I looked back at King Vaxarion and growled, “Hand it over or I shall burn that ship with your mate aboard.”
“You dare to threaten my mate?!” King Vaxarion roared. “You are the lowest of scum! And now I am certain you are unfit to wield the Eye.”
The Sea King's knights added their roars to his. The dragons behind me roared back.
On the ship below, Neraky pirates scurried about, one of them shouting to the others. They knew what we did—that a battle was about to erupt. And being anywhere near a battle between dragons was never a good idea.
The sea dragons gathered their Water Magic. My dragons and I sucked in our breaths. Fire would soon meet Water. They would cancel each other out, probably creating steam, but it was just the beginning—a sort of battle cry. The fighting would have to be done claw to tooth. It would be good practice for my new warriors. And maybe I'd try out my Water Magic against those who were experts in it, just to see how I ranked.
Then that Neraky shouted, “I have the Eye!”
Every dragon in the sky looked at him. I already knew he held the Eye, but why would he announce it? There could only be one reason—he intended to barter it for their safety. I began to grin.
But then the Neraky held the Eye aloft and said, “And you will never have it!” The motherfucker dove into the water.
Many things happened at once. The sea churned and gushed around the ship, sending it shooting off, away from us. I couldn't have cared less about that. The Eye wasn't on that ship anymore. My target was underwater, and the sea dragons dove in after him. My dragons roared and blew fire after the fleeing sea dragons.
Little did the sea dragons know that I had honed my Water Magic and taught my new warriors how to use theirs as well. I went after the Eye, using Water Magic in an opposing way. Instead of summoning water, I moved it aside, forming a tunnel of air in the ocean. My dragons didn't hesitate. They dove in after me, some soaring behind me through my tunnel while others made their own.
I saw the Sea King swimming ahead, his mate cradled against his chest in one giant talon.
I'm so close!the Eye screeched.Right there!
I know!I roared back.I won't let them take you from me again!
But then, as if my words were a curse, a powerful current slammed into me, sending me reeling back into the sky. I roared as I hit other dragons, getting bashed about as the sea churned beneath us. The Sea Dragons may only have Water Magic, but they had just proved that theirs was more powerful than mine, and this was their territory.
Lyrandir!the Eye called.
You must stay aware!I shouted back at her.Focus on the trail!
I cannot. The water. There's too much. . . and then she was gone—gone completely, our connection broken.
“Fuck!” I roared.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
My mind cleared without all that babbling in it. On the way back to Renris, I came up with a plan. I knew where King Vaxarion would be. He and his mate. There was only one place for the King of Morilren to go—the crown city of Shasenai.
If I went down there with an army of Dragons, I'd never get past their wards. But if I sent non-Dragons in secretly, maybe they could get to the Sea King's mate. And if I held King Vaxarion's mate, he would give me anything to get him back. It looked as if the Eye's predictions were right; Aras would be needed after all. I didn't like it, but at least it meant our suffering wasn't for nothing.
My mate was waiting on the keep steps when I landed in the courtyard. I transformed back to my man's body and took the trousers a servant handed me. But I didn't put them on, just rushed up the steps to Aras, holding the pants before me.
“I need you to take your ship to the center of the Morilren and send some men into Shasenai to capture that fucking Neraky,” I snarled.
“What?” Aras scowled. “You didn't get the Eye?”
“No, I didn't get the Eye. That same pirate took it before I could and dove into the sea. But he's mated to King Vaxarion, and there's only one place that a Sea King would take his mate.”
“The crown city,” Aras said, his stare shifting to the side in thought.
“Yes. Get me that pirate, and King Vaxarion will give me the Eye.”
Aras sighed and looked over to the left where a few of his men waited. “That's going to be dangerous.”
“What will be dangerous is if you don't get me that jewel, Captain,” I snapped, guilt threatening to choke me. But I had to do this because he had to do this. “Go! Now!” I pointed at the gate.
Aras lifted his chin and stared at me.
