Book 3 in my Death Before Dragons series comes out tomorrow! I wrote a little bonus scene that takes place between Books 2 and 3. Val does some yoga while Sindari offers commentary. Magical tigers are super helpful!
If you haven’t tried this series yet, Book 1 (Sinister Magic) is available on Amazon for $2.99. The series is also currently in Kindle Unlimited.
Thanks for reading!
Bonus Scene
“We’re going to unwind from Garudasana and flow into Utkatasana,” the smiling leotard-wearing instructor in the yoga video announced.
“The what from the what?” As I crouched awkwardly with one leg hooked around the other and my arms twisted in a pretzel, I looked at the magical silver tiger lounging on my couch, as if Sindari could explain this better than the instructor.
But Sindari was watching the door to my apartment instead of the video. I’d brought him forth from his magical realm to stand guard while I contorted my body into vulnerable positions. It would be just like a werewolf or troll to break down my door while I was propped on my shoulders with my legs pointed at the ceiling.
“Eagle pose to chair pose,” the instructor clarified as she flowed into the new position.
“Why didn’t she call them that to start with?”
Sindari gazed at me, his green eyes bland. Is the video designed to instruct you in a foreign language as well as exercises?
“Oh, I’m sure. I can’t tell you how often I’ve traveled and wished I could whip out some Sanskrit.”
Your knees are not in alignment, Sindari observed. The instructor would not approve.
“You’re supposed to be listening for threats in the hallway, not critiquing my form.” I scowled at him, but I did adjust my knees.
I can do both. This duty is unchallenging. I thought you were bringing me forth to do battle.
“That could happen any time.” It had been several days since Dobsaurin’s body disappeared from the military’s makeshift morgue. I feared it was only a matter of time before a representative from the Dragon Justice Court came to visit me.
“You’re doing great,” the instructor said, “but lower your chair a little more. Feel the burn in your thighs even as your stretch through your chest and shoulders. This is a wonderful pose. Let’s hold this for five more breaths before we shift into Virabhadrasana Three.”
“I think that means Warrior Three.” I was tempted to hunt for a video where the instructor spoke only in English, but my therapist Mary had recommended this series specifically. So far, I’d been mildly encouraged by the lack of discussion of chakras and third eyes that I’d endured at the yoga studio I’d visited.
Do you not worry that you will be weary from these exercises if a dragon shows up?
“You can’t get weary from yoga. This isn’t exercise; it’s relaxation.” I wondered if that sounded as unconvincing to him as it did to me. “Mary promised me it would lower my stress levels.”
Your leg muscles are quivering.
“Yeah, relaxingly.”
As the instructor guided me into a one-legged Warrior Three, Sindari looked toward the door again.
Someone is coming.
“Who?” My half-elven blood didn’t sense anyone with the aura of a magical being.
A soft knock sounded on the door.
The provider of your magical weapons.
“Oh, Nin?” I paused the video so I could politely greet my guest, not because my leg muscles were quivering and sweat was slithering down my spine. “She never comes here. I hope everything is okay.”
After checking the peephole to make sure there weren’t any threatening bad guys looming behind Nin in the hallway, I undid the deadbolts and let her in. She was carrying a notebook and five paper-wrapped packages of her signature dish from her food truck.
“Good evening, Val,” she said. “You have not been coming by for the free meals that we agreed you would accept for helping me get rid of the shifters trying to put me out of business.”
“I know. I’ve been busy researching dark elves and lowering my stress levels.” I waved toward the yoga mat spread between the desk and the coffee table.
“Those two things sound mutually exclusive.”
Should I admit that I found the research the more relaxing of the two?
Nin stepped into the apartment, her blue pigtails bobbing as she peered around. She set her meals next to a pizza box on the counter and touched it with a finger. “What is this?”
“It was last night’s dinner and this morning’s breakfast. Now it’s a box.”
“Val, I have superior food.” She tapped her packages. “I use grass-fed beef and organic rice. I’ve just now had a meeting with my butcher here in Ballard to ensure the best quality meat for my customers.”
“Your food is very good, and I appreciate you making me some, but I can’t eat the same thing for every meal. And since when do you deliver? You’re not going to inspect the contents of my fridge next, are you?”
“Would I find them execrable?” She spoke the word carefully, and I wondered if it had been on her word-of-the-day app that morning?
“How do you feel about mayonnaise that’s encroaching on the expiration date?”
Nin shook her head, as if I were a juvenile delinquent destined for a life of crime.
“I came for your fitting.” She held up her notebook and dug a tidily wrapped measuring tape out of her pocket.
“My fitting?” I touched my waist. “Are you concerned that the pepperoni, mushroom, and sausage pizza went to my hips?”
“If it did, I must account for it when I make your magical armor.”
That was why she’d come. I would have bounced over to her side, eager for a new toy to protect me against bad guys, but I’m too mature to bounce. I only skipped a little.
Will this armor be able to protect you against dragons? Sindari hadn’t deigned to stand up, but he gazed over the back of the couch at us.
“Probably not,” I answered.
Nin lifted her eyes.
“Sindari wants to know if it’ll be dragon-proof.”
“I do not believe anything is dragon-proof. Did one not utterly destroy your old Jeep by hurling it twenty feet up into the trees?”
“Yeah, but Jeeps aren’t magical. Your armor will be magical.”
“I will do my best to make sure it can protect you from bullets, daggers, fangs, and claws, as you requested. You also said it must be lightweight, I believe.” She flipped open her notebook to a sketch and a list written in Thai.
“Bonus points if it’s made from Mithril.”
Her brow furrowed. “What?”
“Didn’t your gnomish grandfather teach you about Mithril?”
“I believe you are pulling my leg, Val.”
“Maybe, but I’m going to be a little disappointed if Mithril doesn’t exist in any of the Cosmic Realms.” I looked over at Sindari to see if he had an opinion about fantastical precious metals.
My people do not smelt ore. He lifted one of his great paws into view. Perhaps the next time you rescue a dwarf, you can get him to make you a list of metals on other worlds.
“Before he disappeared,” Nin said, “my grandfather told me about substances on his home world with a great affinity for holding magic, but they do not exist here on Earth. I will do my best to make you armor that can withstand your magical foes, but Val, from what I have heard, there is no armor anywhere that can make you impervious to a dragon.”
“That’s disappointing.”
“Perhaps you should be practical and reasonable and avoid dragons.”
“I’m practical and reasonable. The dragons aren’t.”
Nin tapped the end of her measuring tape to her lips. “Perhaps you will need two sets of armor.”
“Or maybe a tank. Did your grandfather teach you how to make tanks?”
“Sorry, no.”
“I’m doomed.”
~
If you’re ready for more, you can pick up Tangled Truths (Death Before Dragons, Book 3) on Amazon.
Very cute. Thanks for the extra story!
You’re welcome!
Thanks for this bonus! Love your writing it makes me laugh. The quip about Mithril was great, I laughed out loud. Can’t wait for the next book. Thanks again for your great books.
Glad I scrolled through Facebook this morning before opening the freshly downloaded book 3. 🙂 thanks for the cheer.
That was great. Thanks.
Thanks for the extra scene. Loving the new series, so glad you write fast and I don’t have to wait years for the next book 😉
Book 3 rocks btw, having been furloughed I tried to stretch it out, but only managed two days and that was tough :))
Just woke up having got so involved in “Tangled truths” that I read it in one sitting, finishing at 0320, I was amazed that not only the time, but that I didn’t feel tired! Now, not so much! Great writing, and the characters are getting well rounded, and as usual, totally believable. As a “senior”, a cynical senior to boot, that is high praise indeed. Keep them coming please!
Please keep these books coming! Great characters. Thank you!
These books are great. I love the adventue in them.I devour them instead of doing much needed housework. Love the dragons and the tiger is delightful. Going to start book three tonight.
This was the perfect way to brighten my morning. I’d started reading ‘Tangled Truths’ the night before last and tend to read until it feels like my eyes are falling out of my head. Your characters, stories, and wonderful writing style are always interesting and captivating. Of course, it’s almost impossible to put your books down as always.
Thank you.
I am loving this new series!! Keep them coming. Great place and characters.
Devoured first 3 books in 3 days during Covid19. Great escapist fantasy! When is #4 coming out? Can’t wait to see how Val deals with Zav’s solution to their Dragon Court problem. Should be interesting…keep up the good work!
Love it ,the play between characters is mesmerizing. Just finished book 3
I was getting a little tired of a constant diet of science fiction, I.e. “space fiction.” Your Dragon series is just what I needed. I can’t wait for book 4 to see how much trouble Val can get into. It reminds me of the old SciFi movie serials where the hero is always in deadly trouble with no way out at the end of each episode.
Death before dragon has not let me down, as far as I am aware I have read all your series of books. You write to a musical beat that I find entertaining and humorous.next book please, any series.😊
Just finished book 3. Another great story, with a twist at the end! Really enjoy all the characters and their relationships. Laughed out loud at several of the scenes, much to the annoyance of those around me. Looking forward to several more books in this series. Hope Val gets to travel to the Elven realm in at least one of them.
I’ve read all of your Dragon 📚 and more, and they are absolutely brilliant, I love the fact that you write so fast but it doesn’t affect the high quality of your writing. I’m a very senior reader, I hope you accept my praise, as it’s from one who reads an awful lot of books, I can sincerely say, you’re one of the very best. Georgina 👵 p.s hope we all.get to visit both the elven and the 🐉 realm.
Love this series! And yes, I posted reviews on Amazon! 🙂
Dear Lindsay
I just have to tell you how much I love your books – all of them actually – but with this latest series you have outdone yourself 🙂
My family now recognises when I read one of your Death before Dragons books cause I laugh out loud and chuckle all through the read.
I am really looking forward to Homefront coming out here in April, but even more than that I look forward to book 4 with Val , Zav, Sindari and all the other quirky and funny characters and the way that these magical beings just “naturally” exist in our world 🙂
Please make it a looooong series!
Thanks for all the laughs and entertaining.
Winni Rosenkjær Dahl
Had a couple late nights having fun reading your new 3 books. I like the vampire chemist, to. Thanks
Love all the books however Val and Zav have the best relationship, so funny.
I am a very senior reader and I have read just about every book you have written that I can get on Amazon for Kindle. I have even got my husband to read several of your series and he likes them too. They always make me laugh and he finally had to read some to see why and he laughed just as hard. Death before Dragons is great and I look forward to the fourth book with the covid 19 going around reading is a great way to escape reality for a while. I have always loved Dragons and the way you portray them in your books is how I love to see them not as evil like so many other writers do. Please keep the books coming.
I have all three Death Before Dragons and have thoroughly enjoyed the books. I just love Val as she is fantastic!! I also enjoyed Sindari and Zav.
Cannot wait for the fourth book to come out!!
I have read and enjoyed each of the books you have published on Kindle Unlimited. I really like your style!
Thank you for giving us all something fun to do while we wait for the world to finish morphing.
I am loving this series! Thank you for the extra scene. I woke my husband laughing while in bed reading book 3 last night….he just doesn’t get dragon humor! Looking forward to book 4!
I just bought all three of the books after finding them on Amazon. The first one got delivered today and I got hooked on it within seconds.
I absolutely love the characters and the story so far. The writing style is right up my alley and I absolutely can’t wait for book 2 and 3 to be delivered! Pretty sure this series will find its way onto my favourites list!
Thanks a lot for writing such awesome books, I will definitely check out your other series.
Great characters. Love the banter. And so many ways you can continue this series. I for one would like to meet Val’s dad. And I think you can throw in a proper wedding, with Willard in a flowery dress as matron of honor, well before you finish the series. When you have had enough of the series, you can start another one, focused on Amber.
The meeting with dad is coming! I’m not sure Val is quite ready for that wedding yet. Maybe farther down the road. 😀
Farther down the road is fine. But we absolutely need a resolution to the burning question of whether Zav and Val can have children:)
And then assuming that they can, imagine the inherent tension in whether the offspring will inherit the ability to shift into a dragon.
And once Amber learns to yield a weapon, she must have a more substantial role in one of the future books.
Thank you, I needed this today. Finished book 3 yesterday and was going through the usual oh-no-I’ve reached-the-end-how-will-I-survive-the-wait-for-the-next blues. Now I’ll sit quietly-ish in the corner counting down days till the 16th.
Hahaha! Mithril! Love it, thanks!
I am hoping that Zav’s sister becomes a good friend to Val before the end of the series. She has potential and they can then take on more dragons.
I’ve written the next two books, and they may be making a tiny bit of progress… 😀 Thanks for reading, Heidi!
Thanks for your stories. I greatly admire your writing ability and your vivid imagination.
Thank you, Robert!
Having read several of your series now, I am constantly amazed at your ability to keep me not only captivated but amused!
Action, great characters with lots of good interaction, AND sarcastic wit?! OMG.
I’m hooked. I read your books on my kindle on my phone while at lunch. Ppl stare at me wondering why I’m sitting there snorting and snickering as I stare captivated at my phone. I’m pretty sure some of them think I’ve lost my mind..
Cant wait for DB4D 5 to come out. Please please dont make me wait too long; I might go into withdrawals over lack of sarcastic wit!
Thanks, Julia! I’m glad my characters are keeping you laughing. Look for DBD5 (False Security) in mid-June. It’s just about done, and I’m just waiting for cover art. 🙂
Can’t wait for the next DBD book to come out, I try not to read too fast but I can’t put your books down once I start, addictive reading just what I need at this time. As always thoroughly enjoyed the last book, longing to see how the characters progress, will Amber and Zondia find common ground as teenagers? And is is there something deeper to the dreadful Shauna.
Stay safe and well, best wishes.
I’m glad you’re enjoying the DBD adventures, Georgina. Thanks for sharing your speculations. 🙂
Hi Lindsay
Thanks for the little extra, as always I have to stop everything when one of your books or stories come in.
They are so hard to put down!
Love the characters and story lines.
Thanks for the great story! Love your work Lindsay!
Thoroughly enjoyed this and all your books. Thank you, Lindsay!
Thank you again, Lindsay! I can always rely on you when I pick up one of your books to make me smile, laugh out loud and feel comforted that there are others out there on the same plain as I. Unfortunately I don’t have the talent to spin and weave a story. Thanks again, looking forward to the next book ;0)
I just finished Elvin Doom and loved it! Thanks for the bonus story as well. I have 29 of your books and can’t wait for what comes next. You are truly gifted.
Yet another brilliant book, but then I ‘ve never read a bad one. They are always full of great characters and I love the humour too. I have just finished DBD 4 and can’t wait for book 5 to come out, thank goodness you write fast!!! Thank you!!
Thank you for all of the bonuses
You’ve become one of my all-time favorite authors! I absolutely love your skills with character dialogue and your great sense of humor. Loving that with each new series that is coming out in your writing more and more. And I really appreciate your skills in writing strong female characters.
It was a pleasant surprise to this native Washingtonian (Whatcom County – now living in Brazil!) to start this latest series and be able to visualize all the places the action took place at…I KNEW there were goblins hiding out in the woods behind our home growing up!
I read comments about your Death Before Dragons books somewhere on the internet and went to Amazon to buy the first one. After the first one I bought all of them. I have finished the series so I’ll start on everything else you’ve written. I love your books! Please write some sequels about Val and Zav, they are such wonderful characters. How awesome would it be if they could end up having a half dragon, one quarter human and elf child?
I have read the series and enjoyed it. I look forward to possibility seeing Willard at an elf wedding with many ranking creatures after the usual trials. 😉