Chapter Thirteen

I woke to a wondrous sight.

We were moving rapidly through the water, my body cradled in a giant dragon talon and held against Vaxarion's scaled chest. Ahead of us lay an underwater city. It had been many years since I'd been to one, and that had been before the Sea Dragons came out of hibernation. It had been beautiful, but nothing like this. Shasenai, the Crown City of the Morilren Sea, was a jewel among jewels.

So many lights shone from the towering buildings and the streetlamps that the glow penetrated the depths of the sea, turning the blinding darkness into daylight. The glow extended hundreds of feet before trickling off into darker and darker blue until it was swallowed by indigo. Within that light, architecture unknown to land-dwellers rose in domes and arches adorned with coral, shells, and pearls. Despite those differences, Shasenai was very similar to the land cities. Mainly because it existed under a ward of air.

Everything within the city walls lived in a bubble. A ward formed that bubble, continually providing fresh air by drawing it from the surface, through the water. Filtered as it was, it was probably fresher than what you'd find up top. But beyond the city walls and the ward, the sea reigned. And the residents relied on it. Ocean vegetables grew in huge beds, tended and harvested by citizens who stopped their work to stare in awe at the King as he swam by. There were also pleasure gardens of sea flowers so beautiful that I had no words to describe them. Colors that would have been hidden in the depths came to life under the city's light.

Vaxarion didn't go to the gates like everyone else who entered Shasenai. As the King, he had special access. It was his ward, cast by his magic. He swam above the ward, heading across the neat spokes of the city streets and wedges of neighborhoods that radiated out from the center of the circular city. Ocean dwellers walked down the streets, enjoying the gravity and dry air, knowing they could leave it at any time. I sighed to see such luxurious living. Every building was adorned. Every street was spotless. It was a far cry from how I had lived as a child, even before I'd been abducted. And pirates, well, we don't live like that, not even after a big take.

Suddenly, Vax dove. We passed through the ward, and a tube of water coalesced around us as we hit the air. Below us was the royal palace—a thing of delicate beauty that nonetheless radiated vast power. Pearlescent towers spiraled up from tiered rectangular buildings, and terraces adorned the upper levels, many covered in plants. Vaxarion headed for the largest of these terraces, transforming into his man body as he swam. The claw around me shrunk and slid down my arm until Vaxarion's hand clutched mine. As we landed on the flagstones, the water disappeared.

Vaxarion's long hair settled around his naked body, covering him like a cape. My hair was still loose, but I had my Hulfrin tunic and pants on, so I didn't have to worry that it wasn't long enough to hide me. And we weren't wet either. The Sea King's magic had sucked the water away, drying us instantly.

Around us, several other Sea Dragons alighted onto the terrace, all of them naked. Vaxarion's King's Guard. They'd been swimming alongside us the entire way. I assumed they'd even guarded us while we'd been in that cave.

One of them stepped forward and withdrew a pair of pants from a satchel. He handed it to King Vaxarion.

Vax nodded his thanks and pulled them on. "Get some rest, all of you. You deserve it."

"Yes, Your Majesty. Thank you," the knight said, not even glancing at me. Then all of them marched off, entering the palace through a door on our left.

A blond Sea Dragon man came through the same door seconds later. "Your Majesty!" He raced over to us even as Vax drew me in that direction. "Welcome home! How did your tour of the land kingdoms go?" The man's sharp, dark eyes swung my way and then his nostrils widened. "Is he . . . ? Oh, Your Majesty!"

Vaxarion slashed a hand through the air to silence the man. "Yavess, this is my consort , Zixin. Zix, this is Yavess, the Palace Steward. If you need anything, anything at all, he will procure it for you."

"It will be my pleasure." Yavess bowed to me.

A fucking Sea Dragon bowed to me!

"Uh, thank you," I stammered.

"My consort is recovering from injuries," Vax said as he led me inside the palace. "He needs meat and salt. Stews would be best."

"Uh, I could go for something sweet," I said.

Vax paused to grin at me, then nodded at Yavess.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Yavess said. "I'll see to it immediately. Would you wish to dine as well?"

"Yes."

"Very good. I'll have your meal delivered to your suite." Yavess bowed again and hurried down the hallway we entered.

The Sea King drew me in the opposite direction.

I stayed silent for several hundred feet as he navigated us through a labyrinth of corridors, past open doors that gave glimpses of luxurious rooms. Give me five minutes in one of those rooms, and I'd steal enough to be set for life. Except I wouldn't, would I? Not as the King's . . . hold on. Had he really made me his consort? I had assumed that was just a lure to get me to go with him.

"Uh, Your Majesty?" I tugged on his hand.

"Yes?" Vax flicked a glance my way. The tightness around his eyes startled me. He looked as if he were barely holding onto his control.

"Nothing," I murmured. Now was not the time to question what I was to him. I had a feeling he'd see it as questioning his honor too.

He grunted, his steps becoming larger and faster as we went until we were practically running through the palace. At last, Vaxarion slowed. We approached a pair of double doors guarded by two Sea Dragons. They saluted the King, welcomed him home, and opened the doors for him. We sailed through and as soon as the doors were closed, Vax picked me up and started to run.

"What's the rush?" I asked as I clung to his shoulders.

"Need you," Vax growled.

Oh, fuck. He's gone feral again. What's going on with him?

We passed many rooms, none of them up to his standards evidently. Vaxarion's shoulder hit a golden door. A spiral staircase waited on the other side. He swooped up it in seconds, taking me to the top. A vast, round room waited there, its vibrant furnishings and fabric popping against the glossy, black coral walls. An enormous round bed ruled the center of the room, branches of the same black coral forming a bower over it. Instead of plants, this bower supported lengths of red silk that wove through the branches like vines before spreading into a canopy and pooling on the floor. More of that red silk covered the bed and the wealth of pillows perched atop it. I had a glimpse of crimson and gold furniture set around the bed as Vaxarion laid me down. But then I had to focus on the Sea King.

Because he demanded attention.

How? By simply dropping his pants.

I licked my lips to find Vax hard and long. Ready once more to fill me with flesh and his magical Sea Dragon cum. I couldn't wait. But then my stomach growled.

Vax paused, hand reaching for me.

"Ignore that," I said and yanked him to me.

He fell forward but braced himself on his forearms. Lines of strain formed around his eyes and lips. "No. You need to eat." He pushed back, arms trembling.

"Vax," I whispered and cupped his cheeks. "I don't know why you want me, but I'm not about to let a little thing like hunger ruin it for me. My belly can wait. The rest of me needs you just as badly as you need me."

Vaxarion shuddered and closed his eyes. "Only until the food arrives."

"All right." I grinned and pulled him back down.

"Zix," he groaned and gave in. "My beautiful Zixin."