“I should think so, too. It’s very rude! Especially when I’m talking to my pet sea serpent.”
“Pet?!” demanded the large reptile. “Oh do shut up and listen!” Artisho snapped, looking to the heavens. “Dear gods, am I ever to be allowed to finish this sentence? As I was saying, thanks to Princess Katakaran, a proud bronze dragon will be taking two of them to Merlyon and I'm sure you won't hear any fuss from him,” he added, slyly. “Five of us on the back of your great bulk? Bah, you won't even notice.”
“That's not the point,” insisted the serpent. “It's the way you just assume - the least you could do is ask.”
Artisho rolled his eyes. “The gods save me from a sea serpent with a bruised ego!” Bunny shushed him, however, and approached the sea serpent, with an almost serpentine grace of her own. “Great majestic serpent,” she smoothed, in a voice dripping with honey. “Would you mind awfully if I were to humbly ask for the honour of a ride for my friends to the great city of Shakaran? We understand that you would not agree to carry just anybody, but perhaps you can find it in you to overlook our obvious failings and consider us worthy of your favour.”
The sea serpent bent down until its massive head was right next to the Sumorityl. His eyes blinked, then grew wide in astonishment and, if such a thing were possible, he almost seemed to be blushing. “What a fascinating creature you are,” he whispered, one could even say seductively. “Since you asked so nicely, it would be my pleasure to carry your friends wherever they wish to go. I am only sorry that you will not be among them. Perhaps we will meet again.”
“I will cling to that hope,” replied the Sumorityl, earnestly.
* * * * * It was still dark when a bronze dragon, a young buck, burst out of the lake, showering them with water and landing with a flourish. “Your one way flight to Merlyon is here! Courtesy of Princess Katakaran of the bronze sea dragons,” he announced. “One Knight and one gnome passenger requested, free of charge, no ticket necessary. All aboard! You can call me Brash, by the way.”
Rochelle and Lady Hannah climbed onto his back, while Loric and Calandra moved a short distance away and changed to their dragon forms. The remaining companions climbed onto the back of the sea serpent and all were ready to go.
As the dragons took to the skies, young Brash made a point of doing some fancy flying around Callie, giving her a smile and a wink as he passed. The silver giggled and acted coy while her dark scaled companion glowered at the cheeky young bronze. Then at last, they took off in different directions, leaving the sea serpent behind. It moved through one of the wide rivers that led out of the lake, and wound through the hills, accelerating slowly until reaching the sea, where it accelerated again, cutting through the water at blistering speeds without the companions ever feeling that they might fall off.
Meanwhile, the half-elf ranger, Phaer, walked on: confused, hurt, angry, sacred, taking his time to work through his inner turmoil. Bernice Ardra was still some way behind, but she would soon close the gap. Phaer had no reason to conceal his tracks; as far as he knew, he was alone out there.
Despite their small, splintered groups, the companions looked up as one at the beautiful sunrise that lit the sky in shades of red, orange and purple. On this dawn of a new day, it seemed sad that their quest should end in this way when they had been through so much together.
But then, this wasn't the beginning of the end of their journey; it was merely the end of the beginning.
END OF MAJAOS: PART 1
Chosen (Majaos Book 1) Page 26