The Revenge of the Dragon (The Box Series Book 6)

By Christina G. Gaudet

A hundred years imprisoned in a castle would make any dragon vengeful.
Dray has no intention of continuing to be a pawn for the Wizards who have held him captive his entire life. The problem is, escaping a century of tyranny is something he can’t do alone. Which means he’s being forced to wait—again—for Lou’s friends and family to show up and do their part in rescuing him. Not that he would ever admit he needs help. Dray is a dragon, after all. Clever enough to accept the truth, egotistical enough to put himself first, and the most deadly predator known to the world with an odd soft spot for the young shaman, Sin, he refuses to accept or acknowledge.

No matter the cost or the company he’s forced to keep, Dray will find his revenge, even if it requires the assistance of the very humans he doesn’t trust.

Revenge of the Dragon is book six in The Box Series.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christina G. Gaudet
• Release date: Dec 22, 2020
• ISBN: 9781005719678

Christina G. Gaudet

Christina is a Canadian author, illustrator and designer. When she was about twelve she discovered the wonders of young adult fantasy and hasn’t looked back since. Christina is the author of Magic High and The Box series.

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Copyright © 2020 Christina G. Gaudet

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locals or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

www.ChristinaGGaudet.com

Chapter One

My name is Dray, or it will be once the name is given to me again. Now, I know this might be a little confusing for your tiny human brain, but let me try to explain things using small words so you can understand.

I am a dragon. Yes, I know, I’m amazing. Bow if you like. Cowering also works. I suggest you don’t scream and run away though. That just encourages me to chase you, and trust me, you do not want to find out what happens if you get caught.

As for the name, I understand it’s not the most original one in the world, but it is mine, so please respect it, though most people call me Dragon. For one hundred years that was my only name, and then one day she walked into my castle. Although things didn’t change instantly after her arrival, she set off a stream of events that started with me gaining a name, middled with the end of two worlds, and ended with my death.

It’s a lengthy story, and not interesting, since it hardly involves me at all. This here is where the real tale begins. In my castle tower, staring out at the stars and waiting for the humans to come and rescue me from the evil would-be king.

I’ve waited in this tower for a hundred years, bound here by the magic of the wizards who live here and particularly the shaman who found me as an egg. I don’t know much about the how or even why he brought me to this place originally, but I do know they found a way to harness the magic within me to benefit their own greed. Through spells, blood, and a bit of blind luck, they managed to use one of my scales not only to hold me prisoner to this building, but also to use in ceremonies to open up their own powers to more sinister goals.

Even so, I’ve managed to live here, and maybe not thrive, but certainly carve out my own small existence. I’ve even managed to convince wizards and a few other unlucky folk who walked the stone halls of this building to offer me items I’ve happily added to my horde. A few items I’ve kept away from the headmaster and managed to keep as my own all of these years.

I did manage to make my way outside once before. It took manipulating a young witch, Tristan, who hides in the building as a training wizard, as well as Aldric, a traitor to his kind, and also Sin, the young shaman who named me, to free me last time. As I’ve mentioned, it didn’t work out. This time, I’ll make sure things go differently and in my favor.

I set about organizing my horde once more. A favorite passtime of mine, not that I have many activities to choose from. I’ve already made three piles; keep, definitely keep, and kill anyone who tries to touch. But the decisions don’t sit well with me, and since there’s no sign of the humans’ arrival yet, I might as well shuffle them around one more time.

My Sight allows me to see everything that’s happening within the walls of the castle, no matter how many closed doors stand between myself and my target. However, the same ability doesn’t extend out into the village, so I must rely on more mundane senses to alert me to their arrival.

I expected them to come straight for me after they reset time and brought me back to life, but it’s been over a week and there’s still no sign of them. I’m starting to think they might have been defeated by wizards when a familiar scent reaches me in my tower.

Finally.

After a quick glance at my horde of items to make sure everything is in place, I take to the sky for a better look. I leap from the broken stone rails of my tower, shifting out of my human form and into my proper dragon self as I fall. Normally I would let myself go as close to the ground without hitting before making the shift, just to feel the wind against my face, but those sorts of games are best kept for less interesting times. I have enough to make my heart race with excitement today.

The dark of the night partially hides me, even as I make several swoops around the castle to get a better sense of where the smell is coming from.

The wizard-guard standing watch along the wall jumps in surprise when I land a few feet in front of him. His body locks into place as he stares at me with a gaping mouth and wide eyes that shine with his corrupted magic.

I stare directly at him as I lean back on my hunches and start picking at my teeth with one of my front claws. A single gulp is all he manages before he turns and heads in the opposite direction to abandon his post and hide until I leave. Either way, he’s out of my scales for now.

My neck stretches as far as I can reach before my nose brushes the barrier that locks me in this prison, giving me a shock that sends pain rippling down my spine. Still, I don’t back away more than an inch. I’m hoping to get a glimpse of the cart as it rolls through the quiet city two streets over. I’d call out, but that would only bring unwanted attention. I’m hoping my presence will be enough to trigger her weak powers and bring her my way.

The clatter of the wheels slows to a stop and I hear the murmur of an argument I can’t quite make out before the sounds shift, heading directly toward me.

That’s my girl.

I settle into a lounging position with my front legs crossed and my neck and head resting over them and wait for their arrival.

The wagon stops a block away from me, the horses refusing to move any closer, even with her gentle prodding. This barely slows her down as she leaps from the cart and runs straight for me while the man hangs back, sensibly timid as he too finally senses my presence.

I ignore the wizard and focus on the girl who stares up at me in amazement. Her short purple hair and many metal rings in her ears catch on the lamplights that line the castle wall, though it’s her inner glow that makes her practically as bright as the sun to me.

All magic has a light to it. Most of what comes into the castle is clouded with dark corruption that eats away at the power, making it impractical and ugly. Hers is even more pure than my own since I’ve been tainted over the years by the humans who’ve trapped me here. It makes her the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen, and it takes everything I have to stop myself from reaching out to touch her, even knowing I wouldn’t be able to reach with the barrier between us.

Her eyes widen as she takes in my form from nose to tail, not with fear like the guard, but wonder and excitement. Her enthusiasm hits me in a wave and I feel the energy pulse through me, giving strength I have only felt while in her presence.

It’s good to meet you, my little Sin, I say. I’ve missed you terribly.

Chapter Two

You know who she is? The man who stands in the shadow of Sin steps forward, creating his own shine of light. It’s broken and scattered, but no darkness curls the edges as is expected of a wizard such as him. I reluctantly break my gaze from Sin to better look at him, expecting I must have missed something, but no. His magic is pure. Incomplete, but pure. How is that possible? You haven’t met yet.

I’m a dragon. He doubts my abilities? How insulting. If it weren’t for Sin’s presence, and my need for his magic, I’d have half a mind to send him running now. It irks me that I must deal with such idiocy. Do you really question me, wizard?

His gaze slips away, landing on the ground despite his attempt to stand strong. At least he has the decency to be intimidated, though it wouldn’t hurt for him to tremble a little.

We changed time, he mutters to the ground. There’s no way you should be able to remember any of it. Only Lou and I travelled back.

I ignore his sulking at not being the most incredible magic user around and return my focus to my little shaman. She’s still staring open mouthed at me, but at least she hasn’t fainted this time. I didn’t much expect her to scream. Not now that I understand her better.

I’m glad you’ve finally come for me, and I hope you’ve learned some lessons from last time.

She nods furiously before I give her a knowing look. I’m sure she doesn’t remember a thing that happened in the future.

I’ll do better, she says. I promise.

I smile and flick my eyes toward the wizard. I’m not worried about you, my little Sin.

The wizard twitches in an appropriate level of shame for what happened during his last visit to this castle. The corruption had seeped so deeply into his soul, there was hardly a spot of him that wasn’t broken by magic and guilt. It’s comforting to see he’s started off more whole this time, though he might have done well to pretend he wasn’t quite so squeaky clean. None of the wizards will trust him if he comes waltzing into the castle looking so shiny.

Your plan will fail. My words cause both humans to wince, which is good. It means they believe me, which will make it easier to tell them what to do next. You believe you can walk in, pretending to be a returning wizard with a pet witch at his heel, but they will see through the disguise, particularly since I’ll be forced to tell them everything I know about you the moment you walk through those doors.

Aldric looks as though he wants to argue, but he smartly keeps his mouth shut and his defiant eyes on the ground.

What do you suggest, oh great dragon?

Sin raises her hands out to her side for a dramatic bow, which I might appreciate from others, but feels almost mocking coming from her. If anyone should be bowing between us, it’s myself, though I would never lower myself to doing so, even to her.

Dray, I say. That’s the name you gave me last time we met. You might as well continue to use it now.

Her cheeks flush pink and I can see she’s struggling to hold in a squeal of delight. The excited energy flows though me leaving my own legs jittering. I blink away the feeling, forcing myself to focus on Aldric whose magic isn’t causing strange reactions within my body.

I will send someone to you. Near the wall I see the guard I scared off earlier gathering his courage to make his way to this section once more. If he realizes I’m still here, he may get suspicious. With a single flap of my wings, I push myself airborne. You know where to go.

He gives a nod though I’ve already turned away. Even though he’s outside of my walls, I still have enough Sight to know he makes the motion as I take off into the sky, spiraling as high as I can go before dropping down through the weak magic barrier blocking the open windows of Tristan’s tower. I shift into human form and land gently on my feet no more than an arm’s length away from her. She jumps back and nearly steps through one of the rotting floorboards.

I wait a moment, giving her time to scramble to a safer spot and catch her breath, but the longer I stand there the more apparent it is she’s not going to calm down. Normally I might be pleased with how flustered I’m making the child, but I’m on a bit of a timeline. I want to be done with this place as soon as possible, and all of this huffing and scrambling is slowing things down significantly.

Rather than wait for her to settle, I decide to take the initiative to get the conversation started.

I need you to go into the city, specifically the tavern you children often patronize. She’s staring at me without blinking, or breathing, so I’m not sure if she’s hearing what I’m saying or not. I can only hope she doesn’t fail me now. Take that boyfriend of yours.

That apparently bothers her enough she’s able to break from her fear to speak.

Boyfriend? A nervous laugh follows. I don’t… I mean, I’m a boy. I have no interest…

Yes, yes. You’re very manly. Everyone here is entirely convinced by how much of a man you are, and not at all a woman in disguise. I wave a dismissive hand at her and she stops rambling, though all the color has left her face, so I’m not sure that’s much of an improvement. From the look of her, she very well might pass out at any moment. I talk faster in hopes that once I’m out of sight she’ll be able to breathe more freely. "Now, find Cole, your non-lover, and take him to the tavern. As much as I hate to