Page 1 of When Dragons Play

Prologue

The darkness was punctuated only by the faint, muffled snorts of hysterical laughter. Two shadowy figures melted away from the officer’s quarters, their movements silent as they disappeared behind the row of barracks, leaving only a faint whisper of movement in their wake. Rumor shook his head, the strands of his long, braided hair swaying like vines in a heavy wind. His eyes, like two golden orbs, shone with a mischievous glint. A broad smile spread across his face as he grinned at Timber.

“I guarantee this will get us kicked out,” Timber muttered, glancing back at the structure.

“Let’s get back before anyone realizes we are missing,” Rumor whispered.

With a burst of speed, they sprinted across the sprawling compound toward the barracks. They shoved each other good-naturedly, vying for the front spot as they entered, erupting in laughter over their recent mischievous efforts. For the past six months, this duo and their two misfit friends had been actively trying to get expelled from the training school.

It wasn’t that none of them aspired to become Valdier warriors. They were already that in their own minds. No, the problem was they each had a rebellious streak, chafing under the constraints of authority and orders.

They had trickled in over the month, each one a washout from their squadron, leaving their commanding officers baffled and frustrated.

Laser had been the first. He had earned his name for his ability to pinpoint a button that could trigger anybody’s temper. He was also an expert at blowing things up. His last commanding officer had learned that the hard way when he ordered Laser to clean the latrines. They had gone up, one at a time in a spectacular show of porcelain and metal just as Lord Mandra and Lord Kelan were doing an inspection.

Laser’s actions had landed him six weeks in the brig before he was sent to the place known as last resort—to the twin dragons, where only the worst-of-the-worse recruits were sent. The next one to arrive was Rumor. He had entered with the same renowned mischievous grin on his face that he had left his last assignment wearing.

His smile widened as he recalled the relief he felt when he was transferred out of the hole after those long two weeks. That was a fancy name for a brig with no electronics. His knowledge encompassed all things computer-related, especially communication technologies. He had sold the PVCs of all the officers at his former base to a two-headed Tiliquan, who then auctioned the Personal Virtual Companions for a considerable profit.

Cameo was the third member to join their squad. He could shift between his human and dragon forms, adapting his appearance at will. His crime had been a double whammy: impersonating an officer and then raiding that officer’s stash of exquisite Ecuadorean liquor and selling it on the black market. That was how he and Timber ended up here. Timber had been apprehended while attempting to transport the stolen goods in a commandeered service shuttle.

Timber’s flying was a thing of beauty, a symphony of grace and power, making him the envy of every other aspiring pilot and a top target for the galaxy’s most elite flight academies. He had stolen enough ships in his short lifetime to fill an Antrox mining asteroid, a veritable fleet of vessels that would make any pirate king envious. Timber’s fondness for pilfering ships, even ones that weren’t his or had been assigned to someone else, was his biggest problem.

Their combined time in the brig far exceeded the amount of time they’d spent learning combat skills, not that it bothered any of them. Life was about living it. A few weeks locked up here or there was a vacation. The biggest mistake Commander Kelan had made was assigning them all in one place—together. There wasn’t anyone in the galaxy who could out-think, out-smart, or out-run them if they put their minds to it.

“How did it go?” Laser asked as they entered the barrack.

Rumor grinned, his eyes twinkling with mischief, as he slid into an empty chair at the table. The holographic images of battle bots in combat, a cacophony of explosions and mechanical roars filling the air, fought for supremacy on the map. He leaned forward, his finger hovering over the screen. He tapped a character, a swift movement that brought a digital warrior to life. The creature struck Laser’s monster with a swift, silent blow, severing its leg.

“Like a charm. I figure we should be out of here before noon tomorrow,” he replied, nodding a thanks to Timber when he held out a Tiliquan beer that they weren’t supposed to have. He leaned back and propped his boots up on the table. “Maybe even sooner.”

The three men at the table laughed and clinked their glasses as Cameo entered the room. Timber’s appreciative whistle as Cameo passed nearly caused Rumor to choke on his drink. The other warrior paused, raised an eyebrow, and wiggled his behind.

“Eat your heart out guys,” Cameo retorted before heading to the cleansing unit.

Rumor’s eyes twinkled with amusement as the flowing dress Cameo wore whipped around his legs. He was dying to hear about Cameo’s distraction in the officer’s club. Few warriors could successfully disguise themselves as an officer’s wife and get away with it.

This time tomorrow, we’ll be celebrating our freedom!

“Son of a—! Cree!” Calo bellowed.

His colorful language painted a picture of a hellish day for the new recruits who arrived three days ago. A shudder ran through him as whatever goo they had poured into his boots seeped between his toes. The squishing reminded him of Gelatian snot.

Hell, it reminds me of the whole damn Gelatian!

The Gelatians, a colorful yet translucent life form, were gelatinous. Their movements were accompanied by a squirming motion, leaving behind a glistening trail of slime. He gritted his teeth, trying to ignore the sickening sound of his feet making slurping, sucking noises as he walked. He would have taken the boots back off, but they were stuck.

His mouth opened to call his twin again when he froze in the doorway between his temporary quarters and those of his brother. Cree was exiting the bathroom, wiping a towel over his wet face. He blinked several times before the words burst from his lips.

“What the hell happened to your face?” he choked out.

Cree scowled at him. “Look in a mirror, brother. There isn’t a lot of difference. Twins... remember,” his twin retorted.

Calo shook his head. “Not today, we aren’t. Seriously, you need to look in a mirror.”

Cree scowled at him before looking at the green ooze trickling over the rim of his boots. Calo looked down and wrinkled his nose. A low chuckled slipped from him. He didn’t know if he wanted to strangle the idiot cadets they had been given or commend them on joining the ranks of the Dragonlings.

“What happened to your boots?” Cree asked.