It was early afternoon by the time they left. Drago kept a wary eye on Carly, fearful that in her enthusiasm she would fall over the side of the great ship. She must have realized he was watching her because she suddenly turned and grinned up at him.

Drago couldn’t keep the sigh of relief from escaping when he saw her step away from the side and gingerly navigate the deck of the airship to the steps leading up to the helm. The Dragonriders were much like the great ships that Nali used to travel. The difference was the Dragonriders used the dragon’s fire to power the great engines instead of the electricity of the thunderbirds.

Powered by the engines, guided by the wind, and with two massive wings and a rudder, the ship soared out of the protected cave in the cliff and into the sky. Drago was proud of the Dragon’s fleet of airships. Before the Great Battle, their fleet of ships had soared through the skies along with their dragon escorts. He turned the wheel and steered them to the southeast.

“This is unbelievable,” Carly said, climbing the stairs to stand next to him.

“The ships allowed us to increase our trade with the other kingdoms,” he explained.

“I don’t understand physics or aeronautics, but I do know this isn’t something my world has ever seen. Of course, they’ve never seen dragons, mermaids, or monsters, either,” she laughed.

“You live in a very strange world,” Drago replied with a shake of his head.

Carly’s laughter wrapped around him. She stepped forward to grip the railing. The warm breeze blew her hair back and once again he was reminded of the glitter of gold as the sunlight caught the different colors in her hair.

She turned and grinned at him to show she had heard his comment and found it amusing. Drago glanced around the ship, trying to see it from her point of view. The things he took for granted, she found magical. He couldn’t imagine not being able to shift into a dragon or live in the world he did without having the ability to use magic or fly through the air in the great ships. Life would be – difficult, at best.

He adjusted the sails with a slight twist of a knob and increased power to the engines. They had a good tailwind behind them and should make good time if it continued. They maintained a height of about three hundred meters above the ocean. He adjusted the wings to ensure a smooth flight. Locking the controls, he stepped around the helm and walked up behind Carly.

They stood in silence, gazing out over the vast ocean. Time seemed to stand still as they took in the beauty of the blue sky dotted with white clouds and the dark, sapphire blue waters below. The flock of paper birds darted about the ship, some landing on the ship’s rigging while others hopped about the deck.

“You said it would take us two days to get to where we are going?” Carly asked, leaning back against him.

“Yes. Just remember what I told you,” he cautioned.

Carly laughed. “I know. Stay with you and never trust a pirate. No worries, Captain. I’ll have my trusty broom and Little Knight and my flock of paper birds for protection,” she stated with a small salute.

“And me,” he added.

“And you,” she repeated with a giggle when he bent to press a kiss to her neck. “For always.”

Two days later, Drago was already having doubts about his decision to travel to the Isle of the Pirates. He should have known his arrival would cause a stir. After all, it had been more than a decade since the last dragon had been seen.

Their entry to the Pirate’s Cove was through the skull shaped rocks that were heavily guarded. This was the only entrance into and out of the isle’s port – at least the only one known to outsiders. The port was surprisingly empty compared to what Drago remembered.

“Prepare to be boarded!” an old pirate yelled from the aft side of his ship.

“Board at your own risk, old man,” Drago growled. “Carly, take the helm and slow the vessel.”

“Uh, Drago, I don’t think…,” Carly started to say before her voice died.

Drago had shifted into his dragon form and was snapping the cables the pirates had being thrown to connect the Dragonrider and the pirates’ ship. Several pirates preparing to swing onto the ship via long ropes scrambled back when Drago sent several bursts of blue flames in their direction.

Drago paced back and forth snarling and growling at the pirates who watched him with unease. No one would board his ship unless he gave permission. Those dirty bastards would steal the linen off the beds if given half a chance.

“Uh, Drago, I hate to tell you this, but I’m not very good at driving a boat, even a magical one,” Carly called down from the wheel.

The paper birds all rose and flapped around in alarm, drawing Drago’s attention to the fact that the dock was rapidly approaching. The pirates must have realized that a collision was imminent as well because they turned their ship to starboard. Drago’s eyes widened and he turned. With a single leap, he cleared the quarter deck and shifted behind Carly and the helm. Reaching out, he pulled back on the throttle and turned the wheel to the left.

The force of the sudden reversal and the dip as the ship turned threw Carly off balance. Drago reached out and grabbed her around the waist before she fell. He pulled her close while keeping his other hand firmly on the wheel. The vessel shuddered before gently bumping into the floats attached to the dock.

Several dock hands immediately threw a series of ropes up to secure the ship to the dock. With a flick of his wrist, Drago lowered the anchor. Water splashed up onto the deck and the paper birds scurried to safety in the Crow’s Nest.

“All secured, my lord,” one of the dock hands yelled.

“Good job. Keep the coin and if my ship remains intact until my departure, there will be two more to go with it,” Drago said, tossing a gold coin to the man.

“Aye, my lord. We’ll make sure nothin’ is taken,” the dock hand stated with a toothy grin.

“He even talks like a pirate!” Carly whispered in awe, turning her gaze from the man to the town.

“Yes, it gets a bit irritating after a while,” Drago said, shutting down the engines.

“Drago!” a thundering voice called out.

“Who is that?” Carly asked, staring at a well-dressed man walking down the dock toward them.

Drago’s face twisted into an expression of reluctant resignation. His gaze followed Carly’s, narrowing in on the man who had yelled his name. The huge grin and speculative expression in the man’s eyes meant that this was not going to be a quick shopping excursion.

“That is Ashure Waves, King of the Pirates, and lord of this miserable lot of thieves,” Drago responded under his breath. “Ashure,” he greeted in a louder voice.

“Well, well, well, what wakes the dragon after so long? Or should I say who?” Ashure asked, staring at Carly.

Carly didn’t know what to think of the tall, elegantly dressed man standing on the dock. A faint blush colored her cheeks when he turned his gaze on her and gave her one of those assessing looks. Lifting her chin, she resisted sticking her tongue out and crossing her eyes – barely. Her second response wasn’t much better. She really wanted to tell him to take a picture, that it would last longer, but she bit her tongue. From the way Drago stiffened and the dark expression on his face, the pirate would be lucky if he didn’t get a few of the feathers sticking out of his hat singed.

“I would be careful if I were you, Ashure,” Drago growled when the man didn’t look away from her.

“As surly as always, even after a decade of rest, I see. You know I lost a lot of men over the years waiting for you to wake up again,” Ashure stated.

“That sounds like a personal problem to me,” Drago blithely retorted, holding Ashure’s gaze in silent challenge before he smiled and shrugged.

“Yes, I guess it is.” Ashure replied, returning Drago’s gaze. His steely expression quickly changed to a genial look and he grinned, replacing his unease with a slightly mocking expression. “Still, I would be remiss if I did not welcome you to my humble kingdom,” Ashure stated with a bow. “Welcome, mighty – and may I add extremely wealthy – king of the dragons, to the Isle of the Pirates.”

Carly bit her lip to keep from laughing. The long feather in the man’s hat actually touched the dock. The man straightened and looked at Drago with a avaricious grin. Carly wasn’t sure if the guy was just plain stupid or had a death wish. Who in their right mind would challenge a dragon?

She was just about to suggest that maybe they should leave when Drago threw his head back and laughed. Carly started in surprise and cast a puzzled glance back and forth between Drago and Ashure. The pirate was grinning as well.

“You haven’t changed a bit,” Drago said.

“Nay, not enough to boast about,” he said genially. He continued in a suddenly serious tone. “I am glad you are here, Drago. Nali told me you had awakened. There is a matter I wish to talk to you about.”

Drago’s expression turned somber and he nodded. Carly felt his arm slid around her waist and she stepped forward when the dock hands secured the gangplank for them to descend. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that it had rope handrails that she hadn’t noticed when the men were pushing the ramp closer. There was no way she would have trusted herself to make it down a narrow plank without falling off.

Once on the dock, she was startled again when Ashure stepped forward and grabbed her hand. He ignored Drago’s muttered curse and raise her hand to his lips. Carly tugged on her hand in an effort to pull free after he finished.

“You have found a woman with fire in her blood, Drago. She has the heart of a dragon,” Ashure said in a deceptively soft and playful tone.

“Be careful, Ashure. My temper is still as fierce as it has always been. Carly is not for you to toy with or to use your gifts on,” Drago warned.

Ashure’s lips twisted into a sardonic smile. “What you call a gift, others would call a curse,” he said. “No threat intended, Dragon King.”

Carly watched the pirate turn on his heel and snap out an order to one of the men waiting patiently behind him. Within seconds, a carriage drawn by two magnificent black horses appeared. Drago held her back for a brief second.

“Whatever you do, stay close to me,” Drago warned.

“I will,” Carly promised, a shiver running through her. “What’s wrong?”

“I do not know, but I plan to find out,” Drago said before straightening when Ashure turned back to them.

“Your harbor looks bare. I seem to remember more merchants,” Drago said as he helped Carly up into the carriage.

“There is much we need to discuss, my friend, but not here. First, let me offer you a comfortable room and a good meal. Then, we will talk,” Ashure said.

Carly didn’t miss the look of warning in Ashure’s eyes or the way he glanced around at the men and women milling around the docks. She frowned and followed his gaze. Everything looked okay, but looking and feeling were two entirely different things.

While everything appeared normal, Carly could feel there was a tension in the air, and it seemed to center around her, if the stares directed her way were anything to judge by. Carly sank down onto the padded leather seat and ran her hands down the soft fabric of her brown pants. Drago sat down beside her and slipped his hand into hers while Ashure sat across from them. Ashure waved his hand and the coachman slapped the reins. Carly gripped Drago’s hand and held the side of the carriage as it began to move up the slope and through the town.

“Ouch! What was that for?” Drago asked, rubbing his arm where Carly had pinched him.

Carly looked up at him and grinned. “I just wanted to make sure that I wasn’t dead or dreaming. I’ve already pinched myself. I figured I’d try pinching you this time to make sure,” she teased.

Drago recaptured her hand and held onto it. “I can assure you that you are neither dead nor dreaming in a less painful way, little thief,” he assured her with a chuckle.

Ashure laugh quietly. “As I said before, Drago, you have found a woman with fire. I love that she also has a delightful sense of humor,” he stated.

“Just remember she belongs to me, Ashure,” Drago said.

“I have enough worries without the addition of an offended dragon on the list,” Ashure assured him.

Carly glanced again at the pirate king, but he was now smiling and waving to a group of women standing outside a tavern. Carly couldn’t help but stare at the women. They looked like they could take on the Giant from Jack in the Beanstalk and defeat him with one hand. She had only seen muscles like that in the magazines at the gym.

She turned to look at Drago when he raised her hand to his lips. A rueful smile curved her lips and she rolled her eyes. His soft chuckle told her that he understood her silent message.

“I prefer cute and cuddly,” he murmured.

Carly could feel the warmth of his words sweep through her and couldn’t contain the brilliant smile that curved her lips. She settled back and enjoyed the ride. There were so many different shops that she couldn’t decide which one she wanted to explore first.

“So, my friend, tell me the reason for your visit,” Ashure prompted.