“Idon’t think splashing them is going to do much,” they said with a huff.
“Everyone’sso funny when they are about to die.I’llchannel for you, just likeJun.”
Avlyngave another grunt but didn’t object.Iplaced my hands on them and reached for the magic again.Theocean seemed even more vicious and hungry.Itsdepths expanded beyond whatIcould fathom, and its dark heart pulsed, but a vast, dark shadow was coming straight for us.Icould feel it extending tendrils, reaching for the surface.Fora moment,Ifelt a huge yellow eye looking back at me.
“Anyday now,Princess.”Avlyntightened their grip on their sword as the first boat reached the beach.
Theshadow arrived, and a great tentacle shot from the water, grabbing hold of the small boat and flinging it into the air.Thesoldiers’ screams were cut short when their armor pulled them under the roiling surface.Thesea looked like it was boiling as more tentacles writhed in the depths.
Beforethey could react, the remaining boats were crushed in theLeviathan’sarms.Woodsplintered, and the men aboard were pulled violently under.
Therewas shouting coming from the main ship, but theLeviathanwrapped itself around the vessel in a heartbeat.Itslimbs climbed the sides like the hands of death itself, impervious to the swords and spears on deck.Theattempt to harm the creature was futile as each tentacle wrapped around a soldier and pulled him into the grasp of the ocean.
Thevery last soldier tried to stand his ground,evading a large tentacle with his sword, but fell victim to a smaller one wrapped around his leg.Ashe was lifted over the ship’s railing, his screams echoed across the crashing waves, laced with fear only prey can feel.Thesea parted, and the great jaws of theLeviathanemerged, row after row of hideous fangs that descended into an endless black pit.Itdropped the soldier, and the crunch of metal was audible as theLeviathanswallowed him whole.
Allof us on the beach were stock still.Ithad only taken the space of five breaths to destroy all the small boats and the soldiers.Content, theLeviathansank beneath the waves.
Ireached out with my mind once again.
Nowwe are even, little beast.Thevoice that rang in my mind sounded deeper and colder than the most unknown trenches of the sea.Ifelt theLeviathansink back into a world of silence and darkness.
Thankyou.Despitemy call, there was no reply.
Chapter 10
Hadeon
525 years ago
Ilay on the stone altar long after the priest had finished.Thegreat dragon’s maw lay open above.Doit.Eatme, you beast.Killme.Iprayed to him, but now he was just a statue, unmoving.Please.Buttonight, no prayers would be answered.
Ahand tugged at my arm, andIflinched.Butit was an old hand, wrinkled and etched with the marks of time.Iturned my head, and the harsh stone scraped along my skull.Herface was even more wrinkled, and she had a messy halo of golden-brown hair streaked with white.
“Comeon, young one.Let’sget you to bed.”
Theyall knew.Everysingle person in that temple knew what that monster was doing to him, but they said nothing, did nothing.Exceptfor her.TheSeer.
Shewas half-fae, positively ancient, and fragile.Butshe would crawl out from her room, her own personal hell, and hold me asIfell asleep weeping each night.Butshe could not fight them.Shewas a prisoner to that temple, just asIwas.
Seerswere not chained, but the herbs they gave them fortheir visions infected their blood, and they couldn’t live without them.Thepain of the withdrawal was said to be one of the worst things a human or fae could bear, death being the sweet release at the end.
Isometime still wonder if she had made the whole thing up, her attempt to free me.Ithadn’t freed me.I’djust gotten a bigger prison.
Iremember the moon had shone full through the tall windows cut out of the temple walls.Themain room was filled with worshipers, prostrating themselves and leaving offerings for those terrible dragon gods who had bestowed life upon us and who continued to deny me the sweet release of death.Ihid away in a corner concealed by shadows, my shame and weakness as my only companions.
Ahymn had just ended, the last note still hung in the air when a crash cut through the reverent atmosphere like a blade.Thecurtains pulled back, and smoke billowed from the stone doorway of theSeer’schambers.Theair was scented with blood and the herbs she craved, that were both her gift and her damnation.Shelurched out of the doorway as if her legs and arms weren’t attached to her body properly.Hereyes glowed like the moon above.
Theroom was silent as each worshipper held their breath.Itwas believed that the most potent time to recite a prophecy was on the full moon.Evenwithout that, magic had already faded enough that even a prophecy from theSeerof some minor temple was worth more than gold.
Sheraised one gnarled, ancient finger and pointed to whereIlay hidden. “He’sthe one who will face theWorldBreaker.TheGreatHerois his demise.”
Fora moment, the entire world had held still.Andthen there was the flood.Handsgrabbed me from every direction.Iwas pushed and pulled into the crowd.AllIsaw was that stone dragon’s face and heard his menacing laughter asIwas dragged away.
PresentDay
“We’velost three ships out in theSeaofSpirits.”Luxostwirled a dagger between his fingers lazily while he leaned against the wall of my room. “Nonehave returned with any information on theDragon.”
“Perhapsyou should look less pleased about delivering me this unpleasant news,Commander,”Isaid, pressing down on the head of the woman who had my cock in her mouth.Shehesitated when she heardLuxos’ voice, and that wouldn’t do.
