Bastian groaned as he settled into the sand, wrapped his tail over his feet, and closed his giant eyes. It was darker with them closed, but Saina was relieved to hear his breathing grow steady as he fell into sleep. She found that he continued to breathe easily as long as she was within arm’s length and she inspected the scaled length of him again.

Satisfied that nothing else could be done to make him more comfortable, Saina curled into the hollow by his neck, where his tail made a perfect resting place.

Nothing dared to disturb them, but Saina didn’t allow herself to sleep. She did sing, a wordless song of comfort for Bastian, tangled with a warning to anything that might encroach.

As dawn began to send tendrils of color into the dark water, Bastian stirred at last.

I’m here, Saina told him at once, letting her voice rest.

I failed you, Bastian sighed.

That’s the first thing you think of? Saina scolded him.

You are the first thing I will always think of, Bastian responded. And the last thing when I sleep.

Saina couldn’t reply for a long moment, and she suspected that she would have been crying if she hadn’t already been cradled in saltwater. How do you feel? she was finally able to ask.

In answer, Bastian unwrapped his tail and stretched his body, creaking and wincing as he uncoiled. Better, he said in surprise. Better than I expected.

We’re still a ways from Shifting Sands, Saina told him. Can you make the trip, or is it better to stay here another day?

Let’s go home, Bastian said.

Alright, Saina agreed reluctantly. She would have liked to see Bastian gain more strength first.

They were almost halfway back before Saina recognized that she had unthinkingly accepted Shifting Sands as her own home as well.

They swam at her speed, which would have been ridiculously slow for Bastian at any other time, but it was a terrible effort from him now.

When they reached the reef protecting the beach of Shifting Sands, Saina convinced Bastian to shift to human.

“I’m a lifeguard now,” she reminded him. “You should listen to me.”

She pulled him gently the rest of the way to shore, using the very carry they had practiced in the pool.

They rose from the surf on the resort beach in human form, Saina wriggling up under his arm so that some of Bastian’s exhausted weight was on her as they waded through the waves up onto the sand.

Sunbathing guests greeted them with surprise, and someone offered a bottle of water from the little beach bar. Saina realized that Bastian was dressed in a fine silk suit, absolutely destroyed by blood and saltwater where it hadn’t been ripped and torn. His human skin showed bruising that had been masked by his dragon scales.

Tex met them at the bottom of the stairs to the beach and took Bastian’s other arm over his own shoulder to help them up the steps.

“His room,” Saina gasped. “His hoard will help him heal fastest.”

Bastian was staggering and made a noise that might have been protest. He wouldn’t want anyone else seeing his hoard, she realized, and then Travis was taking the rest of his weight from her. She fought down a pang of jealousy as the two helped Bastian across the pool deck and up the next flight of stairs.

Scarlet was waiting on the bar deck, but to Saina’s relief, only looked concerned, not the slightest bit angry.

The owner did not move to delay them, only surveyed the activity and exchanged a wordless nod of greeting with Saina as they went past. Guests openly stared, and Scarlet walked across the tile to personally reassure them that everything was under control while Tex and Travis manhandled Bastian through the staff door.

Saina wondered what Scarlet would tell their audience.

Laura or Jenny met them there, Saina honestly wasn’t sure which. She was wearing the white apron of the spa, her hands still in plastic gloves as protection from whatever she had been working on.

“Is he…?” she asked.

“He’s going to be fine,” Saina said truthfully. “He just needs to rest and heal up.”

There were so many stairs. Narrow steps that the three men didn’t even fit on together past the staff gate, broad steps along the main path, then three flights of stairs within the staff house. Saina didn’t pause to find out what house names they were currently considering.

At the door to his room, Bastian gathered himself. “I can do this,” he said, shrugging off Travis and Tex and reaching into a battered pocket for his key. Lifting his arms up to the lock made him groan, and Saina took the key from him without protest.

“I can do this,” she said firmly.

To the other two, she smiled her gratitude. “We’ve got it from here, boys,” she said lightly while Bastian clung to the doorframe. “I can get him into bed.”

“No doubts there,” Travis said archly.

“Yes, ma’am,” Tex said more diplomatically, elbowing Travis in the ribs.

As they turned away and tromped back down the stairs, Saina unlocked the room and helped Bastian limp into the room to fall face forward into his bed.