Chapter Thirty-Eight
The Caged
The boat stops moving, something slamming into it, splashing water into the small craft. I sit up, looking around the dark waters, but see nothing. Ripples extend from the boat in all directions.
I hold my breath as I stare, waiting.
Something hits the side and I fall off the bench, my knees slamming into the bottom of the boat.
Water soaks through my clothing as it pours in through the side.
Something cracks and I feel the boat jerk again.
I stumble and grab the oars, pushing against the water, trying to paddle as fast as I can.
The oar rips from my hand, splinters slicing through my palm.
I cry out as the other oar is ripped from my hand, disappearing under the black waters.
Silence.
Silence follows.
The only sound is the beat of my heart echoing through my ears .
I stand slowly on unsteady feet as water starts to pour through the cracks in the boat. The water stills, as if it’s waiting. Expecting. I spin around slowly, water now up to my ankles. My pulse is beating rapidly, my limbs going numb from the cold water and the starlight thrumming in my veins.
Whatever it is slams into the boat again, and I go flying.
I hold my breath as I hit the water, the liquid infiltrating my nose. I kick out, attempting to swim, but it feels like I’m being pulled down, the cloak making it impossible to move. I struggle to rip it off as I go deeper and deeper. I get the sleeves free, and my eyes scan the dark waters.
I see it.
A black creature barrels towards me in the dark water, its mouth opening.
My eyes widen as I thrust my hand out. Star filled lightning shoots through the water, illuminating it.
The creature is all black, shaped like a worm.
Rows and rows of teeth fill its circular mouth, eyes the color of the depths of hell find mine as it turns away from me.
I exhale, bubbles erupting around me.
Shift . I beg myself as my lungs burn. Shift, damnit! I kick and kick, trying to get to the quickly disappearing surface as the creature spins around, heading back my way. I fight against the urge to inhale as much as I can, but the burning is too much, it’s too—
I inhale and water shoots down into my lungs. I thrash in the water as its icy embrace wraps around every part of me. I kick and try to cough, but I can feel my heart slowing.
This isn’t it. It’s not my time.
I can hear a soft wailing as the worm speeds through the water in slow motion, as if time is stopping. The burning in my chest explodes and my mouth opens. I inhale, expecting the water to shoot through once more, but it doesn’t.
The burning dissipates and I take a deep breath. My limbs ignite and I thrust my hands out, starlight shooting through the water and hitting the creature straight in its mouth. Fissures crack through its black exterior before it explodes.
I inhale again, but my lungs returned to their normal state, filling with water once more. My limbs twitch as I sink, deeper and deeper. The water is near black, blending into itself. Wrapping itself around me as I drown. I try to kick, but my body doesn’t move.
I have no energy left.
I had fight. I had a will to live, that’s why I left. That’s why I had to leave. I had to fight. To end all of this. To save myself.
But it’s all gone as my blood freezes and the starlight fizzles out.
My eyes stay open, but I can feel my heart slow to a stop.
Thump .
I no longer feel cold.
Thump .
Warmth spreads through me as my lips part, a bubble slipping through.
Thump .
And then nothing.
Bright purple light explodes in the water, illuminating everything. More of those worms are circling me, their mouths open. There has to be hundreds.
The light dissipates.
Thump .
It flashes again, this time closer. The creatures look up, as if they are expecting something. Again. Amethyst light that reminds me of someone. Reminds me of…
A creature plunges into the water. Black scales and horns.
Wings the size of a house spread around the creatures.
Claws reach for me, and I scream with the last bit of energy I have, kicking out.
Its head is nearly the size of my entire body as its mouth opens.
Purple light shoots out as it turns towards one of the worm creatures, burning it through the water.
Its claws wrap around my body and then I am flying through the water.
Warm and sharp claws dig into my sides as I am yanked out of the water. They squeeze tightly and I vomit, water flying from my mouth and through the air. We climb higher and higher, clouds whipping past us, the ground disappearing.
I inhale, coughing the water out of my lungs, only to replace it with screams. My fingers dig at the creature, at the dragon .
It’s bigger than anything I have ever seen, nearly the size of the Rakushian palace. Its scales are black, the membranes of its wings reflecting back purple as it beats through the air. Scaled claws hold onto me, legs tucked in behind as the wings bring us higher and higher.
My screams ravage through my throat, tears springing from my eyes as it freefalls back towards the ground.
Wind rips at my hair and my clothes, nearly drying me instantly.
I claw at its fingers, trying to get free as the snow-colored sand comes into view.
I can see it—I can see how close we are. My eyes shut as I brace for impact.
Just as we near the beach, its wings snap out, stopping us in the air, my head snapping from the whiplash.
I am set softly on the ground and my shut eyes open slowly.
The dragon is standing in the water, its body nearly taking up the whole beach, sitting at almost 30 feet tall.
I scramble to my feet and back away, my hands out.
Oh my gods.
Oh my gods.
It’s a fucking dragon. An actual fucking dragon. That’s the beast I saw. It was a dragon .
Its head drops until it’s level with my eyes.
I could curl up in a ball and fit in its mouth, that’s how big it is.
Dark irises meet mine and its head tilts to the side, watching me, waiting for something.
A low trill comes out of his throat, and I can almost feel it vibrating the air.
He exhales through his nose, the hot breath hitting me in the face.
Bergamot.
I take a hesitant step forward and lift my hand higher. The dragon leans its long neck forward, pressing its snout into my palm. It’s warm, softer than I expected. Its mouth opens slightly, revealing teeth the size of my arm. I drop my hand as a purple glow spreads across its scales.
I think I knew before I saw him; before the glow dissipated. I think I knew who the dragon was before Nithe appeared where it was just standing.
“Little witch,” he smiles, his bare chest glistening in the moonlight. My eyes flit across his muscles, broad shoulders, and— my eyes dip down and immediately shoot back up as I realize he is naked.
“You’re naked!” I screech and slap my hand over my eyes.
“That’s the first thing you say to me?”
“I think seeing you naked is more surprising than finding out you are a fucking dragon.” I mutter. A faint glow makes it through my eyelids and fingers.
“You can look now.” I hesitantly part my fingers, glancing through and seeing him fully clothed. My hand drops and my eyes focus on his.
“I don’t understand.” I laugh, surprising myself, and shake my head. “You’re a dragon.”
“Technically, no. I am a certain type of shifter—we are called wyvos.”
“Wy-vos.” I repeat slowly, staring at him.
“Where were you going?” My eyes lock onto his, my mind reeling. He’s a dragon. A black and purple dragon. He fit that big of a beast under his skin? Is it like a skin suit? Skin suit. That sounds funny. “Hello?” He snaps in front of me, and I flinch.
“What?”
“Where were you going?” He asks again.
“Home.” I mutter, turning away from him.
“To Chatis?” I shrug and he sighs. “Why? You are safe here.”
“No, I am not.” I snap, stomping through the sand as I trek up the beach. I don’t hear his footsteps before he grips my arm, spinning me around.
“What happened?” I pull away and his hands wrap around my face, his palms hugging my cheeks, a position he has grown comfortable being in. “Talk to me.” His hands are warm, and I feel the urge to cry, to just embrace the warmth. It feels right. It feels normal.
But it’s not.
I hesitate before giving him the truth.
“Your father.” His eyes narrow and I feel his fingers twitch.
“What did he do to you?” He says through gritted teeth.
“He told me that if I didn’t give him my aether, he was going to kill every one of my friends. He was going to kill Enzo. He was going to kill Scarlett. Everyone.” His hands tighten around my face, almost too much, and I lift my hands to wrap my fingers around his wrists.
“How?” He spits, his eyes pupils shrinking.
“He said Enzo can siphon it from me and give it to him.”