Page 40 of Fated to the Grumpy Dragon
I masked my shock at the desire in his voice—and in his heart—by swimming over to the net to retrieve the items. Rhysewantedto show me something … for my own enjoyment?
Something didn’t add up. Why would he suddenly start caring about this?
“I want to show you, because this is the world I live in,” he said, interpreting my emotions correctly. “Therealone. The one I love.”
“All right,” I said, swimming over to his floating serpentine form, the wings tucked tight to his sides. “Show me.”
I got positioned, took several short breathes to clear the carbon dioxide from my blood then breathed a deep lungful of air. Rhyse waited until I was ready. Then, with a sinuous motion, he powered his form under the water and down toward the seabed.
My hands were clamped firmly on one of the many protrusions along his spine. He moved fast and easily through the waters, but it was a smooth, easy acceleration. I had no troubles holding on.
Oh, wow.
The underwater world of the ocean floor opened up before me. The sunlight was tinged greenish-blue by the water, giving everything a little glitter. All manner of creatures and life was on the bottom. Shoals of fish swimming lazily along in seemingly random directions mixed with the occasional shark. An octopus, startled by our passing, shot a cloud of ink and jetted off in the other direction.
Not long after, Rhyse rose to the surface, his great lungs expelling the last of his held breath and inhaling deep for another.
“Wow,” I said as we floated for a moment.
“I told you,” he said softly, neck curled around so we could look at one another while we talked.
“It’s beautiful.”
“Yes, it is.”
Rhyse wasn’t looking at the ocean when he spoke.
Somewhat flustered under the intense gaze of his dragon, with its yellow eyes and vertical slit-like pupils, I glanced away. “Why this spot, though?” I asked. “Why here?”
“I’m glad you asked. Are you ready to go again?”
“Sure, I guess,” I said, curious about the source of his eagerness filtering through.
Down we dove again. Rhyse moved faster this time. Diving a little deeper. The pressure on my ears grew uncomfortable but not horribly so. We cleared a ledge, and I nearly let go in surprise.
There, dead ahead, straight from a textbook or a TV show, was the rotting, derelict hull of an ancient wooden sailing ship. Resting partially on its side, a giant hole through the front showing how it had met its end, one mast jutted up from the rocky bottom like a titan of old, defiant until the end.
We circled the ship once then surfaced for air before diving again. This time, I momentarily let go of Rhyse, wanting to swim over and touch the ship.
For his part, the blue dragon stayed close, recognizing I couldn’t stay below for long. He eased one paw gently through the gaping hole as I watched and teased open a chest lying just inside.
Something flickered in the sunlight. Eagerly, I dove down and snagged it before gesturing I needed air. Up we went. I stayed on Rhyse’s back, legs astride him as he surfaced, clutching tightly to the objects in my hand.
A handful of golden coins, crusted over with growth.
“Wow,” I said, tilting my palm left and right, letting the sun catch what little of the coins were still visible. “That is socool. Real treasure ship loot!”
Rhyse laughed, swimming easily back to the boat.
“Are we done?” I asked, sensing he wanted me to stay.
“No. Just … wait here, okay?”
He waited until I was on the boat then dove swiftly, moving far faster than he could with me holding on.
“Sure, I guess,” I said, not having had time to really answer or ask why.
I set my “haul” on the deck, pulling what growth I could from the coins and tossing it back into the ocean to pass the time.
