by Meagan Hurst
Nivaradros moved away from her. “Veilantras was not the only familiar touch upon her,” the Dragon continued in a low tone. “I recognized the other touch, and it concerned me. But I am not surprised. His wife and daughter, after all, chose to remain in Tenia. I can imagine he grew lonely.”
Z tensed. “Baryaris,” she whispered. “Of course,” she added in a bitter and collected tone.
“It is quite the match. She is definitely not you, and she is very little like her father,” Nivaradros informed her with a careless shrug. “I was tempted to kill her, but despite the fact I could have wounded each and every one of those Dragons who had betrayed, done nothing, or plotted to do something worse to my family, I found the desire to harm them all small. I decided to leave Rameilas alone, and I have never spoken of her until today.”
“And Midestol has her,” Z sighed. “That spells a disaster for everyone when it comes to Veilantras. She is the sole Dragon any race is willing to tentatively trust.”
“It is a rather large problem, yes, but it doesn’t excuse her willingness to hand you over to Midestol. Had you perished she still wouldn’t have gotten Rameilas back.” Nivaradros’s gaze was a strange one she couldn’t decipher.
“Yes?” she asked.
“I just informed you that your great-grandfather has an unknown daughter who happens to be either extremely long lived or immortal due to her half-Dragon blood, and you seem to be handling it a little too well in my opinion.”
“Nivaradros, it happened thousands of years ago. I am not about to throw a fit over something that cannot be changed, and what do I care if Baryaris had sex with other people? Midestol—need I remind you—is my closer male relative, and he tends to rape anything female nearby when he is in a mood. If you want me to be upset, you’re going to have to settle for being disappointed.” Fixing him with a black look, Z turned away and began to consider what he had just told her.
“Do you think Midestol knows?” Nivaradros inquired.
“Doubtful. Unlike you he would never think to check for lineage, and he can’t check without assistance. Case in point, he had to use the bracelet with me. More likely he found out Veilantras was interested in a human—I assume she looks mortal to the unaware?”
“Entirely. If she has any Dragon qualities, I have never seen them, and since Veilantras is comfortable leaving her with mortals, I will presume she has none, or at least none of the more flamboyant Dragon qualities.”
“Then I suspect Midestol does not know what he has.”
“A small blessing.”
“Very small. After the Council, Nivaradros, we have to get her back unless Midestol releases her before then.”
“Or kills her.”
“The result would be the same; Veilantras wouldn’t be under his hold anymore,” Z pointed out, knowing a statement like that would turn her own race against her.
The Dragon, however, nodded his head in agreement. “The Islierre will be furious to learn you have been sidetracked yet again.”
“I don’t give a rat’s ass.” Z closed her eyes and shook her head. “Has there ever been a half-Human-half-Dragon that you know of?”
“If there has been they either didn’t survive long enough to be recorded, or they have not been mentioned. I took time to investigate any history I could find regarding my kind when I found out about Rameilas, and I was unable to find another instance where one had existed.”
Well that figured. Knowing the Dragons, if this had occurred in the past—and Veilantras was the only Dragon Z could see having a physical relationship with a human—the resulting small being would probably have been killed instantly. Pressing her lips together, Z pulled a small amount of her awareness to the side to keep a lookout for a feel similar to Baryaris and Veilantras. It was Ranger training, and it allowed her attention to be split without endangering her focus. Rangers considered those who could not split their attention on multiple things without losing effectiveness useless.
Z glanced at Nivaradros and realized that despite his ability to carry on a civil conversation with her, he was still seething inside. Surprised and impressed at his self-control, she closed the distance between them to touch his shoulder. “I’m alright,” she assured him.
“You may not have been. And I had no way to reach you…” Nivaradros’s jawline tightened in anger and he turned away.
“Need I remind you we are heading to the Isle? I am unlikely to be safe for some time, and in this world I highly doubt I will ever be safe.”
“Thank you for reminding me,” the Dragon grumbled, but he inclined his head to her in agreement. Moving to a nearby tree, he punched the trunk, causing the tree to snap in half and fall.
“Did you manage to work things out with Dyslentio?”
“He is still coming,” Nivaradros muttered. “I’d appreciate it if you looked after him. He is very much like Shevieck in certain ways…except he generally has a brain.”
“I will go back to trying to work on Shevieck,” Z sighed. “I probably should have left him in charge of Tezérac longer.”
“Not if you want him to make it another decade. The only reason he survived was because everyone was scared to death of me. And there were still assassination attempts. Had you not invested so much to save them, I would have burned the kingdom to the ground.”
“I appreciate the restraint you exhibited.”
“I figured attacking them would have made our tentative friendship revert to the way it was a decade ago.”
Z laughed and leaned against Nivaradros as he put an arm over her shoulders and pulled her close. He had made it a goal to get her used to constant contact, and it had worked. A part of her almost craved this sort of thing from him; she struggled to accept contact from everyone else, although she was allowing the Mithane a little more wiggle room as well.
“What do you expect to occur when we reach the Isle?” Z wanted to know as she yawned.
“If Veilantras is not there waiting for us? Probably ten Dragons in their native form waiting to arrest us—or let me rephrase that. Arrest you; they will try to kill me and they will kill Dyslentio.”
“Then we’d better hope for Veilantras. The Council always gets their scales ruffled when someone arrives spilling blood. I’ve never understood why, since they are perfectly happy shedding other beings’ blood, but I guess I am just not a Dragon.”
“I am a Dragon and I’ve never understood it either.” Nivaradros released her and turned his attention to the sky. What little they could see of it. “It probably has to do with our predatory nature. You’ve noticed how the predator is always confident until its blood is spilled? We’re no different. We were accustomed to our place as the highest on the food chain, and as time shifted that place over to others—as the mortals and immortals here learned to fight us—our nature shifted subtly in negative ways.”
They spoke of trivial things after that while they returned to where they had left Dyslentio. Shanii was still there—and looking like he wanted to attack the Kryhista—and he nickered as they both approached. Z felt his greeting extend to both her and Nivaradros and smiled as she replied. Nivaradros replied as well. He seemed pleased to be included. Z had never asked Shanii why he preferred the Dragon of all her companions, and she foresaw a day where she would need to know.
“If you don’t mind getting him to leave me alone…” Dyslentio said with a toss of his neck. “We should probably continue heading to your destination, unless Veilantras is coming back.”
“She’s not,” Z was quick to reply. “She may meet us there or she may not. Last chance to turn back, Dyslentio. If Veilantras decides not to meet us on the Isle when we arrive, we may be attacked.”
“I am certain between Nivaradros and yourself none of us will perish. I will take my chances. If Veilantras has changed her mind to speak on Nivaradros’s behalf, then my presence is required.”
Having suspected a similar answer, Z slung her pack over her shoulder. “Let’s go then.”
She took the lead out of habit, and Nivaradros, Shanii, and Dyslentio fell into step behind her as though they had always followed her. Shanii had more experience in this than the other two, but it still felt odd. Once they left the clearing it was back to struggling through the occasional deep drift of snow—granted ‘deep’ was nine feet; anything under that was considered passable. It was amazing how hot one could get struggling through something so cold. She pushed the pace, knowing they needed to hurry to the Isle on the off chance Veilantras was there to meet them. Without her Nivaradros’s position would start sinking quickly, and he really didn’t have one to lose.
A week and a half later they reached the shores they had been aiming for. It wasn’t a port, but Z had long ago learned it was a highly prized smuggling route that the Alantaions ignored. As such, there was usually an assortment of ships ‘docked’ on the beach.
Scanning the lines of ships that had made the beach their temporary home while they were unloaded of their goods, Z looked for a particular ship hopefully, but found on her first look it wasn’t within the masses. Sighing, she held up a hand for the three beings behind her to remain while she headed over to one of the more…questionable looking ships. Calling up shortly to its height, she waited until a rope ladder was dropped mere inches before her. Grabbing a hold, she allowed herself to be pulled onboard the pirate ship properly named Ghost Maker. It was not a ship she preferred to be associated with, but the captain was one of the ‘better’ pirates and happened to find her interesting.
It looked like a pirate ship to even the most unimaginative being, Bones displayed on its side told of past victories, and the flag the ship let wave no matter where it was sported the familiar sword though the eye socket of a skull on the traditional red background. The sword and skull were both black and were outlined in white. The Ghost Maker seemed to have been through some recent rough weather, though to the average human eyes, the ship would have looked like it had been through wars; lots of them. Which the ship, of course, had.
“Fancy seeing you here, Z,” the captain said as her feet touched the deck and she met his eyes.
“Indeed,” she agreed with a careless shrug. “Have you seen the Dyenrits Caris?” It was the sole ship that was manned by immortals and served no one. Every other immortally manned ship was owned by their respective leaders, and the crews were utterly—and annoyingly—loyal. Which meant that sailing upon one of them was going to broadcast their business to everyone in said kingdom.
“She’ll probably dock within the week. Heard she’d run into some solid produce off the east side of one of the smaller islands. You know immortals; always having the best luck.”
“Yeah, hasn’t happened to me yet,” Z said with a crooked smile though she kept her eyes on a man behind him.
“Your eyes!” the captain gasped. She turned her attention back to him and winked. Letting her moods shift so her eyes would display their new abilities.
“Immortality had to reveal itself somehow,” she retorted with another shrug. “But I’m not here to discuss that. How are the seas?”
The man continued to gape at her for a minute before shaking himself. It was the other reason she was willing to put up with his existence despite his career choice: when she said the conversation or topic was finished, he didn’t push her. And, damn it all to hells, she did like him.
“The seas are normal for the winter season. It alternates between large storms and calm waters; the snowstorm that hit the landlubbers took out seven ships that I know of. The Ghost Maker needed quite the repair after surviving it. Thankfully we happened to be close to supplies and skilled men when we finally limped into a port. I don’t believe the Dyenrits Caris took any damage, but as she’s an immortal’s ship, that’s not much of a surprise.”
Z chuckled and nodded. “Thanks for the news,” she offered after a pause. Finding her purse, she offered him several gold pieces before leaping over the side of the ship, down to the sand once more. She heard several cries of alarm and surprise before eyes appeared above as they looked at her over the ship’s rail. Waving up at them, she walked back to her awaiting immortal companions without giving anyone else on the beach the slightest glance.
Nivaradros was watching her with something akin to surprise while Dyslentio looked positively scandalized. “I take it you know the captain?” the Dragon asked curiously.
“We’ve met. Mostly with me reminding him that to attack any ship I am on is a very, very unwise course of action for him to take. But I have sailed twice on the Ghost Maker, both times because it was the only thing nearby.”
“It is a pirate’s ship!” Dyslentio announced as though he thought she hadn’t noticed.
“I am aware of that, thank you,” Z retorted with a roll of her eyes. “But when you’re injured, in the water, and freezing, whether or not the nearby ship belongs to a pirate really doesn’t come to mind.” She exchanged a glance with Nivaradros and he shrugged. Deciding not to bait the Kryhista, she shrugged as well. “The vessel I would like us to catch a ride from should arrive sometime within the week. I think it is worth the wait.”
“Does it have a name?” Dyslentio wanted to know.
“Dyenrits Caris,” she admitted, knowing full well he would have heard of the ship. “It is not—and has never been—a pirate’s ship,” she added before he could speak. “It merely serves no kingdom and is a freelancing vessel.”
“Which translates to ‘pirate,’” Dyslentio snapped.
“Actually it does not,” Nivaradros interjected. “It does not sail with those colors. As they have no affiliation with any kingdom, be it on the land or the sea, I agree with Z’s plan to ask them for passage.”
“You would,” the Kryhista grumbled.
“You are more than welcome to remain behind,” Z reminded him with a sweet smile. She knew it didn’t reach her eyes, and she didn’t care in the slightest. “The Isle knows the ship and is unlikely to attack it. Which would be nice because I really don’t want to have to swim ashore.”
“Do I have any say in this at all?” Dyslentio demanded.
“No,” both Z and Nivaradros chorused before turning their attention to setting up a camp of sorts, since they had nowhere to go until their chosen vessel had arrived.
~*~
Three days later Z saw movement on the distant horizon. Her eyes held that speck until it was large enough to be identified. Letting out a soft whoop of delight, she shimmied down the tree she had been using as a lookout point and headed back to the camp that had been their temporary home for the last couple of days. By the time she arrived, Nivaradros was already breaking camp.
“Saw the ship?” she wanted to know in a slightly stung tone.
“I heard your cry of delight,” the Dragon teased as he nevertheless moved so she could help him. Dyslentio watched the two of them work with a look of confusion upon his features—not that it was easy to distinguish his confusion, but Z had discovered she was very good at guessing.
“Damned Dragon hearing,” she muttered. Shanii snorted with amusement and moved to help break camp as well; grabbing things in his teeth and throwing them at her and Nivaradros. Catching the items, she thanked him profusely and finished packing as the Dyenrits Caris became visible for even mortal eyes with assistance. It would be a few hours until it docked, but at least she knew it still existed.
Three hours later the Dyenrits Caris dug a line in the sand as it came to a halt on the shoreline. Before Z could approach, she heard several cries of delight and four beings propelled themselves down from the height of the mast with ropes. Three Alantaions and one Syallibion. As they landed, all of them picked up a run towards her, and Z felt a smile betray her feelings as she steeled herself for their arrival.
“You survived!” One of the Alantaions shouted with delight—seemingly unconcerned over the fact that he was attracting the attention from half of those on the beach. “I knew you would be fine.” He held out his hand for her to take at once while the other
three who had ditched their home with him remained just behind him. Their lack of concern for their safety was entertaining.
“I did,” she said as she accepted his hand—though she did it in the Alantaion sea riders way of hand clasping wrist instead of hand clasping hand. “It’s good to see you, Vyrike. How have the winds been?”
“They’ve been good,” Vyrike replied as he looked her over. “We heard rumors of your alteration. Welcome to immortality, Cousin.”
Nivaradros cleared his throat softly causing the immortals to turn their attention to him. Z closed her eyes as they regarded him with suspicion, and she could only hope they didn’t recognize him until she had time to introduce Nivaradros as her chosen…Damn it, they really did need a term for their relationship.
“Cousin?” the Dragon inquired.
“I have ties with the Mithane. Rumor is she finally accepted his adoption, that makes Z sort of a cousin; I’m calling it.” His sea travel had introduced him to too many humans and their slang, in Z’s opinion.
“He’s related to the former Mithana,” Z explained.
“Ah, I see where Shevieck comes from,” Nivaradros muttered under his breath. Vyrike’s eyes darkened at once and he eyed the Dragon with a great deal more suspicion than he had started with.
Moving between the immortal sailors and the Dragon, Z fixed everyone present with a dark stare. “He is mine,” she warned them. “And I will take offense if you attempt to harm him.”
The Syallibion snorted—Z still wondered how an immortal whose people needed to live in a forest could possibly feel at home on a ship—and shook his head. “I am not foolish enough to try and attack Nivaradros, though I will say it is quite astonishing to see him shed his Dragon form.”
