Read Kathir's Redemption (Book 6) for Free Online Page A

sword into the man ’ s chest. The guard collapsed, shocked at the speed with which he ’ d been cut down.
    Mugla freed both of the elves. They were all fighting side-by-side now, holding back an endless stream of guards trying to get on the platform. Mugla was holding on, but her face looked very pale. The elves still looked dazed from the iron poisoning, but they fought fearlessly all the same.
    Mugla then remembered the magical sleeping powder Chua had given her, still hidden in her bosom. She drew the little vial out quickly and poured the powder into her palm. A dozen more guards approached them, and she waited until they were just footsteps away before she flung out her hand, casting the powder into their eyes. “ Take that, ye dirty buggers! ”
    The sleeping powder hit the guards in varying degrees. Two merely stumbled, but the rest collapsed to the floor as if they had been hit over the head with a mallet.
    Above them, Xiiltharra and her emerald dragon remained in the sky, throwing fireballs and lightning bolts down at the terrified crowd below. More people fell, consumed by dragon fire. Others were trampled by the screaming crowd trying to flee the square. It was complete pandemonium.
    Finally, the elf queen circled down and landed on the platform. She raised one ivory hand. “ Enough! ” The word echoed into the distance. Her voice seemed amplified somehow.
    Everyone on the platform froze, and the remaining crowd fled away from the square. Only a few guards, two assassins, and the High Priest remained. All of the High Priest ’ s entourage had abandoned him.
    Tallin kicked another soldier to the ground and barreled up the stairs again. This time, he was able to reach Duskeye and embrace him. “ You ’ re a sight for sore eyes, old friend! That was a close call! How did you find us? ”
    Duskeye licked his scaly blue lips. “ You can thank the elves for that! Xiiltharra is the one who contacted me — her powers are very strong. I was waiting for you on the coast, unsure of what I should do. I heard Xiiltharra ’ s voice in my head, and soon enough, I saw her riding her dragon in the sky. I followed her here with the others. ”
    “ Xiiltharra is a dragon rider? For how long? ” It was a shock.
    Duskeye ’ s great blue head dipped down low. “ For some time, now, apparently. Her dragon ’ s name is Atejul. As you can see, he ’ s gigantic — quite difficult to miss. I ’ ve never seen an emerald dragon so large. Nagendra and Blacktooth were accompanying them. ”
    Tallin looked over at Xiiltharra ’ s dragon. “ I don ’ t understand — was Atejul simply hiding in Brighthollow this whole time? ”
    Duskeye chuckled. “ No, you ’ ve seen him before. You just don ’ t remember. ”
    Tallin gave Duskeye a quizzical look. “ I honestly don ’ t remember — no. He looks so young. Did he flee the desert before the war? ”
    Duskeye shook his head. “ Atejul is Nagendra ’ s hatchling. You met him in the desert when he was just a fledgling, remember? ”
    Tallin ’ s jaw dropped open. “ Nagendra ’ s hatchling — well, by Baghra, then he ’ s your son! ”
    Duskeye nodded, and the look on his face displayed the great pride he felt. Female dragons never revealed their mates, but since there were so few dragons left, it was obvious who Atejul ’ s father was.
    “ Amazing, ” said Tallin. He then remembered his dragon stone and pulled it out of his pocket. He placed it against his chest and flinched as the stone embedded itself once again into his tender skin. Despite the pain, it felt good to be whole again.
    At that moment, the other dragons, Nagendra and Blacktooth, flew below and reunited themselves with their riders. The dragons purred and nuzzled the elves, who laughed so elatedly that it seemed they would burst with happiness.
    Everyone paused and waited as the elf queen slid delicately from her dragon ’ s saddle. Xiiltharra was very tall, and she towered over everyone else by