Secret Fire Read online

  Secret Fire

  A Novel of the Dracol

  By Michelle Howard

  Published by MH Publications

  Copyright © 2022 by Michelle Howard

  Also by Michelle Howard

  A Novel of the Dracol

  Rylin's Fire

  Relentless Fire

  Frost Fire

  Secret Fire

  Assassins Guild

  The Unexpected Bonding Vow

  Claiming His Unexpected Baby

  His Unexpected Mate

  A World Beyond

  Torkel's Chosen

  Torkels Auserwählte

  Arak's Love

  Arak’s Liebe

  Lindsey's Rescue

  Kyele's Passion

  Rydak's Fall

  Jaron's Promise

  V'hor's Nestmate

  Stolen Moments

  Bane's Heart

  Nikol's Surrender

  Cyborg Redemption

  His Cold Kiss

  Her Cold Heart

  Ghost Unit

  Raging Tempest

  Le Cœur dans les étoiles

  Union à tout prix

  Amour à toute épreuve

  Liebe in den Sternen

  Animalische Begierde

  Einzigartige Liebe

  Love in the Stars

  Mating Urge

  Love Like No Other

  Magical Lovers

  Djinn Lover

  Wicked Lover

  Wild Lover

  The Vassi Contact

  As Darkness Spreads

  As Dawn Rises

  Un roman de L'univers Dracol

  La Flamme de Rylin

  La Flamme verte

  La Flamme de glace

  Un Roman di Dracol

  il fuoco di Rylin

  Fuoco Implacabile

  Fuoco di Ghiaccio

  Warlord Series

  Honor Bound

  The Overlord's Heir

  A King's Revenge

  Rise of the Shadow Warriors

  A Warlord's Heart

  Unexpected Bride

  Unleashing A Warrior

  Wired

  Wired for Love

  Standalone

  No Reason To Run

  Project Genesis

  Watch for more at Michelle Howard’s site.

  Table of Contents

  Copyright Page

  Secret Fire (A Novel of the Dracol, #4)

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Epilogue

  License Notes

  This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. The book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this novel with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please buy an additional copy for each recipient.

  No part of this book may be distributed in any format, in whole or in part without the express written consent of the author.

  Thank you for respecting the author's hard work.

  This is a work of fiction and is not a reflection or representation of any person living or dead. Any similarity is of pure coincidence.

  Chapter 1

  “Kon, what say you to a challenge?”

  Easily stepping over the branch on the path, Kon glanced back at his friend and smirked. He had known Cyron long before the Goddess of Fate had gifted Cy the mantle over their sect. He might be King of the Purple Dracol but he’d been Kon’s friend first despite the ten year age gap between them. “What challenge?”

  Cy waved back the two guards who accompanied them and closed the distance between him and Kon as they traipsed through the brush. The wind picked up, bringing with it the salty tang of the sea further ahead. Kon inhaled deeply, content with life as he waited for his friend to reveal the supposed challenge.

  After their stop here, they were finally heading home. The packs on their shoulders full of the niehe fruit found only on this small stretch of land would last months in the cold storage unit they’d developed for underwater.

  “A race,” Cy said, tossing a grin in Kon’s direction. His face lit with mirth. “From here to the inlet and beyond.”

  Kon arched a brow. A race and a swim combined. It would be fair. Cy was swifter on foot but no one could beat Kon in the water. “The guards will tackle me before I get more than a few steps. I think you’re making it an easy win for yourself.”

  A boisterous laugh burst from Cy and sent birds into flight from the trees they’d been perched in. Cy’s amber gold eyes were bright with mischief. A grin curved Kon’s lips as well. It had been a while since he’d seen his friend this happy. Their sect was in the midst of recovering from grief. The loss of one of their own was particularly painful because it was Cy’s lira who had died.

  The death of Liselle had devastated them all. For a while, there had been a great concern as to whether Cy would pull through and recover though he wasn’t bonded to her. With great effort and a newly somber approach to life, he had.

  “Trust me.” Cy continued to chuckle as he met Kon’s gaze. “They will not interfere.”

  Kon shrugged, still not sure it was the best idea. The guards, Julian and Marias, assigned to protect Cy would not appreciate him being out of their reach during the race. It didn’t matter that they knew Kon would never bring or attempt to harm his friend. Intersect attacks were still prevalent and usually initiated by the Green and their obsessive attitudes toward territory.

  Cy must have picked up on Kon’s hesitation and shouldered him playfully. “Unless you’re afraid.”

  “Challenge accepted.” Kon glanced at the guards eyeing them with narrowed gazes. “I will leave my weapons here as well.”

  Cy rolled his eyes at the safeguard but Kon drew to a stop. He unbuckled the quiver full of lightweight bolts he wore strapped to his left thigh and set it on the ground. Next he unlatched the customized crossbow worn on his right forearm. The weapons were a precautionary defense against any wildlife they might run into while on land.

  The Purple were nomadic sea dwellers. They traveled in pods from one underwater location to another, content being together or to enjoy the solitude and the quiet only found deep beneath the ocean. That also meant they faced danger alone more often then not. Only a fool would travel without protection.

  “Shall I call it?” Cy asked once Kon straightened.

  Unease rippled up his spine but Kon shook off the growing feeling of concern. Perhaps his friend needed this trip more than for the food gathering excursion he’d claimed. If so, Kon would gladly do what he could to bring up his spirits. “Do it.”

  Cy smiled and Kon was again reminded of the years of friendship between them. “Steady.”

  Kon nodded and lined up side by side with Cy. Shirtless and wearing only a thin loincloth about their hips, it was easy to see they were evenly matched in height and physique. Both lean and muscled from training.

  “Three count.”

  Another brisk nod.

  “Sire,” one of the guards called,
finally realizing what they were about.

  Cy ignored him, eyes focused on the horizon ahead. “Three, two, one.”

  Cy shot off while speaking the last count. Kon took off behind him, enjoying the sound of Cy’s laughter for the slight advantage he’d given himself. Kon didn’t use his full speed on the sprint toward the inlet. It would never compare to the ground his friend could cover.

  “I will defeat you this time, Konlan,” Cy yelled over his shoulder as his bare feet hit the water’s edge, purple hair streaming in the breeze. When he reached waist deep, he arched his body and disappeared beneath the incoming waves.

  Steps pounded behind Kon as the guards gave chase. They weren’t shouting orders to stop so he took it as unspoken agreement that they’d stay near but not interfere.

  Shimmering blue-green water capped by white foam called like a siren in an allure he’d never been able to resist. Kon stretched his arms high and took a running leap toward the water.

  Body splayed in the air, he tipped his head back toward the sky. Pleasure crashed through him the moment his body hit the water. He sluiced under the murky depths, legs kicking as he undulated his body. The gills on his neck fluttered, his heart hammering out a beat driven by the rush and exhilaration of being truly home. Kon walked on land when needed but nothing felt like this. Nothing gave him the same thrill as swimming in the sea.

  A thin film slid over his eyes to protect them and enabled him to see underwater. Ahead, Cy darted forward and dispersed a pool of brightly colored fish from their hiding place among the floating strands of greenery.

  Kon dove deeper and increased his speed, his veins humming with energy. Ripples caressed his ears, signaling the guards had joined them in the water. Adding strokes to increase his speed, Kon surged forward. The floor below dropped as he traversed into the deeper levels of the sea.

  Kon was planning how he’d come up behind Cy and soar beyond him to victory when the mantle wavered. Spikes of concern followed. Kon focused his senses, trying to figure out why he had the sudden urge to fight.

  Thoughts of the race were shoved aside as Kon straightened and tread water in place. He squinted, looking about for his friend. Cy had vanished.

  A blue skinned porpii with a fringed dorsal fin swam next to him and nudged Kon’s shoulders. He ignored the sea creature as the guards caught up to him.

  Their gazes reflected the same concern as Kon. He rapidly signed his question. “I lost sight of King Cyrus. Have you seen him?”

  The forcefulness of their hand gestures expressed urgency. “No. Nothing. We lost him.”

  The porpii nudged him harder again and again. They were persistent when seeking a partner to play with them. At any other time Kon would have given in and submitted to a game of hide and search.

  Except there was another ripple along the mantle. The base of all power for the Dracol prodded at Kon with a driving force—a demand he couldn’t ignore. His inner beast responded and Kon put on a burst of speed, swimming in the direction he’d last seen Cy. The guards followed in desperate pursuit, picking up the same disturbance but Kon outpaced them. Fear pushed him to stroke through the water faster than he ever had before.

  The sight that greeted him brought Kon up short. Cy struggled with a cephalopod sea monster. The multi-limbed beast had a gray and white tentacle entwined in a firm grip around Cy’s neck, another pinned his arms to his sides and one more looped in circles from Cy’s ankles to mid-thigh, immobilizing him completely. Cy bared his teeth in a snarl as he fought, causing the tentacles to constrict.

  The easiest way to escape a cephi was to relax and feign a death slump. Unfortunately, panic led one to thrash about, increasing the deadly pressure it applied. The creature wasn’t a meat eater but it was dangerous and a serious threat when it believed its territory to be breached. Cy must have unwittingly swam through the cephi’s sleeping spot.

  Kon gritted his teeth and dove forward, wishing for his cross bow and knife. Instead he had to rely on his wit and strength. He swam and held a hover in front of his friend to hand sign. “Calm down.”

  Cy met his stare, face flushed from his exertions. Relief crossed his features, his gill slits fluttering but he immediately stilled. Kon gave a reassuring nod and the minor tremors from the mantle ceased. The guards swam up beside him, one to the left and one to the right.

  They needed to distract the cephi enough to release its tentacles. Smaller sea animals swam closer, drawn by the erratic pulses of power Cy had released. Kon met his gaze and nodded again. They would get through this and laugh about it later.

  Scanning around, Kon tried to identify something to help free Cy. There were a few puffeen balls he could use. The spiky outer layer of the plant. This would hurt.

  With grim resolution, he signed to the guards and pointed toward the puffeen then launched himself to grab a few bunches in each hand. The skin on his palms split instantly upon contact, blood swirling around his fingers in thin trails.

  Kon ignored the pain and rejoined Cy. The blue porpii had followed them and was now butting its muzzle against the large bulbous body of the cephi in an attempt to help. The sea creatures accidently summoned by Cy’s desperation began a bumbling attack, fish and urchins swarming around them both. It wasn’t that their sect could control any animal life or coerce them but the cephi had many underwater enemies.

  Water stirred from their actions, bubbles almost blocking Kon’s view of his friend’s face. Kon kicked up and swam around until he was behind the cephi. The monster twitched and jerked, using its other three tentacles to lash out and defend itself. Julian and Marias darted back and forth to distract the cephi.

  A swift slash in a downward motion and Kon swiped the puffeen against the tentacle looped around Cy’s neck. The cephi squealed and jerked, its whole body shuddering but didn’t loosen its hold.

  Kon used the puffeen in his left hand and repeated his action against the tentacle curled about Cy’s torso while Julian and Marias prodded at the tentacle around Cy’s legs using jagged wood planks and other broken bits they must have found floating nearby.

  Continuing his attack, Kon swung both hands over and over until the cephi wailed and uncoiled its tentacles from Cy’s neck and waist. Liquid black exploded in Kon’s face. He’d cut deep enough to break through the outer layer of the cephi’s skin. Cy immediately bent over to work at the tentacle about his legs

  Full of rage and pain, the cephi’s mottled gray skin flared. The thin blue stripes along its body glowed brighter in the murky depths. Kon tapped Cy’s shoulder in warning even as he launched himself backward. The cephi squealed again and its six tentacles swung in every direction.

  Freed, Cy swam away on a lurch. The guards formed a protective barrier behind him. Kon dropped the puffeens and raced after them, hands throbbing in agony. They swam in a group, sea life clearing a path for them as they headed back toward the small island.

  When they reached the inlet, Kon lurched to his feet. His chest heaved with every breath. Cy stood with a choked gasp and staggered. Julian and Marias closed in behind them.

  Their steps pounded through the water until they all collapsed on dry land. Kon flopped onto his back, relief a symphony singing through his veins. Harsh rasps sounded to his right where Cy had fallen. Kon laughed, staring at the sky and joked. “You’re getting to be an old man if you let a cephi wrap you up.”

  More rasps, then a choked off groan came from Cy. Kon glanced to his side and the smile fell from his face. He sat up and rolled to his knees beside Cy’s prone body. The guards were on his other side, faces lined with worry. Cy’s skin took on a chalky hue and he had a hand about his throat gasping. Kon leaned forward. “Cy, what’s wrong?!”

  Cy released his neck, amber eyes pleading as he signed frantically. “Allergic. Allergic.”

  Allergic? Kon frowned, his heart resuming its rapid beat. Fear washed over him at this new plight. “You’re having a reaction? An allergic reaction?”

  Cy nodded, gasping for ever
y breath. A blue tinge formed around his mouth. Kon’s glance swung to the guards. “Hurry to the homestead. Bring Sabine.”

  As Dracol, rarely did they suffer illness but Sabine was gifted in creating healing poultices and mixtures. Because of this, she was used to dealing with minor injuries from the dangers prevalent in the ocean. She was the closest thing they had to a healer.

  Both guards leaped to their feet and ran back toward the water. Staring back down at Cy, Kon barely tracked the splashing sounds as Julian and Marias swam off. He didn’t remember Cy having any allergies.

  “You are determined to make this simple trip into another adventure you can boast about.”

  The corners of Cy’s lips kicked up. The right side quivered as if from spasms. Kon swallowed and pushed back the fear threatening. He gripped his friend’s hand and laced their fingers tight. “We’ll get you help.”

  Cy pulled on his hand until Kon released it. Cy’s fingers trembled as he signed. “Liselle. See Liselle.”

  Everything in Kon stuttered to a stop. Fierce denial rose. “No. Nothing will happen to you, Cy. This is not going to be your end.”

  It couldn’t be. What had caused this? The cephi? Maybe there was something on the island that could help.

  “Have you had this reaction before? This allergy?”

  Cy tipped his head to the side, his breathing changing into a painful wheeze. He lifted his arms and they flopped. A knot formed in Kon’s throat but he shifted forward and pulled his friend’s upper body onto his lap, propping Cy’s shoulders up. The blue tinge about his mouth had spread to veiny blue lines pointing toward his eyes.

  Cy managed to sign though he stopped and started in fits. “Allergic to puffeen.”

  Kon stiffened. Goddess, no!

  Cy continued to sign. “Happen once. Young.”

  “When Julian and Marias return with Sabine, everything will be fine. She’ll take care of you.” Surely she’d know what to do to negate his reaction.

  Calming waves flowed along the mantle. It was so incongruous to what was happening Kon barked out a laugh. “You seek to soothe me, my King?”