Warriors of the Dragon

Shipwrecked

  The smell of a storm made the dragons grow uncomfortable in their stalls and the elves and naiads soon found themselves on deck with their dragons. Craven followed Sephira up the stairs into the shadow of a dark grey cloud and he knew Crow was waiting for him. Crow's wings seemed to shiver with unease as he stood next to Sabine on the rocking deck. Craven didn't try hard to comfort the beast because he too couldn't shake the dread that found its way to his heart. There was no land visible from any direction. Sephira had even entranced with Caius to see that not only was a nasty storm quickly bearing down on them from the East, but even with his dragon sight she couldn't see any land. If they lost the boat, the dragons likely wouldn't be able to make it to land by flying. They'd have to fly for two days straight and most of the dragons couldn't make it. Only the naiads and their dragons might have a chance to swim to shore, but they'd have to find shore.

They were two and half days into their journey when the waves crashed into the boat and a twister slammed down into them. Malina and Demitro stood on the deck and tried to use their power over the water to push the stormy waters away from the ship. However, the deck of the enormous metal ship roiled so drastically that they couldn't keep their balance to weave their signs in the air to command the water effectively. It was also difficult for them without the third member of their coven. Even when the dragon riders tried to take off on their dragons, the storm whipped them down towards the water and pummeled them with sharp rain accompanied by unbelievably strong winds. Captain Gerhardt had his crew close the sails to keep the ship from capsizing from the rapidly changing wind, but many were getting injured and being thrown from the masts.

The last thing Sephira remembered was trying to take off on Caius in order to fly up above the storm. There was a cold dread that dropped in her gut as she felt Caius struggle to fly and then she found herself clinging to the saddle surrounded by soaking wet grey clouds. Lightning struck them and dragon and rider were unconscious as the sea rose up and took them.

*

Isolde woke to the feel of the hot sun smothering her where she laid. The white, hot orb in the clear blue sky pierced painfully deep into her eyes as she tried to open them. She felt sand grind against her bare skin and she shifted her body to feel that she was only wearing the rags of her dress as she tried to remember where she was. Her arm flew to cover her eyes as she squinted out from under the shadow of her sandy forearm. She could taste the salt in the air and hear the waves crashing serenely to the shore. When she was able to turn over and start to move, she saw a body not far from her.

We were shipwrecked, she remembered hazily. She coughed and spluttered before crawling to the black-clad body.

She kneeled with her mouth dropped open in disbelief at the beautiful blond woman who laid unconscious on the beach. She wore the armor of the Duvendis, but to Isolde, she couldn't possibly be anything but an Undine. Her delicately pointed ears were partially hidden by her golden hair and her eyes were closed peacefully like she was sleeping. Her pale, perfect skin was smooth and to Isolde seemed to sparkle in the sun. Her hands, which Isolde had until then believed were black as coal were actually a milky beige color to match the color of her angular face and they laid lifeless in the sand.

Isolde couldn't summon her voice, but her eyes searched desperately for a sign that the Duvendis woman was still alive. Isolde could see that she was breathing shallowly. She reached her hand out slowly to touch the woman's black-armored shoulder, but before her hand touched the Duvendis, Craven collapsed beside them, making Isolde look up.

"Sephira, wake up." He begged as his hands went to either side of her face and he leaned over her to kiss her on the forehead. Her body was limp as he pulled her from the sand to cradle her.

"She's alive." Isolde found herself whispering to him as she watched in anticipation.

The woman's eyes flew open and she turned to cough seawater from her half-drowned lungs. She squinted into the sun up at Craven and her arms came around his damp, sandy shoulders.

"Craven." She breathed in relief before he kissed her cheek and pulled her into a delicate hug. She took a moment for the deliriousness to wear off before her sharp silver eyes found Isolde staring at her disbelief. 

To be continued...

I have started outlining a second and third book because this book will be too long if I put them together lol. I may add more to this chapter or keep the rest of the chapter as the start of the second book.  

I hope you enjoyed this!

Thank you for reading.

~Catnyx