Page 28 of Tempest
“But he’s so beautiful,” Sophie said, as the little dragon tried to swallow a mouthful of foam. Iason supposed hewaspretty, with his pale blue scales and rainbow fins, but he knew as well as Levi that water dragons were about as clever as street pigeons. “How do I stop him from beaching himself?”
“You could keep him in a bucket and dump him back in every time he flings himself out,” Levi said, flapping a hand dismissively. “But they’re like minnows—there are millions of them, and they’re not worth much.”
“Don’t let him say that to you,” Sophie told the dragon, who started coiling up her arm in search of more foam. She ran for a bucket and filled it with seawater, and the dragon whistled and clicked as she plopped it inside.
“Why do I feel she adopted you in much the same way?” Levi asked Iason, as Sophie spilled sea-foam over the increasingly delighted dragon.
Iason sighed. “I’d argue, but I think you might be right.”
“Well, let’s hope there’s more than foam in that brain of yours, wizard,” Levi said, tapping his knuckles on Iason’s forehead. “Or else you might be stuck with me forever.”
“Perish the thought,” Iason said, and Levi nodded in agreement as Sophie ran up to them, toting a bucket full of dragon.
* * *
You loved a mortal, once.
Levi was quiet as he followed Iason and Sophie back to the camp, thinking about what had happened. Replaying his visions of his siblings—he would have to sleep and try to speak with Astra; the image of him with his horns being crushed was disturbing—and what Iason had said about Angel. Levi had cared for Angel, but he’d never made an offer of a companion bond before. All he knew was, it hadn’t been hard to reclaim his token and leave Angel alone. Azaiah almost lost himself entirely and drowned the world for the want of Nyx. Arwyn had asked Levi to make islands for Declan. All Levi had done for Angel was leave him.
He thought of the poison tree that had sprung up around Iason, the way he’d reached in to pull Iason free. He hadn’t thought about it, only reacted on instinct… and while that wasn’t unusual for him, his instincts weren’t normally tosave and protect humans. When he’d left Angel behind on the sandbar, he hadn’t even made sure there was a boat to enable him to leave.
Because he hadn’t cared what Angel wanted or needed. Why did Iason matter—Iason, whom he’d known for less time and who wasn’t even a smiling, sweet-natured submissive who wanted to be on his back for Levi, showing his throat? Angel hadn’t been a submissive and he hadn’t come willingly to the rock where he’d been left as a sacrifice, but he’d chosen to leave with Levi. Iason stole Levi’s godhood to save a girl who kept a water dragon in a bucket. He’d also taken Levi’s shifting ability, even though Levi knew it wasn’t on purpose.
Maybe that was the reason. Yes. Iason couldn’t be hurt, not until they figured out how Levi could regain his dragon form. That’s probably all it was.
“Do I need to feed him fish, or do they really just eat bubbles?” Sophie asked as they neared the camp.
“Bubbles and foam, yes. Sometimes they eat small insects, but generally not on purpose.” Levi frowned as he noticed a commotion, mages scurrying around and Lazaros shouting orders and calling for a healer.
“What happened?” Sophie asked. “It sounds like someone’s hurt!” She shoved the bucket at Levi, who took it more out of surprise than anything, and made as if she was going to run to join the group of mages … but Iason put a hand on her shoulder to keep her with him.
“We don’t know what happened or if it’s dangerous,” he said.
“It’s a political revolution involving magic,” Levi pointed out. “Of course it’s dangerous.”
Iason ignored that. “Wait here. I’ll go and see. Don’t let her follow me, dragon,” he added, with a pointed look at Levi.
Levi didn’t think anyone could stop Sophie from doing whatever she wanted, and it seemed ridiculous to bother trying. Instead, he smiled down at the water dragon, who was staring up at him with a look of utter adoration on his little face.
Big-Big-Biggest-Bubble.
Levi idly scratched the creature under his chin. The dragon already loved Sophie, but it was in paroxysms of joy from Levi’s attention. That was mollifying, even if water dragons weren’t very intelligent. He noticed Sophie watching him and shrugged. “They recognize me. And this one, he loves you.”
“Already?” Sophie smiled, reaching for the bucket again. “That was quick.”
“You saved his life. Now you’re his whole world.”
Sophie gave a soft laugh. “Sounds familiar. Is he going to be overprotective, too?”
Levi flashed a sharp-toothed smile at her. “No. He’s not smart enough.”
“I don’t know if that matters. Iason’s pretty smart, and he’s probablyhopingwhatever is going on is dangerous enough to keep me away,” Sophie joked, patting the little dragon. “You’re so pretty! What should I name you? Bubble? No, that seems… not right. Hmm.” She looked up at Levi. “Does he have a name? Do you know?”
Levi shook his head. “No. Water dragons don’t need names, but you can give him one. I don’t know if he’ll ever be smart enough to know it’s his, but you can try.”
“I’m pretty good with impossible creatures.” Sophie glanced toward Iason, who was heading their way like a sullen, grim storm cloud. “Okay, then. I’ll call you Argo, cutie. That was my dad’s ship, the one where he met my papa and they fell in love.”
Even Levi, who was unpracticed in the nuances of human emotion, could hear the quiet, aching note of sorrow in her voice. “It still saddens you,” he said, reaching out to brush a strand of hair out of her face. “The loss of them.”
