Chapter 34
Mermaid’s Icy Kiss
Taking her face gently in my hands, I asked, “Did you want to practice?”
Ana nodded and grabbed my shirt, tugging me close.
I pressed my hands over hers, stilling them. “While I appreciate your enthusiasm for the task, kissing is not always a wild, uncontrolled thing. It can be soft and sweet.”
Ana frowned. “I am not a soft woman.”
Shaking my head, I said, “You are a passionate woman. That does not mean you aren’t…soft.” I cupped her cheek with my palm. “I see who you are inside, Ana. Your heart is tender for all the gruff bravado you display to your men. I know that was how you kept them at a distance and I understand why you did so.” I traced the arch of her eyebrow with a finger as I spoke.
She bit her lip. “I do not know what to do or what you want from me, Sohan.”
Considering, I said, “Think of a kiss as appreciating a ripe piece of fruit. Savor it. Take the time to lick the juice from your fingers. Enjoy the taste, the texture. If you gulp it down too quickly, you do not have time to appreciate it.”
“Very well,” she said impatiently. “I will attempt to do as you ask. But if you had kissed me when I first asked you, it would be done by now.”
“Ah, my lady fair,” I said, stroking her neck. “I don’t plan to be done with you for a long, long time.” She opened her mouth to ask another question but I put my fingers over her lips. “Shush. Now, close your eyes.”
She narrowed her eyes suspiciously but did as I instructed.
“Good. Now close your mind to everything. Let your body be still and calm, just as if you were centering yourself before a battle.”
Slowly, I slid one hand around her neck and cupped her arm with my other. Stepping closer, I pressed my nose into her hair and inhaled deeply. I could almost taste the jasmine and rose scent as my lips touched the delicate sweep between her shoulder and her neck. I moved my mouth up her neckline, lightly, not kissing the golden skin but just grazing it with my lips, feeling my way up to the line of her jaw.
Once there, I trailed down the smooth skin, this time planting warm kisses as I passed over every inch. With aching slowness, I found the corner of her mouth and skimmed my hand down her arm to the place at her waist where her hip swelled and pulled her closer, fitting her body against mine. Ana trembled in my arms and tried to reach for me. “Not yet, love,” I murmured against her mouth.
Deliberately, I touched my lips to her silvery eyelids and on the tip of her straight nose. She shivered when I caught her earlobe in my teeth, and then finally, leisurely, I made my way back to her lips. My mouth hovered for an excruciating second and then I gave in to the aching need to kiss her.
The little sound of pleasure she made ignited a fire in me, but I held the fire in check, determined to show her that love didn’t have to hurt. At first, her mouth just pressed firmly against mine, but almost languidly, I coaxed her to explore, to feel, to taste. As she did, I stroked her hair, her back, and her face, learning the angles and planes of her body.
I molded my mouth softly to hers, moving gently, teasing and enticing, both teaching and being taught. Soon I realized that there was a contented hum in my mind and recognized it was Ana linking to me on a subconscious level. Testing out her inner language of pleasure was an exercise in abandon and one I found I couldn’t resist. When my fingertips grazed the insides of her arms or when I wrapped my hands around her waist, tugging her against me, it was like little fireworks going off in her mind.
A need grew in me to catalog each and every place that she enjoyed being touched, and though I had no intentions of exploring that aspect of our special connection wholly at that time, I very much looked forward to the task in the future. The normal tingles I felt when my skin brushed against hers were multiplied tenfold, and there was a sense of rightness in being close to her. Kissing Ana was like coming home. No. It was finding a home.
When she wanted to intensify what was happening between us, I deliberately eased off, breaking the kiss but continuing to stroke her arms. “Why…why do you stop?” she panted. “I wish to continue practicing.”
I smiled. “We will, love. I promise. But this is not exactly the time or place for…um, practicing. Besides, I think it’s best to take this one lesson at a time.” She looked down at our clasped hands. “Is that okay?” I asked, ducking my head to gauge her expression.
“Yes. I suppose.” She paced away. “But such practicing winds my body tighter than the eve before battle.”
Laughing, I said, “It affects me that way too.” I glanced around. “Well, so far so good. It looks like we didn’t create another world tree or melt the temple. Come on, let’s see if there’s a tidal wave coming in.”
“What is a tidal wave?” she asked as we stepped outside the temple.
“It’s a…well, a giant wave that crashes on the beach.”
“Why would we create that?”
“I don’t know. Strange things happen when I kiss you.” Lights were still on in the city and I saw no signs of imminent danger. “Maybe it only happens when we’re fighting,” I said.
“No. We weren’t fighting in the Grove of Dreams. It would seem that magic swells when we embrace.”
“Right.” My gaze dropped to her mouth again and we drew closer. It was as if we were magnets unable to resist the pull of one another. Before I kissed her again, I forcibly stopped myself from moving and murmured thickly, “Shall we continue working on Kadam’s list?”
“Yes. Maybe there’s someone we can fight to take the edge off.”
“Let’s hope so,” I replied, tangling my fingertips with hers. “So, what’s next?”
“Lady Silkworm.”
“Really?” I said, scrubbing a hand through my hair. “Where did you take her after you disappeared?”
Ana shrugged. “She is at our home, weaving and acting as mother to the young children I have rescued.”
“Ah. Strange that I haven’t seen her.”
“She doesn’t like mingling with the soldiers. It makes her nervous. I created her own home behind ours and gave her assistants to help her with her work. I’ll show you.”
Taking my hand, Ana sped us through time back to our mountain home and led me through a passageway hidden behind a long tapestry. I’d always assumed the cloth had been a gift, but now I saw it for what it was. It was Lady Silkworm done in embroidery as she sat looking out a window, sewing. When I studied the cloth where her needle lay, I saw the half-finished image of her young man, the poor fellow who I watched die.
Heading down a hall, I was surprised to see it open into a comfortable sitting room. Women bustled past us, carrying spools of thread, trays of food, or bundles of fabric. Two women chatted amiably while they wove in the corner on large looms while others sat in chairs, knitting thick shawls or tatting delicate laces.
Ana led me up a winding staircase to a thick wooden door and rapped her knuckles against it. The scent of lavender permeated the area.
“Who is it?” a voice inside asked.
“It’s Anamika,” she replied. I thought it was interesting that she used her given name instead of the goddess Durga.
The door was thrown open a moment later. The woman’s large smile faded when she saw me standing behind Ana. She smoothed her hand over her dress and tucked some strands of loose hair back. Her relaxed mien changed and she was stiff and formal with me there rather than comfortable like she had been with Ana.
“Do not worry about him,” Ana said, indicating me. “He is my protector.”
“Ah,” Lady Silkworm said with a bow. “Then I bid you welcome. But surely you need no protection from me,” the woman said with a small laugh.
“No, not at all,” Ana replied, smiling softly. “Truthfully, we are working on a task together and we need your help.”
“Of course. What may I create for you?” She glanced down. “Ah, I see!” The woman slid the forgotten scrap of silk Ana held between her fingers away from her and lifted it closer to her face for examination. It was the fabric offering from Nilima, but it didn’t look exactly like it did before. It was once a simple piece of green silk, lovely and expensive but ordinary when Kelsey placed it by the statue. Now it sparked and crackled; the strands of silk pulsed with waves of light. “How lovely!” Lady Silkworm exclaimed.
“Is that…” I began.
Ana nodded, anticipating my question. “It is. Nilima’s offering.”
“What happened to it?” I asked.
Licking her lips, Ana gave me a meaningful look. “I believe that we happened to it.”
My mouth fell open into an “oh” and I reached out a hand out to touch it. It vibrated beneath my fingertips.
“I can make something truly exceptional from these threads,” Lady Silkworm said, “though it will take me a good while to unwind them without breaking them. When must it be ready?”
“Of course, you may take it and make whatever you wish from it. However, I do not expect anything to be created immediately. For now, we need your help with something else.
Carefully, the woman lifted the lid off a basket. There were several holes in the top and threads of different colors spooled out through them. Nudging aside some skeins of silk, the woman placed the gleaming fabric inside the basket and closed it up tight before turning back to Ana. “How can I help?” she asked.
Quickly, we explained how she was to help Kelsey on her quest. I told her what I remembered as best I could and that we would be close, drawing Kelsey into the temple so they could talk privately. Immediately, Lady Silkworm picked up a small basket, tucking it over her arm, and said she was ready.
Channeling the power of the Damon Amulet, Ana whisked us all away to the distant Shore Temple. I turned toward the water, peering at the large ship anchored not too far away, and pointed it out to Anamika. She shielded her eyes but I still saw them widen.
“Where are the sails and the rowers?” she asked.
“Machines of metal drive the boat forward. Do you like it?” I asked.
“It is…large.” She turned to me. “Is everything fashioned during Kelsey’s time of such a size?”
As Lady Silkworm exclaimed over the temple and headed off to examine a statue, I answered, “Many things are. The ship is something I’ll miss. The boat was named after my mother.”
Ana frowned. “I would think your mother would prefer a smaller, more petite namesake. No woman wants her name loaned to something the size of fifty elephants.” Ana bumped me with her arm. “What else do you miss, Sohan?” she asked.
“Well, there’s my motorcycle. My gym. Movies.”
Ana grimaced. “I no longer wish to know. You are speaking in riddles.”
I draped my arm over her shoulders. “I can teach you about all of them once we’re done with Kadam’s list.”
“What is that?” Lady Silkworm asked, pointing out to sea. Being close to Ana had almost made me forget why we were there and who we were with.
“It’s another boat. A smaller one. That means they’re coming,” I said. The sound of the motorboat became louder.
“Wait here,” Ana said. “I will prepare a place for her to meet with Kelsey.”
Ana and Lady Silkworm disappeared while I hid behind a statue. They didn’t return immediately, which was cause for concern. What could Ana be doing that was taking so long? The boat landed and Kadam, Kelsey, Ren, and my old self leapt out. Ren and I had been brandishing our new weapons on the alert for danger. They passed me without seeing me since I’d phased out of time, and remembering the risk, I stayed well away from my former self.
The group disappeared inside the first shrine, Kadam talking with Kelsey about a variety of things. I caught the words dome and sanctum but largely ignored him. Where is Ana? I thought again, becoming more worried as each moment passed. I sensed her before I saw her and turned to look at the shore. Ana was there. She was now wearing a white dress that trailed behind her in the sand. A long veil covered her hair and her feet were bare.
Immediately, I stood and was going to race toward her, but she looked up in alarm and pressed her finger to her mouth. I glanced behind me and saw Kells standing there staring through me right at her. Has she seen Ana? Then I remembered she had. We all dismissed it back then as Kelsey seeing things, and afterwards, when we talked about it again, we assumed she’d seen Lady Silkworm. When I looked back, Ana was gone, but only a few seconds passed before I felt her touch my shoulder.
I wrapped her in my arms, thankful to see she was now phased out of time like me. “What happened?” I asked. “Why were you gone so long?”
Ana stepped back and gave me a guilty look. “I apologize,” she said. “I know you don’t like for me to attend to duties without you. But the call was too great to ignore.”
“Call? What call?”
“It was a cleansing of sorts. There were too many women suffering. So many devotees. So many prayers. I had to help.”
“Were you in danger?” I asked.
She shook her head. “No. It was a pestilence. Their well water was tainted. Adding the elixir from the kamandal helped cleanse the water, but they needed healing and most of them were too weak to draw water from the well on their own. I acted as nurse for those who had no one to help and spent many hours going from house to house. I did not engage in battle so I thought you wouldn’t mind.”
“I still want to know where you are, Ana.” I touched her face and the veil slipped from her hair, showing me her red-rimmed eyes. “You’re tired.” I said. “You should have returned for me. I would have helped.”
She shook her head. “I did not want to take you away from here should they need your intervention. I would have returned before, but I mistimed it and forgot to shift to hide my presence. I think Kelsey saw me.”
“Yeah, she did,” I said. “But it doesn’t matter. Go home and rest. I’ll come get you when I bring back Lady Silkworm.”
Ana nodded and after I squeezed her shoulder, she was gone. Getting through the list needed to be our top priority. Ana and I had other work to do. I’d been effectively ignoring the cries of the supplicants who begged the help of the goddess, but they weren’t pleading directly to me, so it didn’t grate on my ears like it did with her. The cosmic load must be bearing down on her constantly. I’d have to be of more help to her in the future.
Entering the temple, I saw I was just in time. They were about to enter the room where Kells disappeared. I sucked in a breath, seeing the walls completely bare, and froze time to add the carvings I remembered, then started time going again. As Kelsey traced her finger across a carved thread on the temple wall, I suddenly remembered I wasn’t done.
Closing my eyes, I tried to remember how Ana used the power of the amulet. I was attempting to open a passageway to Lady Silkworm, one that only Kelsey could see, but instead, I created a moth. Frowning, I tried again, my lips moving as I tried whispering my instructions again. This time the moth beat its wings and light pulsed behind the carvings in the stone.
Like I was doing warm-ups in Tai Chi, I pushed my hand forward, palm out, and Kelsey’s body was thrust into the wall. I panicked for a second and hurried behind her, relieved to see she was unharmed. I followed along, nudging her with my power until we entered the bubble in time Ana had created for Kells to meet with Lady Silkworm. I watched the two of them talk and sew. I got distracted by my own thoughts when she spoke of practicing and patience. It reminded me of kissing practice with Ana.
Lady Silkworm told the story of the boy she loved, the one I couldn’t save, and guilt flooded me. I knew Kadam had his reasons, but if anyone had told me to just let Ana die, I would have punched them in the face, even if it was Kadam, and done everything in my power to save her.
As she embroidered with Kelsey, she went on, telling her story. There was no mention of me at all. The only thing the poor girl could remember was the goddess rescuing her. I wondered if I should confess my part in it all, but then decided against it. Nothing would change because of it. To bring it up would just cause further suffering.
When it was time for Kelsey to return, I used the same method as before. I closed my eyes and gave her a mental push, but at one point, she got turned around or stuck. I wasn’t sure if I lost focus or if I just wasn’t doing it right. Then I heard a voice. It was Ren. I wasn’t sure if Kells heard it or not but she definitely angled her body toward him. Without my help, Ren somehow breached the time barrier and clasped her hand, pulling her out to safety.
Maybe it was their connection as an incarnation of Durga and her tiger. The two of them had a connection as powerful as the one I shared with Ana. Now that I had experienced the full weight of that bond, it was shocking to think of the self-control Ren had in giving up Kelsey. I don’t think I could have done it. It was hard enough to leave the girl I loved and give her to my brother when we weren’t bonded. It must have killed Ren to walk away from Kells. I couldn’t even imagine walking away from Ana now as a man or as a tiger.
Returning for the woman I’d left behind, I waited patiently for her to gather her things. When she stood, she gave me a discerning look.
“Where is the goddess?” she asked.
“Resting. She is tired from her exertions and bid me return you home.”
“Is there…is there something you wish to ask me?” she said.
I furrowed my brow. Is there something? I hadn’t thought it until she mentioned it but after she did, a question rose to the surface. “Will you make a gift for her? For Ana, I mean. Maybe a veil for her hair, or a dress? Something that will show her how I feel about her.”
“And how do you feel about her?”
That’s the question of the hour, isn’t it? There was no denying that I was attracted to her. That I missed her when she wasn’t around. That I’d already made up my mind that I’d be spending the rest of my life with her. Why is it so hard to define what I feel emotionally? As a boy, I was infatuated with her. I could have easily told the young Ana that I cared about her and wanted her to be happy. But the woman? I wished I could have talked about it with Ren. He had a gift for words. Telling Kells I loved her or even Yesubai that I wanted to marry her didn’t seem nearly as difficult as confronting Ana and confessing my feelings. Maybe that difference meant something.
Lady Silkworm was waiting. “You seem uncertain,” she said. “But for a gift from the heart, I must know your heart. May I?” she asked.
I nodded but I wasn’t sure what she was asking me to do until she placed her hand on my chest. Lady Silkworm closed her eyes for a moment and I felt a warm heat penetrate my skin. My heart burned in my chest, hotter and hotter, until I thought my skin would catch on fire. When she stepped back, her eyes opened wide. “Well,” she said. “That was…surprising.”
Striding away, she tapped her bottom lip, then turned suddenly, her eyes bright. “I know exactly what I’ll make. Not to worry. You’ve given me a task no mere mortal could accomplish, but then again, I have access to things beyond the imagination of mere mortals now. I won’t fail you…or her.”
“I’m certain you won’t,” I said, though I had no idea what she was talking about. “Shall we go?”
“Yes. Time is short and there is much to do.”
She took my offered arm and we sped away. I left her at the tapestry leading to her suite of rooms and went off in search of Ana. She was sleeping in her room, her fist tucked under her cheek. I sat down next to her and stroked my finger down the length of her arm on the inside, where she especially liked it. She moved before I could blink and had a knife pressed to my throat. I held up my hands.
“I’m sorry,” I said.
She heaved out a breath and collapsed back down on her pillow, shoving the knife beneath it. “It is I who am sorry,” she said. “I did not mean to frighten you.”
“I wasn’t frightened. Just surprised.” I leaned closer. “It wasn’t exactly the welcome home I was hoping for.”
Her eyebrows rose. “And how would you prefer to be welcomed home?” she asked.
“Oh, you know. Feasting, dancing, celebration, and lots of kissing.”
Shoving my arm away so she could get up, she said, “I hope you are not anticipating that I will line up pucker-lipped, nubile maidens to welcome you upon your return in the future, Sohan.”
Ana picked up her hairbrush and drew it through her hair in rough strokes. Wrapping my arms around her from behind, I kissed her ear. “There’s only one nubile maiden I’m interested in. Did you sleep? I tried to time my return so you could rest.”
“I did.” She turned but I didn’t allow her to escape my arms. I lifted an eyebrow and smirked as she struggled against me, but I could tell she didn’t really want me to release her, she was just too stubborn to admit what she really wanted. She squirmed, trying to figure out how to be comfortable and relaxed with me holding her in such a way.
Finally, she settled with her hands pressed lightly on top of my biceps and a good six inches between us. It wasn’t as close as I would have preferred, but it felt like a victory all the same. It turned out my victory was short-lived.
“I’m glad you are well,” she said and clapped my arm awkwardly in a hard thump, the way a soldier would congratulate his surviving comrades after battle.
“Lesson two in romance,” I said, cupping her hips and drawing her closer. “It’s perfectly acceptable to hug or hold one another. Especially when reuniting. Kissing doesn’t always have to be a part of it, but an affectionate peck on the lips, cheek, or forehead works to reassure the other person that your feelings haven’t changed during your time apart.”
“Ah. Then your feelings have changed?” she teased lightly.
I answered by kissing her softly on the cheek. “No. If anything, my feelings for you are more acute than they were before.”
“Your eyes are copper right now,” she said, tilting her head. “Does this mean you speak in jest?”
“I assure you, I am in earnest.”
Ana pursed her lips. “Very well.” She touched her velvety lips to my chin. “Is that sufficient?”
I sighed. “A man could hope for more.”
“Perhaps when he deserves more, he will receive it.”
As I laughed and pondered what I could do to deserve more, we disappeared and materialized atop a high mountain. Ana pulled away to study our surroundings. “Where are we?” I asked, peering through the fog. The air was thin and cold and it filled my nostrils with damp and the sharp tang of minerals. In the distance, I heard the sound of rushing water.
“We are to find dragons in this place.”
“Dragons?”
“This is all I know from Kadam’s list,” Ana said.
I rubbed my hand across my cheek. The mountain was cold. I called upon the power of the fire piece of the amulet. Soon a pocket of air rotated around our bodies, warming us, though the snow on the mountain remained untouched. “If I remember right,” I said, “the dragons came to be millennia ago.”
We poked around the mountain, searching for caves large enough to hold dragons, but found nothing. Finally, I headed toward the sound of the water, and we came upon a great pool that emptied over the side of a cliff. The water bounced down in steps, disappearing into the fog below. Each drop had formed a small pool where the water collected before continuing to tumble down the mountainside.
“Hello there.” I heard Ana’s voice and turned to see what she was doing. Ana knelt at the side of the pool at the very top, flicking her fingers at its surface. Colorful heads bobbed up next to her fingers, their mouths opening and closing as they sought food. “Aren’t they beautiful?” she asked as I crouched down beside her.
“Yes.” I smiled as Ana played with the koi fish.
“They’ve traveled a long way,” she said. “It seems they leapt from pool to pool to get to the top of the mountain.”
“Really? That’s quite an effort. Unless they were spawning, I didn’t think fish could manage such a thing.”
“I doubt that’s why,” Ana said. “These are all male.”
“Huh.” I tossed a rock in the pool and a golden head broke the surface. For just a second, the koi fish appeared to be glaring at me. It seemed very familiar as it stared at me with its big golden eyes. I stood up abruptly and peered down at the large fish. “How many are in there?” I asked.
“Five,” Ana answered.
Ticking off on my fingers as I examined them, I mumbled, “Gold, red, blue, white—”
“And green,” Ana finished. “He’s hard to see since the water is so green here.”
Suddenly my mind flashed back to something I’d heard long, long ago. “Ana,” I said, “I have a story to tell you.”
I regaled her with the tale passed down by my ancestors of the Yellow River and the koi. A long time ago, I’d shared the legend of the brave fish who swam up the river seeking a gift from a goddess with Yesubai. She’d loved the fish just like my mother. When I told her that the fish became dragons, we both knew what we had to do. Ana smiled and stroked the side of the blue one. He swam in a circle so she could reach his other side.
Pointing to the waterfall, I said, “My mother told me the falls where this transformation supposedly happened was called the Dragon’s Gate.”
She glanced down. “Then perhaps we should make this location a bit more obvious so the story might be shared.” Lifting her hands, Ana channeled her power, and the mountain shook, rocks tumbled and shifted, and when she was done, the top of the waterfall had a new lip that formed the bony skull of a dragon. Water poured from his open jaws and hollowed out depressions with different-colored rocks in the center worked for eyes. Jutting stones filled the open mouth to make teeth.
Below that, rocks shifted again, taking on the shape of a dragon in mid-transformation. Ana picked up both of us in an air bubble and we floated down the falls. Each step of the waterfall was reworked until the stone was lined with carved koi fishes leaping upward, each jump changing them until they became fully formed dragons at the top.
When Ana was satisfied, we headed back to the top and she turned to the fish themselves. They waited for her at the edge of the pool, and like she had with the other creatures, Ana asked them if they were willing to become something new. The fish, with as much intellect as fish possessed, agreed, and Ana used her power to imbue them with energy. One by one the fish rose from the water and changed before my eyes.
Scales lengthened and stretched. Tails thrashed back and forth, growing longer with each thrust. Their spines and heads grew knobby with spikes, feathers, hair, and antlers. Horns rose from their heads, as individual as the fish themselves. Their fins became legs and wicked talons. What surprised me the most was how obvious it should have been. Even as fish they had similar personalities to the dragons I’d come to know. Who knew that fish were so varied?
After the dragons were formed, they flew in circles above us and I watched them, trying to put my finger on what was different about them. Suddenly, it came to me. They were smaller. Younger. Perhaps the equivalent of dragon teenagers. I could see the joy they took in their new frames as they wound their sinewy new bodies around and between one another.
Ana, weary after such a huge investment of power, reached back to clutch my hand. I wrapped an arm around her. “Are you okay?” I asked.
“I will rest when we are done. But there is more I must give them.”
She raised her arms. “Come to me, my dragons. Tell me your new names and I will grant you each a gift.”
“Goddess,” the white dragon said as he drifted closer. “Tell us who you are, that we might thank the mother who gave us this new birth.”
“I…” Ana paused. “I am Mother Earth and this,” she said, indicating me, “is Father Time.”
“Mother,” the white dragon said, “how may we assist you?”
Ana stretched out her hand and cupped his cheek. “You will serve us, mighty dragon. But first, I will give you my blessing.” She looked from him to the others. “All of you are very special. You will be guardians, tasked with certain responsibilities. Only those as brave as you are deserving of so weighty a duty, and therefore, I will gift each of you with abilities to help you in your efforts. First, I summon my dragon of red. What will you call yourself?”
“My new name will be Lóngjūn,” the red-and-black dragon said.
“Very good. Then, Lóngjūn, newborn of the Pacific Ocean, henceforth, I give you a duty to guard the heavens. When mankind looks to the stars, they will see your shape and feel inspired by your daring. You are gifted with the power of the air and the light that fills the sky. Your domain is found in all points west of the center. I endow you with the breadth of the stars.” Ana touched his clawed foot and blew a kiss in his direction. Wind whipped around him and his body gleamed with power.
“Thank you, Mother,” the crimson-eyed dragon said.
Ana nodded as he spun away. “Come forth, dragon of green,” Ana called.
Immediately, the green dragon undulated toward us. I glared at the crafty beast, but he didn’t yet know who I was or what he’d be doing to me in the future. Even as young as he was, he still struck me as cocky and sly.
“What will you be called?” she asked.
“I will take the name Lüśèlóng,” he said with a shake of his head.
“Very well. Then, Lüśèlóng, newborn of the Indian Ocean, henceforth, I give you a duty to guard the earth. When mankind tills the soil, they will see your shadow overhead and know that their harvests will be fruitful. You are gifted with the power of the earth and the strength of the rocks. Your domain is found in all points east of the center. I endow you with the intensity of lightning.”
The body of the green dragon glowed and green leaves erupted down his back. His barrel chest swelled and he sunk down to the ground as if he’d become as weighted as stone. Then, he lifted his head and rose into the sky once more.
“Lüśèlóng,” I warned, unable to resist needling the dragon, “perhaps it would behoove you to return and thank your mother.”
The dragon wrinkled his nose and snorted a puff of air, but I was gratified to hear his sulky, “Thanks.”
“Next, my dragon of blue,” Ana said.
We waited for him to make his slow way toward us. He hesitated until Ana offered to pat his sides as she did when he’d been a fish. He dropped fully to the ground at her feet and rolled over onto his back so she could scratch his belly.
“What will you call yourself?” Ana asked.
The dragon yawned mightily and lifted an arm so she could reach the spot he wanted. His electric-blue scales shimmered in the light. Only when Ana stopped did he turn his attention back to her. He tried nudging her to continue but she refused. “You will answer me, dragon of blue.”
“Very well,” he said. “You may call me Qīnglóng.”
“Qīnglóng, newborn of the Southern Ocean,” Ana said, “I give you a duty to guard the oceans. When mariners set sail, they will see the brightness of your scales in the water and will seek to discover places beyond. As this important symbol, I gift you with the power of water and the permeability of such. As you bring storms, you also bring life. Your domain is found in all points south of the center. I endow you with the buoyancy of the clouds.”
Qīnglóng didn’t seem to care much about his new powers. He just blew irritably at the turquoise and purple feathers that sprung from his back and flicked his tail in annoyance. Ana told him he could leave, but he just rolled over, wriggled his body in the snow, and proceeded to fall asleep with his short legs sticking up in the air. When he began to snore, Ana grunted and zapped him with enough electricity to make him shove off.
“Who will be next?” Ana asked huffily as she shoved wisps of her hair away from her face.
“Pick me! Pick me!” the golden dragon squealed. “I’d say you should save the best for last but why waste your time when the best is right here?”
Ana smiled. “Dragon of gold—”
“Wait. Wait,” the dragon begged. “You should know that I’m not terribly full of concern for others. Some might call me selfish. As such, I think it best that you gift me with something you know I’ll excel at, such as eating or finding the best spots to sun myself in. Oh! What about being beautiful? I am the most stunning of dragons. I sound like I’m boasting but you were already thinking it, so it’s not really boasting then, is it? It’s just stating the obvious.”
“I will keep your suggestions in mind,” Ana said. “What will you call yourself?”
“Now that’s a fascinating question, isn’t it? There are so many words you could use to describe a dragon like me. Unslayable comes to mind. But that might incentivize knights, don’t you think? Then again, a name like Deathbringer might keep away the rabble. I know I don’t want any silly names like Brightscales or Clawbiter, though I’ll be the first to admit I’ll probably nibble when I feel stressed.” He spun in the air, continuing his monologue. “And definitely not something with an “of” in the title, like Protector of, Champion of, or Bringer of. No. There’s too much expectation attached to a name like that.”
Ana sighed and I mentally suggested his name. “How about Jīnsèlóng,” Ana said.
The dragon grimaced. “Jīnsèlóng? I don’t think so. That name is much too generic for a being as complex as I am.”
“Perhaps you are right,” Ana said. “Why don’t we use it for now as a pet nickname? That way you can have plenty of time to think on it and get back to me with your chosen name later.”
“I suppose that would be fine,” he said. “Just so long as everyone here knows, I’m still undecided on the matter.”
“Very good. Then, Jīnsèlóng, newborn of the Atlantic Ocean, I give you a duty to guard the treasures of the Earth, both those hidden deep within the mountains as well as those created by humans. When mankind sees your likeness in art or carvings, they will be inspired by your beauty and they will imagine and create. With this duty in mind, I gift you with the power of discernment and command of the elements so that you might seek out that which is most precious and protect it. Your domain is found in all points north of the center. I endow you with the continuity of the waves.”
The dragon shivered as his scales hardened and became as varied in coloration as the precious metals of the earth. “I appreciate your gift, don’t get me wrong,” the dragon said to Ana, “but there are a few questions I have regarding my duty.”
“I trust you implicitly,” Ana said. “If anyone can protect the wealth and beauty of this world, it will be you.” Leaning closer, she whispered in the dragon’s ear. “It is best not to go on about your duty too much,” she said. “Your brothers might become more jealous of you than they already are.”
The gold dragon peered over at the white dragon and narrowed his eyes shrewdly. Then, he turned back to Ana. “That is very wise,” he said in a loud whisper. “We will speak more of this at a later time.”
Ana winked at him and he moved off, coiling his body in a circle and glaring at his brothers as if they were going to try to steal his power away from him. I stifled a laugh. She’d handled him with a deft hand. She already had a lot of experience dealing with soldiers of every kind. Dragons weren’t that much different, all things considered.
“Dragon of white,” Ana said, “You are next.”
When he approached, he blew an icy fog over us. “Sorry about that,” he said. “I’m still getting used to life outside of the water.”
Under my breath, I mumbled, “Wouldn’t count on that lasting long.”
“What will you name yourself?” Ana asked him.
He hesitated a moment, looking into the eyes of the goddess as she looked in his. I got the sense that they were communicating mentally though I heard nothing. “I believe I shall take the name Yínbáilóng,” the dragon answered.
“That is a very fitting choice,” Ana said, then straightened her shoulders as if coming to a decision. “Yínbáilóng, newborn of the Arctic Ocean, you will be the leader of your brothers. As such, I give you a duty to watch over them as well as all the inhabitants of the Earth. Your domain stretches the farthest, touching all the worlds that circle the sun. When men turn their faces to seek out the yellow warmth of its rays, they will sense your protection and be reminded of what it means to be noble and wise. Because of this, I gift you with the powers of judgment and the ability to balance all things. Your domain is the center. This means the center of not only this world but the center of all things. I endow you with the stillness of the snow.”
As power left her once again, the white dragon’s body shone. Icicles grew over his horns and the fur on his back grew thick and white. I was now fully supporting her weight. “Sohan,” she whispered and opened her mouth as if to say more but then her eyes rolled back.
“Ana?” I caught her as she went limp. “Ana!”
“She is simply exhausted, Father,” Yínbáilóng said. “But if you will guide us, we can help. Place your hand on her chest, and the five of us can draw upon the might of the celestial bodies we are now tied to. Come, brothers.”
They all moved closer, their large heads bobbing next to one another. The white dragon told me he would act as a conduit, channeling the power of the others. Using our bond, I poured my energy into Ana through my palm. It began and the five dragons filled with light that burst up and out over the mountain, casting a rainbow hue that lit up the sky. The colorful beam wrapped around Yínbáilóng.
A shaft of light hit me and I staggered briefly but kept tight hold of Ana. Glancing up, I saw that it was coming from Yínbáilóng’s eye. Heat filled my frame and as I opened my mind to the dragons, I saw each of them through new eyes. The time piece of the amulet showed me what they would do and how they would influence mankind over the eons. Apparently, they saw the same thing I did.
Who are you, Father, that you can show us such wonders? they asked in my mind.
As I siphoned the energy of the cosmos from the offering the dragons made, pushing it into Ana, I answered. I am the one who wanders. The one who knows all but prefers to experience the world as one unaware. Someday, your mother and I will leave the mysteries of this world to the five of you, but for now, be content. Learn and grow and use your great influence to be of benefit to others.
Yes, Father, the five dragons said.
Ana blinked her eyes slowly and I swept her up in my arms, cradling her close. “Thank you, my great sons,” Ana said as she touched her hand to the red dragon.
“Is there anything more we can do for you?” Lóngjūn asked.
“Yes,” Ana said. “One day travelers will come seeking your aid. They will have the touch of the goddess about them. Help them in their cause and know that when you help them, you are helping me. Should you ever have need of me, simply call and I will hear your plea and send aid as I am able. Go now,” she said. “Build palaces in your domains and find peace and safety in your new homes.”
One by one, the dragons rose in the air, undulating like ribbons in the wind. When the last one disappeared in the clouds, I asked, “How are you, really?”
“I am recovering as we speak. You may set me down now. I believe I can stand.”
“What if I like you right where you are?” I asked, nuzzling her ear.
“I thought those small kisses were to welcome one home.”
“They can be for other things too,” I said, kissing the arch of her neck.
“There will be time for a third lesson later. We are nearly finished with our list.”
I lifted my head, surprised. “Really? I thought we’d never get done.”
Ana peered at me through lowered eyelids. “Perhaps, if we can finish today, we can take a… What is it called? A vacation?”
The thought of relaxing on a faraway beach somewhere with Ana in a bikini was more than enough motivation for me finish our work. I set her down gently. “What’s next?” I asked a little too eagerly.
“I believe it is creating the Ocean of Milk and assigning a guardian.”
Wrinkling my nose, I said, “The mermaid?” I sighed. “Okay, let’s go find a mermaid.” She was about to teleport us away from the mountain when I took her hand and said, “Wait.”
“What is it?”
“We didn’t wipe the minds of the dragons. They’ll remember me.”
Ana grinned. “It’s doubtful.”
“Why?”
“To them, all of us humans look alike. Except perhaps to Yínbáilóng. He is quite intelligent. His mind seeks to learn. I’ll have to visit him again soon and tell him to limit what information he shares with you in the future.”
Ana wrapped her arms around my waist and the mountain disappeared. This was followed by vertigo and a severe popping in my ears. Ana and I both bent over after the transition, clutching our heads, but soon, the sensation dissipated. “We’re deep beneath the ocean,” I explained. “I think that’s why it hurts, but it seems the amulet is protecting us from the pressure.”
Her eyes grew wide. “Truly? We are under the sea?”
“Yes. This cavern is part of an ice tunnel the white dragon uses to move beneath the water without getting wet.”
“And what of this Ocean of Milk I am to create?”
I described the fountain, the mermaid, the key, and the fact that I was the one who’d had to swim for it. Ana created the fountain easily enough and used the water piece of the amulet to fashion a vast lake in the cavern, but as far as I could tell, the water wasn’t unique in any way.
“It should be white. The water, I mean,” I said.
“Then I will summon the guardian. Perhaps she will know.”
Ana called to the trident, dipped its spikes in the water, and stirred. Closing her eyes, she whispered, summoning a wanderer willing to serve. Her eyes flew open suddenly. “She is coming,” Ana said. With a flourish of her hand, the trident vanished.
A moment later, the water rippled and a blonde-haired mermaid peeked out. “Hello there.” she said. “Did someone call for a siren?”
“A siren?” I said quietly to Ana. “Does that mean she’s like those who live in the great tree of Shangri-La?”
“In a way.”
I heard a giggle and the mermaid turned to fog. Her ghostly form moved through the passageway toward the fountain. We followed. When we arrived, she was already lounging in the pool. “How lovely!” she said. “Though I wouldn’t mind if you turned up the heat.”
Ana obliged and steam filled the air around her. The mermaid sighed contentedly and relaxed back in the water. “Will you serve for a time?” she asked the mermaid. “Travelers are coming soon and they will need a key.” Ana produced a key in her palm. When I asked her how she knew it would open the temple, she said the temple hadn’t been built yet but that we were going to do that next.
The mermaid leaned over the lip of the fountain, deliberately arching her body to show it off. “I suppose I can do that. With the right incentive,” she said, winking at me. “Hi. My name’s Kaeliora.”
Frowning, Ana asked, “What boon would you like for helping?”
Kaeliora pretended to think about it. “I’ve been lonely for so very long,” she said, lifting her long tail out of the water and trailing her hands provocatively down her scales. “I think a kiss would be enough to motivate me.”
“You wish for me to kiss you?” Ana asked with a grimace.
The mermaid rolled her eyes. “Not you. Him.” The way she said him, by making the little mmmm sound at the end, made me shift uncomfortably.
“Look,” I said, “I don’t think that’s—”
Ana cut me off. “Is this your only demand?” she asked stiffly.
“Oh, I think that should be enough. As long as he puts his back into it, so to speak.”
I said, “No,” at the same time Ana said, “Very well.”
The mermaid clapped her hands giddily. “Yay!” She slid her lithe body up to the bench at the edge of the fountain and held out her dripping arms. “Come here, gorgeous,” she beckoned, laughing huskily.
Turning to Ana, I hissed, “Can’t we offer her something else?”
“This is her demand,” Ana said. “You know this closeness to another being is what provides them sustenance. In essence she is asking for food. How can we think to deprive her of something so basic?”
“Yeah, I know but…”
“Just do it and be done with it,” Ana commanded irritably.
“This feels like a test,” I said. “Is this a test?”
“I do not know what you are referring to.”
“A relationship test. They’re common in Kelsey’s time. Women give men little tests regarding their integrity and commitment.”
“The only assessments I employ regarding men is in their ability to protect my back during battle. If they fail in that respect, they are assigned to other duties or dismissed. You have long since proved your valor in this occupation. As this is a part of our work, it therefore does not apply to our…relationship. Rest assured, I am not testing you in any way.”
Logically, I understood what she was saying, but my instincts still told me something was off. “Are you sure you want me to do this?”
“I am certain.”
“Okay,” I said, trudging toward the fountain as slowly and nervously as a man heading to the hangman’s noose. I kept glancing over my shoulder at Ana. At first, she waved me on and then, when I got close, she turned her head away. I didn’t know if that was a good sign or a bad one.
“Now, you’d better make it count,” Kaeliora warned. “Otherwise, it’s no deal.”
It’s just sustenance, I thought. Grimly, I sat down next to her and took her voluptuous form in my arms. She wriggled, jostling closer until her scaled curves were pressed so tightly against me I was surprised she could breathe. She licked her lips, slowly, hungrily, and I lowered my mouth to hers. In the matter of a few seconds, I forgot where I was, who I was. All that mattered was her luscious kiss.
The taste of her and the scent of her were driving me mad. I needed more. Taking hold of her slippery body, I pulled her halfway out of the fountain and onto my lap, uncaring that I became soaked in the process. The water was hot, but not as hot as the woman in my arms. The bare skin I touched scorched my hands.
My hands roamed her back, slid into the soggy mass of her flaxen hair. Her sigh against my mouth was mellifluous and tasted like the salt of the ocean. I dug my fingers into her scales and she gasped a little moan of pleasure. Colors and images flashed in my mind—azure scales, orange coral, lake blue, and shark gray. They pulsed and spun faster and faster, beating a wild tune, and my body surged, dancing to the sound, drowning slowly. Together, the two of us raced to the escalating denouement.
I wasn’t aware of the cold until Kaeliora shivered against me.
She wrenched her lips from mine. “Stop,” she mumbled. “Stop!” she cried. Her lips had turned glacial blue and her skin as white as porcelain. Puffs of air bloomed from her mouth, clouding the space between us. Still under her thrall, I pulled her close again, my mind misty with desire. With a violent shove, she pushed me away, and I tumbled from the fountain, dazed, my fingers clenching with the need to take her in my arms again.
“No!” the mermaid shouted. “Stay back.”
Confused, I turned my head to see what the mermaid was staring at and saw a woman, full of fury and power. Her midnight hair stood out, floating around her and framing her face. Silver balls of light crackled in her palms. She stared down at me with a raw loathing, and as I watched, enthralled, her eyes turned from a dark olive to emerald to chrome.
The woman’s golden skin brightened, becoming luminescent. As she lifted her hands up, her body rose in the air. I was transfixed by her beauty, that is, until she threw her power straight at my head. That was the last thing I remembered before the world around me went white.