“I’m beginning to believe that.” Elang summoned his turtles with a clap. “They’ll see you to your rooms for the night.”
“Wait,” I called. This was not the time to ask for a favor, but I didn’t care.
I waved up and down at the ceremonial dress I was still wearing, but Elang and Seryu both gave me blank stares. Dolts. So I made a show of kicking up my skirt, embellished with so many pearls it looked like I’d robbed a school of oysters. The entire garment tinkled.
“I need new attire,” I said. “I can’t go in this to steal from Lady Solzaya. I can’t even sleep in this without waking myself up.”
“I’ve no magic to waste on conjuring clothing.” Elang clearly regretted not locking me up. “You’ll make do. A concealment potion will arrive for you at first light, along with your net.”
My breath caught. “You have the starstroke net?”
Elang confirmed this by ignoring the question. “You and Seryu will leave in the morning, when the tides turn east. Should fortune be on your side, I will meet you both on the surface before the moon falls.”
“And if fortune isn’t on our side?”
“Then you’ll be dead, Shiori’anma. And there will be nothing I can do.”
A half demon.
Why hadn’t Raikama told me?
I tossed in my bed. I couldn’t sleep. Every time I closed my eyes, my mind conjured the Wraith. A dragon borne of shadow and nightmares, his red demon eye haunted me even in the quiet stillness of the Westerly Seas.
At least Kiki slept. Her paper wings didn’t even twitch as I twisted anxiously in my bed.
Hours passed, and when the first glimmers of light touched the water, I blinked an eye open. In the corner of the room, the Wraith’s pearl was suspended, bathed in shadow. As I rose, it glided to my arm and rested in the crook of my elbow.
I cradled it, brushing my knuckles against the deep crack in its center.
“Is that why you haven’t led me to the Wraith sooner?” I asked the pearl. “You’re lost, like him. Trapped between two worlds, and unable to find your way out.”
The pearl was still.
“I know that Raikama was more powerful, and more capable, and you miss her,” I told it. “But let us come to an understanding: I need you just as much as you need me. If you want to find the Wraith again, you have to help me when I ask. No more games, no more ignoring me. Or else I won’t trust you.”
No answer. Of course.
With a sigh, I rolled the pearl off to a corner of the room. Why should I put my trust in a dragon pearl that was half demon, anyway? I doubted even Raikama had been that foolish.
There was a tray floating beside my door, and I fetched it, hoping Elang had sent new clothes.
He hadn’t.
Nor had he sent the starstroke net, but my promised potion had arrived, bubbling from the open lips of a spiky shell. Underneath was a note, sprawled in basic Kiatan: Drink this.
Curious that I hadn’t heard a messenger come and go, and I’d been awake most of the night.
I raised the shell cautiously to my lips. The potion smelled of sulfur, and it prickled my nostrils.
It smells disgusting, Kiki remarked, flittering over my shoulder.
Her voice startled me. “Well, good morning,” I said. “I thought you were asleep.”
Sleeping is an indulgence, not a necessity, she replied with a yawn. Her nose pinched. Are you really going to drink a concealment potion without asking what it’ll conceal you as?
“Elang told me to.”
What if you turn into a goblin shark or, worse yet, a blobfish? Caution is the creed of the wise, Shiori. Even the pearl agrees with me.
The pearl was pulsing, but I doubted it had anything to do with the potion.
“Something’s not right.” With a frown, I set down the shell, but the pearl continued to pulse.
Then again, maybe we shouldn’t trust you, Kiki was musing to the pearl. Bad enough you’re a dragon heart, but turns out there’s demon in you, too. Wouldn’t surprise me if you killed us in our sleep.
The pearl was silent and unreadable, its lustrous black surface reflecting my bird’s scowl.
“That’s enough, Kiki.” I beckoned her onto my shoulder. “Let’s look for Seryu.”
The problem was, Seryu was nowhere to be found. In fact, the entire castle seemed empty. The turtles guarding the halls had vanished, and the floating bauble lights were dim, casting a leaden sense of gloom over the cavernous halls.
I knocked on Seryu’s doors a third time. “Seryu!”
“He isn’t here,” Elang said, stepping out from behind the shadows. “He left last night.”
I nearly jumped, startled by the half dragon’s unexpected appearance. As usual, he was scowling.
“Seryu wouldn’t leave without telling me.”
Elang ignored my words. “You aren’t very good at following instructions.” His mismatched eyes bored into me. “I told you to drink the potion.”
“Where did Seryu go?”
Instead of replying, Elang glided down the hall, motioning for me to follow. “Plans have changed,” he was saying. “I have good news for you. It turns out you won’t have to go back to the palace after all. We have a guest.”
“A guest?”
Out of nowhere, a rope of seaweed tugged at my ankles, dragging me into a gate of black crystal behind a pillar. With a rush, a whirlpool sucked me in and brought me to the entrance hall, where, waiting before the gates, was Lady Solzaya.
I lurched, immediately recognizing the betrayal. But I wasn’t fast enough. An octopus wrapped its slick tentacles around my limbs and my neck. As I struggled, Kiki dove for Elang’s eyes with her beak.
You treacherous lizard! she shrilled.
Elang snatched her up. “A dragon only looks after his best interest.”
“But you swore!” I had a slew of curses for Elang, but not one of them made it past my lips. Solzaya’s octopus was strangling me.
“This will hurt less if you hold your tongue,” said Solzaya silkily. Her jagged nails grazed against my cheek. “It’s a good thing Elangui came to his senses. He saved us the trouble of sending assassins. For both of you.”
“I welcome a reprieve from your assassins, Aunt,” said Elang coolly. “You’ve sent so many that I’ve run out of room to properly bury them all. Perhaps you should wait until Seryu reaches his full form before you try to seat him on my throne. A half-grown dragon does not command much more respect than a half-blooded one.”
Solzaya’s scales purpled with irritation. “Where is my son?”
“I’m not his keeper. Nor am I the girl’s.” The half dragon started to turn. “Our business is done. You asked for the girl, and I’ve given her to you. Now take her away.”