“This is the sturdiest boat I have. She’ll handle well for you. There is a tarp in case it rains or you need protection from the sun. All you have to do is pull the lever and it will unfurl. Jeanetta embedded a fine wind spell into the sail. You’ll fly along the lake,” Micco said with an expression of pride.
“Mother’s spells are powerful,” Bishop boasted.
Nali chuckled appreciatively. “Then we will fly across the water like one of my airships,” she said.
“Oh, the ones with the Thunderbirds? I saw them once when we went to the Palace City. Mother took me down to the docks so I could watch them,” Bishop breathed out with envy.
“The next time you come to Palace City, let me know, and I will arrange a tour of one of my ships for you. You can also visit the aviary where we raise the Thunderbirds,” she offered.
“Oh, Father, can we go tomorrow?” Bishop implored, looking at his father.
Micco laughed and shook his head. “Not until your mother and sister return. Who would mind the boats and the livestock?” he pointed out.
Bishop looked disappointed for a moment before his expression brightened. “Mother and Sophie will be home in two weeks. That isn’t long to wait,” he said.
“No, it isn’t long,” his father agreed.
Micco gave the long oar to Asahi and held onto the bow rope as Asahi stepped over the side, then tossed the rope to him and pushed the boat out into deeper water.
“With the Goddess’s blessing, I’ll return your boat in a few days,” Nali called out.
“Safe journeys, Empress,” Micco replied.
Nali spun the wheel of the twenty-foot boat, turning the bow to the north. Asahi pulled the ropes, raising the sail. Memories of sailing off the coast of California with his grandfather came to mind as he did the task.
The sails filled the moment he tied off the rigging, and Asahi held onto the mast as the boat shot forward through the calm waters.
He moved to the stern of the boat where Nali was standing at the wheel, and remarked, “That is some spell his wife cast on the sail!”
Nali smiled. “Jeanetta is descended from the Isle of Magic and the Isle of the Sea Serpent. She has a special affinity for magic and water,” she explained.
He looked back at the hut. It was now a speck on the horizon. “Where is Micco originally from?” he asked.
She grinned mischievously. “Micco’s a changeling. His and Bishop’s appearance were an illusion to make you more comfortable. Most changelings live on the islands in this lake or along its banks like Micco,” she said.
“That is how you knew there would be a boat available,” he surmised.
She nodded absentmindedly, her focus fixed ahead, and it was then that Asahi noticed a movement along the shore of a nearby island. A surge of excitement swept through him. He held his head still, remembering what his grandfather had told him about the best way to see a fairy—don’t look directly at them.
All of Asahi’s attention was on his peripheral vision as they passed the island—and the blurry movement became clear. Two teenage girls stood ankle deep in the water, their skirts tucked in at the waist, staring at them with curiosity.
“I always thought fairies would be smaller,” he mused.
“There are many types of fairies,” she responded.
I still have much to learn, Asahi thought. He looked thoughtfully at Nali.
Her gaze remained focused on the water in front of them. This gave him an opportunity to study her profile. He would never tire of looking at her. The memory of her body intimately pressed against his, his arms wrapped around her, and his hand cupping her breast was enough to cause his cock to harden.
This physical reaction to a mere memory was a first for him. He usually prided himself on his self-discipline, but now he wanted to embrace his lack of it. He understood that this battle may not go well and that one of them, if not both, could perish.
Asahi slid his arm around her waist, and the troubled look in her eyes disappeared. She gave him a pleased smile, and he pressed a light kiss on her lips.
“We will win this war, Nali,” he quietly vowed.
Moisture clouded her eyes for a moment before she blinked it away. Taking a deep breath, she locked eyes with him.
“Asahi,” she breathed. The space between them became charged with the depth of their emotions. Then she looked away and shook her head. Instead of saying more, she affectionately rubbed her cheek against his and held him close.
A sense of contentment swept through Asahi. The emotion in her eyes when she looked at him was all that he needed to know. She was falling in love with him. It was an emotion that he understood all too well—because he felt the same way for her.
Chapter 18
Valdier:
Royal Palace
Creon Reykill paced back and forth in the living room of his family’s apartment in the palace. Fear knotted his stomach. Outside, it was growing dark, and his youngest daughter still had not returned home. He stopped pacing and turned to his oldest twin daughter.
“Spring, when was the last time you saw Phoenix?” Creon asked.
He kept the worry out of his voice as much as he could. Spring wiped a tear from her cheek, sniffed, and twisted her hands in distress. He walked over to her and gave her a comforting hug.
“Late this morning. We were in the gardens working on a fresh flower bed. She—she said she was going for a flight and would search for some more seeds for my garden,” she said.
They both turned when Carmen strode into the living room. “Stardust is gone, too. Nothing else is missing,” she said in a strained voice.
Creon
