Indebted

55

Breathe

The voice a command in Esti's mind. Opal. It was her dragon, Opal was back in strength as a part of Esti. Esti could Feel magic growing in the very air around her, the sensation of fighting the binding collar starting to burn. Every moment her nerves felt hotter and hotter under her skin, until she was certain her blood would boil in her veins. It was unbearable.

Breathe

Esti tried to focus. Time seemed to have stopped. She could see dozens of glittering jewels shining in the sea. A shimmering, nearly invisible thread connecting the ocean magic to the metal around her throat and then continuing to the now startled looking witch.

Esti was weightless. She wasn't over the mercenary's shoulder, yet not on her own two feet.

The return!

A multitude of voices all echoing in Esti's mind. Her skin was too tight. Her nerves and blood on fire in her veins, Everything was too loud, and too much. Esti felt the metal around her throat crack and fall from around her neck and shoulders. Rendered useless as it fell to the beach. Shattering like egg shells. The metal turning black, decaying before her eyes, blowing away as less than ash in the wind.

Esti took a breath. The witch who had tried to contain her, looked terrified. The world around Esti's vision going white. The bracelet around the witches wrist turned black, decaying the same way as the collar just had. The corruption spread up the witch's arm moving like a drop of ink in water, moving under the witch's skin in thready spiderwebs. Except ink never turned water into ashes as it spread.

It looked like a dream to see Wakame screaming, but Esti didn't hear anything. There was a louder sound taking up everything in her mind. Esti felt the now familiar pain as her bones broke and shifted and changed. Her body became Opal. Who was excited, quickly taking away control and slamming Esti back. Esti forced enough control to see. To watch.

The last of the witch, blew away with the next gust of the winds. Opal, free and unmolested by any binds could clearly see the men for what they were. Could see the countless crimes in her mind.  Justice was owed in multitudes.

The hyena mercenaries were starting to run. The whole of the world in slow motion for Esti as she watched from inside Opal. The ocean was not empty, Esti could see the shadows under the surface. Swimming towards the beach. Esti was pretty certain there wasn't a way to stop what Wakame had started when she tried to enslave Esti. Esti was angry, a full burning emotion like she had never known before.

A voice in the dark promising her that she could have the sweet, intoxicating sensation of justice. Revenge. So many times she had been wronged and had no way to even defend herself. Then, Esti felt her mate. Ignoring the sublime voice whispering Esti's darkest, hidden dreams to her. 

Atticus had finally stopped hiding. He had come for her, and was so close. Esti turned Opal's head. "Atticus?" She had tried to say. Only for Opal to take all control, turning their head and refocusing Esti's attention. Back to the more important task at hand.

The sea near the shore was boiling with activity. Thirty seven sea serpents tumbled onto the shore. Long sinuous bodies propelling them through the water and onto the beach like snakes.  Opal trumpeted loudly. Blinding lights from all directions as the would be dragons who had spent far too long in their juvenile form were finally freed from the sea. Transforming into small earth dragons, and coming to shore ravenous after their long delayed maturation was finally forced. Skipping the cocoon phase entirely. Perhaps breaking the slow, vulnerable life cycle that had been their downfall.

Small dragons in high enough numbers were a deadly force. All linked, able to work individually or as a group seamlessly. They had already sank and destroyed the team that had been expected to arrive on the boat. Quickly enough that no alarm or warning had been sounded.