - Chapter 3

Part 1 - Chapter 4

Part 1 - Chapter 5

Part 1 - Chapter 6

Part 1 - Chapter 7

Part 2 - Chapter 1

Part 2 - Chapter 2

Part 2 - Chapter 3

Part 2 - Chapter 4

Part 2 - Chapter 5

Part 2 - Chapter 6

About The Author

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Part I

Chapter 1

Marsilynda hated funerals. She leaned against her bedroom door and thought how she would rather remember her grandfather as he recounted his vivid stories about mythical dragons and magical beings. He could enchant her for hours at a time, by sending her on quests into worlds where she carried fairy dust and a powerful sword…

The doorbell rang while she stood lost in thought. She pulled on her ruffled, peasant skirt and ignored it. It had to be one of her parent’s many callers. Why should she rush downstairs when the doorbell wasn’t for her? While she finished zipping up her skirt, a faint knock at her bedroom door signaled her mother’s interruption.

Marsilynda?

What…? She answered while being distracted with the button on her skirt.

There’s a gentleman downstairs to see you. He’s a rather handsome young man and he says he needs to speak with you, so hurry up. Marsilynda momentarily looked towards her door before picking up her shirt.

What does he want? she called through the door, pulling on an embroidered poet shirt with a stand up collar and bell sleeves.

He said he’s from your grandfather’s law firm and he wants to talk to you. I think he’s an attorney, but he looks awfully young. Her mother opened the door to whisper this news, but after seeing what Marsilynda had chosen to wear, she cleared her throat and huffed loudly.

"You’re not wearing that to the funeral, are you?" She gasped as she adjusted her black crepe dress and jacket ensemble.

"No… because I am not going." Marsilynda’s eyes momentarily met her mother’s and they stared, each meeting the challenge the other put forth.

"You are going and you are not wearing an outfit that makes you look like you are going to a love-in instead of your grandfather’s memorial service."

Mother… it isn’t a memorial for grandfather, it’s a social event for anyone who has a stake in grandfather’s estate. And that’s not me.

Masilynda! That is totally uncalled for!

Why didn’t they do this for him before he died? she asked. Tears formed in her eyes, but she quickly hid her feelings, knowing that any expression of emotion would be brushed over as inconsequential. She matched her mother’s stony expression, knowing that a lecture usually followed when she crossed her. She waited, with her arms folded over her chest and her mouth turned down in a pouting expression.

But her mother continued the conversation as if she hadn’t noticed Marsilynda’s pained expression. It’s hard to explain, dear, but when you are older…

Yes, I know… when I’m older I’ll understand. Marsilynda interrupted, You’ve been telling me that since I was old enough to talk. Well, I’m older now, mother and I don’t understand!

Tired of being put off and thrown into a corner until sometime later, Marsilynda wanted answers. Her parents had made it clear long ago that she didn’t fit into their socialite world and had left her needs and wants to her grandfather. Now that death had separated them, Marsilynda didn’t have anyone to turn to for instruction or advice. Her parents were strangers that lived in the same house, ones that she kept colliding with while she attempted to grow up. She longed for a normal relationship with them, but she couldn’t find any neutral ground to approach them on.

Her mother sighed and glared at Marsilynda. "Right now you have to act older, go downstairs and see what that attorney wants."

Masilynda huffed past her mother and took the stairs two at a time until she made it to the landing. She stopped there, frozen her tracks.

Richard! She blurted his name out in surprise. He was the one person she didn’t want to see at her home. They had met at her grandfather’s law office and she hadn’t told him her real identity, for fear of having him like her for all the wrong reasons. What are you doing here?

"You are Marsilynda Weston?" he asked stiffly, shuffling a large, rectangular package from one arm to the other.

I’m Marsilynda Weston, so what? Slowly and gracefully she finished her trek down the stairs. She tugged at her old ruffled skirt, trying to adjust the flounce. Her cheeks flushed red as she watched him look up and down at her peasant outfit, ending at her bare feet. She eased the awkward silence by lightly asking,

Can I help you with something?

Richard nodded uncomfortably, readjusting his package so Marsilynda was right in front of it.

I have a delivery to make. According to your grandfather’s will you are to be given this package and this letter on the day of his funeral. If the terms and conditions set therein are met, then you become his heir.

Marsilynda’s mother appeared on the landing, carrying Marsilynda’s shoes. She cleared her throat.

What does she receive? By becoming his heir, Mister…

Carnes. Richard Carnes. Richard looked at both of them and answered, It’s complicated. It all depends on a number of set criteria.

Well, I don’t want to become his heir! I don’t need to inherit anything!

Yes you do, dear, Mrs. Weston smiled and nodded her head respectfully at Richard. College is very expensive these days and we could definitely use the help.

She finished making her way to the bottom steps and joined Marsilynda and Richard in the foyer. Discreetly, she handed Marsilynda her shoes, which were immediately dropped to the floor and slid on to her feet.

So I’ll quit college. Marsilynda frowned at her mother. I’m almost finished anyway.

Richard smiled and reached in his jacket pocket to take out a small notebook.

Condition number one is met. he balanced the package on his knee and made a check mark in the notebook.

What is condition number one? asked Mrs. Weston, but Marsilynda saw the ingratiating look on her face.

Refusing the inheritance. Mr. Weston, her grandfather that is, thought he had taught her enough about money and guessed that she would refuse the inheritance.

I see… Mrs. Weston continued smiling. What else does she have to do?

"HELLO! I am in the room!" Marsilynda interrupted them, angry at being treated like a child.

Sorry dear.

Yes, sorry, Marsi. Richard caught himself using her shortened name, but it was too late. Mrs. Weston stared at him, shocked at his familiarity, while Marsilynda glared at him with icy daggers shooting out of her eyes.

Do you two know each other? Mrs. Weston shifted her gaze back and forth between her daughter and Richard.

We met at grandfather’s law firm. Marsilynda said.

You worked together? Mrs. Weston asked.

We met there, mother. Okay?

Mrs. Weston nodded and turned to Richard, waiting for him to proceed.

Marsilynda, would you care to open your package now? He asked formally, so her mother would approve, but with a small upward twitch at the corner of his mouth and a gleam in his eye.

Sure, why not. Her answer remained casual, even though she was curious about the large package he continued to balance on his arm.

There. He laid the package across her arms. It’s officially delivered and here’s the letter that goes with it. He carefully balanced a large envelope on top of the package.

Look! Marsilynda’s face lit up and her eyes brightened to see a letter from her grandfather written in his own hand. Her mood was suddenly elevated as she smiled with delight at both her mother and Richard. The unexpected pleasure of receiving this personal message caused tears to form behind her eyes. Since her grandfather had passed on, she had been feeling totally lost and without direction. The constant fights with her parents, as they tried to remind her of her social position, left her not knowing what to do. She didn’t care if she was the only child of an extremely wealthy family. She didn’t want to marry for position or fame. Marsilynda hoped that this letter would help her find a direction to head in.

Richard turned to go, but Marsilynda called to him, Wait! Let me read this while you’re still here, in case I have any questions.

She wanted him to stay for more reasons than that, but didn’t want