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Category: Fantasy/Science Fiction
Description: Fourteen years after fleeing his homeland, Charles Sydon lives under an assumed name, comfortable if not happy with his life as a bookkeeper. Until one night his past comes looking for him in the form of a ruthless dragon hunter. Now, Charles must return to the Ice Ring on a deadly quest for a wild dragon, a quest that will pull him back into the world he left behind. But he'll soon find there's more at stake as the past and the present collide. It will be up to Charles to save his people from their past mistakes, providing he can live through facing his own.
eBook Publisher: Champagne Books/BURST, 2011
eBookwise Release Date: October 2011

2 Reader Ratings:

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Available eBook Formats: OEBFF Format (IMP) [117 KB]
Words: 26730
Reading time: 76-106 min.

There was nothing to do but form a search party. Athacar must be found. I insisted on going; as Athacar's handler I had the right, despite my mother's protests. Samantha squeezed my hand when we said goodbye and I promised I would be home soon. A promise I failed to keep.

Two months we spent searching for Athacar, slowly making our way to the Center Ring, the coldest and most dangerous part of the Ice Ring. We found not a trace. Our supplies were running low by then, but we were loath to turn back without him. It would be a terrible blow to our reputation.

Then, by chance or fate, we found him after our ship ran aground on a hidden ice shelf. Athacar retreated to a nearby cave at our approach. I took a stand as his handler and insisted on going in by myself to bring him out.

There is nothing I would like better than to affirm the stories, to claim this as a high act of bravery, but when I set out to put pen to paper I swore to myself the truth would be told and I hold myself to that oath.

It wasn't bravery that ushered me into that cave, it was a mixture of stupidity, guilt and the brashness of youth. A deadlier combination there never was.

Athacar wasn't far inside. He was an intelligent dragon and no doubt knew we would be coming in after him. He'd always been difficult but I never suspected he could be dangerous. I held him in my arms the day he was hatched, had spent a portion of every day since in his company, I believed we had a bond. In that I was wrong.