Page 9 of The Dragon Queen

My arms tightened around her, and I rested my lips against her hairline, her scent mixed with mine, her heartbeat slow and gentle against my forearm. Our accommodations were cramped and the constant rock of the ship made her uneasy at times, but it was a moment I wanted to last forever.

“I want to get off this ship…but I want to stay like this.”

I wanted to squeeze her tighter, but if I did, I would suffocate her. “Me too.”

I knew we were close before I spotted anything in the distance.

The climate had changed. The frigid cold from the surface of the water had faded, replaced by a warm moisture in the air I could feel every time I took a breath. Whether the sun was blocked by clouds or bright on a clear day, the temperature was still warm. “We’re close.”

Commander Navarrese stood beside me. “I’ll prepare the men for battle.”

“That won’t be necessary.” I raised the scope to my eye and looked into the distance, seeing the speck of land on the horizon. “Continue due south. I’ll fly ahead and inform them of our arrival.” If not, they would launch their ships to meet us on the open sea. Even if they were outnumbered, they would fight like the tide was in their favor.Khazmuda, let’s fly.

Yes. I’ve grown tired of the sea.

I turned around to head below deck to inform Calista of my departure, but she already stood there, the breeze flowing in her dark hair. Her gaze was set on the horizon even though land was too far away to see.

Her arms were crossed over her chest, her dress flapping in the sea breeze. “I hoped land would be visible.”

“It will be soon.” I approached her, her green eyes brilliant in the sunshine. “I’ll fly ahead and inform them of our arrival.”

I turned to Commander Navarrese. “Notify the other ships that we’ll arrive at sundown. I’ll meet you there.”

He gave a nod in agreement. “It will be done, Your Majesty.”

Khazmuda glided down from the sky and landed in the water with a splash several yards ahead, his wings folded into his body like a duck.Hurry, before I sink.

I moved to the edge of the deck then climbed down the ladder until I was above the waterline. When I came close to Khazmuda’s body, I jumped from the ladder and landed on the hard scales of his back, careful not to hit a spike.

Hold on.Khazmuda unfolded his wings and flapped hard to get his body out of the water, his legs kicking at the same time to lift his immense weight. It wasn’t the graceful launches he normally performed from land. It was a struggle to exert enough force to rise when he’d been gliding at sea for nearly two weeks, subsisting on fish and other sea creatures he and the others had found.

He eventually made it above the water, but it took even longer for him to ascend into the sky, to lift himself farther and farther until he was high enough to glide once again.

Are you alright?

Yes. But only a strong dragon would have managed such a feat.

We’re almost there. Soon, you’ll have rest and nourishment.

I want bear.

I don’t think there will be bear on the island.

Then what is there to eat?

Monkeys.

He considered the option as he glided in the sky, leaving the ships behind.Monkeys are small, but it will do.

The ships were small figures underneath us, and land was visible ahead at this height. The wind was cooler in the sky near theclouds, and it was refreshing against my cheeks. A single flight had made me feel invigorated after the long journey at sea.

The Hideaway was beneath us, a larger island amidst many smaller ones, a tiny archipelago in the middle of the ocean. It was close to the Southern Isles and the other territories, but far enough south that the trading vessels and other pirates didn’t come close enough to spot it. In the tropical climate, it rained nearly every day, so there was always water, even without streams and lakes.

The port was visible below, the long deck that housed all the galleons used for the pirate crew. Torches were already lit around the island, even though it was hours before sunset. The horns hadn’t been sounded, so no one noticed us quite yet, probably because no one expected an enormous dragon to appear out of nowhere.

The settlement offered accommodations for the pirates while they were on land, a bar with a brothel filled with the women who came to the island to stay for weeks at a time before they left on the next shipment run. A mountain was in the center of the island, and deep within it was where all the gold and treasure were hidden, impossible to find unless you knew exactly where to look.

No one knew except for Captain Blackstorm—and me.