Chapter Six

Graechen

Galveston Beach, Texas—September,1900

The night was blackas pitch, the crescent moon shrouded behind heavy, billowing clouds. Despite the ominous sky, the ocean's waves rolled in a calm, undulating tempo.

Beneath the surface of the ocean, creatures bolted through the current in an erratic frenzy. They sensed a change in their midst.

They sensed magic.

Graechen rose slowly from the depths, pulling the weight of her cargo against the current. The work was tiring, but she would not fail. She'd waited nearly five hundred years for this day. She had the perfect plan in place.

Her monstrous head bobbed above the surface. Inky black eyes scanned the horizon, until she saw the cluster of mortal men waiting for her on the distant shore. She gave one final tug on the thick rope and heaved a breath of relief as a portion of the shell surged above the water.

She swam toward land, tugging on the net which held a cocoon the size of a small fishing vessel. Pulling the load became more difficult as she navigated through a mass of seaweed.

When the rocky precipice beneath her long tentacles gave way to a shallow incline, she crawled, fragments of coral and rock chafing her smooth flesh.

Graechen would not fail.

She'd listened to Fiona's sobs ere too long. 'Twas time the dragon queen returned to the mortal world and reconciled with her mate.

Graechen struggled until the water became too shallow and her tentacles were no longer of use. With a resonant groan, she made the shift and at once sank her human feet into the soft sand beneath her. Her nostrils flared, and her stomach recoiled as she breathed in the scent of change. She'd no doubt a tempest was forthcoming, and she was about to leave the dragon queen and child in the eye of the storm. She stood rooted in the soft sand, and for a brief moment she'd nearly changed her mind.

She betrayed the dragon queen's trust. And worse, she was forsaking the mother and her hatchling to carnage and sorrow.

But the dragon queen had once been a great healer. If anyone could bring peace to these mortals, 'twas Fiona.

Graechen took a few hesitant steps and then heaved the shell landward.

Although she was a good head taller than most mortal women, the dragon pair were still too heavy for Graechen's human form to pull by herself. She now recognized the earth speaker standing on the shoreline, looking more like a reed than a mortal, so bony and thin was he. She called out to him. The effects of the lullaby she'd sung would wear off soon. Fiona would awaken, and she'd be none too pleased to find herself again in the mortal world. Graechen had little time to deliver the dragon queen and child.

The speaker rushed into the water, followed by four brawny young men. Graechen smelled their fear. It poured from their flesh and permeated the water.

She repressed a smile at the shock on their bronzed faces. She could never understand why mortals clung to their foolish modesty. She needed no clothes in her watery kingdom. She didn't feel compelled to dress in a sack for their benefit. Besides, Graechen had no fear of spawning their desires. She knew 'twas young flesh they craved. Though sea monsters were immortal, she was nearly as old as time, and her dark and shriveled mortal body exposed her age.

The men quickly averted their gazes and grabbed hold of the net, pulling at the cocoon. Graechen and the speaker helped, and they struggled for a long while before the speaker cried out.

The young men's eyes bulged, and they released the ropes before racing toward the shore. In the next moment, a gentle swell of water rose and lifted the chamber, along with the speaker and Graechen. The cocoon slowly came to rest, safely nestled in a shallow depth, while Graechen and the speaker emerged from the water.

Chests heaving with each breath, the youths collapsed on the highest point of the sand bar. Graechen staggered through the sand, squeezing droplets of water from her matted locks.

The speaker followed. He fell to his bony knees and grabbed a woven blanket. He slowly rose and came beside Graechen, draping the blanket over her.

"Thank you, Josef," Graechen murmured, scanning the wide-eyed expressions of the four young men. "Who have you brought to help us?"

With a sweep of his arm, Josef motioned to them. "My grandsons."

Graechen inhaled the rich scent of their masculine aroma. They resembled their grandfather: large, dark eyes set beneath thick lashes and skin the color of copper.

But while their bodies were virile and corded with muscle, Josef's was not. Age had been unkind to him. And Graechen sensed great sadness beneath each line framing his sunken eyes and taut mouth.

Graechen backed up, narrowing her eyes at Josef. "Where is your other grandson?"

Josef winced, looking as if he'd been pierced in the heart with a verbal spear. "You know he could not be of use," he said on a low growl.

"Aye." Graechen clutched the woven blanket tightly to her chest as she repressed a shiver. She knew 'twas not the cold air that sent chills up her spine, but the anguish and rage that rolled off the speaker and pierced her to the bone. Bowing her head, she dropped her voice to a strained whisper. "Forgive me, friend. I thought you'd wish him to witness this."

Josef shook his head, his eyes glassing over with unshed tears. "I will not give him false hope."

One dark brow hitched. "Do you doubt my pledge?"

"Por Dios, I doubt even myself, Graechen." His voice faltered as he dropped his gaze to the sand beneath his bare feet.

Graechen closed the distance between them. Grasping his frail shoulder with one hand, she spoke in low, firm tones. "You have great magic, Josef. Never doubt that." Dropping her arm, she eyed him for a long moment and read the uncertainty which still plagued him.

Her gaze swept to his grandsons, who had risen to their feet. She raised her voice. "I must go." She waved at the cocoon resting in the tidal pool. "They will wake soon. You must compel them to shift to human form. Do not let the dragons return to the sea."

"Dragons!" his grandsons yelled in unison.

Graechen didn't heed them. She turned and walked toward the ocean.

Josef rushed around Graechen, stopping her with outstretched palms. Panic jumped off him in erratic currents. "How do I stop them? How do I know they will not kill us?"

"Because Josef." Graechen heaved a long sigh while shaking her head. "You are a speaker. Your ancestors were dragon guardians. Please, Josef, guard them with your life."

Josef swallowed, and the rigid veins in his neck looked as if they'd burst through his leathery flesh. Finally, he nodded. "Como no. I will."

Graechen bowed her head before breaking into a wide smile. She pulled the woven blanket from around her shoulders and pressed it into Josef's hands before turning to the sea.

"I bid you all good night," she called as she walked farther into the water. She sank beneath the surface and made the change, swimming toward the sanctuary of the shadowy abyss.

* * *

Fiona

I WOKE TO THE SOUNDof waves crashing along a shoreline.

How could this be? Where was Graechen?

I breathed in deeply, and at once registered the smell of sweat and fear. What had happened? Had we washed up on a battlefield? My breathing stilled and my ears perked, listening for any sounds that would reveal our whereabouts. Five human heartbeats pounded like drums in my skull.

The humans knew of Safina and me.

My heart raced. My mind reeled.

All my protective instincts roared to life. They would not harm my child!

Wake up, Safina.I nudged my daughter's scales with my snout.

Is it time, Mother?Safina asked through a groggy groan while she stretched her talons and jabbed her wing into my side.

Listen to me, child. I know not what has happened, but we are no longer underwater.My tone was urgent. Once we are free of this shell, stay behind me. If there is danger, you must fly away.

But Moth-!Safina cried.

I didn't give my daughter time to protest. I bucked my hind legs on a roar, then the chamber crumbled beneath us. In the next moment, I stumbled out of the shell and took a defensive stance in front of my daughter, edging Safina toward the shoreline. I quickly scanned our surroundings, wings spread, ready to tear apart the nearest mortal.

There was an old one standing beneath my belly and four youths on a sandy ridge, huddled in a ball and cowering like dogs.

Do they wish to kill us, Mother?Safina asked with a tremor in her voice.

I know not, child. Not another word unless you see a threat,I chided.

The men appeared defenseless, but I didn't trust them. I reared back and sucked in a breath of air, stoking the fiery embers within my bosom.

Just then a plea rang out in my mind. Peace, Mi Reina, we mean you no harm. The old mortal looked at me with large dark eyes, his palms splayed wide.

I was momentarily caught off guard. Though dragons could project our thoughts, humans could not mind-speak dragons unless we were bonded. I fell to all fours in a crouch, exposing my fangs on a snarl. How do you speak to me, mortal?

The smallest of tremors pulsated off his leathery skin. I speak to many creatures, big and small. He limply shrugged narrow shoulders. I can speak to wind and water—his voice cracked before a pained expression crossed his features—and trees.

Guilt rolled off him in waves. He was ashamed of his gift. But Earth Mother didn't bestow her magic upon undeserving mortals, so what would make him recoil from this blessing?

You are an earth speaker.My thought was laced with shock and awe.

A chill raced up my spine at the portent of meeting a speaker in the flesh. In days of old, speakers had served as keepers of the peace between dragons and mortals. Dragon royals dared not rule a kingdom without earth speakers to serve as advisors and defenders. When humans decided to end the rule of the dragon, the earth speakers defended their queens until every last speaker was murdered. Then all the queens and their mates fell, killed by dragonslayers much like Duncan. Only my mother escaped the carnage, though she was just a hatchling, sent to the bottom of the sea by her own mother while Graechen kept watch for centuries.

What is happening, Mother? Safina asked again. My legs are cold. Safina splashed the water with her tail.

I knew my daughter was speaking falsely, for dragon scales could withstand any temperature.

Hush, child,I said again. Ere I find a way to silence you myself. Then I turned back to the speaker. I thought your kind was vanquished during the time of Feira, Mother of Dragons.

The old man coursed shaky fingers through his thinning, gray hair. I do not know of other speakers. I do not even understand my powers. Many call me Se?or Cortez, but for a long while I have only been Josef, grandfather and laborer.

Was he in earnest? I arched a scaled brow before unabashedly probing his mind. What I found nearly sucked the air from my lungs: Sorrow, so profound, I knew no ordinary mortal could sustain it. Crying out, I pulled away.

I pinned him with an iron-eyed glare. Why have you brought us here?

Josef held out his palms in a defensive gesture. I didn't bring you here, Mi Reina.

Eyeing him warily, I narrowed my lids to slits. Who did, then?

Graechen brought you to my shore.

Do not lie to me, speaker! I bellowed while puffing out my chest and extending my neck to full height. I know your power over water.

I do not lie. Look into my heart.

Cringing, I jerked back. I didn't wish to visit Josef's personal demons again. Why did she abandon me? She made a vow.

His mouth turned a heavy frown. Do you think it's fair to make Graechen carry the burden of your heartbreak all these years?

This is not your concern, speaker, I snapped, flames of rage and humiliation fanning my chest. Do not forget your place. I could burn you to a crisp.

He didn't blink but stared back with weary eyes. Finally, he heaved a sigh. Graechen told me the story of Feira, Mi Reina dragon, and her young, and of the speakers who lost their lives defending them. A strange look crossed his sallow features, and I didn't know if he meant to laugh or cry. I promised Graechen I would keep you and your ni?a safe. Por favor, Mi Reina, he pleaded. We need you.

I felt a momentary tug at my heart and then berated myself for my compassion. No good could come from helping mortals.

But then a flicker of a distant memory kindled within my mind: the story of a dragon whose mate had betrayed her. So distraught was the woman when she'd learned of her husband's deception that her speaker performed a ritual to sever their bond. No longer was the human tied to his mate's immortality. No longer was the dragon bound to a deceiver.

Smoke poured from my snout, and my chest heaved. How strong are your powers, earth speaker?

The speaker stepped back as he warily eyed me. Why, Mi Reina?

I leaned forward, eyeing the man intently. Can you sever a bond between a dragon and her mate?

Ay Dios Mio.He took another step back, holding out his hands. The severance of souls takes a dark magic. It is dangerous.

I bore down on him with a scowl. That is a risk I am willing to take.