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  Caden’s Comet

  By Annabelle Jay

  The Sun Dragon: Book Four

  Long ago, in the days before King Roland, the four dragon kingdoms—Ice, Sun, Earth, and Bone—battled for dominion over the bountiful planet Earth. Prince Grian, a young dragon, hid aboard a Sun Dragon ship, traveled to Earth, and met Caden, an Earth Dragon who’d run away from his village. Despite falling in love, destiny’s plans for them turned cruel, and both perished in the war.

  The Artists who created the universe could not let this tragic loss of true love go unpunished. They wiped out the race of Sun Dragons, exiled the Bone Dragons to Draman, and banished the Ice Dragons to the North Pole, safely away from the Earth Dragons. Only the rebirth of Grian and Caden could break the curse. One day, the return of their love would usher in an age of peace and prosperity for all dragons.

  But when Prince Grian is reborn, he finds reuniting with his soulmate on Earth will be no easy feat. As he searches for his lost love, the Earth Dragon Protection Society, or EDPS, searches for him, ready to kill him when they find him. If Grian can elude the EDPS, he might find that the true love he once had isn’t guaranteed to bloom a second time.

  Table of Contents

  Blurb

  Prologue

  Part One

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Epilogue

  Exclusive Excerpt

  More from Annabelle Jay

  Readers love the Sun Dragon series by Annabelle Jay

  About the Author

  By Annabelle Jay

  Visit Harmony Ink Press

  Copyright

  Prologue

  AFTER THE birth of Prince Grian—the son of Sara Lee and Nimue, Bone Dragon queens of the planet Draman and rescuers of the wizards and humans of Earth—his fairy godparent, Skelly, traveled for many days to reach the Cave of the Mother. There, the “Mother,” sister to the water sorceress for whom Queen Nimue was named and keeper of many of the world’s secrets, might have answers as to why the prince had been born a sun dragon instead of the expected bone one.

  The trip was arduous, but seeing as Bone Dragons had no organs or muscles in their dragon form, Skelly could not tire. Instead, the fairy grew bored and took to cursing Merlin with every flap of wings.

  How could he—flap—leave me—flap—without a word of guidance? So what if we destroyed the robots—flap—and the wizards and Igreefees and humans could go home?—flap, flap—Doesn’t this little dilemma merit a return trip?

  Finally the fairy reached the cave, bypassing the forest of dark purple Uncanny Trees that would only whisper what Skelly already knew: find the Mother, and you’ll find your destiny. Of course, your destiny might be that you’re a small dragon with special powers meant to guide a certain baby born a strange yellow, but perhaps those details are in the fine print.

  Skelly transitioned into human form, the slight stature of their shadow always a reminder of the strange blood running through their veins. Then the fairy followed the passage down to the water of the oldest sacred cave in the world.

  “Ahem…. Mother?”

  Nothing stirred.

  “Mother, it’s me, Skelly. The one you called here to give the message about being a fairy who cannot lie or grow? Remember me?”

  Silence.

  In an act of desperation, Skelly stuck a foot in the sacred pool. As the splashed water hit the floor of the cave, a very old face emerged. Long white hair floated on the surface, reaching all the way to the bank.

  Hello, little one.

  Hello, Mother.

  Why have you returned so soon?

  It’s my charge, Mother. He’s… different.

  The Mother chuckled knowingly. All great people are. If I remember correctly, you were different too, and look where that got you. Because of you, no one on Draman will ever be forced to pick a robe color again.

  Yes, but I mean he looks different. He’s a blond, blue-eyed light dragon instead of a dark-haired, dark-eyed Bone Dragon like the rest of the planet. The citizens have seen the child, and they’ve begun to talk. Curses, saviors—you name it, they’ve thought of it. If I’m to protect and guide the child, I must know what I’m to do with him.

  Well said, little one. Step into the water, and I will show you what you need to know.

  Skelly carefully slid into the lake. Imitating Queen Sara Lee, the last person to visit the cave, the fairy fell forward, face-first, into the water. In the beginning, everything was dark. Then, at the periphery of Skelly’s vision, the Milky Way emerged. The arm of Orion grew closer, and then a solar system appeared.

  Recognize anything? the Mother asked.

  That little planet over there—it’s Earth, isn’t it?

  Earth drew closer, and then it began to spin backward. Scenes fought for their attention, spinning Skelly through the planet’s history. A wizard turning humans into Earth Dragons; four dragon kingdoms fighting for power; the original kingdoms safe on their own planets.

  A long time ago, the Mother explained, the four dragon species were not just breeds. They were clans, from the Sun Dragons on the sun to the Ice Dragons on Pluto and the Bone Dragons and Earth Dragons in-between.

  Finally, the planets disappeared, replaced on the left side of their vision by a young Sun Dragon prince with blond hair sneaking aboard a ship to Earth while a young Bone Dragon with dark hair and pale skin did the same on their right. The two scenes came together, and on the cobblestone streets of the planet’s capital, they embraced.

  What happened to them? Skelly asked.

  A king appeared, brandishing his scepter at the blond prince.

  “Grian, you are forbidden from seeing that Earth Dragon ever again!”

  “He has a name, Father. And Caden isn’t just an Earth Dragon, he’s—”

  “And don’t think you can escape my all-seeing eye,” the king interrupted. “Guards have been posted at every door.”

  Yet the next image showed exactly that: Prince Grian escaping to see Caden again and explaining, with tears in his eyes, what his father had dictated. Little did he know that in the background, fire filled the sky as a Sun Dragon attack on Earth began. Sun Dragons and Earth Dragons fell, drenching the much-desired land with their dragon blood.

  No! Skelly tried to yell, but what could the fairy do? The battle drew closer, and Prince Grian and Caden fell, their hands still clutched in eternal love.

  Though Skelly was still underwater, the smell of charred flesh and burning wood remained. Images of death and destruction filled the blue lake, and everywhere the fairy turned, dragon bodies appeared.

  What does all of this mean? Skelly asked the Mother.

  So powerful was the Queen’s grieving at the loss of her only son that she attracted the attention of the Artists, the magical beings who created the solar system and all its planets. Furious at the gluttony of all of the dragons, the Artists changed the rules of the universe. In their rage, they erased the entire Sun Dragon race, banished the Bone Dragons to Draman, and gave the Ice Dragons a small piece of land in the north, where they could do the Earth Dragons no harm. Then they added a new creature to Earth’s animal kingdom—the human being—and everything changed.

  An
d where does my Grian fit into all of this? Skelly asked.

  The Artists declared that the dragon species would remain cursed until the true love between Grian and Caden was born again, when the two would reunite all of the dragons in peace and harmony. We thought the Grian born to Allanah the witch was the one to break the curse at first, but he soon proved to be a necessary pawn to assist in the rebirth of the real Prince Grian. Your Prince Grian.

  And Caden?

  The Mother had begun to fade, but her face appeared again for one more moment.

  No one knows. But don’t worry, little fairy—true loves always find each other.

  The next second, Skelly was alone.

  Part One

  Chapter One

  I WILL always remember the day the name Golden Boy attached itself to me, not just from the locals who teased me, but the entire planet. I was twelve and had not yet gone through puberty; my arms and legs were as shrimpy as all boys’, though my mothers kept telling me I would grow into a strong man one day soon.

  “Keep up, Golden Boy!” the stable boys shouted as they ran ahead of me on the path. Branches whipped my face and arms, tearing into my tanned skin. The half dark of dinnertime made it hard to see the path, and I struggled to find secure footing amidst the rocks and uneven steps.

  “Left!” one of the boys ordered, and I turned my shoulders left and guided myself out of the castle grounds and into the deep wood that surrounded them.

  “Right!” a voice called out, and I zigzagged the other way.

  “Fly!”

  Too late, I realized the boys had led me off a cliff. In the brief second I stumbled and teetered on the edge, I saw two regular Bone Dragons hovering in front of me as they waited expectantly for what came next.

  Then I fell over the edge, and all I could think about was the whip of wind on my cheeks, the flight of my cape four feet behind me, the approaching land, and the dilemma I faced.

  Fly, Grian! one of the boys, probably Sren, yelled inside my mind. Sren was my only friend in the castle, and he had been the one to persuade the others to let me adventure with them.

  Fly. Something I never did in public for fear of the rumors that would spread if anyone saw my dragon form—but which I would have to do, and soon, if I wanted to live.

  The transition began with my head, turning my golden locks into yellow, scaly skin. My neck and arms followed, and then my legs. My claws were made of pure gold, as were my teeth, spine, and spade. Twice the size of a Bone Dragon, my expansive wings propelled me up to their level in one strong push.

  Whoa, Sren said, more than a loyal subject’s admiration in his eyes.

  Quite the royal treasure you have there, one of the other boys, the son of the local jeweler, mocked. I’d like to boil you down and have my father make a fortune on you as a new line of gold necklaces.

  Gold necklaces! Ha!

  The other boys followed the future jeweler as he flew back toward town, where they could tell everyone who would listen about the strange dragon form of Prince Grian. Only Sren followed me up to the hill, where I changed back into a human as quickly as possible. He took his time, the transition from Bone Dragon to human much more gruesome and intricate with all of the organs and skin to regrow. As a Bone Dragon, he could also transform with his clothes, so he removed his long shirt and belt and handed them to me as soon as they appeared.

  “I’m sorry I let that happen,” the older boy said.

  I waved him away and trudged angrily back toward the castle.

  “Hey, I said I’m sorry. I was curious too, and I let it get the best of me. Grian, are you even listening to me?”

  Sren grabbed my shoulder and spun me to face him. On princely instinct, I punched him in the jaw with as much strength as I could muster.

  “What the….” He rubbed his sore mouth. “Fine, I deserved that. And even if I didn’t, it’s not like I can punch a prince. But what if I do this instead?”

  Sren leaned in and kissed me, and I felt the surprise as though he had punched me. Not that Sren gave me butterflies or anything—he was a pimply teen who ate way too much of his father’s bakery bread—but it was my first kiss, and I liked it.

  Back at the castle, Skelly, my fairy godparent, took one look at me and rushed me up to my room to change. Skelly had been watching over me since I was born—apparently this was the “great” destiny of the famous Draman child who refused to become either a man or a woman—and knew my every face, every eye twitch.

  “You can’t go to dinner looking like that,” Skelly admonished as clothes flew from my closet onto my bed. “You know if your mother was on Draman, she would take one look at you and rush into town with Excalibur to find the perpetrator.”

  I did know. Queen Sara Lee was also the army general, and she took her position very seriously. Queen Nimue was the one who stayed behind to work on the staff uniforms with the seamstress or plan the menu of a royal dinner she would later regret having to attend. But without her, Queen Sara Lee would have beaten up any ragamuffin who called me Golden Boy. At least as the first two women to marry on Draman, they would understand the kiss—I hoped.

  In the royal dining room, used as our eating place when dignitaries weren’t visiting, Queen Nimue was already seated. Like me, she had blonde hair, but that was where the similarities stopped. Her skin was the same pale white as all Dramans, while mine was the color of wheat. Her build was boney, while mine was lean but on the cusp of becoming muscular. We both had light eyes, but mine were the color of a sun and seemed to shine. At twelve, I was already as tall as her shoulder, and my mothers predicted I would be over six and a half feet at full growth.

  “Did you have a good time playing with your friends?” my mother asked as I took my place in the smaller golden chair and lay my napkin across my lap. The servants brought us our platters, which meant Sara Lee wouldn’t be joining us again.

  “Quite good. We played hide-and-seek in the royal forest until the boys had to go home for dinner.”

  “Wonderful, darling.” Nimue seemed distracted, and she kept checking the antique clock on the mantel.

  “Is everything all right, Mother? Where is Sara Lee?”

  “Oh, you know your mother. Vanquishing demons, checking on the local water supply—anywhere but home. She promised she would be back from her latest mission in time for dinner, but as you can see….”

  The only sound for several minutes was silver on porcelain. Nimue was worried about something—well, she was always worried about something, but this something seemed much more serious than the normal somethings—and after I finished my chicken, I left her to her thoughts. I had my own, and I wanted to be alone with them.

  In my bedroom, I changed into my silk pajamas and climbed into the great four-poster bed that had belonged to Nimue before she and Sara Lee moved into the former king’s chamber. Earlier, the boys had called me spoiled, and as I looked up at the gold tassels and red fabric that covered the wood, I realized they were probably right. My mothers had tried to raise me in humility and kindness, and because of them I cared more deeply for others than I probably should have at such a young age, but that didn’t change the fact that as prince, I could merely wave my hand and whatever I wanted would be brought to me. The life of peasants, of the boys who ran home to their fathers after a long day of work at the castle and ate stale bread and gruel with relish, was as alien to me as the wizards in my mothers’ stories.

  Perhaps one day I will slip out of the castle and into their world, I thought as sleep courted me. I’ll just be a normal boy, in a normal town, working for my coins.

  When I closed my eyes, the dream came.

  First were the eyes—dark brown, with pupils so black and wide you could fall into them like a hole, and never blinking. Throughout the dream, the eyes were all I saw. They stared; they burrowed. The essence of me—the secret thoughts and dreams I told no one, not even Skelly—were laid out in front of those eyes and evaluated.

  Who do you belong to?
I asked the eyes.

  To you.

  ONCE I woke from my dream, I wandered down to the kitchen to see if any of the bakers were already awake and at work on one of their famous Dramanian pies. Sara Lee had once told me that pinching a piece of pie was what she did when she couldn’t sleep—something about turning insomnia into a positive experience, though I couldn’t remember her exact words—and I figured I would try her method. Besides, this was the season for Dramanian berry pie, my favorite tangy treat.

  Sure enough, a finished pie sat cooling on the counter, while the smell of the berries, tart and sweet at the same time, wafted through the room. After checking the pantry to make sure a cook wouldn’t find me pilfering, I used the sterling silver pie cutter to cut myself a large piece. As I balanced the bottom of the crust on the knife, pie filling oozing out the sides and threatening to dump onto the spotless kitchen floor, I realized I didn’t know where the cook kept the plates.

  Two berries slid from their crust casing and splatted on the slate slab below.

  “Prince Grian!” Skelly, who must have heard me wandering past their door, clapped, and a plate appeared on the counter next to me. “Do you want to give the cooks a heart attack? Spills are like national catastrophes to those ladies.”

  “I know, I’m sorry. I couldn’t sleep, so I thought….”

  “You’d have a piece of pie like your mother Nimue?”

  “Yes. How did you know about that?”

  Skelly smiled. “They may be our queens, but they’re also like sisters to me. Why don’t you bring your pie into the dining chamber? Believe it or not, Nimue did the same thing about fifteen minutes ago, only she pulled one better and took a whole pie.”

  Sure enough, Nimue sat at the head of the table in her favorite sleeping gown, a red velvet thing that had belonged to her mother back before she got sick and passed away. Sara Lee always called her “The Lady in Red,” a reference I didn’t understand and therefore assumed was an Earth joke from back when Sara Lee was Nimue’s maid and helped her save Draman from the robot takeover. Now Nimue spooned entire mouthfuls of Dramanian berries into her mouth and chewed them mindlessly, as though she could not even taste them on her palate.