Dragon Knights

  Gatekeeper

  by

  Bianca D’Arc

  Copyright © 2021 Bianca D’Arc

  Hawk Publishing, LLC

  New York

  All Rights Are Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any or by any means, or stored in a database retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the Author.

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental.

  www.biancadarc.com

  OFFICIAL BIANCA D’ARC NEWSLETTER

  Two very special knights…

  Scott and Rik are getting used to working together as a specialized team of commandos within the Castle Lair when they are sent north on a desperate mission. The throne of the Northlands has long been in the hands of usurpers, but now that the rightful heiress has been found – the knights are searching for a way to oust the enemy and put Princess Isabelle on her late father’s throne.

  One very brave woman…

  Claire is living in a castle under siege, hiding within the secret passages to do her duty and protect the location of the all-important gate. After witnessing the death of her beloved parents, she has stepped up to take their places as guardian of the gate and protector of the kingdom’s knowledge. She’s saved what she could of the archives and has stepped into her father’s role as Gatekeeper, all while remaining hidden within the walls of the castle.

  Three who are destined to become one…

  Even in her isolation, Claire has found a way to make allies - just in time, since every day, the enemy draws nearer to discovering the secret she is guarding. When she meets the knights, the attraction is instantaneous, but the danger is even more imminent. When Claire is captured by the enemy, it'll be up to Scott and Rik to storm the castle and free their lady love. They hope to claim her and make a family…if they all live through the perilous times ahead.

  DEDICATION

  This one is for all the Dragon Knights fans who have been with me for so long. Thank you all for your encouragement and uplifting support all these years!

  Special thanks to my editor, Jess, who probably never thought we’d still be doing dragon stories together after all these years. Thanks also to my dear friend, Peggy, who always spots things the rest of us miss.

  And, as always, to my family, who have seen me through thick and thin. I’m so grateful to still have my dear ol’ Dad with me as he enjoys his 96th revolution around the sun. They just don’t make ‘em like him anymore. More’s the pity.

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Other Books by Bianca D’Arc

  PROLOGUE

  “Sire, there is a snowcat at the gates.” The out-of-breath page had wide eyes at his own news. He’d run all the way to the central tower from the gate of the castle.

  “A snowcat? Did you see this yourself, Joffrey?” King Roland of Draconia walked closer to the young boy who was the son of one of the knights in the Castle Lair and well-known to the King and his family.

  Joffrey’s head bobbed up and down, his eyes still wide as saucers. “I did, Your Majesty. He was huge and white with spots and a great long furry tail. He just padded right up to the sentry and sat on his haunches, using his big paws to knock a scroll out of a special holder that was around his neck. It fell at the sentry’s feet.”

  “Where is this scroll now?” Prince Nico demanded gently, walking to stand next to his brother, the King.

  “Oh! Sorry! It’s here.” Joffrey reached into his pocket and pulled out the small scroll, handing it over to Prince Nico, who had held out his hand first.

  Nico examined the scroll, which had been opened already—no doubt, by the sentry. He unrolled the small roll of parchment and scanned the contents with Roland, holding it so they could both see the writing. It was a simply-worded request for an audience with the King, but it named another person that made both Nico and Roland raise their eyebrows in surprise.

  Roland nodded. “We’ll fly down and greet this emissary. Joffrey, jog over to the Lair and ask for Lady Isabelle and her family to attend me in the throne room as soon as possible.”

  “Yes, Your Majesty, right away!” Joffrey set off at a run, with all the energy of youth. He lived in the Lair with his family, so he knew who to seek and the shortest route to get there.

  “Interesting that the snowcats knew that they were here in Castleton,” Nico observed.

  “Let’s fly down and see what this snowcat wants. I confess, I am fascinated by the species, though still not quite sure what to make of them,” Roland admitted as he and his brother walked toward the ledge of the tower.

  They transformed into the compact black dragon form that only the descendants of Draneth the Wise could command and leapt off the tower, gliding in lazy arcs downward, toward the courtyard that lay between the castle gate and the entrance to the castle itself. The secret of the black dragons was well and truly out now. Not only had both Roland and Nico married very distant cousins who could also transform into dragons, but even more black dragons had been found among the wandering Jinn nomads who were gathering in a new section of town they were building on the eastern side of Castleton, expanding Draconia’s capital city by at least a third.

  Roland and Nico landed neatly, then Roland shifted back to his human form while Nico stayed dragon, to act as further guard should anything go amiss. Roland strode toward the gate, noting the small crowd of guards gathered around a large, furry cat.

  The snowcat sat on its haunches, looking patient and not moving a muscle until Roland stood before him. Roland thought he recognized the pattern on this cat’s fur. He’d met a few of the secretive shapeshifters at the Northern Lair, but after negotiating a truce of sorts, they’d retreated northward again, not to be seen again until this moment.

  “I am Roland,” the King addressed the cat, whose cloudy blue eyes followed his every move. “I have sent for Lady Isabelle, and they will meet us in the great hall. Will you come inside?”

  The cat got up and started walking by way of an answer. It followed along at Roland’s side as they entered the castle and, then, the great hall that was big enough for dragons to gather in some number.

  Roland was gratified to see the dragons, Lady Tildeth and her mate, Sir Growloranth, already present. Likewise, the human part of their family was there, as well, including both knights, Bear and Robert, who were partnered with the dragons, and their mate, Isabelle.

  As the group came together, the emissary from the snowcats shifted his form in a cloud of white magic. From one moment to the next, the cat transformed into a man wearing gray court robes. He was an older warrior, though the snowcats were said to be close to immortal, so he could be truly ancient, if the white in his hair was anything to go by.

  The emissary bowed low, though his gaze never left the King’s. When he straightened, he spoke.

  “I am Wenlo, advisor to Raith, who leads our people. I am here to discuss the situation in the Northlands.”

  Roland spared a glance toward Nico, who had shifted to his human form on entering the great hall. The Prince of Spies, as Nico was known, seemed as surprised as Roland was, though he did not show it openly. Roland just knew his brother so well that he could tell Nico had been taken by surprise, which was not something that happened often.

  “Be welcome in our court, Wenlo. We have met before, I believe. Were you not part of the party that came to parlay with us at the Northern Lair?”

  Wenlo bowed his head slightly in acknowledgement. “Indeed, I was, Your Majesty.” Wenlo seemed pleased that Roland had recognized him. “Based on our previous meeting, I counseled Raith to seek an alliance with you before he moved on the Northland castle himself.”

  Roland started in surprise. “Has the situation up there come to such a point?”

  “Very nearly, Sire.” Wenlo shook his head sadly. “Gebel has picked up where Salomar left off. He is still getting organized, but the portents for his reign are not good. Considering the import of that castle and what it guards, Raith and most of our warriors feel that something needs to be done sooner rather than later.”

  Nico stepped forward. “What does the castle have to do with it?”

  Wenlo turned to Nico, surprise on his pale face. “It guards the Southern Gate.�
�� His tone indicated his confusion.

  “The Southern Gate to what?” Nico followed up, clearly perplexed, as was Roland and those who listened.

  A motion at the rear of the group caught Roland’s attention. Lady Isabelle stepped forward.

  “The Gate to the Citadel,” she said in a quavering voice. “Is that not right, Sir Wenlo?”

  “Indeed.” Wenlo turned to look at Isabelle and bowed his head again. “Which is why I counseled Raith to seek alliance with Draconia and with your grandsire, Princess Isabelle.”

  CHAPTER ONE

  Sir Scott flew with his dragon partner, Sir Denrith, in the formation of dragons and knights heading northward, into what was sure to be a battle. He was both apprehensive and eager, having never fought alongside his dragon partner before. He was a newly-made knight, though he had years of experience as a forward scout in His Majesty’s army.

  Scott had been riding horses all his life. He’d been raised on a breeding farm that specialized in small, fast, smart horses, in the southern part of the country. Riding a dragon was similar but also quite different from his beloved horses, and much more exciting. Scott had polished his skills to a specialty between scouting and riding into places others would find hard to traverse without being seen on land, but being in the sky brought a whole new dimension to it.

  He was still feeling his way, truth be told, though his dragon partner was a great help in many regards. Denrith was no novice when it came to stealth and had partnered with a knight before Scott. As most dragons do, when they lose their knight partner, Denrith had gone into mourning and lived by himself for a time in a cave in the wild part of the country, away from people, for the most part. Denrith had only recently come back to the capital and had spotted Scott from the air long before he’d made his presence known.

  It had only been a few months since Scott had been drilling with his horse, in the field beyond the castle. Dragons were a common sight that close to the Castle Lair, so Scott had thought nothing of the massive beast following his tracks from high above. As long as his horse didn’t get spooked, Scott was fine with the dragon’s presence. The horse was new—a young filly just sent up from his family’s farm—and Scott had just begun training it for the kind of work he specialized in.

  It was only when the horse spooked as the dragon’s wings cut off the sun and its massive shadow loomed over them that Scott had found the urge to say something. He stood in the stirrups and raised his gaze skyward.

  “Please mind your shadow, sir. This horse is green,” Scott called aloud.

  “It looks brown to me,” said a wry voice within Scott’s head.

  “We call her color bay, milord,” Scott informed the dragon, grinning. For it must have been the dragon’s voice Scott had heard in his head. He’d been told by some of his fellow soldiers that dragons talked to their knights telepathically, but he hadn’t quite believed it. Now, of course, he knew better.

  The dragon back-winged, as if in surprise, then landed with a little more force than Scott had seen others use, several yards away. The filly didn’t like it, but she remained under Scott’s expert control.

  Not quite knowing the etiquette, because he’d never really dealt with a dragon close-up before, Scott decided to dismount. It wouldn’t do to be impolite to a creature such as the one eyeing him suspiciously with a striking, bronze crystalline gaze.

  “You can hear me?” the dragon asked after a pause.

  “Aye, milord, though I have never had the pleasure of speaking with one of your kind before. Forgive me if I do not know the proper rules.”

  Scott’s mother had been a stickler for etiquette. They might not have been a high noble house, but they were landed gentry of a proud, hard-working lineage. The horses of Palminst were known throughout the land as some of the finest to be found.

  The dragon sat back on his haunches and looked Scott over even more minutely, then spoke again. “You are with the army?”

  “I am a forward scout, milord. Part of a special group that goes ahead of the main force to scout the land ahead for enemy traps and the like,” Scott told the dragon.

  “And you do this on horseback?” the dragon asked, sounding intrigued.

  “Aye, milord. On horseback, then on my own two feet if I want to get even closer to something to get a good look. Scout horses are specially trained for such maneuvers, but this filly is newly arrived from my family’s stud down south, and she has not learned the way of it yet.” Scott stroked the horse’s neck, hoping to calm her further. So far, she was handling the dragon’s presence better than he’d hoped.

  “Your family breeds horses?”

  Scott wasn’t sure why the dragon seemed so interested in his background, but he didn’t mind talking about it. Everyone who knew horses knew the Palminst name, and Scott had often talked about his family’s farm with other cavalrymen.

  “Yes, milord. My name is Scott Palminst. The Palminst Stud is among the finest in this land. My family has supplied specialty horses to the kingdom for almost a century.” It was an honorable heritage, and Scott was proud of it.

  “Even I have heard of Palminst horses,” the dragon admitted. “How came you to be in the army, if I may ask.”

  “I’ve been studying tracking and stealth techniques, and training horses, since I was a boy. When the King asked my father to recommend an expert to train a small scout group in the capital, I was happy to come and serve. I am one of the younger sons and not set to inherit, though I know my brother could always find work for me on the farm, if I needed it. Still, I prefer to make my own way, and soldiering isn’t a bad life. Serving my King and homeland is an honor.”

  “Ah. So it is,” the dragon agreed. “I am Denrith. I have recently returned from years spent in solitude, so I am learning the lay of the land, so to speak, and how things have changed since I was last in these parts. I know few people here and am glad to have made your acquaintance.”

  Scott bowed to the dragon respectfully but did not lower his gaze, as was only proper among warriors. “It is an honor to meet you, Sir Denrith.”

  A few days after that initial meeting, Denrith changed Scott’s life forever by choosing him to be his knight partner. Scott had completed training the filly and given her to another scout, then he’d begun his knight training, which focused on how to fight alongside a dragon. It was a skill that he would spend his lifetime perfecting, but he and Denrith were doing well, according to the more seasoned knights who were teaching Scott.

  Denrith, of course, already knew how to do everything, since he had partnered with a knight before. He did not speak of his former partner, and Scott respected his silence. It was obvious to Scott that the dragon had mourned his first knight deeply, and Scott would not open those wounds out of mere curiosity.

  Much to Scott’s surprise, soon after Denrith made his choice known, they were both called before the King. Scott had never been in close contact with King Roland before and found the man to be much more down to earth than he’d ever expected. Roland recalled his request for more scout horses from Scott’s father and complimented Scott on his work with the small specialty unit within the larger army.

  The King had explained that, while the majority of the nation’s fighters were the dragons and knights, there was a need to improve the ground-based forces, as well. He wanted Scott to continue to work with the horse scouts as time permitted, but he also wanted Scott and Denrith to put Scott’s background in stealth, tracking, and surveillance to good use as a dragon-knight team. The King had even told Scott that he and Denrith should look among the other pairs in the Castle Lair to discover whether any other dragons and their knights would benefit from Scott’s expertise.

  Denrith knew everyone in the Lair, it seemed, though he’d admitted to Scott that he knew many of the younger knights only through their dragons. Of those in the Lair, a single pair stood out and, further, were already acquainted with the kind of work the King wanted them to train for.

  The dragon was female. She was a deep forest green color, and her name was Melanira, or just Nira, for short. She was colored perfectly for stealth on the ground or in the night sky, and her knight was a veteran of the army, though of slightly older vintage than Scott. The knight’s name was Rikard, and although he was quiet and his scarred countenance was a bit off-putting, he had turned out to be a highly skilled tracker and hunter who was as at home in the woods as his deep green dragon partner.