The Dragon Nimbus Novels: Volume I: Volume I

“But Zolltarn I will only maim until he reveals the reversal of the spell that holds Lord Krej captive.” With her words she wove her hands in a complicated pattern. A dark green, almost black, lightning probe surrounded her.
    “Stargods, she’s going to burn the rest of the barrier.” Jaylor ran to stop her as the stench of burning Tambootie choked him. Three dragonets blocked his passage.
    Rejiia laughed at his clumsy and useless progress. “You’ll not stop me, University man. Dragon magic is nothing compared to the powers I control.”
    But she stood between two of the six ley lines that met at the center of the clearing. Jaylor nudged a purple-tipped dragon out of his way with a knee and planted his feet at the join. Zolltarn joined him. Shoulder to shoulder they stood, united in purpose. The magic welled up in Jaylor, eager to be woven into the fabric of the Gaia.
    One small blond head appeared among the milling dragon backs, between Jaylor and his target.
    “Glendon, into the house!” he ordered. Curiosity touched Jaylor’s mind. The boy knew no fear.
    “Glendon, come to me. I will show you what makes the barrier and what destroys it,” Rejiia coaxed.
    Jaylor used the magic filling him to throw a wall between Glendon and the witch. The spell hit a shiny metallic surface and bounced back to him. He ducked the backlash and prepared a new protection for Glendon.
    Zolltarn threw the next spell. It, too, backlashed.
    “Give it up, Rejiia,” a new voice commanded. A strong and assured baritone voice with hints of familiarity in it thundered around the clearing.
    Jack slid off Baamin’s wing from the edge of the void into the center of the clearing, right beside Jaylor, his old master, and Zolltarn, his grandfather. Affection and a sense of homecoming almost pushed the menace of Rejiia out of his thoughts.
    “Jack, you’re alive!” Katrina squealed in delight behind him. The baby dragons stepped aside so that she could run to him. She plunged the last few steps into his arms.
    He held her tight for two heartbeats, allowing her joy to fill him with purpose. He couldn’t afford the distraction of her greeting. Drawing renewal from the living ley lines he sent a spray of magic water to douse the flames still in Rejiia’s hands.
    Amaranth and his purple-tipped twin joined Katrina in a jubilant rush to get to Jack. Balance askew, Jack’s spell dropped just short of his target.
    His hands landed on the back of the purple-tipped baby dragon.
    Iianthe. The dragonet’s name appeared in Jack’s mind without warning.
    Amaranth, the other reminded him.
    He stroked the silvery fur once in greeting and gave back his own name. Dragon magic jolted through his hands and up his arms. He gathered power from both dragons.
    Energy from the ley lines rushed to greet and twine around the power granted him by dragon. The two magics combined and filled him to overflowing. Jaylor placed a hand on his left shoulder. Zolltarn touched his right. Dragon magic reached out to him and amplified both energy sources. A sense of overwhelming completeness and belonging flooded his being.
    He was home, and this was his family. He didn’t stop to analyze his emotions. He needed a massive counterattack.
    Katrina’s healing Song rose within him. A love song. Rejiia’s evil was the only thing keeping Jack from Katrina’s side. He Sang .
    They ran away to the clearing fair
They ran away to fight magic.
They whistled and they sang ’til love overcame
an enemy evil and tragic.
     
    A flash of magic counteracted the fire eating away at the barrier. The flame withered.
    “NO! You can’t do this to me. You’re only an untried boy,” Rejiia screamed. From the folds of her gown she drew a wand, a miniature staff. She pointed the tool of focus directly into Jack’s eyes.
    Black arrows of magic sped from the tip of the wood.
    They whistled and they sang ’til the clearing rang
Filled with love and magic.
     
    Katrina raised her voice in Song. Beside her, Brevelan and Mikka joined her. Jaylor and Zolltarn raised their arms with a new spell fed by ley lines, dragons, and Song.
    The offending black arrows dissolved into ashes.
    Rejiia renewed the stream of magic.
    Jack raised a wall of armor in front of them.
    Rejiia’s black arrows bounced off the armor and circled in confusion. Anxiously the witch stabbed at her spell with the wand. The arrows withered and fell back into the Kardia.
    Jack raised a whirlwind of sparkling magic to