Chapter 34

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

J axxon and his men canvassed the ship, noting the number of crew and any visible weapons. Seafangs had them escorted the entire time—they were never left alone. He expected nothing less.

“If any of your men disappear in their eerie shadows to try to hijack my ship or pull a stunt, I’ll turn the Sea Hussy back to the Port of Genihe,” warned Seafangs as his men set up breakfast on the main deck.

“We just want to cross the Sea of Cadence,” said Jaxxon, marveling at the sophisticated radar and instrument panels on the captain’s deck. He saw they were heading in the right direction. He knew the Sea of Cadence well, having flown over it many times with his men on raiding parties. And he’d fished in the waters, though he’d never admit it.

Seafangs took his operations seriously, reviewing charts and talking to his helmsmen. Jaxxon noted it took four heavy-muscled mer using their elemental power over water to rotate and drive the ship across the Sea of Cadence. Though the Mermaiden gave permission to cross, he knew she kept the seas rocky to deter people from believing they could cross without the mer magic needed to manipulate the waterways.

“Where’s your brother?” asked Zade as he joined them. “Isn’t he your co-captain? Or did you fire him for partying after the Mermaiden’s nightly curfews?” Zade laughed, but Seafangs glared.

“He’s tied up,” Seafangs bit out before returning to work, telling his men to get Zade and Jaxxon anything they wanted. And just like that, he dismissed them from the captain’s deck.

As punctual as he was rumored to be, Seafangs had their breakfast set up on the hour. A lavish spread was presented and served on the main deck. It was a welcome reprieve for the women to get upstairs into the fresh air. Several had become sick in the lower hull, throwing up until they finally got used to the rocky seas. They all knew their seasickness could return at any moment if the waters worsened though.

Seated at long tables, Jaxxon and his group enjoyed the breakfast. He was thankful Seafangs respected their privacy, opting to have the mer sitting a few tables away, though he left one hanging nearby ‘just in case they needed refills.’

Jaxxon’s group ate quickly, devouring the food. It didn’t take long to take advantage of the mer leaning on the railing nearby, sending him for seconds and then thirds. Even the women had a second round of servings. Lori asked permission to compliment the chef. Not seeing any problem with it, Zade took Lori to the galley below.

The fresh air was just what everyone needed. The water was beautiful, and everything seemed to go as planned. Though they didn’t trust Seafangs, he wasn’t known to go back on his word and had a good reputation for getting customers to their destination.

Zade was friends with Seafangs’s younger brother. The two were known to party together occasionally when Zade was in the port city, where he was frequenting more and more.

“Is that... lights under the water?” asked Tiara, rising quickly from her seat and looking over the railing. She pointed out over the water.

“Yes, it’s a luminescent pathway to the Mermaiden’s kingdom,” said Jaxxon. “Shadow masters are the only people besides mer who can detect the highways. The mer were once under our rule.”

He smiled. “In fact, it was the Light Queens who maintained order over the land and water while the Shadow Kings ventured to far-off worlds to trade.”

Jaxxon told them about Nyenmar City, the marvelous kingdom below the Solarin Ocean West. The highways were made of sea rocks, and buildings were made of coral. Some of Nyenmar City used to be above water, where mer sunbathed, shopped, and enjoyed a pleasant life.

“Can we go there?” asked Tiara, as the other women began asking more questions as they looked over the railing at the mesmerizing highways. He saw the hope in their eyes. “We could build a new alliance with the mer. I’m sure we must have something they need in return,” said Tiara, her smile bright and eyes shiny.

“The mer destroyed the city portions that once rose above the waters when the Vralgari attacked Crelentia. They didn’t want the Vralgari to have another rich feeding ground. They were happy to let them feast on our people instead!” Jaxxon got up and walked to the railing, gripping it tight as he looked over it, calming his anger.

The mer were strategic. They didn’t want the Vralgari to have anywhere to land within their waters in order to feed on them. It was why the Mermaiden and the other Mer Queens who ruled the oceans had curfews on mer at night. They called them all back to the safety of Nyenmar City and similar mer kingdoms below.

The Mer kingdoms were once under the jurisdiction of the Light Queens of the South and North. The Light Queens had dominion over all species on Crelentia, while their husbands had dominion over the skies and beyond. Yet now, relegated to warlord, Jaxxon’s dominion was little more than the men he commanded and anywhere they rested their heads.

“Seafangs dresses well,” noted Maya. “This ship...this food...it all shows he’s rich!” Tiara nodded, her eyes captivated by the allure of wealth, and Jaxxon knew he had none to offer .

His nostrils flared that these beautiful Crelentian females were wooed by a sea shark’s wealth. He saw Zade bristle and knew he felt the same.

“We need to create an alliance with the mer. They’re living damn better than we are. I agree with Tiara. We could help each other,” said Maya, but he didn’t respond.

Jaxxon had to admit he was surprised at the grandeur of the ship. Seafangs and his crew certainly lived better than the other mer were living.

Seafangs was an excellent host, personally attending to their needs throughout the day and giving them privacy when requested. Soon, Jaxxon and his men relaxed, enjoying the ale and concoctions they were served. Tiara and her friends enjoyed the drinks and the freedom Jaxxon gave them to enjoy the fun had by the mer.

Soon, Tiara was gambling near the railing with a group of mer. The mer swore as they handed over their cash, but judging by the ripples in their tiger stripes, they believed she was cheating. Quickly bailing her out, Jaxxon grabbed her by the elbow, whisking her away as the mer shouted they wanted a chance to win back their money.

Jaxxon warned her to behave, but she swore she was playing fairly. It didn’t take long for him to see her splitting the money she had swindled with her friends. And then he saw Maya sizing up one of the mer. And damn if she didn’t lift something from his pocket. Drak! They are going to get us tossed overboard.

“I’m just having fun, Jaxx! Hell, I was treated poorly my entire life on Mineva. I’ve never been anywhere. So, get off my back.” Tiara stomped off, or rather, she danced off.

She made it clear she’d never been on an adventure and intended to act buck wild. Jaxxon swore, and so did Zade and Hassan.

The crew sang, teaching the women pirate tunes that had been sung for ages. They were always careful to keep their tattoos concealed when on deck but enjoyed having the chance to sunbathe nude when Zade paid Seafangs extra to cordon off a section of the ship. There the women lounged behind a wall of shadows. Jaxxon wasn’t the only shadow raider who found an excuse to check on them while sunbathing. Hell, he wanted to have fun too.

The following two days were hell. Each day, a heavy downpour kept everyone below deck. Several women and a few of Jaxxon’s men got seasick. Lori was a big help, seeing to everyone’s needs.

Kylo and the dragons had an even worse time. The dragons had found a group of rock pillars jutting out of the sea. But the sea stacks were barely large enough to allow the dragons to get a few hours of rest before the sea waves covered them. The dragons flew through much of the rainfall.

But nothing could keep Tiara below deck. She enjoyed the rain, telling Jaxxon how the sound of raindrops was like a melody to her ears. Jaxxon chuckled, remembering how he used to take long walks with his mom during rainfalls. She told him each raindrop was a magical note played to cherish the land of Crelentia. It seemed he and Tiara had a love of rain in common. But the sea winds were a bitch, and they didn’t last long on the deck before the sea gusts pushed them back below deck.

The next day, the sky was bright. They enjoyed more food, drinks, and merriment. Seafangs had been a good host, though he found every opportunity to get more money from them. Jaxxon laughed when Zade suggested they raid Seafangs boat once they made it safely to their location. “Spoken like a true shadow raider!”

Tiara and her friends couldn’t wait to sunbathe again, and Jaxxon didn’t mind letting them do it. They’d been cooped up for too long. Later that evening, after a lot of partying and mer ale, Tiara and Maya got pretty loud, arguing. He was glad they were wearing clothes as he, Seafangs, and Zade ran to break up the argument. The men laughed.

Seafangs said they belonged in the Mermaiden’s court, where she and her sisters were known to throw a damn good party. And fight like wild piranhas after. He promised to take the women for a visit if Jaxxon would allow it. They begged him the rest of the evening to go, but Jaxxon was once again the hard-ass, telling everyone, “No, no, no! ”

“Where can I find such beautiful ladies on Crelentia?” asked Seafangs. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard that accent before.”

This sobered the women quickly and they looked at Jaxxon with alarm. Seafangs raised his brow at Jaxxon and then looked back at the women. So did his crew.

“Far from here,” said Jaxxon. “Their people don’t get out much. Can’t you tell by how drunk they are from just having a little taste of ale?” He slapped Seafangs on the back, pulling the man away from the women and talking to him about his ship. His ship was the one thing Seafangs liked to talk about more than anything else—his ship and money.

“Wow, that was close,” said Tiara when Jaxxon joined them below deck where Zade had taken the women shortly after. “The other crew members were asking each of us questions too. They were fishing for information about us and asking how we knew you.”

Jaxxon asked each of them what questions they’d received from the crew and what they’d said in response. In a roundabout way, Seafangs and his crew had been very tactical in getting information from the women without no one even realizing it. One of the women burst into tears, and confessed she had let it slip that she’d been on Jaxxon’s spaceship. At this point, Seafangs knew too much.

“What’s done is done. He doesn’t know enough to realize you’re Crelentians,” said Jaxxon. He looked at the women, bracing himself for an argument. “Just don’t yell at me the next time I say the party’s over!”

“It doesn’t mean we can’t have a party of our own!” said Zade, pulling out bottles of ale he’d snatched from above. And judging from where he took it, from the captain’s deck, this was the good stuff.

“Seafangs is going to push your ass overboard!” Jaxxon laughed, grabbing a bottle and taking the first swig. They passed the bottles around.

The sun was setting, but it was still too early to sleep. Dinner had been great, and Seafangs hadn’t asked any more questions. Meeting in a room on the lower deck, Tiara activated the amulet before Jaxxon and Zade.

“Look, this symbol once hovered over our fortress. Now, it’s hovering over this spot in the Sea of Cadence. This symbol is the amulet itself,” said Zade, as everyone nodded in agreement. It was what they had already presumed, but it felt great to confirm it.

“And the map shows we are heading in the right direction toward this symbol here. I only wish we knew what the hell this symbol represents. Whatever it is, it’s somewhere on the other side of the Sea of Cadence.” Jaxxon’s adrenaline pumped, knowing they were on their journey to finding it.

Jaxxon and Zade strode onto the deck with renewed vigor as they walked to where Seafangs sat in his captain’s chair. They gave him the updated coordinates for where they wanted to get off the ship. Seafangs gave his helmsmen the new coordinates and they charted the course to get there.

Seafangs turned back to Jaxxon, narrowing his eyes. “What’s at that location?”

Jaxxon didn’t answer, telling Seafangs he wasn’t paid to ask questions. However, Zade had to pay Seafangs for privacy once again.

They rejoined their friends on the upper deck to watch the rising of the ice moons.

“That shark is sucking us dry, forcing us to pay whenever we want privacy!” Jaxxon clenched his fists.

Zade chuckled. “Seafangs thinks we’re doing more than watching the moon rise out here alone with the women!”

And damn if Jaxxon didn’t wish that were true as he looked at Tiara.

The men threw up a wall of shadows to ensure their privacy, though it was already quite dark. It was well worth the cost as the twin moons rose in the sky. The waves crashed against the ship. As each wave crested, moonlight beamed across the water like bursts of magic surfing along the current. The entire ship rose up as the sea swelled from the pull of the twin moons .

Tiara giggled, reaching her hands toward the sky as the boat surged upward with the tide. She stood on her tiptoes. “I feel like I can touch the moon!”

Jaxxon came up behind her, unable to resist the sudden pull to have her in his arms. Reaching around her waist, he lifted her up and over his head, seating her around his neck.

Surprised, her laughter was rich and bubbly as she screamed in enjoyment, stretching her hands further to touch the moons. Zade lifted Lori and the other men took their cues, lifting each woman into the air. They danced to the music Seafangs was blasting throughout the ship before finally letting the women back down.

“Watch this,” said Tiara as she cupped her hands in the air, sending a burst of elemental magic toward the water. Golden light shimmered in exotic symbols like a rope over the water and circled back to her fingertips.

“Wow, that was beautiful!” said Maya. “Let me try.”

Tiara showed her the movement, and Maya matched it, joining her light with Tiara’s. The rope of light strengthened, whipping across the water as the women moved their hands in tandem like an elegant dance. Lori joined in, moving her arms and legs like the other women.

Jaxxon and his men were mesmerized as the women moved their bodies from side to side, shifting and swirling as their tattoos rippled on their bodies clad in bikinis. Zade had surprised them with the gift in the port city. And damn if Tiara didn’t look enticing in hers.

Slam! The rope of light hit the water, sinking below, illuminating the area with a powerful burst of magic that caused the water to split apart. And just as suddenly, light from beneath the water rose like bubbles from the seafloor.

“My power feels stronger!” Tiara twisted her hands around, her brows furrowed as she looked at the other women.

Each woman’s body was a canvas of iridescent gold and pink tattoos, each bearing a uniquely exotic dragon scale design. Their elemental magic flowed through their tattoos into powerful rotating glyphs around their fingertips. And then, as one, the women pointed to the water, sending their magic beneath.

“Crelentians can draw energy from our planet, magnifying our magic,” said Jaxxon, pointing to the water’s surface. “My mother could pull light from any source and combine it with her own to become more powerful. You’re pulling luminescent light from the sea, letting it enhance your powers.”

Their powers hummed around them. “The Light Queens had formidable magic, which earned them respect from many. People also feared them. Trust me, you didn’t want to piss them off.” Everyone laughed.

The women smiled, practicing their magic as they danced and sang. And soon, Tiara had danced her way right into Jaxxon’s arms.

“Shh, don’t scream,” he whispered as he pulled her to the railing in the corner, throwing a powerful shield of shadows around them. He hoisted her up, sitting her on the railing. He was the only thing keeping her from falling over.

She wrapped her legs around him as she let go of his neck, swinging wildly over the railing. She was a true daredevil, letting her hair blow in the wind. They spent time talking and kissing. And soon, they were only kissing.

Though they were surrounded by their friends, Jaxxon and Tiara enjoyed being together. However, the space wasn’t private enough for what Jaxxon and Tiara needed, even with Jaxxon’s extra shield of shadows around them.

Finally, the music ended. It was well past midnight, and they had another day of voyage ahead. The fatigue was hitting all of them. Hassan escorted the women back down into the hull for the night. Yawning, they didn’t argue for once. Tiara hung back, fidgeting.

“Why are you restless, Star Diva?” Jaxxon lifted her chin.

“I don’t know how to explain it. But...I believe I’m restless because you’re worried about something.” She touched his heart. “I can feel you somehow. I can feel you in my magic.” She blushed as Jaxxon frowned. She swallowed, stepping back and shaking her head. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”

“It’s okay. I’m worried about the dragons. They’ve been flying a long time and need to rest.”

“Well, I’ll leave you to it. I need to rest too.” She turned to walk off with Zade, standing at the corner, waiting to escort her below.

Jaxxon grabbed her hand before she was out of reach, closing the distance between them. Her eyes bore into him, and her solemn face lit with light as her magic flowed. She was light. And he was dark. Their magic soared around them like a chain of DNA wrapping together.

“Drak!” said Jaxxon as he grabbed her. “Star Diva, you’re going to kill me.” And then he kissed her like she was his last breath—holding her until every fiber of his body was on fire. And then he sent her on her way with Zade, knowing if the kiss lasted any longer, neither of them would get any sleep.

Watching her disappear through the ship door with Zade, he turned toward the sky. He didn’t see his dragons anywhere in the dark, but they were up there.

“ Kylo, how are you and the dragons keeping up? Perhaps you should leave us to find a place to rest, ” said Jaxxon.

Kylo banked left, dipping to fly overhead, coming into Jaxxon’s view. As usual, he and the dragons were flying in formation with Galan in the rear.

“ Nonsense, we got plenty of rest last night. We can’t risk leaving you in the hands of the sea. ”

Jaxxon tensed, feeling Kylo’s fatigue. The dragons had been flying over the sea the entire day, often through strong winds.

“ We knew when we started this voyage that it would take many days to get to the shores closest to our destination, ” said Kylo, flying lower. “ Given the wind and the boat’s speed, we shouldn’t encounter any delays unless another storm rises. ”

“ That’s why I’m worried. If something happens, you’ll need your full strength. ”

“ If you stay on this course, the boat should reach a small barrier island in the morning. Have Seafangs dock there when you arrive. The dragons can get some sleep then, ” said Kylo. “ Now go get some sleep and stop trying to boss me around. ”

“ Hardheaded fucking dragon! ”

Kylo flapped his wings, sailing back up above the clouds with the other dragons, monitoring the ship from above. Jaxxon knew it would be a long flight for the dragons. They would have to keep flying all night. He remembered seeing the barrier island on the ship’s radar and knew it would give his dragons time to refuel. The tiny island was in the middle of the Sea of Cadence and far from danger.