House of Winter

Chapter 6, Part 2

A R I

Ari rushed towards the tiger. He was breathing heavily, lying on his good side. Ari placed her hand on the shaved skin near his amputated leg, and realised it was too hot.

"He's got an infection," she realised with panic. "He's got a fever."

Ari brushed at the fur between Jinni's eyes. The tiger was panting, his tongue lolling out of his mouth, his eyes slits.

The others moved out of the way as a man came forward, already carrying a bucket of salt water.

"We need to clean this wound and we need to keep his fever down," the man said, and he unceremoniously shoved Ari out of the way. Ari let out a yelp, and was already ready to fight him, as the man poured a bucket of salt water over Jinni's wound.

Jinni huffed out a breath of fire.

Ari moved so that she was sitting in front of Jinni's huge head.

"Stay strong, Jinni," she said to him, stroking his head between his ears. "Remember you have to stay strong for Lumi. I'm going to take you to Lumi, did you hear? Pythos Savvas is going to find us a ship and we're going to go to Singtsu. It's where you're from, remember? You must remember Singtsu."

Jinni kept panting, and Ari kept talking.

"You and Lumi are going to be reunited," Ari said. "I promise you, you've just got to stay strong, okay?"

Ari stayed with him, compressing cold towels on the tiger to help reduce his fever, while the man cleaned and redressed the wound.

"The main stitches are well-done, and I should be able to take them out in a few days," the man said. "But the wound on his wing looks like it's come open again from flying."

Ari bit her lip. Jinni shouldn't have been flying, and it was her fault that she'd made him do it. Now the wound had reopened and was possibly infected. She was terrified that he would die before they would even get to Zantiala, let alone get to Singtsu.

Jinni was in a light sleep now, and Ari stayed sitting beside him.

The morning wore on, and the three ships continued their steady sailing. Ari guessed they were still a few days out from Zantiala. Once there, she would need to make sure Jinni was strong enough before they boarded another ship. She and Savvas would need to find a ship that could take them to Singtsu. That would be another week's journey, at least. It would be weeks before Jinni was reunited with Lumi. She hoped he could hold on that long.

Someone brought Ari some smoked fish and crusty bread, and she devoured it eagerly. Eventually she stood up and walked to the railing of the ship, and looked over the side. It was amazing to see the dragons swimming alongside the ship.

Ari remembered the journey from Isla Zanteresa, years ago. Ari and Bell had been on a ship just like this, with no idea what laid in store for them in New Hamilton. All they knew was that since they were starrlings, they were able to be adopted by foster carers in the city. Their grandmother had forced them to go, because she was convinced there was no life for them on Isla Zanteresa, which the Lombardian army was once again trying to claim.

Ari remembered there had been one dragon swimming alongside that ship as it took them to Lombardia.

Sailing with dragons was the only way to sail.

The oceans were full of terrifying sea creatures which would attack a ship if it didn't have a dragon protector. It was why every ship was captained by a water starrling, and why the Vastiens had laid claim to so much of the world's trade during the Ocean Age. Back then, only the Vastiens had been able to travel the world, with sailing ships protected by dragons.

"So you rescued the princess's tiger," Pythos Savvas said, making Ari jump.

Ari looked up at him. His locs were whipped by the breeze.

"The Fire Princess is a good person," Ari said. "She has the potential to be a great fire starrling. Her brother is dangerous, though. I'm worried for her."

"Isabella would have been proud of you," Pythos Savvas said.

"You can't claim to know what my sister would be proud of," Ari snapped, feeling a flash of anger at Savvas.

Savvas shrugged. "You're right. I didn't know her very well. But I did know your grandmother. Your grandmother, Isabella, would be proud of you."

Ari softened.

"We've got a hard task ahead of us," Savvas said. "Lombardia believes Vastier - or you - is at fault for the death of their prince. The dragon who killed Raphael is swimming alongside us at this very moment. And there's a Fire Prince who needs to atone for his sins."

"Exactly," Ari said. "Tai Tsukasai needs to be held accountable for his actions."

"We'll never convince the world that it's Tai's fault that Raphael is dead," Savvas said.

"We don't need to convince the world," Ari said. "We only need to convince one person. Matthias Stone."

"He won't easily be convinced," Savvas said. "Stone has had an agenda against Vastiens forever."

"Why?"

"He's a king. Good kings know that if his people have an enemy, then they won't turn on their king. As long as his people have someone else to hate, they won't hate him."

Ari sighed.

"Your friend's tiger will be fine," Savvas said. "He's in safe hands."

"He's a doctor?" Ari asked, looking at the man who was sitting next to the tiger. She looked at him properly for the first time. He had much darker skin than either Ari or Savvas; his skin seemed almost blue in how black it was. His head was shaved bald, and although he was crouched by Jinni's chest, Ari could tell that he was very tall.

Savvas paused, staring at the man. "Well, as close as we have to one, yes. That's Olatuja. He's my husband."

Ari blinked, and looked back at Pythos Savvas. "I had no idea you were married," she admitted.

"I have a lot of... fans in Lombardia," Savvas said delicately. "If they knew I was married... well, then the women might stop throwing their underwear at me when I enter the pitch."

Ari let out a burst of laughter.

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elle xx