28. Bree

28

Bree

I basked in the warmth of the day.

Riggs had been quiet all through lunch, and afterward the entire team wandered down to the beach to sit on the sand in the sun.

Well, we sat. Leah and Nar transformed and went swimming.

Spread out on a blanket near us, Constance, the headmaster's assistant, wore a bathing suit. She gleamed as if she'd oiled every inch of her full-figured form.

I envied her. My hoodie was too warm, and I stripped it off, leaving me in just my sports bra.

"Whoa!" Beside me, Riggs raised a brow. "You'll get tan lines."

"Bring ‘em on," I stated. His gaze drifted over my bare skin, sending a flush of heat straight through me. By now, after multiple generous powder servings, the reaction shouldn't be due to cycle hormones.

I blamed Fate.

More likely, it was just pure Riggs. He was too delicious to resist. But I put in a reasonable effort as we watched the sunlight gleam off Nar's icy scales. He and Leah rolled and writhed in the water.

"Look away," Adilyn reminded me. I couldn't actually see much of her as she sat on the far side of Sid in human form. Apparently, Faeries liked to get a tan—her sparkly clothes were considerably reduced.

It was good advice, but I had another idea in mind. "I'm going in with them," I said.

"You're what?" Riggs viewed me with astonishment.

"You can't be serious," Adilyn piped up.

"Didn't think you were into that," Sid commented from where he loomed beside me.

"I'm not. But I need to learn to swim. I don't want to be on another mission where it is an issue."

Sid's mouth twisted. "Are you sure you can? Centaurs sink at least as well as I do."

"I won't know until I try," I pointed out. "I'm not a Centaur, anymore."

"Well, this should be interesting." Adilyn squinted up at me as I rose.

"If she's going in, I am too." Riggs stood with me.

There was one major problem with that—Riggs stripping was not a good idea.

Sid rolled fluidly to his feet, too. "Maybe this should be a team effort," he said.

"No, it shouldn't," Adilyn snarked somewhat desperately. "It most definitely shouldn't."

"Do you know how to swim?" Sid asked.

"I have wings," she pointed out.

"What if there's a reason you can't fly?" he persisted.

"I can always fly." But the Faerie sounded a little less sure now.

He held his hand down to her. "Come on, Dusty. You won't melt if you get wet."

"Dust doesn't sparkle well when damp," she snarked, but she took his hand and let him boost her to her feet.

I met Riggs's gaze, and my eyes asked the question my lips couldn't form. He stripped off his sword and laid it on the sand. "I'll just wade in."

I glanced down at the sword. "You're leaving it there?"

"Constance will guard it. Won't you, Constance?"

The headmaster's assistant didn't even open her eyes. "Oh, certainly. With my life."

I peeled off my leggings, leaving me in just panties and a bra. And looked up to see Riggs staring at me. What I saw in his gaze sent another pulse of heat through me.

"Aren't you stripping?" Sid asked him, oblivious to our moment.

Riggs ripped his gaze off me. "I react to strong sunlight," he responded. "Go all red and peely. Not pretty. So I'll just stay in the shallows. I already know how to swim." He leaned over to ruck his sweatpants up above his knees.

Sid accepted the explanation, and I relaxed a little. I was scared of drowning, but I was also determined to learn how to swim.

We waded into the water as a unit, while Nar and a delighted Leah shifted to human to greet us there.

"Keep your hands to yourselves," Adilyn snarled at Nar. "Or I will glamor your dick away."

The Sea Krayt's eyes widened. "You can do that?"

Adilyn glared at me. "Touch me, and you'll find out."

"No one's touching anyone," Sid growled, casting a dark look at Nar.

The Sea Krayt looked hopefully at me.

Riggs loomed up beside me. "No touching." He glared at Nar.

"You guys are such a bunch of killjoys," Nar complained. Then scales chased across his skin, and he turned to dive into an oncoming wave.

"Can you teach Adilyn and me how to swim?" I asked Leah.

Leah cast a glance after Nar, but then she smiled at me. "Certainly! We'll stay inside the buoys, though. There is a bloody great fish in the lake that will happily gnaw on you."

Okay, now I was really nervous. "Does it come past the buoys?"

"Oh, no. It doesn't like the beach at all." Leah gestured. "Come with me, girls. I'll have you swimming in no time."

She led us beyond where Riggs and Sid waded, until we were up to our waist in the water.

"First, we are just going to float," she said. "Because if you ever get tired of swimming, you can rest by floating."

"I'm already tired of swimming," Adilyn snarked. I noticed that her dust clothes had reduced considerably—was it due to the wet? Or on purpose?

Leah ignored her. "It's easy to do." She showed us, lying flat on her back so that she drifted along with the waves. "Just breathe slow and easy, don't panic. If you thrash around, you'll sink."

We tried it. I sank right away.

Adilyn, on the other hand, bobbed like a cork on the water. "This would be fun if I wasn't wet," she stated.

"Try again, Bree," Leah said.

I tried again. I sank, again.

"Here." Riggs was sacrificing his dry lower half by wading in up to his hips. "Lay flat on my arms."

Okay. Remaining calm was so not in the cards with me lying in his arms. But he'd risked chafeage for me, so it would be uncharitable to refuse him. I leaned back, and he held me at the water's surface while Leah coached me.

"Take deep breaths, Bree, and relax your body."

Relax. Right. At least with Riggs holding me, I wasn't inhaling water. He let me rise and fall with the waves…

"There you go, Bree," he said. "Well done."

I was floating. Of course, as soon as he pointed it out, I began to flail and sink. But I'd done it, and the next time I tried, I did better.

Adilyn finally got bored of her efforts and stood up. She glanced toward the beach, and said, "Hey. What's up with the sword?"

We spun around to see the coppery skinned guy holding the scabbard. He was talking to Constance, who was doing a piss-poor job of guarding it.

As Riggs began to power his way out of the water, the guy grabbed hold of the hilt.

And drew the sword.

It shone in the sunlight as the runes danced over the blade. We all stopped dead. And then Riggs shouted, "Hey!"

The young man looked up and saw Riggs resume his progress toward him. He slid the sword back into the sheath and set it down.

"Chill, man. I was just admiring it." He raised his hands, palms toward us, as we drew near. "Constance said you arrived with it? It's an amazing weapon." His tone was casual, but the look he sent Riggs was anything but.

Riggs loomed over him and then bent to pick the sword up. "It is mine," he said quietly, but there was steel in his voice.

I was confused. How had the young man drawn the sword? "Who are you?" I asked.

His gaze moved to me, but it skittered around, as though he didn't wish to look right at me. "My name is Tez," he said. "I'm new here. Just arrived."

"Tez was just curious about the sword." Constance's eyes darted from the young man to Riggs. "I didn't see any harm in him checking it out."

She wouldn't, of course. To her, it was just a sword.

"It's okay, Constance," I said. "No harm done." I grabbed Riggs by the arm—it was like touching iron. "Think I've had enough swimming for today. Why don't we see if they serve supper early on our day off?"

Tez's gaze moved to me—and this time, he eyed my rather damp, almost nude state. Riggs went even more rigid, and I hurried to pull my leggings and hoodie on over wet underwear.

I looked up to see the two glaring at each other. Tez didn't back down, not exactly. The two men seemed locked in some kind of silent dick-measuring contest. But then, Tez said, "I'll see you guys around," and moved off.

Riggs—growled. A distinctly Dragonish sound, and I shot him a look. "He didn't mean anything by it," I said.

"There is something about that young man." Sid stared after him. "And how did he draw the sword?"

"Try it." Riggs handed the weapon to him.

Sid tried. And the sword refused to budge.

Adilyn was confused. "Isn't it designed to be yanked out of the scabbard?" she frowned.

Constance, still lying prone, answered from beneath the arm she'd thrown over her eyes. "Not much good if it isn't. Unless you plan on bashing people over the head with it."

When no one else answered Adilyn, she rolled her eyes. "Okay, you guys are far too intense. I'm going for a buzz around the forest." In a flicker of dust, she transformed to her Faerie state.

Sid's eyes began to flash. "I'll come with," he was quick to offer.

As the two of them moved off, Leah vanished back into the waves.

"I hate to complain," Constance said, "But you guys are blocking my rays."

We were. Riggs slung the sword into place on his back. As we moved toward the building, I voiced the question buzzing through my brain.

"There has to be a reason why he can draw the sword. But what is it?"

Riggs sighed. "I wish I knew," he said.

You dreamed of him.

Caliel had been silent all afternoon, but now those words dropped into my brain. And he was right. I had dreamed of Tez.

But I didn't understand how that had any bearing on this.

Why would that matter? I asked.

But only silence answered me.

We didn't make it to the cafeteria.

Instead, Riggs took the stairs to the third floor and headed for the staff quarters.

"Cara?" I asked.

"Yep. Cara." His tension was obvious in every move he made.

I bit my lip. I wasn't sure either of us wanted to know the truth behind the sword. But it seemed that around here, Cara was the one everyone went to for answers.

Her suite door opened before we even got near it. "Come on in," the Watcher said.

We followed her in to see tea steeping on the table.

"Were you expecting someone?" Riggs asked.

"I was making tea for myself," Cara stated. "But these days, a full pot is a good idea." She went to the freezer and pulled out some potstickers. "Riggs, there are dry sweatpants in the spare room." To me, she said, "Have a seat. I'll heat us up some supper."

Riggs was gone only for a few moments before returning drier, but no less intense. He refused to sit down, pacing to the windows and staring down at the meadow instead. "We've been researching the sword at the library."

I saw the tiniest hesitation as the Watcher unloaded the potstickers onto a tray. "It has a long history," she affirmed. "And not always a happy one."

Riggs swung toward her. "When you said the sword chose me, what did you mean?"

She placed the tray in the oven. "I should think that is self-explanatory."

Riggs exhaled hard. "How can a sword choose anyone? Why does it only let some people draw it from the scabbard?"

Cara froze. "What do you mean by some people? It has let others draw it?"

Riggs pulled the scabbard off his shoulder, tossed it onto the table in front of me, and said, "Show her."

I raised a brow at the command in his tone, but recognized how close to the edge he was and went with it. I placed a hand on the hilt and pulled the sword free.

Cara looked from the glowing blade and dancing runes, to me. "Well, that's interesting."

"Interesting?" Riggs's voice had risen a full octave. "Is that all you have to say?"

" Very interesting." The Watcher pulled cream from the fridge.

"Can you draw it?" he asked her.

"That sword is not meant for the likes of me," she said calmly. "I am only its caretaker."

"Caretaker?"

"Yes. I collect it when its job is done."

Riggs stared at her. "That new guy can draw it."

The pitcher of cream jarred enough in her hand to spill a few drops. " Tez pulled the sword?"

"Yep!" Riggs's eyes glowed metallic.

"Well, now." She placed the pitcher on the table and fetched sugar from the cupboard while I slid the sword back into the scabbard. Then she looked at me. "Have you dreamed of Tez?"

I gaped at her. Caliel had pointed that out too. And now Riggs was staring at me as though I'd sprouted antennas.

"I-I saw him in Drosfi, when we were escaping the city. I think he'd just arrived there, and we were leaving."

Cara sat down. "That isn't what I asked."

I swallowed. "Yes. I had a dream with him in it."

"You've dreamed of him?" Riggs's voice shook.

"It was just a dream," I insisted. But it had felt very real at the time.

Cara suddenly had a cat-with-cream smile on her face. "Hmm."

"Hmm, what?" Riggs sounded like he was ready to explode.

"All will eventually be revealed," she said mysteriously.

"If I don't get some reveal right now, I am going to throw the sword in the lake," Riggs threatened.

"That's been done before." Cara smiled.

It might have been my imagination, but I thought I saw steam emerge when Riggs exhaled.

Cara took pity on him. "The forgers of that sword infused it with a magic far more powerful than anyone can wield today," she said. "And its abilities are not well understood. Even the sheath has magical properties."

"Magic," Riggs gave an eye roll worthy of Adilyn. " Perfecto ." He rubbed both hands over his head. "So what does all this have to do with me?"

"Only the sword knows that," Cara stated.

Riggs leaned toward her, slapping both hands down on the table with enough force that it shook. "It's just a blasted sword!"

"It has the shape of a sword," she replied quietly. "It has a fine edge and perfect balance. But believe me when I tell you that it is only a guise for something very ancient that was created to lead us forward in troubled times."

Their gazes met, and I swore I heard the clash of metal. But my own heart was racing for what this could all mean.

Not just for him. But for us .

"I'm nobody's leader," Riggs said through clenched teeth.

"The sword isn't always about leadership. It's about creating change," Cara stated. "Who wields the power, is the true question."

"Stop speaking in riddles." Riggs glowered at her. "Maybe it belongs to this Tez guy."

Something flickered in Cara's gaze, but all she said was, "Maybe. He is also more than what he seems."

Riggs exhaled loudly and pushed back from the table. "Well, I've had enough of it. You are its caretaker; you can have it back." He strode to the door. "Give it to someone else. Use it to decorate your garden. I really don't care."

He yanked open the door.

And then, he was gone.

My gut had twisted into such a painful knot, I almost couldn't breathe. But Cara merely smiled at me.

"He seems to think he has a choice," she stated. "They all do. He's not even as difficult as some have been."

My eyes widened. "How many owners has it had?"

The oven dinged, and she got up. "Wouldn't call them owners, exactly. I've only personally supervised one of them. My mother went through two. When I say the sword has a long history, I mean it."

I stared at her. "How old are you?"

She snorted a laugh as she pulled out the tray of potstickers. "What a rude question. My species is very long lived, and the Watchers gain even more time through their connection to the lodestones. But I was quite young when I guided the last bearer of that sword. That was about fifteen hundred years ago."

I gaped at her, and then at the sword, lying quietly in the middle of the table. There was destiny at work here. And if it was true that Riggs had been chosen—who was I, to dream of being with someone like him? Not just a prince, but one chosen to save his Empire.

He wasn't meant for the likes of me.

And that threatened to tear my heart in two.

"Did it really choose Riggs?" My voice was so husky it didn't sound normal. "Is he destined to be the next Emperor?"

She placed the potstickers on the table. "It didn't choose Riggs. It chose Razir. And as for where the Empire is headed, only Fate knows. There are many who would stand behind Tyrez, despite his exile. Razir always had his brother's back. The two were a team."

I swallowed, thinking of the Dragon Empire, and the mess it had become. Did the sword think he could save it? "Riggs is no longer that person. He's not even a Dragon, anymore."

Cara used a spatula to plunk a few potstickers on my plate. "He can't shift to Dragon," she said. "At least, not right now. But in his heart and soul, he still breathes fire. And the sword knows it."