Hyacinth, Scarlet - Craving Owen [Tides of Love 2] (Siren Publishing LoveXtreme Forever ManLove) (8 page)

Alcharr returned to his position, leaving Owen to walk behind them. In truth, he himself didn’t like wyrms. They never had found out who’d kidnapped Valderr, but the only one with an interest would be the wyrms. The mere thought of what his little brother had gone through in Almareya made him furious, but he tried to contain himself. If he lost his temper, too, this meeting might very well turn into a disaster.

“What if they don’t come?” Sassaki did his own version of pacing underwater. “I don’t think I can protect Owen without their cooperation.”

“They’ll come,” Kani said soothingly. The merman had joined him in a show of support, even if it meant taking quite a chance. On one hand, Sassaki would have preferred to know Kani was safe, but on the other, he valued Kani’s presence. It calmed him down and stopped him from retreating to the deep waters or going in search of Owen on land.

Kani kept him busy and talking until the hour of the meeting finally came. Sassaki spotted a small group of people approaching the beach. He’d set the time and place, but he had given his longtime enemy enough leeway to bring whomever he liked. He was curious who Yane had chosen for this little endeavor. After all, not all the nymphs would be open to idea of chatting it up with a wyrm.

The group stopped and Sassaki took a few moments to analyze them. There was a Golden Eagle and another man he didn’t know. His bulk and stance made Sassaki think he might be a shape-shifter, too. Together with Yane, they formed a barricade in front the much smaller Owen.

Truth be told, Sassaki felt a bit relieved at the sight of their protectiveness. He feared what would happen should the enchantment fail completely. For the moment, the spell might be keeping the weaker wyrms at bay, but after the nymphs’ defenses failed, Owen would need all the support he could get.

He swam toward the beach with his merman friend close behind him. “Perhaps you should remain in the water, just in case,” he told Kani.

“No way,” Kani answered. “I know how much this means to you. I won’t let you stand against them alone.”

Sassaki gave his friend a concerned look. “Can you come on land, though?” Kani was so young, and the last thing Sassaki wanted was for the young mer to get hurt.

Kani seemed to consider the question and sighed. “I suppose you’re right. I can’t control my shift as long as my tail is wet. Damn it.”

“Don’t worry,” Sassaki answered. “You can root for me from here.”

Kani didn’t look very pleased, but they didn’t have time for further conversation. The mer hid behind a rock, and Sassaki left the water, heading toward the waiting group.

“I assume you are Sassaki,” the nymph, Yane, began. He spoke in English, for Owen’s benefit.

Sassaki nodded. He wasn’t surprised Yane knew his name. They must’ve asked Owen, and with a shape-shifter around, the human couldn’t have deceived them even if he tried. “Owen told you about me.”

Owen perked up from behind the wall of solid muscle formed by the three men. “Sorry. I couldn’t help it.”

Sassaki just smiled. “It’s okay. It’s no big secret, if it is kept only between the people who know about this arrangement.”

Owen seemed relieved, and Sassaki directed his attention toward the other three men. “But now you have an advantage over me, gentlemen. You know who I am, but, other than Yanentah, I do not know who you are.”

Yane didn’t delay in introducing his companions. He pointed at the eagle and shape-shifter respectively, and said, “These are my friends, Alcharr, of the Golden Eagles, and Has’hendral, of the dragon kind. I trust you have no problems with them being here.”

Sassaki scanned the darkened faces of the two men. “As long as they know the score.”

“Oh, we know the score,” Alcharr said. “What I don’t get is what your sudden interest in helping Yane is. Your people have never been particularly kind.” The eagle’s expression was dark. “As a matter of fact, I would appreciate it if you told me who is responsible for my brother’s kidnapping.”

Sassaki arched a brow at the eagle. He’d heard about the missing prince, of course, but only because of the scouts who always rotated around the plague lands. “You have him back now, don’t you?” he asked.

When Alcharr nodded, Sassaki added, “Then it wasn’t the wyrms who had him. I assure you, if my kin had taken him, you’d never have found him.”

In fact, if an eagle ended up in the grasp of a wyrm, he’d most likely be dinner. But Sassaki didn’t say that. He didn’t want to scare Owen more than he already had. “I cannot guarantee we weren’t involved,” he finished, “but I don’t know anything about it. As for why I’m doing this, it’s for Owen, of course.”

The men didn’t look convinced, although Sassaki did detect a certain tension in Has’hendral. As a shape-shifter, the other man would understand Sassaki better. Still, Sassaki half expected the dragon to laugh in his face and tell him wyrms didn’t have mates. But Has’hendral did no such thing. “Who’s that mer in the water?” he asked instead.

Sassaki met the other man’s gaze, surprised at the change in topic. What he saw there shocked him into both jealousy and incomprehension. He saw himself, or rather his own emotions echoing in Has’hendral, so much so that for a few moments, the question didn’t even compute. He remembered to answer only when Yane cleared his throat.

“My friend, Kani,” he answered. “I’d have brought him along, but he has problems shifting when his tail is wet.”

“Hey!” Kani shouted from the water. “I can hear you.”

Owen actually slipped around from his protector, peeking into the darkness to see toward the water. Of course, his human vision didn’t have a chance of noticing Kani’s hidden form. He crossed his arms over his chest in a gesture of discontent. “How is it that I’m the only one who gets left out?”

“I also get left out,” Kani said, this time at a lower volume. “You’re not alone in your pain.”

The little banter was oddly refreshing, and Sassaki found himself relaxing. Still, he forced himself to return to the matter at hand. “So, I wrote to you because I believe the plague lands are in danger. It seems the crystal is being assaulted.”

Yane just stared at him. “Crystal? What crystal?”

Sassaki just stared at Yane. Sure, he’d suspected nymphs were kept out of things in the plague lands, but not quite to this extent. Things weren’t exactly looking up. He’d been hoping for some insight from Yane, but that didn’t seem to be forthcoming.

“According to my mother,” he answered, “a crystal is the source of the enchantment on the plague lands. It seems someone intends to destroy it and is already working on it now. I was hoping you might know more.”

Yane shook his head. “I haven’t been…home in ages. And even then, I wasn’t privy to all the secrets.”

“But who would know if not you?”

“A wizard,” Kani suggested. “You need to ask a wizard.”

Of course. A wizard would know about something like this. Why hadn’t Sassaki thought of that? Oh, wait. He knew why. Wizards weren’t exactly the most social of beings. In fact, they never showed up unless you gave them a good incentive. No one really knew where wizards lived, and even their representatives with the Imperium remained very secretive about things strictly referring to their race.

“But how would we find a wizard?” Alcharr threw his hands up in exasperation. “They don’t exactly appear at the corner shop.”

At that, Has’hendral just grinned. “Perhaps you’re just not looking in the right stores.”

Chapter Four

One week later

Owen scuttled after his companion in a daze. This city both scared and awed him. In front of him, Hash urged him to go faster. “Hurry up and stay close. We have a lot of things to do today.”

Owen nodded, heat rushing to his face as the dragon looked at him. These days, the feeling of strangeness had become omnipresent whenever he was around either of his friends. He liked to blame it on this sudden trip and everything going around him. After all, he’d never have expected the day he’d gone in search of Connor that he’d somehow end up on this odd world and getting involved in a strange quest to revive a crystal. But somehow, he knew it wasn’t just that.

As it turned out, they’d kept the new information from the main dryad capital of Anethone, going on the premise that the dryad royals would not appreciate cooperation with Sassaki. In the end, after a suggestion from Hash, he, Owen, Alcharr, and Yane had come to Almareya. It took quite a bit of effort to coordinate this action, since Alcharr needed to dodge his father’s controlling ways and Yane had responsibilities in Tanarak. They’d managed, but they didn’t have much time before they needed to return.

Supposedly, Almareya was a resort of sorts, where rich folk came to relax away from their own lands and peoples. But recently, its governor had been removed due to a conflict with the upper echelons of Uli, and the entire island had fallen into chaos.

As such, there were soldiers all over the place, scouring for possible accomplices of the governor. It was, apparently, a big deal, since Prince Valderr, Alcharr’s brother—as well as Connor—had been kidnapped by the man.

To Owen, everything seemed so very confusing and scary, especially acknowledging everything his friend must have gone through. But throughout this week, his companions had done their best to reassure him, and he felt better knowing Connor did, indeed, leave Uli safe and sound. Owen should be worrying about himself now.

Hash dragged him into something that looked like a bookstore. Alcharr and Yane followed behind them, and none of them wanted to leave Owen alone. Thankfully, the bookstore seemed innocent enough, and it took him away from all the hustle and bustle of the main street. He didn’t know why, but whenever he spotted a guard, his heart just started beating faster and he wanted to run back to their rented room and hide.

“You okay?” Alcharr asked, his tone concerned.

Owen did his best to smile. “Yeah,” he answered. “Just a bit overwhelmed.”

Yane took his hand and squeezed it, his dark blue eyes so deep Owen felt he could fall and drown in them. “Just tell us if anything gets too much, all right?”

Hash turned toward Owen, gently cupping his cheek. His rough hands advanced over Owen’s lips, caressing them. Their eyes met, and for a moment, Owen forgot all about where they were. “It’s okay,” Hash whispered. “We’ll take care of you.”

Owen nodded numbly, his entire body abuzz with something he couldn’t quite identify. It wasn’t the first time this had happened. Owen was afraid of what Alcharr and Yane would say, but he needn’t have feared. Yane’s hand left his own, traveling up his clothed torso to caress his neck. Yane nibbled on his earlobe, drawing a choked gasp out of Owen. At the same time, Alcharr’s heat smothered Owen as the eagle’s arm went around his waist.

Owen felt so confused and out of sorts. He wanted someone to stop and explain, but everyone seemed to dance around the topic as if they were afraid of something. But Owen never got the chance to ask, not before, and not this time, either. Hash broke away from him, and so did Alcharr and Yane. All three men turned their attention toward the bookstore once again.

Frustrated, Owen could do nothing but follow. He wanted to scream, but making a scene would just draw the attention of the guards. Sassaki’s face popped in his mind, and guilt coursed through him. The wyrm was taking a big chance by cooperating with his enemies, and all for Owen’s sake. Owen needed to focus if he intended to be of some assistance for the other men.

Hash pulled Owen deeper into the shop and up to a counter. An old man sat there, engrossed in a big tome, his long gray hair and beard reminding Owen a bit of Gandalf.

He cleared his throat, and the man lifted his face toward them. To Owen’s surprise, he realized the man’s pupils were completely white, as if he were blind. But the shopkeeper had been reading, right? Did they have Braille here? Probably.

The shopkeeper gave him a bemused look and said something to Hash that Owen didn’t understand. There was a brief exchange between the old man, Hash, Alcharr, and Yane, after which the shopkeeper left his post. Still confused, Owen allowed Hash to drag him away from the counter. The old man led them deeper into the store. They stopped in front of a big shelf, and the man finally said, “Don’t worry, young man. This won’t hurt a bit.”