Zohar laughed softly. “I guess being a royal is the same across the universe.”
Silence stretched, but it wasn’t heavy this time. Just thoughtful.
Then, Zohar’s heart gave a sharp tug. “I wonder if my mom and dad know I’m gone yet,” he said quietly.
He pictured his mother’s warm smile and his father’s stern frown that always faded when he saw his mom and little sister, Aurora. He imagined their panic, their search. The questions. The fear.
He curled tighter under the blankets.
Outside, the sea moved beyond the palace walls, whispering to itself.
Once he knew Dolph had drifted into a deep sleep, he rolled out of the tent. He studied the two boys for a moment before he walked out onto the balcony. He looked up at the night sky, thinking about his parents and his friends. Closing his eyes, he whispered a wish to the Goddesses.
Please make sure my friends and family are safe.
The morning mist clung to the treetops like silver lace, the soft light of dawn barely piercing the dense canopy above. Zohar followed close behind Dolph and Juno, ducking beneath the sweeping branches as they trekked through a narrow path that wound inland from the palace. Dew clung to every leaf and stone, soaking their boots as they moved quickly and quietly.
Zohar’s heart thudded in rhythm with his steps, anticipation rising like a tide in his chest.
They crested a mossy ridge—and there it was.
Nestled in a sunken clearing, the lake gleamed like a fallen jewel.
Its waters were impossibly clear, smooth as glass, mirroring the sky and the trees above in such perfect detail that it felt like standing at the edge of another world. Pale blue fish darted beneath the surface, and glowing lilies floated gently across the still water, their petals open like tiny stars.
“Whoa,” Zohar breathed, awestruck. “It’s beautiful.”
Dolph gave a small smile. “The portal likes this lake. It’s old. Magic’s seeped into it.”
Zohar adjusted the strap of the satchel slung across his chest—the equipment bag they’d packed just before sneaking out. Rope, dried rations, the map, and a few small magical tools just in case.
“You sure I should be the one to carry this?”
“Yeah. It will be better protected in the bubble,” Dolph replied, stepping down into the shallows.
Zohar gave a nod, his excitement bubbling just beneath the surface. His flight last night had given him time to think, and he had woken this morning feeling more confident about their quest and about finding help to locate the others.
He stopped, removed his boots and socks, and rolled up his pant legs before he waded into the water behind them. Shivers rippled across his arms as the cold water swirled around his feet.
We not fish, his dragon grumbled.
Not now, Zohar thought back, smirking.
If dragons meant to live underwater, we have gulls for wings and fins for tails.
Gulls?
GILLS. A pause. Stupid water. Makes my brain slosh.
Zohar plunged deeper into the chill, the lake licking up past his knees as shivers danced across his skin. “It’s going to be fine,” he whispered. “Trust me.”
He barely got the words out before Dolph turned, his eyes glowing faintly. He lifted his hands and swept them outward.
Water surged up around him.
A shimmering bubble rose around Zohar—clear, glistening, humming with magic. The moment it sealed around him, the air inside freshened and warmed. It smelled like sea air and starlight.
“Whoa! I like this one better. It doesn’t sting,” Zohar laughed, stumbling backward.
