Tova's Dragon (Kingdoms & Legends Book 2) Read online

  Table of Contents

  About Tova’s Dragon

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Other Books

  TOVA’S DRAGON

  Kingdoms & Legends Part 2

  By Lyndi Lamont

  Seek help of the Lord of Drakkenberg. Only he can aid you. You must fly with the dragon.

  Tova Svensdottir, an earth mage, is on a mission to save her homeland, the Kingdom of Velosia, from the evil wizard Bruno of Grimmdorn. Her grandmother tells her to seek help of the Lord of Drakkenberg, but the old lord is dead. In his castle, high on a mountaintop, she instead encounters his son, the Outlaw Kane. Tova rejuvenates through sex magic, but dare she trust an outlaw?

  Kane, the new Lord of Drakkenberg, fled Velosia after a futile attempt to rescue his mate and his father from Bruno's cruel prison, killing the head guard in the process. After learning Bruno had been banished, Kane returns to clear his name, but his purpose changes when he meets Tova. Her need stirs his passions, and her courage touches his heart, but he dreads telling her of his true nature, certain she will recoil. But Tova is made of sterner stuff.

  Together, Kane and Tova have the power to save Velosia. If they survive the coming battle. But can an earth mage find happiness with a dragon shifter? In a land where sex and magic are intertwined, anything is possible.

  (Disclaimer: This is a 21,000 word steamy romantic novella, not a full-length novel. Contains a kick ass heroine, a hot dragon shifter and sex magic.)

  Copyright 2012, 2017, Linda McLaughlin w/a Lyndi Lamont

  Published by Linda McLaughlin

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

  Publishing History

  First Edition: Amber Quill Press, February 2012

  Second Edition: Linda McLaughlin, October 2017

  No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, or otherwise, without written permission from the author. To request permission, please contact Linda McLaughlin at [email protected].

  Cover designed by Elizabeth Cooper

  ISBN: 978-0-9891101-4-3

  Table of Contents

  About Tova’s Dragon

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Other Books

  Prologue

  Once upon a time, in the Kingdom of Velosia, lived a young earth mage. Tova, for that was her name, dwelt in harmony with the plants of the fields and the animals of the forest. She sensed vibrations in the earth and heard whispers on the wind, basked in the sun and gloried in the rain.

  But whenever storm clouds gathered and thunder rumbled in the distance, she trembled in dread. And when light flashed in the sky, she hid, for the lightning followed her every movement. The air crackled around and through her, and in her heart, she feared one day it would strike her dead, as it had her father.

  In this time also appeared the Outlaw Kane, last of the dragonlords of Velosia, a man-beast who changed shape at will. Back from exile, he bided his time in his aerie high in the mountains, to wait for the chance to clear his name. Until the day Tova came seeking his help.

  And thus begins the tale of the Lightning Maiden and the Outlawed Dragon.

  CHAPTER 1

  Seek help of the Lord of Drakkenberg. Only he can aid you. You must fly with the dragon.

  Her grandmother’s words rang in Tova’s head as she climbed the path into the mountains. Why had Mutti Zee sent her out of her way on a fool’s errand? Everyone knew the dragonfolk had fled Velosia years ago, driven away by Bruno of Grimmdorn’s crusade against them. Until he’d been driven from power. Now Bruno had returned at the head of a mercenary army, if Mutti Zee’s vision could be believed. And Tova had no doubts. She’d felt the vibrations in the earth.

  And somehow she was supposed to save the kingdom?

  She raised her gaze to the sky and asked, “Why me? I’m no hero.” The heavens gave no answer, though she saw clouds form to her left. She shook her head. Now she was talking to herself, like mad Magnus, the village idiot.

  She stopped to catch her breath and rest her tired legs in a level area. The path ahead grew steeper and narrower the higher it wound into the mountains. She groaned. After walking all day, her legs ached. She was glad she’d worn men’s breeches and a tunic with her sturdy boots. A gown and petticoats would be but a hindrance.

  After a deep breath, she started to climb again. Dusk came early in autumn, and she needed to find shelter before dark. Castle Drakkenberg, abandoned and forlorn, perched high above on a cliff, its turrets silhouetted against the leaden sky. Almost as if mocking her with its remoteness. Too much was at stake and her chances of reaching the capital in time to warn the king were slim at best. Even without this detour, she estimated the journey to Castle Novita would take three days or more.

  For centuries, the dragon lords had resided in the castle, ruling the isolated mountain communities. People in this area were known as dragonfolk, though Tova knew not why. A great puzzle, but one she had no time to ponder. With luck, she had but to find the dragonlord, and he would take charge of the quest.

  A shadow blocked the sun, and she looked up at an enormous bird silhouetted against the sky. Goddess, she’d never seen such a large raptor. It turned and the sun’s rays glinted on its shiny red-gold wings and barbed tail. She stopped and stared after it, shaken to the core of her being.

  No, impossible. Dragons didn’t exist. They couldn’t.

  A flash of lightning startled her, followed by a clap of thunder. Oh, goddess, just what she needed. She quickened her pace as the skies opened and rain poured down. Lightning flashed again and again as the thunder grew louder. Closer. Boulders littered the path, forcing her to weave around them and skirt the edge of the cliff. She made the mistake of looking over the rim and her heart lurched in fear, but she kept on.

  She skidded to a halt when she came to a fork in the path. The right fork led toward a cleft in the mountain, but appeared to go nowhere. The left fork wound upward to the castle, but would leave her completely exposed to the storm. As she hesitated, a bolt of lightning darted at her. She raised a hand and directed what magic she had left to deflect the blow. Lightning hit a nearby tree, strong enough to split it down the middle.

  She dropped to her knees and rested her hands on the earth, exhausted, her physical energy and magical powers depleted. ::Earth Mother, guide me.:: Her silent plea was answered when a voice beckoned her from the right. ::Follow the path to the cave.::

  A cave! Thank the goddess.

  The wind at her back propelled her through a narrow opening between two pine trees toward a steep cliff. She stumbled to a halt, searching for the cave. A brilliant flash of lightning revealed an opening just large enough for a man to crawl through. She tumbled inside as thunder shook the mountain.

  Safe inside, she sank to the ground, gasping for breath and chilled to the bone. Her entire body trembled from fear and exertion. She closed her eyes and sent up a prayer of thanks for the relative safety of the cave and waited for her eyes to adjust to the blackness.

  What had she seen
outside? She searched her memory for what she knew of the area. On the rare occasions she’d seen the dragonfolk, they’d looked much like everyone else. But they kept apart, and visitors to the area were discouraged. True, dragon motifs decorated the door frames of their houses—she’d seen that herself—and rumor said they worshipped some kind of serpent god.

  According to Mutti Zee, over the years, travelers through these mountains had claimed to see large winged creatures soaring in the sky at sunrise, while others swore they’d seen men and women change shape and fly into the night. She’d thought the stories to be old wives’ tales, but now she wasn’t certain.

  When she opened her eyes again, she spied a darker area. She moved toward it and found a passage leading farther into the mountain, along with a torch propped against the wall. She sighed in relief and reached into her pouch for her flint to light it.

  The oil sparked to life, and she entered the passage, one hand on the tunnel wall for balance as she followed the trail down into the mountain. As she rounded a bend, she slipped on a loose rock and lost her balance. She dropped the torch, her head banged against the tunnel wall, and everything went blank.

  *****

  “What brings you here, daughter of earth?”

  Kane stared down at the woman who had sought shelter in his cave. He’d sensed her fear of the storm and used his powers to guide her here, but what was he supposed to do with her now? No one knew he’d returned to Velosia, or did they? Despite the possible danger, he welcomed the company after weeks of solitude in his cave.

  He knelt and ran his hands over her limbs to be sure she had no broken bones. Good. He felt her pulse and found it strong. But her skin was cold, her breathing shallow, and her magic weak. That she was an earth mage, he had no doubt. He’d heard her pleas to the goddess, sensed her connection to the earth. But by the gods of fire and sky, he’d seen her deflect a lightning bolt aimed right at her. He’d never heard of an earth mage capable of such a feat.

  “Who are you, my lady guest?” he murmured.

  He picked her up and carried her to his chamber. She needed warmth and time to heal. She was a nice armful, round in all the places a woman should be round, with a fair face and a mass of rich brown hair. His body stirred to life. If she were amenable, he knew just how to make her feel better and replenish her powers—an act of healing that would also be a pleasure.

  He lowered her to his bed of furs on the floor of the cave and removed her sturdy leather boots. Though she dressed like a boy, nothing could disguise her womanly curves. He removed her tunic and stripped off her wet shirt and breeches. Her skin was like flawless ivory. He swallowed hard and piled furs on top of her. She was a temptation he hadn’t counted on.

  Gently, he brushed a strand of hair from her forehead to find a bump where she’d hit her head. The skin hadn’t broken, but the area was a little swollen. He placed a hand over the spot and sent healing energy to the injury.

  Knowing she needed warmth, he crawled under the furs and drew her into his arms, her back against his chest. Closing his eyes, he pictured heat radiating from his body to hers, banishing the cold and heating his own blood at the same time. He cupped her icy hands in his. They were calloused and sun-browned, not soft and white like those of a pampered lady. It made him even more intrigued. He pulled her closer, and she squirmed against his groin, seeking his dragon-heat. His pulse pounded and his cock throbbed against her sweet bottom.

  How long had it been since he’d been alone with a comely wench? Too long. He drew in a shaky breath and tamped down his rising desires. He’d never taken advantage of a helpless woman, and he wasn’t about to start now.

  Ignoring his own needs, he continued to warm her hands, stroking each finger, coaxing heat back into it. The sweet scent of lavender teased his nostrils.

  “Where did you come from, daughter of earth? And where are you bound?

  *****

  Tova awoke to find herself on a soft bed wrapped in the embrace of a very hot, very aroused man. She opened her eyes to look around the dimly lit chamber, and everything came back to her—the climb up the mountain, the lightning storm, being guided to the cave, and the fall in the tunnel.

  She squirmed around to stare at the man. “Where am I? And who you are?”

  He flashed a reassuring smile. “I am Kane and this is my cave. You fell and hit your head.”

  She studied the face just inches from her own. He was older than she, perhaps in his third decade. Black hair hung down to his shoulders, and his eyes were a warm shade of amber under straight black brows. Her gaze dropped to sensual lips above a cleft chin. He was handsome as sin and naked to the waist. A shiver traveled up her spine and her heartbeat increased. Why did his name sound familiar?

  Around his neck he wore a heavy gold chain with a large, luminous pearl dangling from it. When she reached out to touch the pearl, she sensed power radiating from it, from him. “You guided me to the cave, did you not? I thank you.”

  “You are welcome, daughter of earth.”

  She smiled at the apt nickname. “I am called Tova Svensdottir.”

  He nodded in acknowledgement. “How are you feeling, Mistress Tova?”

  She assessed the situation. Though warmer, her head still hurt and her energy was depleted. Self-healing would take hours in this state. “Better, but still weak.”

  “I am not surprised, given your ordeal. Where were you headed in such a hurry, and what on earth brought you to my mountain? Are you lost?”

  She hesitated, uncertain whether to trust him. Mutti Zee’s instructions echoed in her head and she plunged ahead. “I seek the Lord of Drakkenberg.”

  Kane raised his brows. “You have come to the right place, though the old lord is dead.”

  Suddenly, she realized who he was and scooted away from him. ’Twas just her luck to be rescued by the most feared outlaw in the land. “Please do not hurt me, Kane of Drakkenberg.”

  With a sigh, he rose from the bed, clad only in his breeches and hose. He stared down at her, an earnest look on his face. “I would never hurt you, Mistress Tova. I am not the monster legend depicts me.” He ran a hand through his hair. “Well, not entirely.”

  She stared at him, but sensed no malice. “You are wanted for murder. Why would you return to Velosia?”

  “To clear my name.”

  She sat up and wrapped the furs closer around her, missing his heat. “Then you are innocent of the charges?”

  His smile was rueful. “Oh no, I killed Bruno’s head guard, and I’d do so again. But now King Helmut has banished Bruno, I thought someone might listen to my side of the story.”

  Sensing sincerity from him, Tova said, “I would like to know what happened.”

  Kane sat beside her and clasped her hands in his warm ones. “Bruno sent his henchmen to hunt my people.”

  “The dragonfolk?” It felt odd to speak the word aloud.

  Kane stood and paced around the cave, his agitation visible. “He captured my father and my mate. I led a raid to free them, but both were killed, as were some of Bruno’s men. My people, those who were left, fled, and I was condemned to death as a traitor. I barely escaped with my life.”

  To Tova’s surprise, a flash of anger stirred old feelings. Though she and Mutti Zee had been sheltered from the worst of it, she hated Bruno for what he had done to the Royal Family and those who crossed him. “How terrible. My village of Waldheim is far from Castle Novita, so I never knew the details of what happened.”

  “Of course you did not know. The knave covered up the brutal way he treated his captives, and the king, our brilliant ruler, believed every word.” His words dripped with bitterness.

  “King Helmut was not himself,” she said. “Bruno enthralled him and Queen Clotilda.”

  He stopped pacing to glare at her. “You make excuses for them? I see you are a loyal subject.”

  Her cheeks flushed hot. “Bruno is a powerful sorcerer. He hid his crimes well.”

  “Agreed. And any w
ho refused his orders were chained in a dank dungeon to languish slowly. Some were tortured.”

  His words caused an ache in her heart. Bruno was responsible for too much suffering. “I am truly sorry about your father and your mate. But now I begin to understand why Mutti Zee sent me to seek your aid.”

  He sent her a curious look. “Who is this Mutti Zee?”

  Tova met his intense gaze. “My grandmother—the wisest woman I know. I went to her when I sensed unusual vibrations in the earth. She looked into her scrying bowl and saw an army marching toward Velosia with Bruno in the lead. She said I must warn the king.”

  He studied her for a moment, then said, “But first she sent me to you. I wonder why.”

  Tova shrugged. “She said to seek help of the Lord of Drakkenberg. That he was the only one who could give me aid. Her last bit of advice puzzled me. She said I must learn to fly with the dragon. I have no idea what she meant.”

  A shocked look froze on his face. “I know exactly what she meant. I am just surprised your grandmother knows our secret. A wise woman, indeed.”

  “You must help me,” Tova insisted. “The kingdom is in danger. Perhaps this will be your chance to clear your name.”

  “How do I know if you can be trusted? You could be a sweet trap to bring down my guard so the king’s men can arrest me.”

  Tova gazed at him in surprise. What did he mean by that? Did he think she was a spy sent to seduce him into complacency? The idea amused her. “How could I be? I had no idea you were here, and besides, I live far from Castle Novita, in the countryside.” She stood and held out a hand to him. “Please, you must believe me. We need to warn the king about Bruno.”

  He took her hand in his and gazed at her for a few minutes. “Very well, Mistress Tova. I believe you. Perhaps this is why I was drawn back here, to prove my worth by helping you.”