As I mentioned in previous blogs, I have teamed up with other authors to create a world building series called Rise of the Elites. The title of my book is House of the Blue Flame, which is about a young dragon shifter who has been chosen to take her grandfather's place as an Elite. An Elite is a being selected by the Higher Spirit and gifted with Immortality to protect and serve his or her realm. In this series, 7 Elites from 7 different realms have mysteriously perished. However, just as quickly as 7 Elites have fallen, 7 rise.
And Adaya, a Blue Flame dragon is one of them.
Check out the snippet below and make sure you leave a comment :)
Something isn’t right, I think to myself just as I dodge Mercy’s wooden sword during another one of our hardcore sparring sessions. I don’t know what Mercy’s problem has been lately, but her punches, swings and kicks are becoming harder. She has always been competitive, running against any and every one she can even if they had no idea, they were in a race to begin with. Mercy is the youngest female of the Shadow Dragon House and probably the most obnoxious. Shadow Dragons are mercenaries that my clan once used to infiltrate enemy lands without detection. Their dragon forms are awesome. Instead of a solid, scaly form, they become smoke which makes it difficult for an attacker to land any mortal blows.
That’s why when we spar, we are not allowed to use dragon magic. We remain in human forms to give each other a fair advantage. Although as of late, Mercy hasn’t been fighting fair.
“What’s your issue?” I ask, tumbling towards the nearest corner to put some space between us.
“What do you mean?” She frowns. “We are just sparring. Can’t take a punch now?”
“Whatever. You just seem a little frustrated.”
She pauses and looks at me. The heat from her glare tells me that she has more than a problem with me.
“Look, I’m not trying to argue with you Mercy,” I begin with a sigh.
“Of course, you aren’t,” Mercy quips still eyeing me. “Why would the all mighty granddaughter of the Devourer Horace, destined Elite waste her time on a lowly dragon like me?”
“Huh?” Now it’s her turn to meet my stare. “First of all, no one said that I was destined to become an Elite. And if they did, it would not be any time soon.” I pause. “Why are you even bringing that up?”
She shakes her head and begins to walk away. “You Blue Flames always had it easy. You have all the power and do nothing as the rest of us fight over scraps.” She stops to look at me. “I fight hard because I am going to be the next Elite. Just watch. A Shadow Dragon will be protector of this realm. Even if it doesn’t happen for another million years, it will happen.”
“I have done nothing wrong to you Mercy. I’ve always tried to be your friend,” I plead.
“Well stop trying Blue Flame. It makes you look weak.”
I watch as she sashays out of the gym as if not a word was spoken between us.
Well stop trying Blue Flame… her words echo in my mind after the metal doors slam behind her.
You’ve been too easy on her, I hear my grandfather Horace’s voice whisper to me. He has told me this many times after sparring with Mercy and even after our days during class when I would come home fuming about something she did. She needs to learn her place in this realm just as the other dragon clans have. She cannot withstand magic like you can. She is angry that she cannot create. There is a reason why our clan had been chosen for every Rising.
But grandfather, I told him. I don’t want her or any of the other dragon clans to hate me. They think I am spoiled or that I think I am better than they are.
You do not have to dim your light for others to see you Adaya. Be proud of who you are. I used to tell your mother the same thing. The other clans have no clue the burden we carry. Without the Blue-Flame, the very magic that connects us all will die. For some of the clans, this is hearsay, but I have survived the Rising. I have been to Shra’ where I witnessed our beginnings unfold… Blue Flames are protectors of the Blue Flame. That is the way of things.
But there is a hierarchy that my clan created a long time ago because of our role as protectors of the blue flame. Blue Flames and Ice Dragons rested at the top as royalty, while Sea Dragons forged their own separate society while still adhering to our rule. Red dragons and Shadow Dragons fought at the bottom of the totem pole, often being called upon to serve as guards or assassins. Blue Flames did not trust Red Dragons or Shadow Dragons enough to enlist their services as personal guards. Instead, Red Dragons were often drafted for service in our military while Shadows were recruited for Special Ops.
Both clans hate their positions. But fortunately neither are strong enough politically or even militarily to forge a war against my house. But judging by the way Mercy’s been behaving lately, it is safe for me to assume that it will not be long before they try. My shoulders slump at the thought and suddenly exhaustion claims me even though I hardly broke a sweat with Mercy. Everyone has been on edge as of late since the Rising. The other clans are probably hoping that my grandfather for whatever reason doesn’t return. As I move towards the exit and think back to Mercy’s heightened aggression during our sparring session, I might assume that she was anticipating my grandfather not returning.
But why?
I shake off the thought as quickly as it came. Grandfather always returns.
Always.
I don’t realize I am outside until the metal door slams behind me and I am greeted by the bright pinks and yellows of the evening sky. An image of my grandfather appears from my pool of memory, his eyes lit and bright as is smile the first time I shifted into dragon form. A deep sadness claws at my chest and I pull myself away from the memory and ignore the pain.
He will be home by dawn as he promised, I remind myself as I head towards the front gate. But just as I reach for the latch to open the gate, something tells me that quite the opposite is the case.
Preorder your copy of Rise of the Elites House of the Blue Flame: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08FFNCWJK
Check out the rest of the Rise of the Elites collection by visiting www.riseoftheelites.com.
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