Page 41 of Emerald Waves
I’m here for you however you need me to be.
The bond we’d formed since I found him was like no other. All those years I’d been unhinged, lost even, completely alone. With my dragon appearing all those terrifying emotions were gone. Not only had he brought me physical strength, but mental as well. He grounded me, became my best friend and above all he listens and knows how to calm me.
I love you, dragon.
And I you, Emerson. Now, gather all that data you know your mind craves. I’ll be right here waiting.
Tasi disappeared and reappeared across the room. “Whoa.”
“It appears my little prince likes you. Now he’s playing hide and seek.”
Many wonderous events unfolded before me. Merdragonets controlling shifting, harnessing the ability to read your soul, disappearing and reappearing on command. “Do all of your dragonets have these same abilities?” I poked Tasi’s belly. He disappeared in a poof of giggles, reappearing behind me.
“Boo!” Tasi poked me back.
One by one the stones imbedded in the surrounding cavernous walls came to life. Merdragons of all ages, sizes, and various colors stood before me, curiously eyeing the stranger as I was doing with them. At first sight, the cave was confined, but now I saw the walls were in fact not walls at all, but Merdragons.
“It’s a defense mechanism. We turn to stone to protect ourselves,” Kai informed me.
“Absolutely marvelous.” How many other gifts had the goddess bestowed upon our oceanic cousins? “Hi,” I waved, “I’m Emerson, Dragon City archivist and historian. I’m honored to be in your presence.” Why did that feel like an opening spiel to an infomercial?
There were nods and murmurs, the children gathered and began to play, though Kai remained nearby. I’m sure as my self-appointed guard.
“What do you eat? Do you hunt? There’s no feasible way I can see for you to get to a supermarket.”
He looked at me like I’d lost my mind, a gaze I was far too familiar with.
“We don’t hunt. The ocean is filled with plenty to sustain us without taking a life.” That had me viewing how those of us who lived on land ate in a whole new light. “We take and we give back. Kelp beds are abundant as are sea vegetables, nori, wakame and various other aquatic plants. Within our cavernous home wehave our own gardens, so to speak. Occasionally, if we find a bed within the sea lacking we’ll transplant some from our own beds to fill it.”
The cave had a reverse canyon that ran through it. More like a break that divided the cave used as a means for them to come and go. I glanced down into the clear, endless sea with no bottom in sight. Shivering, as the thought of just how deep beneath the ocean we were, and that thought frightened me.
“Are you okay, Emerson?” Kai asked. “You look a little pale.”
“Yes, just was never a very good swimmer.”
“Ah, I see. That could prove to be problematic.”
As in that was the only way home for me and personally I’d prefer it to happen without my drowning. I turned, as the booming authoritative sound of Kai’s voice had lessened and found he’d shifted into near human form.
“Unlike dragon shifters, Merdragons don’t have a complete human form.” He held his hands up and wiggled his fingers and toes, showing his appendages were still webbed, which weren’t the only remaining anomalies. Their gills remained in this state as well.
“Fascinating. Sorry,” I shook my head. “I’ve overused that word today, but this has truly been an enlightening kidnapping.”
“As was having you return with Tasi. We’ve never transported a non-Merdragon in that manner. Kidnapping is a bit harsh, but yes, you are a sort of a prisoner as a means to lure your protector here or I’d have had Tasi return you. Protectors or not, they must understand the depth of their mistake.”
A pawn to be played at the right time.
And when Caro arrives its checkmate.
Well, I might as well learn as much as I can before I die.
“Am I allowed to walk around, or do I have to stay here?” Thankfully my dragon eyes didn’t require light to see as this unending cavern was dark as night.
“I will escort you.”
Should have expected that.
“Follow me.”
