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Drift and Dragon #2
Beneath the Scales
The dragon’s call awakened him. Now others seek to claim its song.
Months after escaping the horrors of Sturmov Manor, Callen Nasinth—once the Nightshade, the Black Veil’s deadliest assassin—has carved out a fragile peace in the hidden valley of the Ashen Oath. With Nora thriving in her Pyrin training and Amara by his side, he dares to believe they’ve finally found safety.
But peace is short-lived.
When an outpost burns with unnatural fire and a lone survivor speaks of a scale-skinned commander who wields the drift like a weapon, Callen realizes his former mentor Stark is not only alive—he’s become something more than human. Something forged in dragon fire.
To stop him, Callen must risk reopening the connection he’s fought to suppress—the drift that links him to ancient power and to a dragon whose presence still haunts his dreams.
Yet Stark isn’t the only one with plans for the fragments. In the shadows, others study the drift, manipulate it, and prepare to use it to reshape the world.
As enemies close in from all sides, Callen faces a terrifying
The dragon’s song isn’t just waking him.
It’s changing him.
BENEATH THE SCALES is the second volume in Drift and Dragon, a gripping fantasy of found family, hidden power, and the cost of becoming something more than human.
Months after escaping the horrors of Sturmov Manor, Callen Nasinth—once the Nightshade, the Black Veil’s deadliest assassin—has carved out a fragile peace in the hidden valley of the Ashen Oath. With Nora thriving in her Pyrin training and Amara by his side, he dares to believe they’ve finally found safety.
But peace is short-lived.
When an outpost burns with unnatural fire and a lone survivor speaks of a scale-skinned commander who wields the drift like a weapon, Callen realizes his former mentor Stark is not only alive—he’s become something more than human. Something forged in dragon fire.
To stop him, Callen must risk reopening the connection he’s fought to suppress—the drift that links him to ancient power and to a dragon whose presence still haunts his dreams.
Yet Stark isn’t the only one with plans for the fragments. In the shadows, others study the drift, manipulate it, and prepare to use it to reshape the world.
As enemies close in from all sides, Callen faces a terrifying
The dragon’s song isn’t just waking him.
It’s changing him.
BENEATH THE SCALES is the second volume in Drift and Dragon, a gripping fantasy of found family, hidden power, and the cost of becoming something more than human.
466 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 22, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
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August 12, 2026A major letdown from the first book
I made it to page 39 before I quit reading, as there are blaring contradictions. The issues that I have are that he says something, and a page or two later, it looks like he re-wrote it to have a different dialogue, but didn't edit it out.
Example 1: *SPOILER*
Main Character to Questgiver "I can leave within the hour."
*daughter (8-9year old, but "intelligent and wise") comes in and he says he's leaving for a couple days, then she leaves for her magic training lesson.*
*he goes to wife to say he's leaving for a few days. While he's telling her that, daughter comes back from her lesson already.*
*she seems confused and asks if he's leaving and he tells her that it's just for a few days..... like he didn't already say that between 10 and 50 minutes ago.* (pp 7,8,10)
Example 2: a councilman who doesn't like MC meets them outside a council hall where he says "right on time" and they all walk in together. Then the councilman is suddenly at the council table and exclaims that MC is late (PP 37, 39).
After I saw that, I couldn't keep reading, for concern of how many more things like this I'll come across..
The first book was amazing, though, which is why I was excited for the second.
I made it to page 39 before I quit reading, as there are blaring contradictions. The issues that I have are that he says something, and a page or two later, it looks like he re-wrote it to have a different dialogue, but didn't edit it out.
Example 1: *SPOILER*
Main Character to Questgiver "I can leave within the hour."
*daughter (8-9year old, but "intelligent and wise") comes in and he says he's leaving for a couple days, then she leaves for her magic training lesson.*
*he goes to wife to say he's leaving for a few days. While he's telling her that, daughter comes back from her lesson already.*
*she seems confused and asks if he's leaving and he tells her that it's just for a few days..... like he didn't already say that between 10 and 50 minutes ago.* (pp 7,8,10)
Example 2: a councilman who doesn't like MC meets them outside a council hall where he says "right on time" and they all walk in together. Then the councilman is suddenly at the council table and exclaims that MC is late (PP 37, 39).
After I saw that, I couldn't keep reading, for concern of how many more things like this I'll come across..
The first book was amazing, though, which is why I was excited for the second.
August 19, 2025
so much fun
well written. Great action and tension throughout. Great characters to love and hate. Just enough descriptive narrative to se the land but never too much where it feels overdone and weighty. Thank you. Kept me riveted. Can’t wait for book 3.
well written. Great action and tension throughout. Great characters to love and hate. Just enough descriptive narrative to se the land but never too much where it feels overdone and weighty. Thank you. Kept me riveted. Can’t wait for book 3.
December 11, 2025
some silliness
all the way through the book they refer to 'the drift'. in a way that comes across as childish ie Callans the drift sense, or he used his the drift sense or he could feel the the drift. can I state I found this annoying and detracting from a good story
all the way through the book they refer to 'the drift'. in a way that comes across as childish ie Callans the drift sense, or he used his the drift sense or he could feel the the drift. can I state I found this annoying and detracting from a good story
December 14, 2025
I couldn’t finish, just didn’t capture my attention like the first book did. Kind of felt like a chore to read. Most books I’ve read this year I’m hungry to find out what happened, I can’t say the same for this. Maybe I was expecting more of a dragon rider theme and this isn’t really it.
March 9, 2026
Beneath the Scales
The second book in this series starts off with a bang and doesn't let up. Callen must harness his powers. Powers greater than his are stirring. They are after his family. They are after his power. He must stop them, or lose everything.
The second book in this series starts off with a bang and doesn't let up. Callen must harness his powers. Powers greater than his are stirring. They are after his family. They are after his power. He must stop them, or lose everything.
July 27, 2025
Top series enjoyed both books and looking forward to the third
August 20, 2025
Dragons and drama
Very interesting. Some romance involved. Much drama involved and of course dragons and fantasy. Good read. Look forward to the next book.
Very interesting. Some romance involved. Much drama involved and of course dragons and fantasy. Good read. Look forward to the next book.
August 25, 2025
Totally enjoyed it! This is a well written and has well developed characters. The story is catching and with the strong characters makes for a very enjoyable read. Great Reading Everyone!
February 14, 2026
looking forward to the next
This was an interesting book- that I quite enjoyed as it showed a man coming into his own and protecting his family .
This was an interesting book- that I quite enjoyed as it showed a man coming into his own and protecting his family .
May 18, 2026
It's a good read, and I found the story engaging just as the first book.
However, there are multiple "the drift" where "the" is unnecessary and makes sentences confusing. There was also a repeated paragraph. These little errors make reading the story a bit less immersive.
I think the book could've used further proofreading.
However, there are multiple "the drift" where "the" is unnecessary and makes sentences confusing. There was also a repeated paragraph. These little errors make reading the story a bit less immersive.
I think the book could've used further proofreading.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews