Page 69 of Fated to the Grumpy Dragon
“You should have known better!”I bellowed deep into the water, turning the liquid frothy with bubbles.
Some of my self-loathing vented, I surfaced for air.
The gust of wind surprised me, as did the tumultuous seas. There was no sign of clouds on the horizon, but the way the wind was picking up, I knew they would be forming soon. I bobbed and rolled, the waves big enough to move even my dragon form now.
Taking a breath, I dove once more. A little rough weather was nothing when I could dive down and spend most of my time where it was calm.
As I cruised along, I started to recognize some of the distinct rock formations. I knew this area. I’d been here before and not long ago. Just over the next rise should be a deep crevice.
Sure enough, as I crested the top, the seabed dropped away sharply in an opening perhaps twenty feet wide. On the other side, hidden mostly in sand on its side, was the sunken wooden ship.
The same ship I’d brought Emma down to see.
Of course I would end up here.Glaring up at the surface and the sky beyond it, I had to wonder if someone up there was playing a cruel trick on me. Torturing me with the reminder of what had been so close and then so cruelly ripped away.
Angrily, I swam away with powerful flicks of my tail, putting the treasure ship and its memories behind me where they belonged.
Desperate for something,anythingto distract me, I made my way across the seabed to where I knew another ship rested. A much newer one.
Circling the wreck of Vicek’s downed vessel, I once again noted the large claw marks on the underside of the hall. There was no doubt that not only had it been dragons that had taken the boat down, but dragons who were somewhat comfortable in the sea. They had attacked from the depths below. That wasn’t the course of action most would take. Which definitely narrowed it down.
The sovereign was right. Whoever was doing this, they were coastal dragons. My eyes narrowed in renewed anger. These rogue dragons were inviting danger upon everyone, not justthemselves, in the name of gathering more gold to themselves. That was not the type of dragon wanted among the isles. They had to be stopped at all costs before they—
Something dark and shadowy tried to slip away into the sea from behind the ship.
In a flash, I was after it, using slight pulses of my wings to augment my speed. It was a tricky maneuver to do, especially with a less than responsive left wing, but I’d spent so long below water that I had long since mastered it.
Whoever was trying to sneak off into the depths had not.
The moment I’d seen movement, it had been clear it was too large to be a shark or an orca, and the big blue whales would never be that close to the bottom.
No, it had to be a dragon.
The other dragon wasn’t immediately aware of my pursuit, allowing me to close the gap rapidly. I was less than a hundred feet behind when the red dragon suddenly accelerated, shooting forward, aware now of my presence.
I bared my teeth. Only a guilty party flees.
Despite their added acceleration, it was quickly clear they weren’t going to outrun me. The gap was still closing, only at a slower pace. And underwater, I dared anyone to out-stamina me. I had as much time down here as many did in the skies. More, probably.
They weremine.
Pulling alongside the other dragon, I motioned upward with my head, indicating they needed to surface. My lungs were burning, and I was used to it. I knew they would be in just as bad shape.
Reluctantly, they rose to the surface. I did as well, wary for any move. I knew who they were now, could identify the pattern of scales and horns on the top of their head.
“Reece,” I snarled as we broke the surface—into the frothy waves of an ocean squall.
Lightning and thunder broke around us while rain lashed at our scaly exteriors.
The red dragon’s only answer was a roar, followed by the muscular twitch of his tail. I easily ducked the telegraphed blow, diving under and taking a chunk out of his hind leg before he could react. It wasn’t much, just enough to let him know he should stop playing games.
A fireball was waiting for me when I surfaced again. I turned my head away frantically, howling in pain as the fire splashed over my neck. Scales sizzled and popped, the blackened remains peeling off and disappearing into the dark waters below.
“You didnotjust do that in the middle of a storm!” I bellowed.
Reece’s eyes went wide as he realized his mistake.
Idiot.
