After Ice

Ave, Drakon

A few minutes later after we've eaten, the three of us stand in the entrance to a damp stairwell at the very bottom of the ship. 

The bilge, Flynn calls it. 

Barnacles cling to the walls, algae hanging from the ceiling, and I feel a wash of homesickness, even if it's from something such as mold. Rei stiffens beside me upon seeing the rusted cells, empty buckets tossed on the ground in some. 

All cells are vacant. 

Except one.

"Greetings, mighty dragon."

"Go away," responds a low and gravelly voice to Flynn's amicable one.

"You owe me a favor," Flynn continues cheerily as we walk further down the cells, me trying to avoid the stagnant puddles with my bare feet.

"No, you owe me a favor, knucklehead. Remember?" Flynn sighs, turning to us.

"He murdered a couple of people, got sent to jail, but I smuggled him onto the ship where he has to hide down here in a cell.

"And it's moldier than the ones the Winged Caelir have! At least there in Vincalum they have proper toilets!"

"Yeah, yeah. Quit your yapping. If you help these two, I'll get you out." There's a grunt from inside a cell in front of us, and a mumbled 'fine.' I arrive at the cell and stare through the bars at the creature sitting in the puddles.

A boy leans back against the damp wall, hands on his knees. He glares at us through half-lowered eyelids, glowing red-black irises flickering up and down Rei and I. Leathery wings erupt from his back, splayed out oddly from where he sits. Claws cap each one, deadly sharp. Unlike Rei who has a blue tinge to his hair, this "boy" has black hair with strands of red, pieces flopping into his eyes. Two horns curve out from his hair, also black. I glance at the tail that slithers out from under him, and a corner of his mouth lifts up in an amused smile. There is no happiness in it. 

Only dangerous malice.

Flynn motions to the cell dramatically. "Ave, Kadence the Drakon." 

Hail Kadence. Drakon?

"Didn't you just call him a dragon?" I ask skeptically. Flynn shrugs, grinning a sharp-toothed grin.

"I do it just to piss him off." Kadence makes a very unholy gesture at Flynn, who's grin just widens further. "He's actually a Drakon." Kadence stands up, stretching his arms, spiked wings unfurling to his ankles. They do look like dragon wings, the leathery skin stretched between skeletal frames. I find myself holding my breath as he walks closer, stopping an inch away from inside the... cage. His eyes have gone black, and he crosses his arms, surveying Rei who stares back at him coldly.

"I didn't know I'd be assisting Mer," he says, speaking to Flynn but still not moving his eyes off Rei. Flynn glances at our tattoos, splaying his hands.

"Take it or leave it." Kadence sneers, and I can clearly see that his canines are sharper than mine.

"Open the door, Exceptis," he hisses.

"On one condition."

"Isn't helping them the condition?"

"Yeah, ok, sure," Flynn snips. "But only helping them. No killing the Mer in their sleep." Kadence rolls his eyes, and Flynn flicks his palm. The rusted bars snap open, and the Drakon slinks out. He watches Rei as he stretches his wings, and I can hear the pop of joints. A smirk descends on his features.

"Only because you aren't fully Mer. Just outcasts, am I right?" Rei growls but I tug him back beside me. 

"We don't know anything about each other," I say calmly. "Let's keep it that way."

*

On the way out, Rei and I snag two pairs of boots from the sleeping sailors on the floor up. The fabric feels very confining after being barefoot, but I will get used to it. Not get used to the thievery, I hope. Flynn leads the three of us to the trapdoor single file. Him, me, Kadence, and Rei. I can feel the heat radiating off the Drakon, wanting to scream or something every time he moved. Flynn holds up a hand for us to halt, opening the door.

"I can act like I'm escorting both of you out of the ship. As for you, Drakon..." Flynn sighs, raking a hand through his sandy blonde hair. "You're going to need to fly." Kadence's eyes glint and Flynn glares at him. "Swear to me you won't disappear." We all wait for his response. Finally, he grits his teeth, snapping them together.

"I swear I won't disappear." With that, Flynn grabs my hand and pulls me after him, Rei shouldering past Kadence stonily. The Exceptis begins walking purposefully across the ship, whispering in my ear.

"Keep an eye on him, will you?" I nod, peering out the corner of my eye at the Drakon, who runs to the side of the ship, inching behind the cabin, the ocean waves lapping up just a few feet under him. 

It's obvious how he hisses that he hates the water.

"Can I expect to see you back soon?" Flynn almost jumps. The Spanish lady with the sword at her hip smiles cooly down at us. From this close, I can see her black hair hanging in intricate braids.

"Yes, Captain! I, uh, I'm just dropping these lovebirds back on Moenian land." Her eyes flit to me, and my insides tighten, knowing she can see my not-so-ocean-colored tattoos.

"Very well. I'll be waiting for your return." With that, she swishes away, leaving Flynn extremely ruffled.

"Flynn," I hiss, jerking at his grip on my hand.

"Sorry, Shailene!"

"It's fine," I say, shaking out my tingling fingers. "What's Moenian land?" Rei comes up beside me, casting a quick glance at my hand before answering the question.

"We washed up on the island of Moenia, and we're headed to Moen, the town up ahead." He nods forward, and I catch a glimpse of cobblestone over the gangplank, the piece of wood lowered so that we can cross from the ship to the land. I quickly check behind my shoulder to see if Kadence is still there, but the Drakon had vanished. 

With one last look around, Flynn leads us off the ship, and onto the island of Moenia.

*

The noise hits me like a wave. 

I seemed not to have noticed before the rattling of carts, yelling of merchants, the clatter of coins, and whispers of cloth. There is smoke spiraling skyward from the buildings up ahead, and I inhale the scent of something cooking. People of all different colors swarm inside the buildings and clog the roads, animals looking on passively as goods are exchanged. I can even see a flock of chickens being herded through the dusty streets. 

We are only at the edge. 

To my left, I can see the beach where Rei and I washed up and were found just this morning. The water glitters as far as the eye can see, dazzling under the midday sun. It had risen high overhead, casting small shadows at my feet, and turning Rei's eyes a lighter shade of ocean blue. Any tracks or evidence from the scuffle with the sailors have been erased, the sand perfectly smooth. I take comfort from the sound of the waves over the sand, the caw of birds in the distance, and the salty wind carrying a cool breeze through the stifling market.

The Spanish Captain's ship was not the only one. 

Boardwalks extended every which way out into the sparkling crystal water, merging with the sand and cobblestone of Moenia. Thick wooden posts with fat coils of starchy rope wrapped around them protrude every few feet, connecting the ships so they don't float out into the endless sea. Barnacles grow up their sides, small crabs and bits of seaweed clinging to them. I smile, sensing Rei's gaze on my face. He leans down, his mouth lifting at the corners and brushing over my ear.

"Welcome to Moen."