Read Dragon Kiss for Free Online

I’ve learned that the only way I can ever be with her is if I can be a human just as she can be a dragon. I’ve been told that you might be able to help me. Can you, Your Majesty?”
    King Stormclaw scowled even more fiercely than before, but it wasn’t Audun who received the first taste of his anger. “Did you know of this, Song of the Glacier? Did you know that your grandson is enamored of the Green Witch’s daughter? She is the only human living who dares to call herself Dragon Friend and if she is friend to the fire-breathers, she is no friend of ours. You have sorely neglected your grandson’s education if he doesn’t know of the enmity between us.”
    Song of the Glacier raised her head and looked directly at the king. “What happened between our kind and theirs took place long ago. Few living today feel as you do about the fire-breathers, Your Majesty. I did not teach my grandson such a lesson because it is not a bias that I would want a young dragon to learn.”
    The dragon king narrowed his eyes in anger and the other members of the council gasped as the crest on top of his skull rose. Only Song of the Glacier didn’t seem intimidated by his aggressive stance. “You would not say such things if the fire-breathers had killed members of your own family,” growled King Stormclaw.
    “But they did!” exclaimed Audun’s grandmother.
    Glancing at the others in the chamber, the king shook his head. “We will talk of this another time.” He took a deep breath and his crest relaxed, making him seem less formidable. Turning to Audun, King Stormclaw said, “You ask for something I will not give. You may spend one more night in the stronghold, and leave in the morning. Now go, before my temper rises again.”
    Audun felt as if someone had stuck an icicle into his innards and twisted it. He toyed with the idea of fleeing the island to go find Millie before King Stormclaw could stop him, but then he saw a peculiar look pass between the king and Song of the Glacier. Apparently something was going on here that he couldn’t understand.
    Worried and upset, Audun left the antechamber. He had no sooner stepped onto the ramp when a gaggle of young dragonesses rushing up the slanted floor surrounded him and carried him along with them.
    “Wait!” he said, trying to work his way through the crowd. “I have to—”
    Someone nudged him back into the middle of the group of dragonesses. “You have to go with us!” Hildie announced from beside him. “We want you to try the chute. You’ve never seen anything like it.”
    “But I’m really not in the mood for—”
    “Then we’ll put you in the mood,” said Hildie.
    Loolee danced around him, nimbly avoiding the other dragons’ feet. “You have to come with us, Audun! Please?”
    “All right. I’ll do it for you, Loolee,” Audun replied, smiling down at the little dragoness.
    The dragonesses’ enthusiasm was so contagious that by the time they reached the top of the ramp, Audun was nearly as excited as they were. They had passed countless corridors on the way up, but there was nothing at the highest point of the ramp except a level platform and a smooth tunnel angled steeply down.
    “I’m going first this time!” Loolee shouted, as she ran to the edge of the platform. Amid a storm of protest from the other dragonesses, the little dragon girl carefully tucked her wings to her sides and hopped off the platform and into the tunnel. “Hoowee!” she shouted, as she disappeared from sight.
    “Audun is next!” Hildie cried. She shoved him to the front of the still-forming line.
    “What should I do?” he asked, teetering on the lip of the platform.
    “Go!” shouted all the dragonesses. Half a dozen of them pushed him from behind.
    Audun stumbled off the edge . . . and fell. “No!” he shouted. His heart seemed to climb into his throat, but the ice that formed the twisting, turning chute was so smooth that he couldn’t have stopped, no matter what. Opening