At first glance, the beach of Garden Bay looks like it could be on Earth. The sand is whitish-yellow and fine, soft underfoot. But of course there’s no sea glass here and no smell of salt in the air. There is a proper harbor with multiple docks, but Cleve leads us toward an undeveloped area where the only litter is washed up shells and broken clumps of kelp. Close to the water line, clusters of dark green leaves are punctuated by small white flowers—this is the plant Xiao brought me. Chiron doesn’t have much in the way of birds, at least not that I’ve seen so far, but somewhere nearby, some creature caws like a gull. The water gently laps at the sand, its rhythmic beat lending the whole area a much-needed peacefulness. It’s so calming, so soothing.
Out in the distance, the horizon is broken by the silhouette of a masted ship, above which a dark form flies. I know that’s Gale, in ways I can’t articulate. She peels away from the vessel and heads this way. I smile at the thought that she has sensed me as well. I feel so much better already.
Gale comes gliding in, but to land her bulk neatly in front of me takes some wing flaps that send sand up in all directions. It’s amazing to see her in daylight with a clear head and my own vision, without wild resonance energies surging about us. Her main bulk, the central bat-like body, is deep blue, but there’s an iridescence to it also, not just to her thin, shimmery wings.
I hold a hand out toward her tentatively, unsure of how she’ll react. She stretches her small head out on its long neck and gives a sniff, then snakes it further forward and nuzzles at me. She winds her neck around me, ending up with her head thumping lightly upon the top of mine, as though she is petting me. Her skin is cool to the touch, which is so pleasant in the humid warm air. I attempt to produce a whale-like noise, not that I know anything about what her sounds mean, but just something to show her I’m willing to try. I must do something right, because Gale excitedly returns the greeting, and ¡vaya! that is loud right here by my ears. It vibrates my whole body.
We stand together a while, playing and humming together, and then I feel a tap on my shoulder.
///
Cleve breathes his own sigh of relief as he stands on the beach. Back when he was hustling Mariah out of the temple, that prophet Sal had caught Cleve’s eye, suggesting with a gesture that they all meet behind the temple itself, away from the crowd. Cleve had given a sharp shake of his head. Mariah is overworked—or maybe just overwhelmed. His behavior was definitely not matching up with the norm for such a social person. That Mariah broke down so much, completely unable to handle the situation, he must be at the end of his rope. Right now, he just needs to be away from… stuff. Whatever is up with him, some time in nature ought to do Mariah good. It’s always been healing for Cleve.
And it’s working right now. Cleve stands there, looking out across the water, idly contemplating how good the fishing is in this bay. An enormous xenodragon has settled itself around his companion and that’s… fine. Surely not going to be a problem at all, Cleve sarcastically thinks to himself. It’s nice out here… almost too nice. That’s when he realizes the distant ship is actually coming in closer to shore. And who knows whose ship that might be? Immediately, a threat analysis starts running through his mind. I should’ve been paying closer attention, he castigates himself. Did I just bring Mariah into another dangerous situation? Mariah seems completely unaware of the change in circumstances, wrapped up as he is—literally—in his xenodragon friend.
Then Cleve sees a tender lower from the main ship and begin a more rapid approach. The small hydrofoil is electric, so the only noise it makes is produced by the water it displaces. There’s just a handful of people onboard. It must look to them like Mariah’s just stolen their xenodragon, Cleve reflects. Just like back in the temple, he steps between Mariah and the threat, heading down toward the waterline to intercept. Mariah’s having a moment with that xenodragon and seems like he needs it, so Cleve will run what interference he can.
Cleve hails the approaching craft when it gets close enough, giving a full arm wave to catch their attention. Someone aboard waves back—it’s Xiao. “Uh, excuse me…” the mariner calls.
Cleve lets out the breath he was holding; at least he won’t be dealing with an unknown here. “Hey, Xiao!” he calls back.
The boat comes right up to shore, and its occupants hop out, dragging it up out of the water to rest on its supports. Xiao has three junior mariners with him, his own Takuto, Arx, and Louisa to keep out of trouble. “Can we have our xenodragon back?” Xiao asks. “Or do you need her?”
Cleve glances back up the beach behind him. I don’t know that I can actually control this situation, he worries. Looking back to Xiao, he says, “Could we maybe have a moment?”
Xiao presses his lips together. “Mmm, we’re kind of on an important training exercise. Because, as you know, we might be fighting Morgan’s forces very soon.”
Cleve nods. “Understood.” He looks up the beach again. “Uh, Mariah?” No response from the man or the xenodragon. They probably can’t hear him over the array of trombone and kazoo sounds they’re both making. “Well, I can talk to him, but you’re the one who’s going to have to talk to her,” he says, starting to stride back up the beach.
“I don’t want to have to use the pheromonal training,” Xiao says reluctantly.
Upon reaching the pair in question, Cleve taps Mariah on the shoulder. “Gale has some work to do. Seems like she was in the middle of some.”
///