Based on those ancient tomes, the higantorus resembled a dragon, if an aquatic one.It possessed a long snout, nubby horns, and hand-high teeth.Instead of wings it had fins, and its thick, sweeping tail occasionally flipped out of the water as if it were another fin.Instead of legs I imagined it also had fins below its body, but I hoped never to be in a position to confirm or deny that assumption.
The higantorus whose back we rode was the bright pinkish red of raw flesh.Wet, it glistened in the sunlight.
Cosette sat close enough to annoy, far enough away that I couldn’t swat at her.She laughed at me, not for the first time.
“They really are harmless.”
Also not for the first time, I didn’t fucking believe her.I groaned.“Why won’t you go away and stop bothering me?”
The back of thesea-fucking-dragonwas massive enough to fit hundreds of thousands of her—someplace far from me.
“I’m here to keep watch over you.So no.”
From behind her, Marina rolled her eyes.Since she had no whites to her eyes, her roll was subtle.It was in the way the light reflected off them as they circled.
“You’re here,” I said, “’cause you want to be.The … emperor”—the word still stuck in my craw—“didn’t order you to come.You’re here ’cause you’re an annoying busybody who justwon’t leave me alone.”
The parvnit’s face hardened, like a tiny rock shaped by crevices.“I am not a ‘busybody.’I am a soldier of the?—”
“By the Ethers, I know.I know.After six days on this monster with you, I get it.I promise you, I do.”
She scowled while I glared back, and finally glanced away.
“Look.”She pointed beyond the sea-dragon’s back to the water.“There’s another star of shadowrays.”Then she smiled.
After six long days in the company of the parvnit, I’d learned she mostly smiled at my discomfort.
Shadowrays were approximately the size of a person, which made it equal parts astonishing and terrifying that they could swallow a fae whole.They also swam in packs, orstars.
Instead of separate fins as the higantorus had, their bodies were shaped like a kite, but with a belly.They glided through the water, occasionally leaping out of it for no greater purpose I could discern than to provide Cosette with more material to torment me.
Already, I was considering never swimming in the sea again, even though the ocean beyond the palace cliffside was where Teo and I had once found refuge from Rafaela’s sternness, and the perfection she demanded of us.
Marina lowered herself to sit beside me, crossing her legs a bit stiffly but still nimbly enough.“Shadowrays can’t leap onto a higantorus’ back.It’s much too tall.Besides, they wouldn’t dare provoke the higantorus.We’re safe here.”
I glared accusation at Cosette.“I thought the higantorus wouldn’t harm a dragonfly?”
Marina shrugged.“They’re gentle.But they’ll defend themselves if attacked.”
“Great.That’s really great,” I muttered.
Cosette chuckled, renewing my urge to end her.
I cleared my throat, determined to better hide my discomfort at all that had changed since I’d been gone, even if Cosette would soon be dead and unable to recount any of my reactions.
“So, Cosette … how many people have you told that I’m alive?”
I’d been working up to the question, waiting for her to soften to me, or perhaps to drop her guard.Maybe even to become friendly, or friendly-ish at least.If anything, she’d grown pricklier.She wouldn’t recognize rapport if it tapped her on the back and tried to introduce itself.Same for subtlety.
She narrowed those tiny eyes at me.Or maybe she was squinting against the glare off the waves.The result was the same.
“Why?You trying to figure out if anyone will connect me to you if you kill me?”
Marina fidgeted, noticed, then stilled.
Itsked.“As you’ve told us one million times, you’re an officer of the empire, blah, blah, blah.So no.I especially wouldn’t do anything to harm you.I’m just making conversation.”
She snorted a squeak.“Yeah.’Cause you ‘make conversation.’”
