by Kym Dillon
A thirty-foot wave rose like the fist of a titan and crashed down around them. Daya bit back a yelp as a man was snatched overboard. The only thing that kept her from suffering the same fate was the rope that chewed into her bleeding flesh. She watched in shock as chunks of wood were torn away from the deck wall. The wind made the boards missiles and propelled them across the ship. Another man went down, lifeless.
His blood mingled with the brackish water swirling around him. The starboard end of the ship climbed another monstrous wave, and Daya cried out as she was flung by the momentum. Suddenly, the ship came back down with a thunderous bang, only to be lifted again. She had never been so frightened in her life. She whimpered as lightning arced across the sky.
“The voyage is cursed!” a sailor groaned ominously.
Daya turned to watch him struggle against the blustery wind to reach the navigation center. Her soaking wet hair whipped in the wind and stung her face. She shook it out of her hair. Feis was there with the captain. The high priestess chose that moment to look back at Daya with a furious glare. The girl from the Sky Realm gritted her teeth and swirled even hotter water from the sea. With what she knew about weather, it would intensify the storm.
Feis marched out onto deck toward her. Her clothes were snatched by the wind, and she looked like an angel of death. The murderous gleam in her flaming eyes was unmistakable. She marched to Daya and savagely grabbed her throat.
“You’re doing this!” Feis growled.
Daya tried to spit in her face, but the wind flung the vile fluid away into the nether. She glared unapologetically, and the dragon eater squeezed her neck tighter. A vein throbbed at Daya’s temple, and she narrowed her eyes defiantly. She felt her air passage closing, but she ignored it. She turned her thoughts away from the dragon eater and back to the storm. Even if she lost consciousness, she had done enough damage to keep the hurricane roaring until it lost steam on land.
“You’ll regret your meddling. You’ve done nothing to deter me, and your dragons will suffer, darling. They’ll suffer greatly when they meet the business end of my new cannons,” Feis snarled.
She jerked away from Daya and returned to navigation. Freed from her attention, Daya slumped weakly. Her body was battered by the elements. She didn’t know how much longer she could make it. She had no idea if they were any nearer the Isle of Warriors or if her daring plan had worked to slow them down.
For twenty long days, the navigators and captain had puzzled over strange maps and followed the obscure directions Vyda had given them. There was a likelihood they wouldn’t find the place, but Daya didn’t want to risk it.
She swallowed bile. “I need to eat,” she pleaded weakly as a sailor ran by.
“Curse you,” he muttered.
She tried another one. “Please.”
“You’re the reason we’re stuck in this mess!”
Daya dropped her head. She finally felt safe to stop tending the storm, and some of its fierceness diminished. She needed rest. She needed food and a warm bed. She was nearly delirious with pain, and her skin burned hotly. She shivered as she lifted her head again to see if land was in sight.
Oedaya.
Daya froze. She heard Arken’s voice so clearly, she almost believed the sound was real. She squinted in the distance again. Nothing but waves. The sea was too choppy to see more than a few feet ahead.
Look up, he whispered in her thoughts, and her eyes widened.
“Arken?” she gasped. She threw her head back and there he was. A sleek, black dragon battling the high winds overhead. Tears joined the seaspray on her face. She frantically looked for Feis. The dragon eater was preoccupied. Daya bounced anxiously and looked up at her rescuer. “Help me.”
They’ll pay for this, he channeled.
She glanced at the navigation center again, but Feis was no longer there. Daya hitched in a breath fearfully. She was just about to tell Arken to get away when the dragon eater materialized behind her. “You failed,” Feis taunted with a snarky laugh. “The Isle of Warriors is straight ahead. You can stop with your tantrum and call off the storm.”
“Eat shit and die,” Daya snapped.
“When will you learn,” Feis sighed. She sank her talons into Daya’s shoulder, and she screamed in shock. “There’s only so much you can get away with when I don’t need you anymore.”
“You still need me,” Daya hissed.
“No, not really. Now that we’ve reached our destination, I can deal with a handful of dragons on my own. It may take longer, but I’m willing to accept that.” Feis jerked her claws free from Daya’s skin. “So, be on your best behavior or—”
“Dragon!” someone shouted.
Daya looked up. A conflagration of fire engulfed the retracted sails. Feis flinched and shielded her head as Arken swooped low. His claws raked the deck, and he snapped the mast, as if it were made of glass. Daya gasped as she was jerked away from the ship and carried into the air.
“Oh, my god!”
“I found you,” he said triumphantly. “I’ll never let you go again.”
“What are you doing? Go back!” Daya shouted. “You have to destroy the ships! Feis has something new in her arsenal. You can’t let her get to the island.”
“I can’t risk it. Not if it means losing you.”
When he deposited her on warm, dry land, she was barely conscious. She felt, more than saw the explosive transformation as he shifted to man-shape. Then, he was kneeling beside her. There were other people, as well, but Daya couldn’t open her eyes to see them.
“Get the Healer,” Arken instructed.
Daya whined softly and tried to turn toward his voice. However, someone pressed a hand to her shoulder to keep her still. Without the raging storm to steal her concentration, Daya felt every single one of her unique aches and pains. She began trembling uncontrollably.
The king’s voice rang out. “Ready the soldiers. Tell them Feis will be here by dawn. The rest of you, take to the hills. Get the younglings to the other side of the mountain, where we have a safe house.”
The world around Daya suddenly pounded with action. Even half asleep, she heard it. People—and things bigger than people—hustled quickly, scattering in every direction. She heard a child crying and someone whispering soothing words as the whimpers were carried away. The whistle of steel as swords were checked in sheaths. Shouts from soldiers. Everyone jumped at the king’s command. When she opened her eyes a slit, she was in an empty clearing with no one but Arken and a woman who looked vaguely like him.
“Arken,” Daya moaned.
“Lie still, beloved. I’m here.”
Cool hands touched her forehead. “She’s burning up,” the woman said softly. “Is this the one?”
“Yes. I can’t find an injury. Please, get the healer. I need to know what’s wrong,” Arken replied urgently. Daya floated in and out, but she knew it was him when someone picked her up and began carrying her.
“You must not tell the others.”
“Gaova, I don’t care what the others think right now. I just need to know Oedaya is safe and well. When I found her, she was tied outside in the middle of a typhoon! I could kill that evil witch for what she did to her!”
“Calm yourself. I know what ails her.”
Arken halted in his tracks. “What is it? How do you know?”
“Can’t you smell it on her?” Gaova said softly.
Daya squirmed as Arken squeezed her closer. She heard him draw in a sharp intake of air. He jolted forward and set off again at a faster clip. She wanted to tell him he had to prepare for battle. She wanted to say he had made a grave mistake by rescuing her and not dealing with Feis when he’d had the chance. But, the words wouldn’t pass her lips. She lost her tenuous hold on reality and drifted deeper into sleep.
She forgot her worries and fears. She found herself in a plush bed with high-end sheets tucked around her naked body. The room was hushed like a hospital room, and she distantly heard light footfalls and q
uiet conversation. She snuggled her pillow, realizing she was finally safe after months of thinking her life was over. She was alive. She had made it to him. It was all that mattered.
Daya studied the man who spoon-fed her a thin broth. He was middle-aged with graying hair. His broad shoulders filled out a nondescript white shirt. There was something about him that didn’t seem to fit in here. She took another sip of broth as her forehead wrinkled. He chuckled to himself.
“What are you?” she finally asked.
“Ah! So, you noticed. I heard you weren’t from here and couldn’t tell. I’ll give you a hint. I’m not a dragon.”
“You’re a mortal, then?”
“I’m a Healer. A mortal, yes, more or less. What about you?”
She shrugged. “I’m not from here,” she murmured. “I’m a human, but I feel less and less like one, the longer I’m here.”
“I saw that storm you conjured up. Amazing,” said the doctor. “I’m Kenna. I’ll be seeing to your care while you’re here. The king told me to take special good care of you.”
Daya sucked in a breath. “The battle,” she whispered. Her eyes flew to the window that let fresh air and sunlight into the pristine sick room. She tried to kick aside the white sheets that cocooned her lower half, but Kenna stopped her. “I have to get to the battle. I have to fight!”
“No, I’m afraid you can’t do that. I have strict orders to keep you here. Besides, you’re not up to full strength. Do you know, any other Maker who had kept a storm going for as long as you did would probably be dead by now. You need your rest.”
“You don’t understand! They need me,” she argued.
“Your pleas are falling on deaf ears. You’re not going anywhere. In fact, you’re nowhere near the battle. You’re in the safe-house on the opposite side of the island. This is where all the younglings and the infirm are waiting it out, with the care of a few mortals, such as myself. This is where our kind—your kind—belong.”
Daya groaned helplessly. She knew he was right. The minor attempt to move the covers from her legs had taken more exertion than she cared to admit. Her joints screamed with pain. Her wrists were heavily bandaged, covering the wounds from where the ropes had cut into her skin. She was so malnourished that the few spoonfulls of broth had already filled her stomach.
“Can I trust you to lie still and get some sleep like a good girl?” Kenna asked.
She rested her head on the mountain of pillows at her back and released a dejected sigh. “Seems I have no choice. When will we hear word of how the battle is progressing?”
He shrugged and shook his head. Daya noticed crinkles of concern around his eyes. He didn’t think things would go well. She could tell by the look of resolve. “Whatever will be, will be,” he replied. He laid a hand on top of the blanket at the level of her stomach, and Daya shoved him away.
“What are you doing?” she growled.
“I’m treating you,” he said in surprise. “I thought you understood how this worked. I have to lay hands on you to give treatment.”
“But, I’m not injured. I just need food and rest from using my powers so much. You said so, yourself.”
He flashed a kindly smile. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize…You don’t know, do you?”
She hardened her voice. “No, I don’t know why you’re trying to cop a feel I assume it’s because you want to test your healing powers on yourself when I break your fingers.”
“Daya, I’m not trying to molest you,” he sighed. “I’m repairing any damage that might be taking place as a result of your unique condition. We’ve never seen anything like this before, but we assume your human body isn’t exactly equipped to handle gestating a hybrid.”
“What are you talking about?” she asked fearfully.
Healer Kenna dropped his hands in his lap and tilted his head to the side, eyeing her with a half-smile. “I’m talking about the little heir you’re housing in your womb. Congratulations, Oedaya of the Sky Realm. I’m pleased to tell you that you’re going to be a mother soon!”
Daya blinked with exaggerated slowness and stared at him again. “You’re kidding,” she whispered. She wasn’t able to hear his answer. She passed out.
Daya came to in an empty room. The sun was lower in the sky, and shadows stretched across the floor. She felt rested and restless. She couldn’t believe the news the Healer had delivered. She laid a hand over her flat tummy and stared down at herself in amazement. Several things suddenly made better sense—her lack of a cycle, which she had attributed to the strange way time worked in this realm, for one.
But, her shock ebbed, and uneasiness flowed in to take its place after a few minutes. What would she do with a baby? Would she even have a baby? She didn’t know what would result of her union with the dragon shifter. What if she gave birth to an egg? Daya didn’t think she’d be able to handle that. She covered her face and blew out a breath as everything threatened to overwhelm her.
“Another loose thread has finally tied off,” said a familiar voice.
Daya dropped her hands and looked up to see Ainley sitting near the window. The elusive Sylph chuckled pleasantly. “You’re back! Oh, gosh, you have no idea how happy I am to see you!” Daya replied.
“I would’ve been here sooner, but I was needed elsewhere. You’ve got questions for me?”
“Uh. Yeah! How the hell did this happen, Ainley?”
“Well, you see, it’s really quite simple. When a mommy and daddy dragon love each other very much…” Daya pitched her pillow across the room at her, and Ainley doubled over with laughter. “I think you know how it all happened, dear. The question is, what happens next?”
“Precisely. Even the doctor doesn’t know. How long will this last? Will this kill me?” Daya gulped. “I’m confused and more than a little bit scared. I mean, I’m probably a tad bit in the dark about what goes on during a normal human pregnancy. This? This takes the cake!” She harrumphed.
Ainley strolled to the bed and sat beside her. “You’ll do fine, Oedaya. You’ll be pleased to know that the gestation should last less time than the forty weeks a healthy human birth requires. You’ll only be pregnant a few short months. It’ll be like a dream.”
“More like a nightmare for someone not ready to have kids,” Daya groaned.
“Ah, well, then here’s more good news. Dragons mature faster. No need to worry about mothering a totally care-dependent little one for a whole five years,” Ainley giggled. “The important thing, for now, is to take good care of yourself. You’re in the right place.”
“Then, why was I given this gift?” Daya asked, suddenly tearful. Also, the crazy mood swings were explained. Why hadn’t she realized she was pregnant sooner? She sniffed and wiped her eyes. “I thought I was turned into a Maker to help Arken fight the battle against Feis. How can he do this without my help?”
“Oh, darling, you’re helping him more than you know. When Arken met you, his world was a bubble. He was alone, and everything he fought for was an abstraction. You’ve given him something tangible to fight for,” Ainley assured her.
Daya swallowed thickly. “How goes the battle?” She paid attention to the shifting emotions on the elemental’s face. “It’s not going well, is it?” Daya asked quietly.
“The battle is fierce,” said Ainley. “It has raged since dawn and shows no signs of letting up. But, the dragons tire. They’ve gone at the high priestess with everything in them, attacking her ships with skill and precision. The dragon eater has retaliated with her arcane magic. Her fighters are equipped with the new enchanted weapons you saw her making—the cannons that blast fire. There have been casualties on both sides.”
“Tell me you’ve seen the future, and there’s hope. I need to hear it.”
“There’s always hope, of some form or another. Perhaps not the kind you seek, but there’s always hope.”
Daya threw up her arms and let her head fall back. She felt drained. She didn’t have the energy to beg for answers. He
r heart was constricted by bands of worry. In her mind’s eye, she saw Arken fighting desperately to save his race. She prayed his best would be enough.
“A battle doesn’t end a war,” Ainley interrupted her growing panic.
Daya’s eyes snapped to hers. “Does he know about the baby?”
“Yes. The heir is part of the reason he’s ordered his forces to make a strategic retreat.”
“You mean, he’s coming here?” Daya sat forward anxiously. She didn’t know if that was a good thing or a bad thing. It couldn’t be good, if the dragons were on the run.
Ainley whispered, “Yes, he’s coming here, and there’s something vital that I need you to tell him about the war. Everything hinges upon you delivering this message.”
16
Three ships—already battered by Oedaya’s freak storm—limped into harbor at dawn. By twilight, nothing remained of them but charred pieces ravaged by dragon’s breath. They would never sail again. Half the enemy soldiers littered the beach. They were dead. The sand sparkled like rubies where blood colored the shores. However, Feis of the Fire wasn’t giving up.
Touching down on a cliff overlooking the battle, Arken studied the soldiers withdrawing to circle around the high priestess. General Gaova landed next to the dragon king. They were mighty twins of destruction, but their strength was waning. He watched the mortals use their shields to form an impenetrable dome. The fiercest of dragon fire had no effect when the ensorcelled gear was in place.
Arken knew because his forces had tried taking them out for hours. Smoke thickened the air, and black rain fell from above. Occasional blasts of fire lit the darkness, but intimidation wasn’t working.
Arken cursed Feis’ new enchanted weapons. The canons had blown down three good dragons. The arrows and spears had taken yet more. Exuberance and inexperience had felled a number of the young ones. With the Heart of the Dragon in his possession, Arken was untouchable, but the power only extended to those nearest him.