The Crown of Madness - Audiobook

With his best friend in a magical coma and the clock ticking, Tyler and his companions set out on one last mission to save him from death's clutches. However, they soon find their well-laid plans have gone awry, the fate of the world balancing on the edge of a knife.

After traveling through dangerous country, facing down dragons, and fighting their way across a volcano, Tyler and his friends arrived at the crystalline palace of the Sage, nestled in the valley of the Dravin Peaks. But now their time is running out as Tiragan's life slowly slips away. They have precious little time to save him and only one option, a dragon.

Traveling to Candlelight Harbor, the trio finds the town in ruins, having just been attacked by one of the king's dragons. However, the locals believe it is the green dragon Ryrris that haunts them and happily hire Tyler and his companions to slay the beast. Boarding a ship to the Island Bosque where the dragon resides, Tyler and his friends not only discover the dragon their searching for but also the heart of all magic in Bramoria. In a flash, the king's true intentions are revealed and the clock ticks faster.

Can Tyler and his friends stop the king's evil plans to destroy Bramoria, or will the man crowned in madness bring an end to the world they've grown to love?

Find out in the epic conclusion of the Tales of Bramoira Triology, The Crown of Madness.

Chapter One:
There were no guards at the entrance to the village, and the stench of smoke was thick in the air. Tyler lifted his sleeve over his nose and mouth to stop himself from coughing. The port city was decimated, and the wails of those who remained alive could be heard echoing through the streets. The light rain that had begun to fall wasn’t enough to cut through the smoke or the smell of burnt flesh that accompanied it. Already the streets had been churned to mud by many feet and all around there were destroyed carts, homes, decimated beasts, and bodies of those who hadn’t been fast enough to escape the attack. It reminded him of the Fossar attack, but somehow worse. At least the Fossars had been hunting, but the destruction he saw now was nothing but one man’s struggle for power. An hour before, Tyler had been feeling confident and ready to take on the world, but now that he was standing amid the chaotic aftermath of a dragon attack, he only felt helpless and angry. Deep in his gut, he knew it was Clay who’d ordered the attack and, in that moment, all he wanted to do was run him through with his blade.
A man with soot smeared across his face and a fresh bloodstain on his shirt stumbled past, but Koto reached out and grabbed him by the arm.
“What happened here?” he asked, trying to sound as gentle as possible. “Who did this?”
“I-It was like a g-ghost in the n-night,” the man stuttered, his eyes going wide as he looked to the sky. “All smoke and flames it w-was, bearing d-down on us l-like a demon. The wings… they sounded like thunder.” He looked back at Koto. “There was n-no warning. It was like it came out of nowhere.”
“But what was it?”
“Only one thing it c-could be,” the man replied, glancing back toward the docks and the sea beyond. “A dragon… and a right n-nasty one at that. He’s been a d-dark cloud over this city for d-decades.”
“You think Ryrris did this?” Tyler asked, stepping up to the man as well. “Has he done this before?”
“No,” Koto answered before the stuttering man could. “Ryrris is a green dragon.” He glanced back at Tyler. “That means he spits acidic venom. He can’t breathe fire.”
“Don’t m-make no difference,” the man said, pulling himself away from Koto. “He’ll be d-dead soon, anyway.”
“What do you mean?”
The man didn’t answer as he walked away, muttering to himself.
“Clay did this,” Tyler said, letting his gaze fall to the ash covered soil. “I can feel it in my bones, but what that man said proves it.” He looked back up at Koto and Ninsar, brows furrowed together. “We have to stop him, no matter what it takes.” The leather of his gloves squeaked as his hands curled into fists. “This has to stop.”
“We will,” Ninsar said, placing a hand on his shoulder. “But we have to save Tiragan first. Feel your anger, don’t let it wane, but channel it into the task at hand.” Tyler noticed the silver circlet upon her head, a gift from the Sage. “Once we’ve saved him, we’ll have the strength to take on the capital and its monarch possessed by madness.”
“She’s right,” Koto nodded. One of his ears swiveled toward the center of town, catching a faint noise that the others couldn’t make out. “There’s a gathering in the square.” He gestured for the other two to follow him. “Let’s go take a look. Maybe we can find passage to the island where Ryrris lives.”
Both Tyler and Ninsar followed, weaving their way through the half burned and broken buildings toward the center of town. More than once, they had to crawl under fallen beams or pass through a half-burned house to avoid debris in the street, but eventually they came to the center of town. The voices, which had been growing in volume, finally became clear as they stepped into the square. A large crowd of townsfolk had gathered, all of them looking worse for wear and more than a few of them in need of medical attention. At the center was a pile of crates that looked as if they’d been pulled from nearby businesses. Standing atop them were two men, both of their voices ringing out over the crowd.
“I say we’ve spent too many years cowering under the supposed ‘might’ of Ryrris!” the man on the left shouted, a bloody bandage tied over one eye. “Nobody has seen that wyrm for nearly a generation and yet we send tribute to his island every full moon as instructed. And what do we get for our good faith? Burned homes and dead children!”
Cries of anger and fury rose up from the crowd, their fists pumping the air.
“Have we not been faithful in our duties?” the second man yelled, leaning against a wooden crutch that looked only a moment away from collapse. “Our gifts to the green serpent were supposed to protect Candlelight Harbor, but instead all we’ve received is ruination and the loss of our loved ones! No more!”
Another raucous cry from the villagers.
“I say we go to the island and kill that beast ourselves for what he’s done!” the first man cried. “Put an end to our sacrifices once and for all!”
The crowd cheered.
“We’ll go to that island and send him back to his maker!” the second added.
Another cheer.
“Now who will go with us to fight the great forest wyrm?”
Silence.