The Dragon Gods Box Set Read online

  THE DRAGON GODS SERIES

  by Resa Nelson

  Table of Contents

  Book 1: Gate of Air

  Book 2: Gate of Earth

  Book 3: Gate of Fire

  Book 4: Gate of Water

  GATE of Air

  by Resa Nelson

  Gate of Air

  Copyright © 2017 by Resa Nelson

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

  Cover Art © 2017 by Eric Wilder

  Second Edition December 2018

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the invention of the author, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, event, or locale is entirely coincidental.

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  Many thanks to my fellow authors, Carla Johnson and Frank Stearns, who read this novel before publication and gave me excellent feedback. I also very much appreciate the wonderful help and feedback I received from fellow author Alison Chan.

  Thank you to Tracy Cartwright and JoJo Gozy for helping me polish the final version of this book. Also, thanks to my Dragon Elite Team for their help and terrific feedback.

  Finally, thanks to Sydney Lee for reaching out and sharing her thoughts about race and female characters in fiction. Thank you, Sydney, for our conversations and for your thoughts about this novel. If not for the inspiration from our conversations, this series wouldn’t exist.

  CHAPTER 1

  How did my life become so turbulent?

  As the pale blue and pink light foretold the dawn of a new day, Frayka walked the narrow length of the Northlander ship, a long and sleek vessel that looked like a sea dragon slicing through the choppy ocean waves. The oars piled on the center of the deck rattled against each other. The scent of fish and brine permeated the air. The taste of salt in the air gave her a thirst that seemed impossible to quench. Frayka focused on the horizon instead.

  She approached the rail and leaned on it, barely noticing the sound of her sweetheart Njall grunting while he adjusted the sail. After several days at sea, Frayka recognized the coast of her homeland, the Land of Ice, in the distance ahead. But instead of filling her heart with happiness or even meager content, the sight made her stomach twist into knots.

  All her life, Frayka had given no thought to the fact that she looked like no other Northlander. Everyone in her homeland—including her own family—stood tall with long blonde hair and blue eyes. While Frayka stood as tall as any Northlander woman, she inherited her looks from her father’s grandmother, a woman from the Far East who must have died many years ago.

  Although Frayka’s skin looked similar to everyone else’s during the winter months, too much exposure to the sun simply turned Frayka’s skin a golden brown while the skin of all other Northlanders burned bright red. And her long black hair, straight as rain, made her stand out, as well as her dark brown eyes.

  Njall joined her side and draped an arm across her shoulders. “Home at last.”

  Exhausted from the journey and lost in worry about the days ahead, Frayka didn’t respond.

  Njall squeezed her shoulder. “Why so glum?”

  “No one told me I would be meeting a Northlander god,” Frayka said. “I’m still reeling from what the All-Father told me.”

  Weeks ago, a shaman led Frayka to the ethereal world of the gods. The god of all Northlander gods—the All-Father—singled out Frayka because she dared to live as a Northlander despite her Far Eastern looks.

  To appease the anger of all Northlander gods, the All-Father tasked Frayka with the duty of finding the dragon gods of the Far East. The All-Father told Frayka she then must figure out how to make peace between those dragon gods and the Northlander gods. If Frayka failed, the Northlander gods would kill her.

  Why did all gods have to act so foolish and petty?

  Why should it be her problem that Northlanders had once worshipped the dragon gods instead of their own gods?

  Why should the Northlander gods involve her just because they felt angry and rejected by the mortals who adopted the dragon gods in their absence?

  Frayka knew the dragon gods destroyed the Northlands and surrounding countries, even though she had been an infant at the time. The full blame for that destruction fell on the true Northlander gods, who were enraged first for being ignored and then for being faulted for something they didn’t do.

  Why should I care that mortals blame the Northlander gods for the sins of the dragon gods?

  The task given to Frayka by the Northlander gods overwhelmed her. Frayka wished she could crawl below deck, curl up in a corner, and sleep until her life felt normal again.

  But Northlanders never talked of such feelings. If Frayka admitted to any of them, she would appear weak in Njall’s eyes. He loved her because of her strength and courage. And right now, only Njall knew about the task she had been given. If no one else believed her, she would still have Njall by her side.

  I can’t afford to lose him, too.

  Njall laughed. “You’re spoiled by your own portents. Welcome to the ordinary world that the rest of us live in.”

  Frayka knew Njall was right. Since birth, her portents gave her regular glimpses into the future, something no other Northlander could do. She’d known for years that Njall would someday marry her, and her faith never waived. Years ago, he teased Frayka about her portents. Thinking about those days, she said, “Remember when you used to call me Frayka the Freak?”

  “Be fair,” Njall said, failing to hide his shame. “I don’t call you that anymore.” He ran his rough hand against her silky black hair. “Not since I saw you become a brave warrior. Not since you saved my life. Once I tell everyone what you’ve done, everyone will love you as much as I do.” Njall hesitated. “Wait. That’s a terrible idea. Someone might try to marry you before I can.”

  “If anyone tries to get between you and me, I’ll kick him in the shins.” Frayka laughed briefly before worry overtook her again. “But it’s not my portents I’m worried about. It’s what the gods want me to do. What I have to do.”

  “This isn’t like you. You never worry.”

  Frayka cleared her throat, knowing the time to keep secrets had to end. “I had a portent last night after you fell asleep. A portent about the gods.”

  His arm tensed. “What kind of portent?”

  Frayka looked at the sea. “I saw what will happen if I fail. If I don’t do what the gods ask.” When Njall stayed silent, she continued. “They will kill every Northlander who still survives. They will kill you and me and our families and everyone in the Land of Ice.”

  “But your portents,” Njall said. “Sometimes they give you an idea of the future. They’re not always exact.”

  “This one was,” Frayka said. “Very exact and very clear. I have to find the dragon gods and figure out how to make peace between them and the Northlander gods. Otherwise, we all die.”

  Njall shifted his weight when the ship tilted. “Then let’s fight the Northlander gods. Let’s kill them before they can kill us.”

  Frayka shook her head. “You don’t understand. All the stories we heard about gods are lies. Northlanders thought the dragon gods were their gods, but it’s not true. Mortals thought the Northlander gods forced the dragon gods to destroy our homeland, but that’s not true either.” She frowned. “Not entirely. Even if we could find the Northlander gods—which is impossible—it wouldn’t solve anything. The All-Father told me what I have to do, and nothing else will satisfy him.”

  Njall wrapped his arms around Frayka and held her close. “You’re not alone, you know,” he said. “You’ve got me, and I’ll walk by your side every step of the way.”

  His words comforted Frayka. For a moment she found hope and felt excited abou
t the chance to make a difference in the world. She felt no fear of the danger she might face.

  Njall pointed at the coastline, now close enough that Frayka saw its black sandy beaches glitter and sparkle in the sunlight. “We’re home,” Njall said. “Look how beautiful it is.”

  Taking his advice, Frayka stared at the waterfalls falling from the high cliffs standing behind the beaches. Pointing, she said, “There’s Blackstone.” The settlement of small stone houses rested a short distance from the shore, and grassy hills stretched behind it. In the far distance, a mountain of ice glinted. “What are we going to tell them about why we left?” Frayka said.

  “The truth always strikes me as a good idea,” Njall said.

  But the truth would involve stories about Frayka’s portents and gods and strange lands.

  “What if they don’t believe me?”

  “Be yourself!” Njall said. “This is your home! Your family knows you. Everyone in Blackstone knows you. And I know you, too.”

  But I befriended someone who suffered because she looked different. Because she came from a different world than the people she lived with. Because she walked with one foot in each world: the one she came from and the one she lived in.

  And if I do what the gods ask me to do, won’t I have to do the same?

  “Frayka?” Njall said. “Did you hear me?”

  “Of course.” Frayka straightened her spine and drew again on her new-found hope. “Let’s go home.”

  CHAPTER 2

  By the time Frayka and Njall sailed the ship close enough to guide it onto the smooth beach, everyone in Blackstone stood there waiting for them, waving and shouting. Like all Northlanders (other than Frayka), men and women alike had long blonde hair, pale skin, and blue eyes.

  “They must have seen us coming in,” Njall said, waving back at them. “That’s what I call timely help.”

  Frayka spotted her father, mother, and siblings in the crowd. Although happy to see them, her stomach remained in knots.

  The men of Blackstone waded into the incoming waves, gripped the ship’s low rail, and dragged the ship onto the pitch-black sand.

  Bright green grassy fields stretched beyond the beach. Beyond those fields stood Blackstone, the only settlement in the Land of Ice. Its small houses were made of stone walls and sod roofs growing long grass. Wisps of smoke escaped from the hole in the center of each roof.

  Frayka’s father, Thorkel, wore green linen trousers and a bright yellow shirt. Sidling next to the beached ship, he held his arms open and beamed. “Frayka! You be home at last!”

  Finally, the knot in Frayka’s stomach loosened. Climbing over the ship’s rail, she relished the feel of the hard, wet sand beneath her feet and welcomed her father’s embrace.

  Thorkel sneezed.

  Releasing him, Frayka said, “You’re drenched. We should get you home and into dry clothes before you catch cold.”

  “I be fine,” Thorkel said while he watched his favorite daughter exchange embraces with her mother and siblings. “But you look worse for the wear. You be all right, girl?”

  For the first time since leaving the Land of Ice, Frayka felt keenly aware of the sorry state of her clothing.

  Like all Northlander women, Frayka wore an outfit made of layers. Her outerwear, a lightweight red coat gaping open in the front, bore dark stains and a large tear. Underneath, the dress that had once been bright blue now looked dreary and faded. A formerly light beige under-dress peeked above the blue dress’s neckline but now bore the color of mud. The two large silver brooches pinning the red over-dress to the blue dress at each shoulder were dented. And a string of amber and silver beads that once connected the brooches had been yanked free long ago.

  The dagger tucked under the leather belt looped around her waist had seen better days.

  “I’m fine, Father,” Frayka said. She smiled. “I just don’t look it.”

  “Frayka’s a fine warrior,” Njall said, pushing his way through the crowd to join her side.

  Following, Rognvald clapped a hand on his son Njall’s shoulder. “We know, boy. We got word.”

  “Word?” Njall said, turning to look at Rognvald. “How, Pa?”

  Rognvald winked. “Plenty of time to tell that story. More pressing matters at hand.” He grinned.

  Entering the settlement of small stone homes, Frayka saw the life she’d left behind. Children ran and played around the houses. Young men and women carried empty pails as they walked toward a path leading to the nearby waterfall. Like Frayka, they all stood tall. Unlike Frayka, they all had long blonde hair, falling to the waists of men and women alike.

  Frayka allowed herself to relax, happy to listen to her father babble while they walked arm and arm into Blackstone.

  Thorkel sniffed. “I never be so proud and feared at the same time as when those ice dragons stomped the ground and made the land around Blackstone split apart. I figured you must have seen it happen in a portent. You be the only one to go across and fight those dragons before the chasm got too big for the rest of us to cross. Then you be gone missing. And later Njall be gone missing, too.” Thorkel’s voice caught. “Worried something fierce about you and Njall.”

  Frayka squeezed his arm. “I’m sorry you worried. I didn’t mean for that to happen. But I did tell you I’d had a portent and that I would be fighting sorcery.”

  Rognvald nudged Thorkel. “No sense in getting all sentimental. First things first. Tell them about the marriage house.”

  “Marriage house?” Frayka said. “Someone is getting married?”

  “This way,” Thorkel said, pulling her by the hand while the rest of their family followed along with Rognvald and Njall. “We got word about you heading home a few weeks ago, just enough time for the building.”

  Thorkel led the way into a new stone cottage with a sod roof so fresh that the seams of the sod strips forming the roof had not yet grown together.

  Stepping into the one-room home, Frayka paused at the change of bright sunlight to a dim interior. A hearth stood in the center of the room, ready for its first fire to be lit. The opening in the roof allowed a weak stream of light to filter inside. A few water buckets leaned against a stone wall.

  Thorkel took Frayka and Njall by the hand and marched them toward a sleeping pallet large enough for two. Their families gathered round.

  Exchanging a startled look with Njall, Frayka said, “I don’t understand. Is someone getting married today?”

  “Of course!” Thorkel said with a laugh. “It be you and Njall!”

  CHAPTER 3

  “We’ve been gone for the better part of a year,” Frayka said to her father. “Why do you think we want to get married? Njall always hated me and called me names.”

  Rognvald nudged his son with a laugh. “Everyone knows boys tease the girls they like. Njall ain’t hating you. He called you names to show he noticed you.”

  Njall considered his father’s words and gave Frayka a sheepish look. “Never thought much about it before, but I can’t argue with that.”

  “There has to be more,” Frayka said. “What aren’t you telling us?”

  Thorkel’s eyes gleamed with pride, but before he could speak, his own family cut him off.

  Frayka’s five younger sisters broke into a fit of nasty giggles, gathered around their mother like chicks around a hen.

  The gleam in Thorkel’s eyes faded, and he slumped like a man kicked to the ground by a group of thieves.

  Frayka tensed. She remembered a time long ago when her mother beamed at the sight of Thorkel, happy to be married to him. She remembered when her mother had taken joy in the simple tasks of everyday life. But everything changed when her mother took up with a small cluster of gossips in Blackstone and became one of them. Bitterness and judgment replaced her mother’s sense of joy. Before long, all of Frayka’s sisters behaved the same.

  “It’s all because of Thorkel’s silly story,” Frayka’s mother said with a poorly disguised smirk. “I told him it was
nonsense. I told him you had no interest in marrying Njall.” She paused for effect. “Or any other man, for that matter.”

  Frayka’s sisters burst into another round of cruel giggles.

  Hands on hips, Frayka stared them down. “What is that supposed to mean?”

  One by one, each sister slung her opinion at Frayka.

  “You’re no woman.”

  “You want to be a man!”

  “Acting like you’re too good for woman’s work.”

  “Acting like keeping the keys to the home is beneath you.”

  “That’s why you’ll never get married!”

  Anger bubbled inside Frayka like boiling lava. But before she let that anger loose, she felt the calming touch of her father’s hand on her shoulder.

  “Never mind them empty heads, my girl,” Thorkel said. “They got no faith in what we saw. Me and Rognvald.”

  Forgetting the female side of her family, Frayka turned toward her father. Although he had the height and pale features of all other Northlanders, Thorkel’s grandmother came from the Far East. More than ever, Frayka felt connected to him in a way that she doubted she would ever feel with her mother or sisters again. Put off by the way she saw her mother treat her father, Frayka gave her family allegiance to Thorkel alone. “What did you see?”

  Gazing at his daughter, the gleam returned to Thorkel’s eyes. “We spent all these months worrying over the two of you, me and Rognvald. Wondering where you went to. Fretting we would never set eyes on you again. Then your friends came running to us after going to the waterfall to fetch water. Said they saw something magical in the water that asked to speak to the families of you and him.” Thorkel pointed at Njall.

  “Only us believed your friends and what they said they saw in the water,” Rognvald said. Casting a dark look at the others gathered inside the new stone house, he said, “They was right to come to us. Me and Thorkel seen things none of you can ever understand.”