Page 38 of Sea and Sky
The pair stared at the ocean lapping at the beach. Neither one spoke. Kyler didn’t know what to talk about anyway, and Ailey seemed to keep her foul mood. The sun slowly descended, and he wondered when they’d start again. Finally, Damon huffed and nudged Gavin awake.
The prince ruffled his scales to resettle them before he stretched, much like a cat.
“Now we do have to climb. Don’t think too hard about how high you are.”
Kyler took the advice to heart, but when he slipped half way up Gavin’s massive forearm he looked. Kyler scrambled the rest of the way and settled into the saddle as fast as possible.
Gavin started at a run, and after a hop, they were in the air again. More than likely that was their only rest point and the quad would have to make do until they arrived at the ship that night.
The dragons flew so low their wingtips sprayed water into the air, leaving rainbows in their wake. They wove around each other. The act seemed coordinated, like it was something they’d done before. Slowly, they rose higher, leaving the coolness of the sea.
Kyler ached, needing to shift soon. He hadn’t thought the whole thing through. How could he function if he couldn’t shift as often as he needed? Perhaps he shouldn’t be so stubborn. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad if others knew he was mer, but first he wanted to see if the crew was trustworthy.
Chapter 17
Gavinwasreadytobe on the ship. He was sure Kyler had no idea how often he sent out tendrils of his haze, but Gavin fought the seduction all day. He had to keep thinking of nonsexual things to keep himself from flying with an erection. Kyler would move just slightly and Gavin could feel his weight shift and want to soothe the man. There was no way Kyler was comfortable riding this long with no experience.
Ailey whooped beside them and waved her arms. That was when Gavin saw the white sails ahead. Thank fuck for that. Damon must have thought the same thing because he picked up speed. The ship only had one landing platform with it. That was all Gavin had requested, but that meant they could only shift one at a time. They couldn’t risk drop shifting over the ship, their riders could get hurt.
Kyler hummed above him, rubbing the scales he could reach, which weren’t many. The action was endearing and so damn funny that the little mer was the one comforting him right now. Gavin had wanted to talk with Kyler the whole trip, but Kyler had told him how Captain Vex had used telepathy against him and Gavin couldn’t bring himself to even ask to talk that way. If Damon hadn’t been with them, Gavin would have been lonely.
“Just a bit longer, Gavin,” Kyler said. “Are you doing okay?”
Gavin was fine, and he rumbled his reply as he nodded his head, hoping Kyler understood.
“I suppose with all your traveling, you’re used to flying?”
Gavin was, but after an incident a few years back pushing himself for three days straight, he didn’t trust himself to fly for longer than a day. Two at most. Another rumbly nod.
“You’re a beautiful dragon.”
Gavin snorted. He knew. Well, he’d been told, but the only time he’d ever seen himself as a dragon was in the reflection of the sea and it was damn hard to get a look of himself at that angle.
Gavin told Damon telepathically to go first. That way, Ailey wouldn’t have anything to complain about once they were all together for their talk.
Damon took the lead. The landing platform was long and wide, big enough for even the biggest of dragons like Damon. It was about half a league away from the ship. A nautical mage stood on each of the four corners, using magic to keep the platform stabilized as Damon delicately landed. Every ship, including pirates, had at least one nautical mage to navigate treacherous seas. Gavin had been interested in nautical magic, but healing drew him in more with its practicality.
Dazzling, sparkling light of magic snaked around the platform, making sure it didn’t sink under Damon’s weight.
“Captain Vex is the only mage on The Golden Drake. I don’t think he wants anyone to be able to challenge him, but there have been a few close calls.” Kyler shivered. “He capsized the ship before The Golden Drake because he miscalculated and sent the platform right into the ship. It killed some of the crew. I got caught under a mast and would have drowned if I weren’t mer.”
Gavin’s scales rattled like bones when he shook. His teeth ground, giving him a headache. Gavin was determined to have Kyler free. No one should have to suffer like he had. Kyler must have read his mood change because he rubbed Gavin’s scales again.
“It’s fine. I’m fine.”
But has Kyler everlived?
Ailey slid off Damon’s back and the mages got her into a rowboat as Damon shifted to his human and dressed.
Once they had Damon in the rowboat too, the mages signaled for Gavin.
Landing on a platform was tricky and not something he had a lot of practice in. He was used to a much larger plot. He took a deep breath and adjusted his wings, making micro changes as he dropped slowly. Luckily, the waves weren’t too bad that day and the mages didn’t have to work too hard to stabilize the platform. Once he was on all fours, he let his breath out.
“Don’t dawdle, boy, come on down,” one of the mages hollered up at Kyler.
Gavin had to fight back a growl. Don’t talk to him like that.
But Kyler obliged, unbelting from the saddle and sliding down Gavin’s arm with a giggle. Kyler whipped around and hugged one of Gavin’s big claws.
