"He is and he has been made a Prince of the Sea People, by virtue of his selection as a mate by a daughter of the King."
Wow! It sounded like Keko had been having his own time of it in this strange world. He was a Prince married to the daughter of a king!
"Why didn't he come? I want to see him!"
"He is coming. He will meet with you on the island soon. He may be your brother but now he is also the Prince of a great people with the responsibilities that come with the role of leadership. The release of the scroll once again has caused a crisis of search. Should such a scroll fall into the wrong hands a disaster of epic proportions could result. A disaster that could affect all the people of this inner world and even the world above. This ship will take you back to the island now."
Without further words the massive dragon let loose of the ship and sank beneath the waves.
Talking dragons! What could be next?
I shuddered at the possibility of that.
We stayed where we were by the railing unmolested by the ship's crew, who appeared only too eager to return us to our island.
*****
I stood there on the beach watching as the dingy that had brought us here headed back out to sea. Had all this upheaval really turned a complete cycle in less than 24 hours to see me back on this beach with Colt?
I looked to Colt and I felt tears of tiredness and emotion seep out of the corners of my eyes. He looked awful, but he was here alive and we were together and that was more than I had ever hoped for after being taken from the beach the first time.
I went to him and wrapped my arms around him and his came around me. I buried my face in his shirt loving the security and warmth of his presence.
Colt spoke in a choked tone that had me looking up quickly, "Back there I thought I was going to lose you. I……I don't want that to ever happen."
Looking into his eyes I saw my future and with emotion equal to his I said, "Neither do I!"
I wanted to kiss him, but I was so short and the sand gave way beneath my toes as I tried to reach him. I abruptly found myself lifted free of the sand and pushed back against the trunk of a tree, as Colt's hands bore me up and held me there.
Eyes tightly shut I accepted the brutal kiss of passion that was pressed upon me. The force he kissed me with hurt, but I didn't care. It was as if all the longing and passion within Colt had been unleashed in a torrent of raw need and I reveled in it, because I was the recipient of all of his strongest desires.