Deserted (Shadow Beast Shifters Book 4)

The rivers of the Desert Lands varied in colors. The ones that led off this fast-moving sand waterway were ochre like the Ostealon. As we crossed the docks, moving to where all the big, golden vessels waited, I noted that the swishing and swirling of the sands below was growing stronger. Generally, this part—the bay before the rivers—should be relatively calm, but this moon it was wild.

Tsuma’s stolen energy was already stirring the tides as it swelled deep in the power that ran below the deserts. As we all stared, a creature leapt out of the sands as if trying to escape their new fury.

Mera and Shadow had caught up at this point, and my friend almost fell off the docks at the sight of the dark red, heavily boned beast diving deep. ‘What was that?’ she gasped when Shadow caught her and pulled her back. “It almost looked like a skeletal dolphin.”

‘It’s an echinat,‘ Reece said, his gaze focused on the vessels as he used his years of expertise to find the fastest and most stable ship for this mission. ‘It’s scary to look at but is harmless.’

‘It has no external flesh,’ Lucien explained, leaning out from the docks too. “I remember the first time I saw one in a sand bay near Reece’s home; I near jumped out of my damn pants.”

Even Reece managed a laugh, despite his focus, as he pushed us further into the shipping docks. “The bony exoskeleton protects the internal components. So it looks like a skeleton, but that’s just the shell.’

Mera’s eyes grew wider as she tried to lean out from the ochre dock again, its compacted sands holding her with ease. Shadow didn’t care though, reaching out to grasp onto the back of her tunic to keep her from tumbling forward. ‘Not too close, Sunshine. If we’re lucky, one will jump while we’re travelling.’

That seemed to mollify Mera, who fell back into line behind the rest of us.

When we were about halfway through the hundreds of ships, Reece ground to a halt. “Oh, yes,” he said softly. “I was hoping she’d be here.”

Peering around him, I saw a huge vessel, tinted both red and gold, indicating this was a Rohami ship. ‘The Odessa,” he told us, “is one of the fastest ships in the world, and since I have full permission to use whatever is available… let’s get onboard.”

‘Like you care about permission,’ I muttered, thinking of all the shit I’d seen him get away with over the years.

My words had been too soft for most to hear, but when his lips twitched, I knew he’d caught my comment. But… whatever. It wasn’t like he was unaware of my thoughts toward him. I did manage to keep further comments to myself, though, as I followed him down a ledge designed to give us access to the side of the ship.

I’d been on a few of these transports before, but nothing the length or breadth of the Odessa. When Reece stopped about halfway along the dock, he said, ‘This long, sleek shape is how she’s so fast. But with the addition of a slightly deeper hull, we can plow through the more treacherous conditions of the East River.’

“Especially once that energy really swells into full force,” Len added, his concerned gaze on the rowdy sands edging up the side of the docks.

‘How do we get onto it?’ I asked.

From what I could see, the ship was anchored by two streams of energy, one off the front and another at the back. I could use my wings and ferry everyone over, but there had to be another way for the wingless Desertlandians.

‘We use this platform,’ Reece said, leaning down and retrieving a large board I hadn’t noticed hanging over the side of the dock, attached through energy streams like those holding the ship.

The platform was heavy and solid, made from the same hard material that had lined the dance floor in the main tent, and Reece showed no strain as he spun the long length around and placed it into a small groove etched into the side of the boat. The other end landed on the dock itself.

‘All aboard,’ he said, jerking his head to indicate we should get moving.

Since I was the closest, I hurried up the platform, adjusting my stance to move with the sands lifting the ship. It was an odd sensation as my center of balance shifted constantly, but I figured it out fast and, in no time, was up on the deck. Moving out of the way, I marveled at how the pamolsa oil and sand created a waterproof but nonslip surface, the shiny length filling this level of the huge vessel.

This world might prefer its lack of “technology” but that didn’t make them primitive.

The others followed until we were all onboard. Reece was last, then he lifted the platform to store it against the inside railing of the Odessa so we could use it to disembark when we arrived.

‘This is incredible,’ Mera said, widening her stance so she could balance with the movements of the sands. ‘I can’t believe it’s sand; it feels like we’re on water.’

‘Magical currents,’ Alistair said, his eyes brighter as he stared over the side. ‘I’ve always wanted to swim in its depths, but these main rivers are way too tidal. It’s easy to be pulled into the unknown.’

‘I know some rivers that you’d enjoy swimming in,” Reece told him. “I’ll take you after we save the world.’

‘Again,’ half of us chorused.

The desert god chuckled, despite his grim mood. ‘Yep. Again.’

Len, his coat extra silver in this world built of many colors except that one, stood in the center of the main deck. ‘How do we get the supplies?’ he asked. “I don’t like the feel of the energy. We need to get moving so we’re past these first port tides as the power swells.”

Reece tilted his head to stare into the sky, the dark-moon casting no more than a sliver of light. ‘There’s nothing yet,” he said. “We should prep to leave; the supplies will just have to find their way to us.”

“How can we help prep?” I asked.

Reece shook his head. “These ships all but sail themselves, with a little help from the engines, of course. You all stay here, and I’ll get us moving.”

His sands flashed red around him, visible as they took off to cut the power cables holding our commandeered vessel. As soon as that happened, the ship began to move more dramatically, giving us a very good indication of the increased volatility in the underground power streams.

Reece, despite the swell, strode with ease to a set of stairs that led up onto a higher deck. Until that point, I’d thought that was more of an observation level, but apparently it was where he controlled the ship from. Within minutes, I heard the powerful thrum of engines from deep below us, and with both skill and speed, Reece backed out of the docking area and moved past other ships to enter the main bay. From here we’d sail toward the East River and hope like hell the supplies showed up before Tsuma’s spell turned these rivers even more treacherous.

Once we got into the widest section of the bay, I moved closer to the front of the ship. I’d never traveled from the Ostealon before, and it was quite impressive to see all the rivers spanning around on all sides, leading to basically every land in this world.

‘This is the junction,’ Reece called down to us, voice loud over the sound of the engines. ‘Each of these rivers leads to a different land or dynasty. East River will take us past Rohami and into the sacred lands.’

The whirring of the engine eased as our forward trajectory halted. “I’ll give them a few more minutes for supplies,” Reece said. “We need water for Alistair at minimum.”

The Karn native waved him off, but all of us could see the dryness in his skin and the droop to his shoulders. If it were up to me, he’d be leaving with Mera because the deserts were only going to get drier the closer we got to the Delfora. However, since I doubted Alistair would appreciate my advice, I remained silent while vowing to keep an eye on him.

Once the vessel was as stationary as it could be at the junction of the rivers, Reece left the top deck and made his way back to where we all stood. He settled in at my side, both of us watching the rivers.

‘That one leads to Rohami,’ he said, pointing at one to the left of us. “And that one—”

He was cut off by a loud shout, and all of us spun in time to see another ship approaching, one that was black in its coloring. Darin had caught up to us. It took them another few minutes to draw close enough for us to see the dozen Guardians on board. ‘They have our supplies?’ I guessed since nothing else had arrived.

‘I would assume so,’ Reece said with a sigh.

Darin’s vessel stopped with about twenty feet separating us. ‘We have your supplies!’ he shouted, confirming it. ‘Can you send someone across to get them?’

Reece moved closer to the side of the Odessa. ‘Just throw them over,’ he called back. ‘We need to get on our way.’

That wasn’t just him being difficult. Already the winds and tides were picking up, and I felt the swelling of power under our ship. Tsuma’s gathered energy was really kicking in now, and if we didn’t get moving, we’d be in trouble.

‘I can go,’ I said in a rush, my wings popping out without another thought. ‘It shouldn’t take more than a second.’

‘Great idea,’ Mera said, just as Reece snapped, ‘No way.’

Everyone looked at him, and I hoped the pointed stare I shot his way reminded him that our incognito arrangement was in danger of being blown to pieces.

‘We don’t know if we can trust them,’ he finally added. ‘Do you really want to risk Angel to a possible attack?’

Mera crossed her arms. ‘Dude, Angel could wipe the floor with those assholes. Fuck, she could do it with her arms tied together.’

Now I was the one smirking, daring him to argue with that. I mean, it possibly wasn’t true—I didn’t know and hadn’t had a chance to assess the power of Darin and his men—but if Reece talked my abilities down, he’d be handed his ass by me. And then Mera would step in.

‘Fuck,’ he growled. ‘Okay, but I’m coming too.’

I moved to join him near the side.

‘Do not linger,’ he murmured darkly. ‘Over and back, or I’ll deal with Darin. And we both know what happens after he touches what’s mine.’

Holy meadows. Shivers wracked through me as I remembered the dance he’d interrupted and the events that had gone down after it. His powerful body driving into mine…

Swallowing my arousal, I forced myself to act normal. ‘No idea what you’re talking about,’ I managed to say, spreading my wings wide as he gathered sand around him. ‘Must not have been that memorable.’

I was gone before he could reply, and even though poking the sleeping sand dragon wasn’t the smartest idea, I finally understood the thrill Mera always talked about when she was dancing on the edge of danger with her Shadow Beast.

And with the possibility of being destroyed in the Delfora in six moons, there felt like no better time to risk it all.