Sunny Side Up Read online

  SUNNY SIDE UP

  The Dragon Born Academy 5

  T.L. CHRISTIANSON

  All rights reserved.

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  The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

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  Copyright © 2022 by T.L. Christianson

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  Edited by Kjirsten Territ

  Cover by Raquel Lyon At Crooked Sixpence

  Contents

  Index

  Prologue – Sydney

  1. Sydney, 3 months earlier

  2. Ashe

  3. Sydney

  4. Ashe

  5. Sydney

  6. Ashe

  7. Sydney

  8. Ashe

  9. Sydney

  10. Ashe

  11. Sydney

  12. Sebastian

  13. Sydney

  14. Ashe

  15. Sydney

  16. Ashe

  17. Sydney

  18. Ashe

  19. Sydney

  20. Sydney

  21. Ashe

  22. Sydney

  23. Ashe

  24. Sydney

  25. Ashe

  26. Sydney

  27. Sydney

  28. Sydney

  Epilogue

  For sneak peeks and inside info:

  Books By T.L. Christianson

  About the Author

  Index

  Abraxas:

  Largest and most powerful Kingdom on Rytys, also known as the dragon realm.

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  Almondberry:

  A small yellow sour fruit that resembles a cherry tomato and has thorns.

  * * *

  Awakening Ceremony:

  A ritual performed on Earth to pull and bind a dragon to a person.

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  Balaur Academy:

  A private boarding school for the Dragonborn on Earth for students between elementary school and college.

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  Bondmate:

  A person with whom one has an intimate emotional or spiritual bond.

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  Briony:

  1. The Dragonborn of Earth.

  2. The private security firm run by the Dragonborn of Earth.

  3. The military base of the Dragonborn of Earth in Colorado.

  * * *

  Choosing Ceremony:

  A ritual performed on Rytys to bond a dragon to an adult.

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  Conditioned:

  A form of telepathic mind control used by a High Prime to indoctrinate an individual in the attitudes and beliefs of a group, usually to ensure loyalty.

  * * *

  Dragonborn:

  1. Humans with the ability to either hear dragons' mind speak or bonded to a wyvern or dragon.

  2. Not a mundane.

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  Dragons:

  A large serpentine beast with four legs, capable of breathing fire and emotionally bonding to a human.

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  Dragons types:

  Dragons come in different colors with differing attributes. The main colors and attributes are listed here:

  Drake – The most common kind among Dragonborn of Earth. They are blue or green or a combination thereof.

  Harrow – Black or yellow or a variation. These dragons usually have spikes down there back and around their head.

  Eton – From the darkest of red to full white, these dragons are the most common type of dragon in Abraxas. They usually have spikes, but are not as common as they are on Harrow dragons.

  * * *

  Fire Rock:

  A block of flammable material used for igniting dragon’s breath.

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  Hatching Ceremony:

  A ritual performed on Rytys to bond a newly hatched dragon to a child.

  * * *

  High Prime:

  A Prime who has formed a Tetrad bond with another person and two dragons.

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  Kortrik:

  The capital city of the Abraxas Empire on Rytys.

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  Mundane:

  A non-Dragonborn person on Earth and Rytys.

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  Portal:

  A connection or gateway between widely separated regions enabling travel through space.

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  Prime:

  A person who has formed a bond with a dragon (not a wyvern.) Primes can communicate with dragons and wyverns, using their dragon to pull memories or truth from people. The bond also enables them to live longer.

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  Rytys:

  1. Known as the dragon realm to people of Earth.

  2. Home of dragons and the Abraxas Empire.

  * * *

  Star touched:

  A Prime with Tetrad powers without a bondmate.

  * * *

  Stygian Ritual:

  A punishment ritual that when performed breaks the bond between a human and dragon. The human is no longer considered Dragonborn and is excluded from participation within the Dragonborn community.

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  Tetrad:

  A quadruple bond between two Primes and their dragons.

  * * *

  Virago:

  A strongly brewed tea similar to coffee.

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  Wyverns:

  A smaller, faster two-legged dragon with a barbed tail that can spit an acid substance.

  Prologue – Sydney

  I gazed around at my surroundings blurrily, blinking to clear my vision. The ceiling above me was a perfect dirty white square, surrounded by faded mint green walls. The color was pretty and reminded me of Easter in London with George and the plastic hay he'd put in my basket every year.

  I struggled to my elbows, causing ripples along the still water of my mind.

  This wasn't London, and George wasn't here. But, it wasn't George that my heart called out for… it was someone else—a man with crystal blue eyes and dark hair that fell into them. In my thoughts, this dream guy pushed the wayward lock back with a swipe of his hand.

  He meant something to me more than George. Who could mean more than George?

  "You…" I breathed, trying to fill in the missing pieces like a puzzle.

  My memories felt far away, and when I reached for them, they seemed to move beyond my reach.

  This guy, in my mind… was important. I loved him.

  I knew him, but how?

  Dream guy's full lips curved into a smile.

  "What's your name?" I whispered hoarsely, my voice sounding like gravel through my parched lips.

  “Elle se réveille,” a muffled voice came from outside the room.

  She's waking up, he'd said in French.

  How did I know what he said? How did I know French?

  Clearing my throat, I struggled to sit, but only managed to roll to my side. The small room was empty except for a metal toilet and sink combo that jutted from the wall. Industrial tile made up of swirling shades of tan and white lined the floor. It was cracked and dirty.

  Sucking in a deep breath to fortify myself, I struggled into a sitting position, only to fall back down onto the bed.

  Another voice drew my attention to the wall behind me. An industrial metal door with a small window near the top was about a meter away. Even though I could hear the voices outside, I couldn't quite distinguish who stood there.

  Blinking, I swallowed and steadied myself. I had to sit up.

  Sit up, damnit! I shouted to myself. r />
  With a groan, I managed to pull myself upright, my legs falling like dead weight off the bed.

  I was in a jail cell.

  I was in a freaking jail cell. This should bother me. I knew it should bother me, but for some reason I couldn't muster up the correct fear or anxiety over my situation.

  When the door burst open, I just lay there staring at the two men who entered the room. They wore dark blue scrubs, and as they neared me, I didn't move.

  Grabbing my arms, they hauled me up to sit against the wall.

  After one of them shoved a pillow behind my back, he smiled, the gesture not reaching his eyes. “Nous vous avons apporté quelque chose à manger. Avez-vous faim?"

  We brought you something to eat. Are you hungry?

  "Idiot! She can't understand you," the other spat in French.

  I could only blink as I watched their interactions.

  Then, speaking in a French accent, Idiot turned back to me. "You are hungry, yes?"

  I blinked again, too weak to reply.

  "Julien?" He motioned to his partner, who pushed a hospital tray into the room.

  After Idiot adjusted the table, he shoved it toward me before setting a tray on the surface. The plastic platter contained some green mush that once was a vegetable, a hunk of beef, and a small roll. A dish filled with pills and a small, weak, plastic fork was off to the side.

  Julian pulled me up higher before filling a plastic cup with water and bringing it to my mouth. I gulped greedily before coughing, sputtering and pushing his hand away.

  "Wh-where am I?" I whispered hoarsely.

  Both men shared a look before Julian answered in unaccented English, "You're safe. That's all you need to know."

  "What are these?" I cleared my throat when my voice gave out, "what are the pills you're giving me?"

  "Prenatal vitamins."

  My heart stuttered inside my chest.

  "What?" I managed to croak out.

  The two men chuckled before sliding out the door.

  My chest heaved up and down as I sat staring at the door. Just as I was about to look away, another face came into view—a face I knew I should fear.

  Memories began flooding into me.

  I didn't live with George anymore.

  I lived with Ashe at the Academy! Where was Ashe? Where was I?

  Powered by adrenalin, I pushed the tray away and staggered to the door. I tried the knob, but it didn't give, and the door wouldn't budge.

  Laughter came from outside the room, and I pounded on the industrial window. "Hey! Hey! Let me out! I don't belong here!"

  I pounded and yelled until my body and voice gave out. When I was spent—which didn’t take long—I slid to the floor with a sob.

  I called on Aaraeth, but she didn't answer, and cold ran up my spine.

  My grandfather hadn't taken this threat seriously, and now these assholes had finally done it—they'd finally gotten their hands on me.

  These were the people who’d been trying to abduct me. They wanted to do horrible things to me and Ashe. Where was he? Was he okay? Had they hurt him?

  ONE

  Sydney, 3 months earlier

  The pine trees around us swayed gently in the mountain breeze, playing in the crisp air that smelled of a mixture of autumn leaves and the first tendrils of winter. Birds chirped, and the rustle of small animals in the dry autumn brush couldn't cut through the dense memories of our time in Abraxas. A tense silence filled the air against the backdrop of forest life.

  Our little group sat in camp chairs as the IVs dripped into our arms. We'd been quarantined in a small makeshift medical tent in the campsite where I'd handed George off to Evgeni's men. That moment seemed so long ago, but it had happened barely a month before.

  My eyes lingered on the black-clad soldiers as they worked to set up sleeping tents for us to stay in during our mandated isolation. Most of the doctors and nurses—wearing hazmat suits—had left after giving us each a complete medical examination. According to Ashe, they'd been uneasy because they could feel our power as High Primes—a new word the Abraxans used to describe us Primes within the Tetrad bond.

  The memory of his voice rang through my mind until a shout pulled me from my thoughts.

  "Ahhhh! What the fu…." Corbin's roar pulled my gaze to him as he stood shaking his arm. Blood ran down his hand from his torn-out IV.

  Pacing across the forest floor, his boots crunched pine needles as he spat curses.

  A mask-covered nurse ran over, gripped the Eton's arm and pressed gauze to the bleeding IV site. "You need to sit down until the IV is done," he said in a firm tone.

  As the nurse cleared his throat and motioned to Corbin's camp chair with a patiently bored expression, we all watched with interest.

  "No. I'm done with this crap," Corbin growled low in his throat. "I can't sit here any longer."

  The nurse sucked air through his teeth as he scrutinized the impatient Prime. Finally figuring it wasn't worth the fight, he nodded. "Alright, your bag is almost empty anyway, but I need to wrap your arm before you do anything." After walking away, the nurse turned back to the belligerent soldier. "Keep the gauze pressed to the wound and don't go anywhere," he added with a stern expression.

  Corbin nodded before sinking down into his chair.

  Evgeni rounded the medical tent, still yammering into his sat phone in Russian—probably just to irritate the Briony people.

  I shared a look with Ashe, and he lifted one shoulder while giving me a twisted smile.

  Of course, Evgeni had refused the IV, and when no one insisted, I suspected that he'd used compulsion to get his way.

  The nurse wrapped Corbin's arm, and when he was done, the Eton Prime jumped to his feet before darting off into the forest.

  "What was that all about?" I asked as my eyes followed the nurse as he began to remove one IV after another, carefully wrapping purple stretchy stuff around the IV sites.

  Durand stared at me, his brows coming together and lips curling into a sneer.

  It's the whole possible mate thing, Ashe spoke into my mind.

  I pressed my lips together, turning to him—to my bondmate. Ashe and I were connected in this unfathomable and incredible way that was just… just… crazy.

  In a way you crave, my dragon, Aaraeth, breathed into my head.

  True, I replied with a smirk. But… Sometimes, knowing he hears my thoughts and can feel my emotions scares me. Not that I have anything to hide!

  Aaraeth snorted. No, but you humans are so closed off to each other. This is where most of your problems come from.

  I considered her words. Maybe, but it can be unsettling to be an open book, you know?

  Humans make things so complicated, Eondian growled, interrupting our conversation.

  Ashe furrowed his brow and pinned me with a questioning stare.

  I just shrugged my shoulders and smiled.

  I'd gotten a lot better at blocking my thoughts, but still, there were things that I couldn't hide from Ashe—like my emotions—or what the dragons knew.

  Thankfully another nurse moved between Ashe and me to remove my IV. While she did that, I focused on my mental shields. If I wasn't careful, I could project emotions to most Dragonborn—I could do thoughts too, but that was a lot more challenging.

  As a Prime, I'd been powerful before, able to speak to dragons, but now with the bond complete, these new abilities pierced my soul with fear—I could now bend people and dragons to my will. My grandfather abused this mechanism to get his way and stay in power.

  Arthur used his ability to separate my parents when they'd bonded. Evgeni and Celine had been a threat to Arthur's power, and he'd abused their ignorance to divide and weaken them. Instead of helping and guiding them, the young High Primes were traumatized and abused. Thankfully, I had Evgeni, my bio-dad. He was older and wiser and had been able to keep me from becoming another pawn for my grandfather to use.

  I chewed my thumbnail, absentmindedly watching the nurse win
d stretchy purple stuff around my arm. When she was done, I made my way to the plastic table nearby, where the remains of our lunch sat. Untouched sandwich wedges sat drying out on a tray along with wilted greens dotted with feta at the bottom of a bowl. I picked up a brownie and nibbled on the edge before grabbing a napkin and wrapping it up to place in my pocket.

  "Syd?" Ashe was behind me. His warm presence called to me, making me ache… making me long to feel the high from our connection. I leaned back against him, but instead of squeezing me close and kissing my neck, his hands closed around my arms, and he pushed me away.

  I turned to look into his eyes, biting my lip, and breathed into his mind, What's wrong?

  Not here, he replied. "Walk with me?"

  I bit my lip in worry and nodded.

  I wanted reassurance. I needed his touch and his love and… I was being selfish. He had his reasons—of that, I had no doubt. But his rejection still stung.