Page 44 of Crown and Dragon

“If she has claimed him, you have very little time to catch up to them before they disappear for good.”

Tahlia gritted her teeth and fisted her hands. “But he isn’t currently drowning if he’s down there with her, right? Please tell me that, at least.”

“No, she won’t let him drown before she entertains herself with him.”

And then she spotted Marius’s boots. A chill rocked her and she bent halfway, bracing herself on her knees. Swallowing against the lump in her throat, Tahlia tried not to panic.

“All right,” she said, her voice shaky. “I’m going in. But it’s not as if I swim regularly. I wish you were here, Lija. For many, many reasons.”

“I do too, rider. I do too. Now, shake that despair off your shoulders, knight, and look around the shoreline for a palm-sized stone that has been smoothed from years of seaside existence.”

“Why?”

“I’ll explain as you search,” Lija said.

The beach was a sea itself with pebbles stretching for a mile, maybe more. “Any palm-sized stone?”

“Yes. If it doesn’t work the first time, we can try until it does.”

“Try what?” At Tahlia’s feet, a smooth, light brown stone reflected another strike of lightning. She picked it up. “Got a rock for you, my mysterious dragon.”

“Good. Do you have a blade?”

“Several.”

Lija’s chuckle was dark and full of promised vengeance on those who went against them. “You’ll need to carve four runes on the stone.”

“But I don’t have magic. I have no Unseelie blood.” Some Seelie Fae did have Unseelie blood and were just recently being open about it. After discovering the link between Fae King Lysanael and the Unseelie realm, the stigma had faded somewhat. Only the humans’ Witch and the Fae’s Druid could do full magic in this realm—the world of Seelie Fae and humans.

“This is sea magic and you are bonded to a Seabreak, rider. Trust me.”

“Do the other knights know about this magic of yours?”

“They’ve seen some of it in battle with Donan and Lady Maiwenn, but they know enough not to ask too many questions about dragon business.”

“Understood.”

Lija began detailing the lines and shapes of the runes Tahlia had to carve. They went one by one, Lija explaining and Tahlia etching the magical symbols as clearly as possible on the stone.

“It’s finished,” Tahlia said, feeling shaky for a thousand reasons. The rain was cold. Marius was missing. Durniad would be claiming the crown and using it to wreak havoc on the entire world in a bit. She had injuries that burned and pulsed with pain. Oh, and she was about to hunt a siren.

“Sit as Lady Fara instructed you earlier. Hold the stone over your chest.”

Tahlia didn’t argue, but she did take a minute to strip off her boots as well as to remove her belt and Fara’s letters. When she was in position with the stone against her chest, she checked in.

“I’m ready.”

“Imagine that I am beside you and your hand is on my scales. Pretend as though we breathe in and out like we are the same creature.”

A warmth traveled down Tahlia’s head, shoulders, and chest. Her lungs, mouth, and nose tingled like they were going numb.

“Do you feel the magic, rider?”

“I do.”

“Then you can enter the sea without worry for air. Leave the stone on the beach and let us begin our hunt.”

Tahlia waded into the chilly, storm-tossed surf. The cliffs curved around the beach like a scythe. The tide tugged at her legs.

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