Ithsar clung on, the keening still filling her ears as the dragons broke the surface. The dragons grasped hold of Queen Aquaria and flew, wings dripping, up into the clear sapphire sky, carrying their queen—a huge ring of creatures honoring their valiant leader. Their mournful cries tugged at her heartstrings, threatening to split her chest in two. This was her fault. If she’d kept Izoldia in the dungeons and not given her a chance, none of this would have happened.
Ithsar shielded her thoughts from Saritha. Her poor friend was grieving her mother and her queen. She didn’t need Ithsar’s guilt added to her burden.
Ithsar tasted the tang of Saritha’s sadness. Izoldia was no more, but, by murdering the sea dragon queen, Izoldia had destroyed their future.
The dragons rushed upward, startling the assassins gathered on the clifftop as their wings beat higher into the sky. When the cliff and the assassins were no more than specks below, the dragons dropped Queen Aquaria. She plunged through the air. Saritha and the other sea dragons dived, belching flame at the queen’s body.
Her carcass caught, blazing as it plummeted toward the sea. Burning, burning, until it grew into a towering inferno, a plume of gray smoke staining the sky. The dragons dived, flaming her until the queen of the sea dragons was nothing but ash, swept away on the surface of the sea.
Sea Dragons
The moment Izoldia jumped and Saritha and Ithsar dived after her, Misha whipped out her saber and stood back-to-back with Nila facing off Bala and Thut.
“Any trouble, and you’ll feel our blades,” Misha called in a strong voice—a strength she didn’t feel. She willed her arm not to shake.
Nila leaped forward. “We’ll wait for Ithsar. Anyone who chooses not to follow Ithsar may leave now.” Behind Bala and Thut, women’s hands drifted to their hilts.
Bala lunged toward Nila and Misha’s legs, trying to knock them off the edge of the cliff.
Misha leaped high, spinning over Bala’s body, and landed. Nila dived over Bala as she barreled toward her, then rolled to her feet.
Bala stopped, fists grasping crumbling sandstone, her head hanging over the edge of the cliff, eyes on the sea. A filthy curse rang from her lips. “Shrott and camel’s dung! Izoldia’s dead.”
Thut cried out and flung herself forward, gazing down at the churning, bloody sea. Fins cut through the water. The sea roiled with sharks and the long undulating bodies of sea dragons. The beasts dived, pink froth staining the ocean’s surface.
Misha kept her grip on her saber firm. She poked the tip into Bala’s back. “Would you like to return to the oasis, or imprint with a sea dragon and follow Ithsar, or join Izoldia?”
Bala scrambled to her feet, glancing over the cliff, her face pale and hands trembling. “I’m not jumping into the mouth of some horrible monster.”
Nila, pointing her saber at Thut, snapped at Bala, “Those beasts are not horrible. Izoldia was. She killed a sea dragon and caused the shark’s feeding frenzy. She deserved to die.”
“I’m not jumping.” Bala grimaced, baring her teeth, eyes wild like a trapped beast.
Misha repressed a shudder. If it came to a fight, Bala was larger, more vicious, and desperate. “Then go back to the oasis.”
Bala jerked her head toward the camels. “Come on, Thut.”
But Thut stared at her feet, mumbling, “I don’t care if I have to jump. I liked flying on Saritha. I’m staying.”
Bala snarled at her former ally as the assassins parted, hands on hilts, letting Bala through their ranks. She stomped down the dune, sand spurting around her feet, then clambered upon a camel and made her way off into the desert in a cloud of dust.
Misha released a sigh. She and Nila sheathed their sabers.
Roars and moans filled the sky as dragons burst from the sea, carrying the body of an enormous dragon up, past Misha and the others, up, until they were as small as finches. Jets of flame plumed. The dragon’s body dropped, blazing and smoking, through the sky. The dragons dived, too, burning the body until there was nothing but ash, and then dived into the sea.
“Ready to jump?” Nila asked, quirking an eyebrow.
Misha’s heart pounded. She swallowed, gazing down. Waves pelted against the cliff and sharks prowled the ocean. “Ah, sure.”
§
Saritha howled, arching her neck, her grief roaring through Ithsar. Tears streamed from Ithsar’s eyes, dashing across her cheeks, swept away by the rushing air as they plummeted toward the sea. Oh gods, oh gods, by the flaming burning dracha gods, Queen Aquaria was dead. And it was her fault for not imprisoning Izoldia. The pounding waves neared, thundering against the sandstone cliff.
They plunged into the ocean. Suddenly, the thoughts of the sea dragons clamored inside Ithsar’s head. “We mourn Queen Aquaria’s death.”
“Princess Saritha, you are now our queen.”
“We claim you as Queen.”
“Hail Saritha, the new queen.”
They dived down through the archway, past the undulating fronds that brushed against Ithsar’s thighs and arms, and through the inky-dark tunnel in the rock, lit only by the fish with vicious jaws and lights hanging from their heads. On they swam, through the darkness, the pinpoints of light illuminating the fishes’ jagged fangs. They shot out into the sunlit spot where Ithsar had first met Queen Aquaria, weeks before.
Saritha howled, the sound reverberating through the water in waves that washed over Ithsar’s body. Beneath her, the new queen’s body thrummed as she howled again and again.
Saritha alighted upon the coral throne that had belonged to her mother, her talons scraping. “It is true. I am now your new queen, a responsibility I was not anticipating this soon. I will endeavor to serve you with an open heart and a steadfast spirit to the end of my days.”
A rush of sweetness washed over Ithsar as the sea dragons bowed their heads to the sandy ocean floor.
“You need never bow to me,” Saritha said. “You are my equals and my friends. Long, we’ve swum these seas together, vanquishing foes, facing pirates, and restoring justice in the briny deep. My mother enjoyed the traditions of old; however, I shall usher in a new reign with this rider upon my back. Together we’ll make decisions to protect the fate of Dragons’ Realm. You saw Queen Aquaria’s vision. Let us all find new riders, so we can help our dragon cousins in the far north.”
“These strangers have brought calamity upon us,” a fierce voice growled. An older dragon at the back of the crowd charged through the water and backwinged to hover in front of Saritha. “These strangers killed Queen Aquaria, one of my dearest friends.” She flicked her tail at Ithsar. “Dismount, and leave us in peace. We want no part of your visions, nothing to do with you terrible orange-robed women.” She bared her fangs in a snarl.
Saritha hissed. “You have lost your friend, but I have lost my mother. I choose not to judge everyone by the actions of one. There is greater evil afoot in Dragons’ Realm, and we must aid our cousins and their riders. Will you fight with us against Commander Zens and his shadow dragons?”
The elderly mare bowed her scaly evergreen head. “As you wish, Queen Saritha; however, I do not like it.”
“Then you do not have to come with us.”
“You’re not commanding me? What sort of queen are you?” The dragon’s eyes slitted.
“A queen who will let everybody have their say. I trust you. You are my family. Those who wish to stay behind may do so, but let me warn you, Queen Aquaria saw these visions. My rider Ithsar has seen them too, and shared them with me. If we do not vanquish Commander Zens, whose armies and shadow dragons are terrorizing the lands, there will be nothing left but a wasteland.”
“Wasteland,” a young voice called. “That’s what the northerners call the Robandi Desert.”
Saritha’s gaze turned to a young turquoise dragon near the front of the crowd, his talons raking the sand.
“It’ll be much worse.” Ithsar opened her mind and shared her vision with all of the assembled sea dragons.
The entire landscape was barren of vegetation, the mountains bare, the forests charred blackened stumps. The swamplands issued foul stenches. What were once beautiful crystalline lakes had turned to sludge. Strangletons choked the rivers. And there were no people. No dragons. And the bodies of hundreds of sea dragons, dead fish, and carcasses of sharks littered the ocean.
Mighty roars rippled through the water from dragons, young and old. “Save the realm.”
“We must stop this!”
“Fight to defeat these shadow dragons and tharuks.”
“Then I suggest we rise and meet your new riders,” Saritha said. “These orange-robed women know how to fight. With them upon our backs, we can be a fierce force in preventing this destruction. Ezaara, rider of Queen Zaarusha, needs us. Will you come to her aid?”
The dragons roared, ripples radiating through the current and surging through Ithsar’s body. Saritha leaped from the rock throne and swept her wings and legs, powering them up toward the sunlight.
§
Roars funneled up from the ocean. Misha and Nila peered over the cliff as a teeming, seething horde of dragons broke from the sea, rushing up at them. The sea monsters were all shades of blue and green—lapis, sapphire, emerald, jade, turquoise, and moss. Their bellows filled the sky, their wings spraying droplets, glimmering in the sun.
A massive turquoise dragon rose above the cliff, its golden eyes fastened on hers. Misha gasped, clutching her chest. She’d never seen anything as beautiful. The sea dragon landed, thrashing the sand with its tail, eyes still fixed to hers. The rushing of a thousand seas filled her ears and she gasped again, her breath stolen as exhilaration swept through her. Warmth surged through her veins, flooding her limbs with energy. Before she realized what she was doing, she was on her knees in front of the glorious sea dragon.
It lowered its head, not breaking their gaze. A gravelly voice crooned in her mind, “You were born to be my rider, Misha. I shall now be known as Ramisha in your honor.”
Misha’s fingers twitched. She was dying to touch those wondrous scales—deep turquoise, shimmering with silver in the sun. “May I?”
“You may indeed.” A rumble filled Misha’s mind, like a cat’s purr, but louder. Warmer.
She ran her fingers along the scales on the sea dragon’s snout. So warm, soft, and supple. She’d thought they’d be hard, like armor. Happiness blossomed inside her.
Ramisha nudged her shoulder. “Climb on my back. I know you’re dying to fly.”
“I’ve always wanted to fly, to be a bird, be free.”
“Believe me, this is better than being a bird. There’s a whole underwater world awaiting you. Hop on.” Ramisha crooked a foreleg and held it out for Misha.
She climbed onto the dragon’s leg, clambered up his shoulder, and sat between two spinal ridges. Misha ran her hand over Ramisha’s sleek scales, then grasped the spinal ridge in front of her. Energy rushed through Misha as her dragon unfurled his wings, spraying cool droplets onto her warm skin.
Ramisha tensed his haunches and sprang. They shot up, out over the sea, and swept down over the lapis waters, Ramisha’s shadow chasing a school of silver fish. Through the clear waters far below them, dark shapes of enormous sea creatures roamed the depths, and pretty-colored coral sped by.
A happy sigh broke from her. Misha rested her cheek against the dragon’s spinal ridge, hugging it tight. “You know, I lost my family when I was young. But now I have you, I have a home again.”
Ramisha rumbled and chuckled in her mind. “I know, so do I. We belong together.” He turned and huffed warm breath over her, then flitted over the ocean’s surface, flying back, the air above wheeling with dragons and the excited cries of their new riders above the pearly waves breaking at the foot of the sandstone cliffs.
§
Thut stared at the turquoise dragon that landed in front of her, sending up puffs of sand with its mighty taloned feet. She licked her lips. Although she wanted to approach, her legs were wooden, stuck like tent pegs in the sand.
The creature stalked toward her, its scales shimmering silver and blue, like a raging ocean. The dragon flared its nostrils, scenting her.
Thut’s heart hammered against her ribs. Camel’s dung! Could the dracha hear her fear? Smell it? She licked her lips again, then stretched out a shaking hand.
The dragon’s wild gold eyes narrowed. It slid its snout under her outstretched fingers. “Do not fear, Thut. You shall be my rider.”
Wild energy coursed through Thut’s veins, like a lightning storm, making her skin crackle and her hair prickle. She wanted to burst out of her skin, but she held steady, regarding the fine sea dragon. “You’re my sea dragon?” Only the lure of riding one of these fine creatures had swayed her to follow Ithsar here today. In fact, Bala had nearly convinced her to flee the oasis instead.
“So you don’t like your leader?” the dragon snarled, a rumble building in its throat.
She’d displeased the beast already, but it had read her thoughts, so there was no point in lying. “Not really. She’s new and she’s… um…”
Before Thut could explain exactly why she hated Ithsar, the dragon replied, “That’s good, because I don’t like my new leader either.” The beast tossed her head. “I shall be known as Lethutle in your honor. Together, we shall have dangerous adventures, and be rid of this new lily-livered queen and her scrawny rider.”
Thut found herself drawn to the dark menace in the dragon’s words. “When?” she spluttered breathlessly, forgetting to mind-meld.
“As soon as you climb upon my back.”
Thut clambered onto Lethutle’s back. The dragon tensed her haunches and sprang into the sky among the cavorting sea dragons and riders. The assassins laughed and called out to each other as their dragons dived playfully.
But no one called to Thut.
Savage pride surged in her breast. She hadn’t found a playful frolicking beast. Hers was strong and courageous. Willing to break rules. She’d imprinted with the best sea dragon of all.
§
Ithsar and Saritha swept over the assembled assassins. Sea dragons landed and women imprinted, clambering upon their backs and flying out over the ocean or up over the desert. Dragons wheeled in the sky, their scales glinting jade, emerald, turquoise, and lapis, as women imprinted with cries of joy that echoed out across the desert. Something tight unfurled inside Ithsar, and joy blossomed in her heart, expanding until she felt as if she’d explode.
“I don’t understand,” Ithsar said. “Queen Aquaria said the women would have to jump to prove themselves.”
“Ah, but I am queen now, and I know that they have trained hard, proving themselves already.” Her dragon turned a reproachful eye on her. “Besides, someone forgot to mention that fact until we got here, and that seemed a little unfair.”
“Thank you.” Ithsar swallowed, staring out over the desert. Far in the distance, a camel was heading back across the tangerine sand.
Saritha mind-melded, “That’s Bala.”
“I’d be surprised if she’s at the oasis when we return.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Saritha said. “We have more important things to deal with. We must save Dragons’ Realm.” Saritha landed near the camels, who danced back on the sand, gazing at her, their thick double rows of lashes blinking against the gust of sand from her feet.
Ithsar clambered down and unclasped the camels’ saddlebags, dropping them to the sand. When their backs were bare, she slapped the camels’ haunches and sent them traipsing off after Bala toward the oasis.
Saritha spied the departing camels. “Not even a little flame?”
“Not even a little flame. You’ll terrify them.”
“I’m surprised those beasts can feel terror. Or find their way home. Don’t those silly creatures get lost in those vast sands?”
“They’ve made this trip many times—they know the way. Besides, do you get lost in the sea?”
“Good point, although I do have s
uperior intelligence.” Saritha chuckled. “It won’t matter if I give them a hurry up, then.” Before Ithsar could protest, she opened her maw and roared.
Ithsar couldn’t help but laugh as the camels took off at a rapid pace, their hooves kicking up a sandstorm as they raced across the desert after Bala. She attached extension straps to the saddlebags. Crafted by the assassins over the past moon, they would allow the bags to fit around the sea dragons’ large bellies. “In time, we’ll make proper saddlebags to fit you all, but for now these will have to do.”
Saritha snorted. “I suppose we can deign to wear the garb of camels, although the bags are rather small.”
Ithsar playfully slapped her dragon’s scaly thigh. “There’s nothing wrong with small things.” She drew herself up to her full height, which made Saritha chuckle. “Now, please call your friends over so we can fit them.” As she clambered under Saritha’s belly to cinch the strap, she asked, “Are you sure you can keep our supplies dry?”
“I told you, we’ll be fine: our sathir bubbles can expand to encompass the supplies, you’ll see.”
Sea dragons landed, their new riders’ faces flushed with exhilaration and joy. The assassins busied themselves, fastening their improvised saddlebags upon the dragons’ backs.
Eyes bright with anticipation, Misha asked, “Are we flying to Naobia? Wow, I’ve never been there, but I’ve heard the markets are stunning.”
“We’ll fly some of the way,” Ithsar answered, tugging her robes shut.
“If we’re not flying the whole way, how will we get there?”
“We’ll be swimming.” Murmurs rippled through the crowd of assassins. Ithsar climbed onto her dragon. “Follow me and Saritha.”
Saritha leaped into the sky and dived down the sandstone cliff into the Naobian Sea. For a moment, Ithsar held her breath as they plunged into the water. The sathir bubble encompassed her, the saddlebags and Thika. This time, she didn’t even get her boots wet.
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