CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
How many elements are there? my grandmother had asked as we looked through the book together.
Five. Earth, air, water, fire, and aether.
Correct. And what creature represents those elements?
Dragons. There were dozens of illustrations-the earth dragons whose scales resembled rocks, the blue-green air dragons with their massive wings that allowed them to fly, the red-scaled fire dragons who could burn an entire forest with a single breath. There weren t any drawings of aether dragons. No one had ever seen one-their very existence was questioned.
But the water dragon had been the one that had scared me the most. It looked more like a serpent than a dragon, its scales shimmering in iridescent blues, its eyes just above the water as it hunted prey. They lived in the deep ocean and had destroyed entire fleets of ships. They could swallow massive whales whole.
Unpredictable, deadly, destructive.
They never come this far north! someone shouted, and I realized that there was complete pandemonium among the entire crew. I d been caught up in my memory and had shut everything else out.
A dragon.
There was a water dragon beneath us.
My heart slammed against my chest and there was a high-pitched ringing in my ears. I shook my head. I needed to pay attention to what was going on.
The goats! Get the goats! the captain yelled.
I told him not to throw those bodies into the ocean, Jason growled. We chummed the water. We were begging it to come find us.
Quynh s hand tightened around mine, looking for reassurance, but I had none to offer. My throat felt like it was going to close in on itself. There was no way to escape the water dragon-if we jumped into the ocean, we d be eaten. And there was no place to hide on the ship. If it chose to, the dragon could snap the hull in half to better pick us off, one by one.
Maybe we should have moved closer to the center of the trireme, but I couldn t bring myself to do it. I had to see what was happening, what the dragon s next move would be.
Three crew members ran onto the deck, each carrying a large goat in their arms.
What are they doing with the- Quynh started to ask, but then the men heaved all three goats overboard.
No! she gasped and ran to the railing.
I pulled her back from the edge. Don t look.
She buried her face against my shoulder, but I couldn t take my own advice. I watched as a massive blue reptilian snout emerged from the sea, sunlight and water glistening off its scales. He opened his jaw wide, which caused the water to stream from his teeth, off his snout.
The dragon swallowed all three goats so quickly that it was shocking. Would that be enough food? Or was he still hungry?
I thought he might dive back down. It would be the smartest maneuver-he could disguise his movements under the cover of the ocean, and we wouldn t be able to predict what he would do next.
The dragon didn t do that, though. Instead it began to raise itself slowly out of the sea. Silence fell over the deck, all the sailors motionless. Rivers of water poured down the dragon s lanky sides as he grew taller and taller. His long, sinuous body seemed to sway slightly back and forth. His massive claws looked like swords, shining and sharp. There was a staggering and terrifying amount of power and potential destruction on display.
His terrible golden eyes stared directly into mine. Was I supposed to look away? Would staring at him be seen as a challenge? I couldn t help but continue to stare-something about his gaze was unearthly, powerful, and I felt hypnotized.
A low humming sound seemed to reverberate inside me. As if he were singing to me. Calling.
No, not he. She. She was beckoning me.
My arms dropped from Quynh and I took a step forward. Did the dragon intend to snap me up from the ship, the same way she had the goats in the water? Quickly swallowing me whole?
I should have been afraid, but I wasn t.
Lia. Jason s voice pierced through the haze. His voice was deceptively calm as he wrapped his hand around my wrist and gently tugged me down from the railing.
I didn t remember climbing it.
He pulled me against his chest with one arm; the other held his sword. Which he kept down at his side, most likely so that the dragon wouldn t see him as a threat.
Are you trying to get eaten? he demanded quietly, his words hot and angry against my ear.
That would be one way to avoid the tribute, I said with a tiny laugh, still caught up in some kind of connection with this magnificent creature that I couldn t have explained.
He did not seem to share in my amusement.
The dragon watched us for a few moments more and then lowered herself into the water so carefully and quietly that it was like she had never even been there at all.
I glanced down at Jason s strong forearm, still clamped against my shoulders, pushing my back into his front.
Why was I drawn to such dangerous and deadly things?
A giddy excitement filled me, and I wondered what he would do if I turned around and pressed myself to him, my softness against his strength. What would his reaction be if I kissed him? Here, in front of everyone?
I ran my fingertips along his forearm, his skin warmed by the sun. I traced the outline of the veins along his hands. Without thinking I lowered my head slightly and pressed my lips gently to the top of his wrist. His arm tightened against me as he softly swore.
What just happened? he demanded, and for a moment I wasn t sure what he was referring to. Me touching him? The accidental kiss? Or the dragon?
He quickly cleared up my confusion by asking, Do you speak to dragons?
Were there people who could talk to dragons? Could life mages do so? What a marvelous power that must be. I shook my head. I didn t know what had occurred. I hadn t spoken and neither had she. But the compulsion to join her had been there all the same. As had this residual, elated feeling that made me want to kiss Jason.
Are you all right? Quynh demanded, and only then did Jason release me. I took a few steps away from him, regretting each one. I was overcome by this strange desire to kiss him and stay close to him.
Her question almost seemed silly. I felt exuberant, as if I could conquer the world. I hadn t been harmed. If anything, I d been reenergized. I m fine.
No one said anything about dragons, Quynh said accusatorially to Jason, as if she held him personally responsible for it.
We don t generally see them, he said as he sheathed his sword.
What if he had tried to attack us? she demanded.
She, I corrected. The dragon was female.
They both stared at me for a long while before Jason spoke. Dragons are sacred to the goddess. We have been taught to respect them and we try to do our best to leave them alone. That doesn t mean people haven t occasionally slayed one from time to time, but usually as long as you feed them, they re fine. It s why we bring goats on every voyage. Just in case. Then his heated gaze turned toward me. And as a general rule you shouldn t offer yourself up to one as a midday snack.
Air dragons pull the goddess s chariot, I offered to no one in particular, and it had the effect of causing both Quynh and Jason to stare at me as if I d gone mad.
Some detached part of my mind wondered if I had.
Isn t that why you paint eyes onto your ship? Quynh asked. To scare off monsters?
If it is, I don t think it works, I added.
It does not, he agreed in a tone that sounded almost cheerful. The rowers had returned to their stations and the boatswain was playing a fast tune, to quickly get us as far away as possible.
But as we glided along, I found myself wanting to throw myself overboard to find the dragon. It seemed clear to me now that she had wanted me to join her. Not to be eaten, but for some other purpose.
It was only Quynh s grip on my hand that kept me tethered in place.
The next two days passed by far too quickly. I showed Quynh basic fighting techniques, how to block a strike, how to look for an opening, constantly encouraging her to remember that she would have to keep her wits about her and fight off any fear she was feeling.
Jason and Acmon continued delivering our meals and water. And although I didn t ignore Jason, I no longer spoke to him. I was embarrassed by what had happened between us when the dragon appeared. I had no explanation for my behavior, and that knowing smirk he sported whenever he saw me didn t help things.
The end was quickly approaching and the only person I could care about right now was Quynh.
The night before we were to reach the docks, Acmon brought us a great feast. I was surprised by the number and variety of dishes. I realized that they were marking us as important, honoring us. Treating us like royalty. They had no idea that two princesses had been selected and they had no need to pretend.
I wasn t one to turn away food. My stomach was upset but I forced myself to eat. I needed the strength it would provide. They also gave us pure, sweet, unfiltered wine and I allowed myself only a small sip. I had to keep all of my wits about me.
Quynh was surprisingly calm and it helped to steady my own nerves.
After the feast had been cleared, Jason came down carrying bundles of cloth. He passed them through the bars of the cage. They want you to wear this.
They were gleaming white tunics.
Yes, I said as I held mine aloft. We want to make sure that we stand out so that it will be easier to locate us. We wouldn t want to blend in. And probably more importantly, we want to make sure that our blood is clearly visible for the man who claims our lives.
Jason looked ashamed, as if my words pained him, and I was glad. He should feel bad.
But after he left, I was the one who felt terrible. I had been trying so hard not to speak about our deaths as a given in front of Quynh.
Let me do your braids, she said. This was not only because our hair had become so dirty, but we had planned to put it up as a safety precaution.
I sat down on the floor in front of her while she rummaged through her pack. While I had made sure to bring weapons, bribes, and food, Quynh had brought a comb and hairpins.
Now I was glad for it-our long hair would put us at a disadvantage as we ran. It would be too easy to grab and yank. We d decided yesterday to create braids that we would pin against our scalps so that we wouldn t be offering any kind of loop for anyone to hold on to.
We will stay in the shadows, I told her. If we get a chance to steal some cloaks or change our clothing, we will do it.
I hadn t accounted for having to wear something that would make us easier targets.
But instead of agreeing or saying anything in response, Quynh began humming a tune I hadn t heard in years. It was one my mother had sung to us when we were little, about how we had no reason to fear the dark, that we were safe, that she would watch over us.
We were no longer safe.
My mother wasn t here to watch over us.
And we had every reason to fear the dark.