She puts herself at risk for the community afflicted by black magic. To find a cure, she and Cullen travel into the vile, lawless underworld of Terza to strike a bargain with an expert. Their efforts further enrage the Black Dragon, vowing to decimate the Alliance and avenge the murder of his heir.

In order to overpower his efforts, Lyra must secure the three lost volumes of the Book of Dragonspeir. Written by the three earliest Scribes, each book contains energy. Possession of the entire set will enable overthrow of the Dark Realm. Following clues into dangerous lands, Lyra and Cullen seek those volumes. His assistants, Kenzo the tiger owl and Noba the pseudodragon, prove invaluable aids. Only if they succeed, will the Alliance be safe and Lyra reach closer to the immortality she needs to live a life with Cullen.

The wizard’s assistants play big roles in this third book. For this reason, and because with Books One and Two, readers commented so much about them, they are featured on the cover of Lost Volumes. These secondary characters often bring laughter or encourage Lyra and Cullen to persevere.

Noba, the pseudodragon, is not a true dragon. His kind is much smaller, being only three feet long, including their tails. In my legends, serving as a wizard’s familiar is a typical role for this species in Dragonspeir. Noba has a heart of gold that melts people.

However, he surprises everyone when the group travels into the mysterious underground world of Terza. There, the lovable and naïve little dragon becomes a real star. Pseudodragons originated in that strange land, and Noba discovers the incredible strength of his heritage. He is not just a sweet pseudodragon wizard’s familiar, but also a powerful Matan, capable of altering the use of all magic in his presence as in this scene where Lyra, Cullen, Kenzo, and the bronze dragon, Yasqu, battle a fearsome scorpent, led by skeleton-people called Vizards.

 

A Wizard’s Familiar, Noba the Pseudodragon

“How do we use Noba?” Lyra asked, glancing down at him. If he could help, it was worth a try.

The familiar’s small muscles bunched and released while the pupils of his black eyes were open wide, sending out more light than before.

Lyra held a hand out to him. “Come here, Noba. We need your help.”

After Lesot and Angom released him, the pseudodragon hugged both forearms around Lyra’s leg.

“Go on. They’ll be afraid of whatever you do,” she said, giving him a gentle push between his wings.

He took a cautious step forward, brushing next to Cullen. Noba looked both ways along the main tunnel. His limbs twitched even more, his scales catching the light in ripples.

All eyes locked on the pseudodragon, and the battle halted. The scorpents froze, all but their tongues, which flicked more actively.

The Vizards hunched, and a few dropped lower, lying prostrated on their stomachs. Only the leader stood tall.

“Master, what is Noba needed to do?” the familiar asked.

“Use your instinct,” Cullen replied. “You will know what to do.”

Noba shook his head. “Don’t know.”

The head Vizard cackled. “You don’t know how to command your matan. We’ll show you—”

Before the leader finished, Cullen shot a powerball squarely at his chest.

Doubled in pain, the Vizard forced a skeletal arm upward, his wiry fingers twirling in the air as he sunk to the ground.

From that cue, the scorpents lunged at Yasqu, biting hard on his tail.

“Noba, wave your barb at them!” Lyra pleaded.

Instead of following her guidance, the familiar clung with legs, arms, and wings wrapped tightly around the side of his master’s leg.

Lyra shook her head, desperate to find of a way out of the situation. Surprisingly, her aura prickled in her fingertips without her command. Acting by instinct, she lifted her arms, and the electricity of her power crackled, jumping between her fingers like she’d never seen before. Vaporous threads of effluvial magic coursed toward her hands. Seeing the black magic channeling at her, Lyra jerked. Various shades of gray smoke, given off by different beings, comingled at the surface of her palm, as if fighting to enter.

Seeing their effluvium vanish into her hands, the Vizards cowered, despite the haunting grins plastered on their mask faces. A moment later, they blew new clouds from their pipes as fast as they could breathe, and the scorpents puffed a thick screen from their nostrils.

Lyra’s new ability matched their pace.

During this confusion, Yasqu whipped around and hurled long flames at the two new scorpents, searing wide burns along their necks and flanks.

The pair retaliated with teamwork, one in charge of maintaining the debilitating effluvial cloud while its partner attacked with open mouth and dripping fangs.

The bronze dragon took a serious hit, a deep bite at his shoulder that looked like it cut through his wing tendon. The main sail sagged lower than the one on his other side.

Kenzo soared to perch on a spine near Yasqu’s wound. With spread wings, the owl’s beak gaped and his face contorted as he tried his best to ward off another attack.

“Noba, you are my familiar and I command you—mico cauda hostes hostium!” Cullen’s voice carried above the din of roars, hisses, and groans. His hand glowed blue with his aura as it rested against the scales of the pseudodragon.

“Noba will serve Master.” With his barbed tail held high and no longer shaking, he walked deliberately into the midst of the battle. He stopped directly in front of the single scorpent. He tilted his head back and looked up at the beast nearly fifty times his size.

The scorpent watched, unable to move.

Noba’s tail whipped in a circle, and the tip glowed orange. Abruptly, he extended it forward, and a spark shot out like a missile at the beast’s chest.

The scorpent let out a guttural moan that shook the ground and echoed along the tunnel walls.

***

As you can see, pseudodragons are very good-natured. They are very playful and curious. Definitely fun to have around! So far, every reviewer has wanted one of their own! If you’re considering adopting one for your home, Lyra even found a way to teach Noba to use a kitty litter box. Her only problem was a language barrier, trying to find words for the job she wanted him to do with the box—a comical scene! However, Cullen didn’t find it so funny she had domesticated so much wildness out of his familiar. Despite being the Imperial Sorcerer of the land, his love for Lyra left him without much control over that decision. Love is very powerful!

If you’re worried about safety, pseudodragons can bite, but won’t unless provoked. However, their tails can be a hazard—barbed and poisonous. Noba often gets excited and forgets to watch his! But for Lyra and Cullen, having Noba around is always worth that small difficulty. I’d love to tell you more about Noba’s antics, but I don’t want to spoil the book for you. I’m sure you’ll enjoy the adventures of Noba, Kenzo, Lyra, and Cullen in Lost Volumes: Enchanted Bookstore Legend Three. 

 

Marsha A. Moore is a writer of fantasy romance. The magic of art and nature spark life into her writing. Her creativity also spills into watercolor painting and drawing. After a move from Toledo to Tampa in 2008, she’s happily transforming into a Floridian, in love with the outdoors. Crazy about cycling, she usually passes the 1,000 mile mark yearly. She is learning kayaking and already addicted. She’s been a yoga enthusiast for over a decade and that spiritual quest helps her explore the mystical side of fantasy. She never has enough days spent at the beach, usually scribbling away at new stories with toes wiggling in the sand. Every day at the beach is magical!

 

 

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