Bound by a Dragon (The Dragon Archives, #1)

by Linda K. Hopkins

buildings were barred from within. Keira shook her head in amusement – a mere door wouldn’t stop a dragon! “Come,” Anna yelled, tugging on Keira’s arm, but Keira shrugged her off and stared at the monstrous beast flying above the village. The dragon had taken up

But the villagers remained convinced that it was just a matter of time before the dragon set the village alight and snatched the village girls. “Come on, Keira.” Anna’s words broke through Keira’s thoughts, reminding her that her parents shared the same fears as the other villagers. “Mother’ll be furious if we don’t return to the house now.”

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her skin in an effort to find some relief. It was market day in the village, an event that occurred every Wednesday and Saturday, come rain or shine, and Keira was minding the table that held her father’s carved wooden tableware. It was a task she shared with her mother, but as her mother had gone home to have her morning meal, Keira was at the table alone. She glanced around the marketplace and wondered, not for the first time, what her younger

rebellious thought that if Anna was not so spoilt, she would probably be more responsible. Rising from her seat, Keira surreptitiously lifted her skirts in an effort to cool her ankles as she walked to the front of the table that displayed her father’s carved wooden

customers raised their voices above the din as they strove to negotiate the best prices. Merchants displayed their goods in every available corner, leaving shoppers only a few feet to negotiate between the stalls as they pushed and shoved past each other. Keira always felt a moment of relief when the market closed for the day and she could escape to the solitude of the forest. As Keira returned to her stool, she noticed that something

hat, perched neatly over one ear, was also made of velvet, with a feather that curled over his other ear, while a sword hung at his side, the sheath studded with jewels. The man was clean shaven and his tanned skin washed – it was clear he was of noble breeding. He continued to browse the stalls as he made his way slowly along the narrow path, pausing to examine the different wares on display. Occasionally he would pull out a small leather purse, and Keira could see how the contents weighed down the soft skin. Some of the merchants called out to him, willing him to spread his coin at their stalls, and he stopped to banter as they pointed out

that his audience was growing. He was clearly out of place in the nondescript little village that Keira called home, and the shoppers nudged each other as he walked by. She laughed to herself as they openly speculated about the weight of his purse, but he paid no attention to the stir he was causing. Instead, he continued to browse the stalls – buying little trinkets at some; replacing the items with a smile and friendly word at others. He

“To eat from, of course,” he responded with an innocent smile. “But surely you have many bowls?” In fact, she wouldn’t be surprised to learn that he had tableware made from pewter, imported ceramic or even silver. She had never seen such luxuries, of course, but she’d heard about them. And it was well known that

A moment’s silence filled the air as Keira considered his response. “And where have you taken up residence?” she finally asked. “I wasn’t aware of anyone moving into the village.” “Do you always interrogate your customers like this?” he asked with an amused smile. “One would be inclined to think you don’t want anyone

whispered about the dark corridors where abducted maidens, held against their will, were forced to do unspeakable things at the dragon’s bidding, and where other heinous dealings occurred, too dreadful to be repeated. “Storbrook Castle,” Keira repeated, her voice dropping. “They say the dragon lives in the caves below the castle.”

height. “No, why should I?” she said with a smile. “It hasn’t done anything fearful.” “But you must have heard about the monstrous creature that lived here before?” “I have,” Keira replied. “People say that it lived peacefully in the mountains for many years before attacking the village. But it does seem rather strange, wouldn’t you agree? Surely something must have provoked it to make it attack so suddenly.” She glanced towards the mountains. “As for this dragon, I rather like it!”