she'd ever seen left her speechless.
"That's where we're going," Tuck said.
Riette couldn't decide if she was elated or terrified. The end of the journey was most welcome, but she had no idea what awaited her and Emmet. Whatever motives these people had for helping her would soon be known, now that she and Emmet were completely reliant on them for survival. It was a risk she'd known she had been taking, but that didn't reduce her anxiety. She wanted to trust these people who had been so kind to her and had perhaps saved her life, but her propensity for caution would not be overcome, it was what had kept them alive this long.
"Not many folks come here," Tuck said. "We should be safe. Most other places are a long ways off."
That thought alone quelled some of Riette's fears. There had been plenty of opportunity to hurt them, and she did not think these people meant her or Emmet personal harm. Slowly she began to trust. What other choice did she have?
The mountain wasn't the only thing to rise from the depths. A large land mass ran alongside it, a monolithic shelf dropping into deep water. Running through this land mass was a shallow channel, looking like veins of marble in the land, stark white sands standing out amid lush greenery. A ring of pillars taller than any tree Riette had ever seen marked the entrance to the shallows. Twenty-four in all made for an awe-inspiring sight. One stood slightly askew, and signs of cracking were visible. Twisted visages had been carved into the pillars, giving them a much more ominous appearance. Flying low across the waves, Riette could almost feel the dragon's sense of anticipation.
The waters amid the circle of pillars swirled in a permanent but shifting vortex. Smaller funnels broke off from the central maelstrom, each roaring at its own pitch. Not expecting the dragon to fly right into the center, Riette drew a sharp breath. As if passing through an invisible waterfall, the energy changed around them; even the air was cooler. Below, a rotating maelstrom roared with a haunting sucking sound. Its edges not always well defined, the vortex wall danced and moved, but toward the center was a place that clearly stayed dry. There rested an amber statuette, glowing even in the shadow of the water surrounding it. How had it gotten there? Riette asked herself, her curiosity afire.
"Magic," Emmet said. Riette was unable to dispute it. Even the captain nodded in agreement.
"She just wants to bask a bit before dropping us off on land," Tuck said. "This is her favorite part. I think this place helps her somehow."
The dragon's posture and stance made the truth of his words clear. Somehow hovering in the air above the vortex, her eyes closed and muscles relaxed, she looked more comfortable here than any time since they had met. For a brief moment, Riette enjoyed being happy for the dragon. Dashiq sighed and turned on a wingtip toward a scrubby piece of land with a fire pit and campsite in place. The dragon waited impatiently for everyone to unload then stared at the captain for a long moment.
Tuck saw the exchange and immediately began loosening straps and buckles. "Can you help us with this?" Tuck asked. "She needs to heal."
A snide comment about asking passengers to be part of the crew never left her lips. She wanted Dashiq to heal. Emmet started working on some of the lowest buckles without being asked. Tuck nodded and pointed to the next strap the boy should unhook. Riette worried about Emmet getting hurt, but Tuck was so confident, she allowed the risk. She reached up high to grab a strap, and her eyes met the captain's. He watched her every reaction, and she, his. When she glanced at Dashiq and went back to work on the strap, he nodded and did the same. He might have smiled, but Riette's attention was on her struggle with the buckle, which was bound up and holding most of the weight, making it uncomfortable for the dragon, who shifted on her feet. The captain grabbed the harness on both
"That's where we're going," Tuck said.
Riette couldn't decide if she was elated or terrified. The end of the journey was most welcome, but she had no idea what awaited her and Emmet. Whatever motives these people had for helping her would soon be known, now that she and Emmet were completely reliant on them for survival. It was a risk she'd known she had been taking, but that didn't reduce her anxiety. She wanted to trust these people who had been so kind to her and had perhaps saved her life, but her propensity for caution would not be overcome, it was what had kept them alive this long.
"Not many folks come here," Tuck said. "We should be safe. Most other places are a long ways off."
That thought alone quelled some of Riette's fears. There had been plenty of opportunity to hurt them, and she did not think these people meant her or Emmet personal harm. Slowly she began to trust. What other choice did she have?
The mountain wasn't the only thing to rise from the depths. A large land mass ran alongside it, a monolithic shelf dropping into deep water. Running through this land mass was a shallow channel, looking like veins of marble in the land, stark white sands standing out amid lush greenery. A ring of pillars taller than any tree Riette had ever seen marked the entrance to the shallows. Twenty-four in all made for an awe-inspiring sight. One stood slightly askew, and signs of cracking were visible. Twisted visages had been carved into the pillars, giving them a much more ominous appearance. Flying low across the waves, Riette could almost feel the dragon's sense of anticipation.
The waters amid the circle of pillars swirled in a permanent but shifting vortex. Smaller funnels broke off from the central maelstrom, each roaring at its own pitch. Not expecting the dragon to fly right into the center, Riette drew a sharp breath. As if passing through an invisible waterfall, the energy changed around them; even the air was cooler. Below, a rotating maelstrom roared with a haunting sucking sound. Its edges not always well defined, the vortex wall danced and moved, but toward the center was a place that clearly stayed dry. There rested an amber statuette, glowing even in the shadow of the water surrounding it. How had it gotten there? Riette asked herself, her curiosity afire.
"Magic," Emmet said. Riette was unable to dispute it. Even the captain nodded in agreement.
"She just wants to bask a bit before dropping us off on land," Tuck said. "This is her favorite part. I think this place helps her somehow."
The dragon's posture and stance made the truth of his words clear. Somehow hovering in the air above the vortex, her eyes closed and muscles relaxed, she looked more comfortable here than any time since they had met. For a brief moment, Riette enjoyed being happy for the dragon. Dashiq sighed and turned on a wingtip toward a scrubby piece of land with a fire pit and campsite in place. The dragon waited impatiently for everyone to unload then stared at the captain for a long moment.
Tuck saw the exchange and immediately began loosening straps and buckles. "Can you help us with this?" Tuck asked. "She needs to heal."
A snide comment about asking passengers to be part of the crew never left her lips. She wanted Dashiq to heal. Emmet started working on some of the lowest buckles without being asked. Tuck nodded and pointed to the next strap the boy should unhook. Riette worried about Emmet getting hurt, but Tuck was so confident, she allowed the risk. She reached up high to grab a strap, and her eyes met the captain's. He watched her every reaction, and she, his. When she glanced at Dashiq and went back to work on the strap, he nodded and did the same. He might have smiled, but Riette's attention was on her struggle with the buckle, which was bound up and holding most of the weight, making it uncomfortable for the dragon, who shifted on her feet. The captain grabbed the harness on both
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