Chapter Thirteen
The reason Jucai needed two hours to prepare for the journey was sex. Sex with me. For nearly an hour. After our third round, I had to remind him that we needed to leave. He dressed reluctantly, but only put on a robe. Since I wouldn't be shifting, Jucai gave me a tank top and a pair of pants made of thick, stretchy fabric that would provide ease of movement and warmth. Mainly, I liked the outfit because of the way Jucai looked at me after I'd gotten it on.
His Majesty's trunks were waiting for us in the courtyard, atop the first in a line of carriages. I hadn't bothered to pack. Most of my things were in my room in the Royal Palace of Zaru. Six Sea Dragons climbed into two carriages behind ours while my four Dragon guards took the last carriage. In the lead, the King and I rode through the city of Kansu to the city entrance.
A crowd gathered to watch the Sea Dragons transform, one by one, into their beast forms and slip harnesses over their shoulders. The carriage drivers put the trunks into the netting attached to the shoulder harnesses. Each sea dragon carried at least one trunk, with a few carrying two. Only three belonged to the King, so the rest had to be his guards' belongings. After the sea dragons secured their luggage, four of them crouched so my guards could climb atop their backs. With my guards settled, they left through the dome’s entry point.
Once they were through, the Sea King slipped out of his robe, handed it to a slave, and transformed into a magnificent sea dragon. Sleeker than a land dragon but longer, the King's body shimmered in tones of green and blue with fins that went from pale blue to deep purple. Indigo whiskers trailed over his snout, and cream-colored claws clicked on the stone.
The King crouched. “Let us be off.”
Swallowing my awe, I climbed up his arm and onto his back. The King stood up and strode through the ward while I prepared myself for a tricky bit of magic. I summoned my Water Magic, holding it at the ready as we passed through the ward. It came at my call. Or rather, left at my call. My magic pushed the water away from me, creating a thin barrier over my entire body as we went through the ward. It thinned where I touched Jucai, but held firm. The magical barrier pulled air out of the water while simultaneously releasing carbon monoxide.
The lights of Kansu faded fast as we sped through the water, the King's fins and whiskers undulating around me. I clung to Jucai's neck and laid my head upon it to create a sleeker shape. This was why he wanted me to ride him. Even with Water Magic propelling me, I could never match his speed. It would cut our travel time in half.
Darkness closed in as we headed up at an angle. We had no lights to pierce the dark, nor did we need them. The Sea Dragons had even better eyesight than we Land Dragons and knew their kingdom well. I'm sure they had other ways to navigate beyond sight.
Light seeped down to us, brightening the water. Fish darted out of our way, and the sea dragons never slowed. I raised my head to peer at coral teeming with life, bright heads dartingout of crevices. The seabed rose, and the water brightened until we entered the bay of Erimbar.
The city curved around the bay, with high walls coming inward to meet the bay's inlet. The only ways into Erimbar were through the bay or the main entrance at the other end of the massive city.
I released my magic as we left the water, and Jucai used his to divest himself of water. People shouted and pointed as the sea dragons crawled up the beach. I waved to ease their anxiety. A seawall stood directly before us with several long docks extending out to the bay on our right. And beyond that wall rose the ancient city of Erimbar.
The sea dragons slipped free of their burdens, crouched to let their passengers down, shifted back to their man forms, and got dressed. The crowd gaped at the gorgeous men, but people in Erimbar were familiar with Dragons. They knew nudity was part of shapeshifting, and their propriety soon returned. Averting their eyes, they moved away to give the men privacy.
Breathing deeply, I sighed. I had missed the warmth of my home and the open sky above me. It was a relief to know I could stretch my wings and fly. The land had a life to it that the ocean could only mimic, but there was beauty below the water too. To my surprise, I realized I would miss it once my mission ended. I glanced at Jucai, who was putting his crown on.
Was it Ilshi or its king whom I'd miss?
Being a coastal city, Erimbar was more humid than the deserts further inland that formed most of central Zaru. But in Kansu, where the dome drew air out of the water, every breathwas refreshing with the perfect amount of humidity. And no fishy smell.
“Ho, there! Announce yourselves!” A group of Talons appeared on the seawall above us.
My guard drew closer to me and glared at the Talons.
But I called up to them in a friendly tone, “I am Lord Nadar of Zaru with my Dragon guards, also of Zaru. We are escorting His Majesty, King Jucai of Ilshi, to see our king.”
“Forgive us, Lord Nadar. We didn't recognize you.” A Brujai man bowed to Jucai, his crown making things easier. “Welcome to Erimbar, Your Majesty.”
Jucai inclined his head and raised an eyebrow at me.
“We need four carriages,” I shouted at the guards.
“Yes, sir!” Several ran off.
“Shall we?” Jucai asked.
“Yes, this way, Your Majesty.” I motioned toward the stone steps that led up to the wharf.
“It has started already,” he muttered.
I frowned at him until I realized he was referring to my use of his title. His irritation turned my frown into a grin. I led our group to the steps and onto the wide wharf where ships unloaded their cargo.
“Be cautious,” Jucai said to his guards. “Their ways differ from ours. Do not leap into anger. Question if you are unsure. What you may find offensive, they do not, and the opposite.”
“Yes, sire,” they said.
The guards, including mine, had paired off to carry the trunks between them. With their strength, the Sea Dragons could have easily carried all the trunks, but my guards shared the burden out of courtesy. They brought them across the wharf to the sidewalk and set them down. Just then, four hired carriages pulled up, and the drivers jumped down to help the Sea Dragons stow their trunks up top.
