Chapter Thirteen
The reason Jucai needed two hours to prepare for the journey was sex.
Sex with me. For nearly an hour. After our third round, I had to remind him that we needed to leave.
He dressed reluctantly, but only put on a robe.
Since I wouldn't be shifting, Jucai gave me a tank top and a pair of pants made of thick, stretchy fabric that would provide ease of movement and warmth.
Mainly, I liked the outfit because of the way Jucai looked at me after I'd gotten it on.
His Majesty's trunks were waiting for us in the courtyard, atop the first in a line of carriages.
I hadn't bothered to pack. Most of my things were in my room in the Royal Palace of Zaru.
Six Sea Dragons climbed into two carriages behind ours while my four Dragon guards took the last carriage.
In the lead, the King and I rode through the city of Kansu to the city entrance.
A crowd gathered to watch the Sea Dragons transform, one by one, into their beast forms and slip harnesses over their shoulders.
The carriage drivers put the trunks into the netting attached to the shoulder harnesses.
Each sea dragon carried at least one trunk, with a few carrying two.
Only three belonged to the King, so the rest had to be his guards' belongings. After the sea dragons secured their luggage, four of them crouched so my guards could climb atop their backs. With my guards settled, they left through the dome’s entry point.
Once they were through, the Sea King slipped out of his robe, handed it to a slave, and transformed into a magnificent sea dragon.
Sleeker than a land dragon but longer, the King's body shimmered in tones of green and blue with fins that went from pale blue to deep purple.
Indigo whiskers trailed over his snout, and cream-colored claws clicked on the stone.
The King crouched. “Let us be off.”
Swallowing my awe, I climbed up his arm and onto his back.
The King stood up and strode through the ward while I prepared myself for a tricky bit of magic.
I summoned my Water Magic, holding it at the ready as we passed through the ward.
It came at my call. Or rather, left at my call.
My magic pushed the water away from me, creating a thin barrier over my entire body as we went through the ward.
It thinned where I touched Jucai, but held firm.
The magical barrier pulled air out of the water while simultaneously releasing carbon monoxide.
The lights of Kansu faded fast as we sped through the water, the King's fins and whiskers undulating around me.
I clung to Jucai's neck and laid my head upon it to create a sleeker shape.
This was why he wanted me to ride him. Even with Water Magic propelling me, I could never match his speed. It would cut our travel time in half.
Darkness closed in as we headed up at an angle. We had no lights to pierce the dark, nor did we need them. The Sea Dragons had even better eyesight than we Land Dragons and knew their kingdom well. I'm sure they had other ways to navigate beyond sight.
Light seeped down to us, brightening the water. Fish darted out of our way, and the sea dragons never slowed. I raised my head to peer at coral teeming with life, bright heads darting out of crevices. The seabed rose, and the water brightened until we entered the bay of Erimbar.
The city curved around the bay, with high walls coming inward to meet the bay's inlet. The only ways into Erimbar were through the bay or the main entrance at the other end of the massive city.
I released my magic as we left the water, and Jucai used his to divest himself of water.
People shouted and pointed as the sea dragons crawled up the beach.
I waved to ease their anxiety. A seawall stood directly before us with several long docks extending out to the bay on our right.
And beyond that wall rose the ancient city of Erimbar.
The sea dragons slipped free of their burdens, crouched to let their passengers down, shifted back to their man forms, and got dressed.
The crowd gaped at the gorgeous men, but people in Erimbar were familiar with Dragons.
They knew nudity was part of shapeshifting, and their propriety soon returned.
Averting their eyes, they moved away to give the men privacy.
Breathing deeply, I sighed. I had missed the warmth of my home and the open sky above me.
It was a relief to know I could stretch my wings and fly.
The land had a life to it that the ocean could only mimic, but there was beauty below the water too.
To my surprise, I realized I would miss it once my mission ended.
I glanced at Jucai, who was putting his crown on.
Was it Ilshi or its king whom I'd miss?
Being a coastal city, Erimbar was more humid than the deserts further inland that formed most of central Zaru. But in Kansu, where the dome drew air out of the water, every breath was refreshing with the perfect amount of humidity. And no fishy smell.
“Ho, there! Announce yourselves!” A group of Talons appeared on the seawall above us.
My guard drew closer to me and glared at the Talons.
But I called up to them in a friendly tone, “I am Lord Nadar of Zaru with my Dragon guards, also of Zaru. We are escorting His Majesty, King Jucai of Ilshi, to see our king.”
“Forgive us, Lord Nadar. We didn't recognize you.” A Brujai man bowed to Jucai, his crown making things easier. “Welcome to Erimbar, Your Majesty.”
Jucai inclined his head and raised an eyebrow at me.
“We need four carriages,” I shouted at the guards.
“Yes, sir!” Several ran off.
“Shall we?” Jucai asked.
“Yes, this way, Your Majesty.” I motioned toward the stone steps that led up to the wharf.
“It has started already,” he muttered.
I frowned at him until I realized he was referring to my use of his title. His irritation turned my frown into a grin. I led our group to the steps and onto the wide wharf where ships unloaded their cargo.
“Be cautious,” Jucai said to his guards. “Their ways differ from ours. Do not leap into anger. Question if you are unsure. What you may find offensive, they do not, and the opposite.”
“Yes, sire,” they said.
The guards, including mine, had paired off to carry the trunks between them.
With their strength, the Sea Dragons could have easily carried all the trunks, but my guards shared the burden out of courtesy.
They brought them across the wharf to the sidewalk and set them down.
Just then, four hired carriages pulled up, and the drivers jumped down to help the Sea Dragons stow their trunks up top.
“To the Royal Palace,” I said to the drivers and then motioned the King into the lead carriage.
I made sure our guards got into their carriages before I followed Jucai into ours. We were moving in moments, and after we left the busy docks, Jucai sighed, his shoulders lowering.
“What's wrong?” I asked.
“It smelled awful back there.” He wrinkled his nose. “Rotting seaweed, dead fish, and unwashed bodies.”
I winced. “Yes, the wharf isn't the best part of the city, but it is necessary. Look, this is the market district. She's selling oranges.” I pointed out the window at one of the many fruit and vegetable sellers in the marketplace. At the side of her stall was a giant basket of oranges.
“Stop!” Jucai pounded the roof.
The carriage stopped, the other carriages clinging and clattering to a halt behind us, and Jucai climbed out.
“What are you doing?” I went after him.
“I want an orange.” He strode to the woman's stall.
“We don't have any money.”
“Don't be absurd.” He motioned at one of his guards, who had come up beside us without me noticing. “I am a king. I am never without coin.”
The man handed Jucai a leather pouch.
Jucai went to the fruit seller and motioned at the oranges. “How much?”
The Eljaffna woman's wide eyes went from Jucai to me and then to his crown. “One copper for three, sir. Or should I call you sire?” She moved around to the basket, and the sun shone off the translucent scales on her skin.
“This is King Jucai of Ilshi,” I said. “Sire is appropriate.”
“I'll take nine.” He handed her five copper coins.
“Oh, this is too much, Your Majesty.” She tried to hand two back.
“No, no. Keep it. You are giving me my first taste of Zaruian oranges.”
“Oh!” The woman bowed. “It's an honor, Your Majesty.” She took the coins with her clawed hands and motioned to the basket. “Please take any you'd like.”
Jucai took three oranges, handed one to me, and then motioned for his knights to pick oranges for themselves. He went back into the carriage, focused on his fruit.
“Thank you,” I said to the woman and followed Jucai back into the carriage. “Carry on,” I called to the driver.
Jucai ignored everything but his oranges, setting one on his lap before digging into the other.
He tossed the peels on the floor, making me grimace, but then he put the first wedge into his mouth.
The look of bliss that came over him was so mesmerizing that I knew I'd never forget how he looked sitting there, his white hair billowing in the breeze, his hands full of peeled orange and his eyes closed in pleasure.
I cleared my throat. “Have you seen a Brujai before?”
Jucai looked up from his orange. “What's that?” Then he frowned. “Why aren't you eating your orange?”
I started to peel it. “I asked you if you'd seen a Brujai before.”
“Oh, yes, the woman with the oranges.” He motioned toward the window, holding a slice of orange. “It's been many years since I've been to the surface, but I remember the Brujai. Desert dwellers, yes? I'm surprised to see them in a city.”
“Many of them moved into the cities over a century ago. They still have their own cities in the desert, but many prefer to live here. They can earn more money in Erimbar. I can still remember the citywide shock when the first group walked in from the desert.”
“Then you're over a century old? I hadn't thought to ask.”
“Yes, I'm a hundred and thirty-six. How old are you?”
“Far older.” He popped another orange slice into his mouth.
I narrowed my eyes. “Do you not remember?”
“Of course I do.” He looked away. “I am . . . well, hibernation can take its toll on the mind.”
I peeled my orange, placing the strips in a pile on the seat beside me. After a moment of silence, I said, “I'm sorry.”
“For what?” Jucai wiped his hands on the seat and held his second orange as if it were a pet dog.
“That you don't remember your age.”
“Why be sorry for that? It doesn't hurt me.”
I shrugged. “I like knowing how old I am.”
“I am very old, Nadar. After a certain age, what does it matter?”
“I suppose.” I glanced out the window as we began the climb up to the Royal Palace. It perched on the only hill in the city, right in the center. “Look.” I motioned out the window. “We're about to surpass the rooftops.”
Jucai leaned toward the window just as we took a curve, and was presented with an aerial view of Erimbar.
The labyrinth of buildings wrapped around the city park and then continued on to the edge of the crescent bay.
Ships anchored there, and I wondered which one had been attacked by “Sea Dragons.” It was obviously a lie.
Either that or a faction of Sea Dragons was operating behind the King's back.
I frowned as the thought occurred to me.
“What is it?” Jucai asked.
“How many enclaves do you have?”
“Enclaves?”
“Perhaps you have another name for them. I'm referring to the cities where the other Sea Dragons in your dread live.”
Jucai cocked his head. “Other Sea Dragons? Nadar, my entire dread lives with me in the palace.”
I blinked. Leaned back. His entire dread?
First, it was amazing to me that an entire dread could live together, in the same building, without fighting.
But then again, it had been our Fire Magic that had made Land Dragons too volatile to live in groups larger than five.
When Karadas got free and returned our Water Magic, Water calmed our fiery natures, and we lost much of our aggression.
It hadn't occurred to me that Sea Dragons, who only possessed Water Magic, were born calm.
But as vast as the Royal Palace of Ilshi was, it couldn't contain more than two hundred Sea Dragons.
“Why does that surprise you?” Jucai asked. “Your race has had centuries to procreate and enlarge your dreads.”
“Dear Gods, you're right. An immortal race can grow a lot in a few centuries.”
“Indeed, but we will catch up.” He winked at me.
“It must be important to you to have a child.”
“Must it? Why?”
“To further the race.”
Jucai burst out laughing. “We don't need numbers to be strong. My race is fine without me adding to it.”
“Oh, yes, of course.”
“Why did you ask about enclaves?”
“I was thinking about the attack on the ship. Is it possible some of your dread was involved?”
He didn't bother questioning my reasoning. The gleam of calculation showed in his eyes. “I considered it, but the city guards didn’t see any Sea Dragon leaving the city.”
“Then either the survivors are lying, or the pirates masqueraded as Sea Dragons.”
“Or Sea Dragons from another dread impersonated my people.”
I leaned forward. “Is there any bad blood between you and the other sea kingdoms?”
Jucai grimaced. “Not that I know of. How could there be? We haven't been awake long enough for such things.”
“What about before you went into hibernation?”
“No, nothing. Honestly, even if there were, it would have been softened by the centuries. I doubt anyone can hold a grudge after hibernating as long as we have.”
“Perhaps it has nothing to do with animosity. It may simply be a power play.”
The Sea King sighed and looked out the window.
“I highly doubt it. On land, where you have divvied up what little you have into hundreds of kingdoms, I can see why one king might covet another kingdom. But the sea kingdoms are vast, with much unclaimed land between them. There are only eight sea kings, and our courts are small. There is no reason to invade another kingdom, nor would we need to destroy another king to increase our power.” He looked back at me.
“Frankly, it's too much work for very little gain.”
The carriage stopped at the gate, and a guard came to the window. He took one look at me and waved us through, calling out, “Welcome home, Lord Nadar.”
As the carriage rolled toward the Royal Palace of Zaru, I grinned at Jucai. “Welcome to my world, Jucai.”