“Then you don’t deserve another. You should learn to be more careful with such powerful items,” the mermaid admonished, tossing a thick strand of braided hair over her umber shoulder.
Dominic rubbed his chin. “Or I could cut off your tail and watch you helplessly try to swim back to your kingdom in time to warn them, but ultimately fail to get there before I destroy everything you have in your little underwater paradise. How does that sound?” There was no need for him to draw a weapon or use magic to scare her. His words were enough. She would listen to him, eventually. The mermaids just liked to vex him before giving in.
The Andreilians and the mermaids had a truce not to harm one another. They only interacted for trade. The mermaids would get them what they needed from the sea, and the Andreilians would bring them things from land.
The mermaid sighed, pulling at a lock of seaweed intertwined with her cerulean hair dotted with tiny seashells. “Always resorting to violence, aren’t you?”
“It always gets me what I want.”
“I suppose. Wait here, I’ll be back soon.” She turned and dove back into the water, not bothering to try to avoid splashing him as her tail swished.
He rolled out of the way of the splash, then sat back in the sand, waiting for her return.
“A portal orb,” Adara finally spoke. “For the Realm Fracturer.”
Dominic nodded. “The Realm Fracturer can tear through space and time. A portal orb transports you wherever you want to go, so long as you’ve been there before. The orb will help to transport you wherever in space or time.”
“You know a lot about this,” she pondered aloud, “for a magical weapon that may not even be real.”
“And you know so little for someone who is supposed to be helping me forge it,” he spat.
“I can always take my ‘so little’ knowledge of where to find a dragon scale and shadow steel and be on my way.” The corners of her lips lifted in a victorious smirk, fingers drumming on her crossed arms as they waited for the mermaid to return. “Enlighten me then, King of Keys, with your wisdom of this sacred sword.” Sarcasm laced her tone.
She was lucky he needed her alive, or else he’d have drowned her in the shallows of the sea by now, perhaps letting the mermaid have at her. He sighed, suppressing every urge in him that screamed to kill her and be done with her snarky attitude. “The Whisperer can see one’s past, present, and future. Its eye will be used to see your destination in time. Shadow steel is rumored to be able to cut through anything. It’s needed to tear through the fabric of the universe. A dragon scale is a piece of a mighty beast, harnessing its power to amplify the abilities of all the relics combined to complete such an impossible task. And the ashes from the Ruins are a sacrifice, for magic does not come without a price.” He tried not to think about the last part.
There was a ripple in the ocean and a flash of white aimed at his head. Dominic’s hand flew up to catch the portal orb before it smacked him in the face. Another came flying at him a second later, which he also caught.
“A spare to keep you away,” the mermaid said before her tail disappeared beneath the waves.
Dominic leaped back before the splash could soak his clothes.
He grasped the pearl-like item between his thumb and index finger, holding one up for Adara to see. “One down,” he said, insides stirring with excitement, magic thrumming in his veins. “Four more to go.”
Adara gave him a soft smile, this one without sarcasm or malice. Her content quickly faded as he pocketed both orbs. She clearly read the distrust between them.
Shouts came from a distance, and both their heads turned in the direction of the ruckus. “Come on,” Dominic said, starting toward the pirate ship that rocked gently on the undulating sea.
White sails unfurled, filling with wind as the Andreilians readied the ship. “Let’s go!” someone called from the ship, voice hardly audible from the distance out at sea. The head of blond curls peaking over the starboard railing told him it was Caleb.
“Do you expect me to swim out there?” Adara asked, scowling at the water lapping at her feet, then lifting her gaze to the ship.
“Is the Searling afraid of a little water?” Dominic chuckled. With a sweep of his hand, a small stream shot from the ocean, droplets spraying her face.
“Flamecarrier,” she reprimanded with a sharp glower, wiping the mist from her face with her sleeve. “I apologize for not being so foolish as to swim with the monsters in the Plagued Sea.”
“Foolish enough to bargain with one though,” Dominic replied. Before Adara could protest, he swept her off her feet and leaped into the air, harnessing the wind with his powers. She let out a suppressed noise of shock. Her arms locked around his neck as they flew over the waves, wind pulling strands of hair from her braid.
The moment Dominic’s feet hit the deck, Adara threw herself out of his arms, muttering something to herself in a language he didn’t understand.
Ace sidled up to Dominic, both of them heading to the helm. “All set?” Dominic asked his second.
Ace nodded solemnly. “Waiting for your orders.”
Anticipation skittered across Dominic’s skin, rattled his bones, rushed his blood. A gust of wind beckoned the sails, his own magic mirroring it. “Hoist the anchor!” Dominic’s order rang out over the ship.
“Aye, Aye, Captain!” Zephyr chirped in response and scurried over to where Tyson and Desmond began hefting the anchorwith the windlass. Zephyr, too young and not nearly strong enough for such a demanding task, stood by, cheering them on.
“Where to?” Ace asked as Dominic took hold of the spokes on the wheel.
