Ella rubbed her nose against Jessica’s back to quell an itch. Her tummy clenched. Below the lights of Horval illuminated the coast. Within minutes they’d be over the Strait of Yella. God, she hoped their crossing went well. The thought of the sea serpents that resided there sent a wave of shivers skittering down her spine. The shivers skittered right back up again when her thoughts strayed to their final landing in Moyen. There would only be minutes to spare before the sun rose at the Lunar Temple – they would burn to a crisp if Daisy didn’t make the landing in time. What a nerve wracking trip.
Ella had decided hours ago, that she never wanted to ride on another dragon unless she was with Raonull. With him, she sat in front with his solid body behind her acting as a backrest. His arms always corralled her and made her feel secure – unlike the way she presently felt sitting behind Jessica. She was virtually blind. She shifted restlessly. She wanted to extend her legs out in front as she did when Raonull held her close and not spread them wide to straddle Daisy’s broad back. She knew when she got off the dragon in Moyen, she might not be able to move.
The lights of Horval disappeared, and she saw water rippling beneath them. The reflection of the three moons in the strait looked particularly bright. A neon streak of green arrowed through the water tracking their flight across the watery expanse. Her arms tightened reflexively. It was monstrous and she knew exactly what it was. She had heard Diana spin the tale about the time she and Manus had crossed the Strait of Yella in a rowboat, using nothing more than harpoons, to slay an ancient sea serpent bent upon devouring them.
God, that green streak has to be as long as a commuter train heading into London. There was no way she was coming off Daisy’s back before they hit land.
The sea serpent arced out of the water testing the distance between them. Ella heard Jessica gasp at the sight of the monster. It looked like a neon green caterpillar with huge, multifaceted eyes that shimmered up at them – they were the eyes of a predator.
Stay tuned for more!