When she got to Tyson, she hugged him from behind. He jumped a little and then faced her, so he could return the hug.
“Are you sure you're going to be okay?” she asked.
“I'm fine, please, stop,” he insisted. “After you head out, I'm going to try to find Maya. Kind of surprised she hasn't come back by now, so I'm a little worried.”
Dani forced a smile, not sure how much she should say. She didn't know how much he knew about what had happened between Maya and Ethan, or how he would react to it. So she kept her mouth shut and hugged him, praying silently for the best. Hopefully everything would work out well for them all.
“She's fine, I'm sure of it,” Dani said softly.
Tyson smiled. “And so am I. No more worrying. Focus on being happy, okay? That's the whole reason we're doing this. You constantly asking me if I'm sure and okay, is taking away from the moment.”
“Sorry.” She laughed. “Okay, I won't say anything again. Promise. And I want the same things for you.”
“It's why we'll always be best friends.” He kissed her cheek. “And relax, because you have nothing to be scared of. You're like a bottle about to burst open or something.”
“Trying,” she admitted. “It's not so easy.”
“I know. I'll call you tomorrow some time to check up on you both. Then I can tell you I told you so.”
“Is there something I don't know about?” she asked.
Tyson shrugged. “Just trust me when I say he knows what he's doing.”
What is that supposed to mean? Tyson's statement could be taken a number of ways, and her confusion must have showed because he started to laugh. He didn't say anything, though. Hugging her one last time, Tyson then dried his hands so he could join her family in seeing her and Ethan off.
She returned to her husband's side and couldn't help but grin like an idiot. Husband, not something she'd ever imagined having. Even during the time she was arranged to be with Tyson, she'd never thought the day would actually come. Ethan being her husband was too good to be true. And while it felt right inside of her, it also didn't feel as if that was the correct definition for their relationship. They felt like something deeper than husband and wife, but she couldn't find the right word to describe the connection they had.
Ethan once more put his arms around her. “I got your stuff with mine. We'll get all of it later.”
After promising one more time to call her family as soon as they arrived, the newlywed couple walked out the door hand in hand. Dani leaned into Ethan, and exhaled contentedly.
“Where are we going?” she asked, her curiosity overwhelming her.
“I know a great spot. It's not far, and well worth it.”
“And from there?”
He glanced down at her. “What do you mean? We'll be honeymooning for a few days, right? Where else would we go?”
“I meant after,” she said.
“I guess I assumed we'd be going back to Oceina City,” he said quietly. “Unless you had another idea?”
She shook her head. “Not outside of staying here on the island, but part of me feels like the point of getting married is to do your own thing.”
“Good point,” he said, and nodded slowly. “Then maybe not Oceina City. Maybe another city there? Unless you'd rather stay in Inero.”
“Not particularly. I didn't like Inero City the couple of times I've been there. Plus, it's not an 'us' kind of place. We can visit a few places and find one that's perfect. Maybe it'll be in your home nation, maybe it'll be mine, or maybe it'll be someplace we've never seen before. I think we should start with Oceina City though, if only so we can see your parents. You shouldn't leave things in such a sad state between you and your family,” she said, and rubbed his hand with her own.
Ethan rolled his eyes. “I know you're right, but I don't like it. Can it wait a few days? This is supposed to be a moment we can enjoy. If we go see them now, they'll only rain on our happiness. I told you how ticked off my dad was, right?”
“Vaguely,” she said with a laugh. “Okay, we'll worry about it in a few days. Besides, right now I want to get used to the idea that I get you all to myself.”
“I want to get used to the idea of having you, period,” he said softly, and then kissed her lips. “My biggest fear is that someone is going to take you from me forever. Which is part of why I wanted to go to Oceina City. I feel safe there, maybe because of my dad, or it might be because it's familiar surroundings.”
She grabbed his face in her hands and forced him to look her in the eyes. “Like I said, we'll talk about it in a few days. For now, how about you take me to this awesome place you have picked out for our…” Her cheeks instantly felt hot as she thought about what could possibly be coming next.
“Honeymoon?” he supplied for her.
“Yes.”
“All right, this way.” He took her down to the beach where they had been wed less than an hour ago. “Stand back.”
She watched him walk to the water. The waves washed up around his ankles. His blue eyes closed and he began to transform into his dragon shape. Dani didn't see him take the form often. Usually, the magic to do so tired him out a great deal. When he'd said they'd fly to their destination, she had thought he'd arranged for a ride on a relative, friend, or even an airplane. It touched her that he wanted to take her himself, but she wasn't sure if it was a good idea given the weak condition of his heart. She had to trust him to know better than to put himself in danger.
Ethan's body grew longer. When it came to his dragon form, he wasn't large in size, like many of the other Oceina dragons she'd seen. His snake-like body was maybe fifteen feet in length, which could be the equivalent to a child-sized dragon of his kind. Large enough for her to get a ride, but nothing impressive. Even his father was larger at around thirty feet long, and rumor had it that he was small in size as well.
His skin turned into hard, blue scales that shimmered in the moonlight and made him look like he was covered in large sapphires. So beautiful, it took her breath away.
“Okay, I'm done,” he said.
Dani walked toward him and placed a hand on his back, so she could lift her body onto it. He was only around five feet tall as well. It took a little effort, but she was able to hoist herself on top without his help. She could never get over how soft his scales felt. They were strong and tough in appearance and function, but also had a smooth silky texture to them much like snake skin.
With a push from his magic, they were airborne. She clung to him, scared of falling off. There was no doubt in her mind that Ethan would catch her, but she didn't want to press her luck either. He hadn't been kidding when he'd said the flight would be short. They flew for around fifteen minutes before he landed again on a neighboring island. One she'd never been to.
Once he was settled on the shoreline, she checked to make sure no one was around. The beach by her house was always secluded, so it kept the secret of the dragons safe. She wasn't so sure about this place.
“No one should be here. It's forbidden for the humans to set foot on this island without a Dragon Lord's permission,” he explained. “In fact, if someone is trespassing, I'm obligated to kill them on the spot. So I hope it is empty.”
“Yeah, killing someone would be a huge mood killer. But where are we?” she asked as she took a step toward the tropical jungle in front of her. That was all she could see either way she looked down the beach. Tall palm trees with coconuts, some large and brightly colored jungle flowers, and off in the distance a large mountain covered in vegetation. It was more tropical than Shanrea, which had more cliffs and sand along its beaches. But they couldn't be that far away, could they?
Ethan slowly transformed back to his human form again, and she noticed how out of breath he was. He must have flown harder and faster than she'd thought, or he was still weak from his previous traveling. She went to his side, offering herself up for him to lean on if needed. He did, stumbling into her, nearly knocking them both to the ground
. He was drenched in sweat.
“We should sit so you can rest,” she said, worried. Dani knew he didn't like to be babied, but he was her responsibility to care for now.
He shook his head. “I'm okay, and no, I'm not just saying that to get you off my back. Let me stay in the water for another minute or two, then we can go and relax for real.”
Dani stood with him in the shallow water along the shore, wincing slightly as the element conflicted with her fire magic. The sting didn't last long. “You didn't tell me where we are,” she said.
“It's a sacred island in association with Little Oceina Island. It's where they keep the sacrificial altar for the wedding ritual. Because you know that Oceina men choose their bride, and then they're thought to be sacrificed in a religious ceremony, right?” He glanced down at her briefly, and she nodded. “This is where the girls are brought for this region.”
“But they aren't sacrificed,” she said.
“No, they aren't. Remember, it's just a cover-up. Otherwise there'd probably be a lot of drama since the humans don't know, nor can they know, about our secret. Anyway, the island is uninhabited, but there's a house here,” he said.
She raised both of her eyebrows. “A house? Why? I mean, if no one lives here.”
“It was built by one of my great-grandfathers. I guess he needed shelter. It's not anything fancy, but it has a beautiful view.”
“How did you find out about it?”
He glanced down at the ground. “My dad showed it to me on one of our trips. Said if I ever needed it, that's why it was there. I thought it would be nice. Then we can go to the island, explore it a little bit. Apparently, it's where my mom is from. Could be fun.”
She nodded. “Lead the way.”
Silently, he walked her into the jungle. There was a small path through the trees that led to the base of the mountain. They walked for several minutes, and for what felt like at least a mile. Off in the distance she could barely make out a small house made from wood. Ethan took her to the front door and turned the knob slowly.
“I forgot there's no electricity,” he said as he fumbled around in the entryway and grabbed a lantern. “And of course I forgot my matches.”
Dani laughed and summoned up a small flame in her free hand. “No you didn't.” She placed the flame into the lantern and let that be their light.
The house wasn't anything to write home about. It had one bedroom that contained a full-sized bed, with a blanket on it that was probably hundreds of years old. There were a few holes, and it smelled musty. A bathroom was nearby with a shower and a toilet, so the house had indoor plumbing at least. In the living room/kitchen were a couple of old wooden chairs with seat cushions, and a wood-fire stove.
“Rustic,” she said.
“Would you rather stay on the island in a hotel?” he asked.
“No.” She shook her head. “It's romantic, even if it is ancient.”
“It's had a few updates,” he said with a shrug. “You've shared a lot of your life. I wanted to show you more of mine. Plus, I figure if it's free, then we don't have to risk my parents tracking a credit card purchase or something.”
She kissed his nose. “You think of everything.”
He kissed her lips. “I love you.”
Chapter Thirty-Three
Tyson walked through the streets of Shanrea Village, hands in his pockets and deep in thought. There's no going back now. Hopefully we didn't bite off more than we can chew here. The real question is, where did Maya run off to? He was nauseous at all of the possibilities running through his head. Did she get hurt? Kidnapped? Sick? Robbed? Why wouldn't she make it back to her friend's wedding? It doesn't make a lot of sense. Unless… He frowned. Unless she didn't agree with the union.
Picking up his pace, he was filled with a new determination to find her. I can explain everything to her, and then she won't have to be sad. She can see how great this is for all of us. But Tyson wasn't quite sure where to begin searching for her. He couldn't ask anyone if they'd seen her; nobody was familiar with who she was, and he didn't have a picture on him. Not to mention his descriptive skills weren't exactly the best.
By some stroke of luck, however, he heard her further up the street. She laughed; he'd recognize that beautiful sound anywhere. It sent his heart soaring, and his steps lightened as he headed toward the noise. Then he found her with her arms around another man's neck. Her blue eyes gazed up at his lovingly, and one of his hands rested on the small of her back.
That should be me, Tyson thought. Frowning, he stormed over and pulled Maya away from this stranger. She couldn't have known the guy for long. Tyson certainly had no idea who he was, so how could she?
“Hey!” she protested.
“What are you doing?” Tyson demanded. “Do you two even know each other’s names?”
“This is Wray,” she said, “and he knows me. He knows more about me than you could even imagine.”
Tyson frowned and leaned toward her, sniffing her. Everything about her smelled different. Cinnamon stung his nostrils almost as if he had opened a jar and shoved his nose into it. He knew the scent well enough to understand what it meant, but never had it been so strong. And unnaturally so, almost like it was induced. There was also a slight musk in the air, and his heart broke once he realized what it meant.
He stepped away and shook his head. “What did you do? You smell… impure.”
“Because I'm not 'pure' anymore, according to your stupid standards,” Maya said. “Wray here has shown me what real love is, cured me, and is going to make me a princess. He thinks I'm special.”
“I think you're special too,” Tyson whispered.
“Mm-hmm.” She clung to the man. “Come on, let's go meet this boss of yours, Wray. I want to hear more about this special prophecy. Did you know I'm important to the safety of the world? I'm one of a kind and a miracle. Great things are going to happen because of me, and great dragons.”
The words she spoke didn't make a lot of sense to Tyson. It all sounded incoherent, choppy, and on the verge of being delusional. Wray put a hand through Maya's hair, and Tyson noticed a glitter of light red-violet magic flowing through his fingertips. Tyson had never seen purple magic before. He growled and tried to push the man away from her.
“What are you doing to her?”
“Showing her what her true potential and purpose is.” Wray laughed. “Wanna join in? We can share. She won't care. Will you, honey bunches? Why? Because you will do whatever I want you to do. Won't you?”
Tyson's stomach churned with disgust. “You're brainwashing her.”
“If that's what you want to call it, sure. But I don't think I'm making her do anything she doesn't actually want to do. Deep down, or maybe even more on the surface than you realize, the desire is ever-present.”
Another growl escaped Tyson's lips, and without even thinking he punched Wray square in the jaw. The man let go of Maya long enough for Tyson to pull her away. “Come on, Maya, snap out of it. You can come back home with me. I'll still take care of you and love you. I’ll do anything you want me to do. Please, wake up.”
Her eyes changed from a glossy state back to normal, and she focused her gaze on him. Tyson smiled, leaning in toward her, so he could comfort her further. And then she slapped him across the face. The place where she hit him stung, and that was the only thing that made the moment feel real.
Maya narrowed her blue eyes and glared at him. “You don't get it. I am awake, and the most alive I have ever felt in my entire life. What Wray has done for me is far greater than anything I have ever experienced before. Don't treat me like some stupid girl who's been taken advantage of. And especially don't act as if we had something special between us. I never wanted you any more than you wanted me.”
Pain filled his chest, and he wondered for a moment if his heart was, in fact, literally breaking. “The only reason I went along with all of this is because I thought it meant I had a chance with you. Because you were the one I want
ed. When you kissed me, you set a bar that I thought no one else could reach.”
“Hate to break it to you, but I wasn't thinking about you when we did that.”
“Ethan,” Tyson said, followed by a defeated sigh. Another girl I lost to him. When it came to Dani, Tyson hadn't minded as much. He knew they lacked chemistry even if the fundamentals of a good relationship had been present. Maya falling for his best friend, however, made him feel nothing but worthless. I thought she liked me. What am I missing that he has? What about me isn't good enough?
Maya nodded, pursed her lips, and folded her arms in front of her chest. “And it's not like he wanted me either. So all of those insecure, sad emotions you're projecting right now are a good taste of your own medicine.”
He clenched his fists. “Don't try to make me a villain. Whatever obscured version of the truth you have in your head right now, you can't use it to manipulate me like this guy has you.” He pointed to Wray, who looked as though he were trying to decide if he should laugh or hit Tyson back.
Wray must have decided to laugh, because that's exactly what he did. “Darling, we need to go, or we're going to miss our flight. As much fun as this was, we can't be late. The boss doesn't tolerate that.” He stared down at Tyson and sneered. “I let you get away with it tonight. The next time you think it's a good idea to hit me will be your last. Tell your friends to enjoy their newly-wedded bliss while they can. Lord Bolton won't need the girl anymore, but he'll still be pretty ticked off that you did all of this.”
The man put an arm around Maya's waist and the two walked away, leaving Tyson alone in the middle of an empty street. Moonlight illuminated the entire town, and it should have been a beautiful and romantic night. All Tyson had was a bitter taste in his mouth. A mixture of emotions stirred inside of him, and they were on the verge of boiling over.
Maya's gone insane. That was the only explanation he could think of as to why she would do something so stupid. And the purple sparks. Come to think of it, they were more red than purple, but not by much. He clearly has a mixture of magic in him, but how? Creating magical accessories is forbidden under punishment of death. How did he get a mix of Inero and Oceina magic? The guy appeared to be Oceina, but there was a slight hint of Inero in his genes as well. It doesn't make sense, but do I want to get more involved? He threatened me, Dani, and Ethan. I should at least warn them.
Legend of the Forbidden Page 12