tactful way to say something like that, so she wasn’t too surprised when he stopped short, turning abruptly to look down at her in astonishment.
“Do you mean that?” Xavier’s voice was hoarse, tentative, as if he was scared to push her. She knew there would be no backing out. To deny him this after giving him hope would be the very definition of cruel.
He’d let her. He’d forgive her if she changed her mind. Rosalia wasn’t so sure that she’d forgive herself, however—not if she gave him false hope.
“Yes, I am.”
It was a promise she didn’t intend to break and would fight viciously to keep.
Wind tugged gently at their clothes, a whisper of urgency accompanying the bite of chills that followed and yet the warmth in Rosalia’s stomach exploded into an inferno when he pulled her close, catching her mouth with his own in one fluid motion. The kiss was short and filled with passion, neither caring for the tiny grains of sand that danced around them before they pulled apart.
The remainder of the night’s journey passed in a happy haze for Rosalia, though the farther they traveled the more her exhaustion caught up with her. She couldn’t remember how long it had been since she’d had a decent night's rest—a truly decent night without interruptions, worries, or stress awaiting her in the morning—and though she didn’t expect to gain such a thing in the desert of all places, the idea of attempting to sleep was more than a little welcome.
As her eyelids drooped and her head nodded, Rosa nearly collided with Xavier’s back. She hadn’t even heard him stop.
“This is perfect,” he breathed, sounding as tired as she felt. “I didn’t think I’d ever see one of these again.” There was a touch of awe in his tone that was puzzling to her sleep-addled brain until she stumbled around him and blinked languidly at the sight before them.
Half buried in the sand several meters in front of the pair was the decrepit husk of an ancient ship. The vessel had seen many a sandstorm, its wood battered in more places than not, teal paint faded by time and the sun until mere hints of color remained. A man-sized hole led into what remained of the hull, offering the ideal shadowy nook for resting away from the sun that was just beginning to peek over the horizon.
“Desert pirates.” Rosa felt a little more awake with the sudden discovery. She hadn’t thought she’d see one of these ships anywhere other than a book. The history of the pirates was short yet fascinating all the same. They had practically ruled the desert just as their aquatic counterparts ruled the sea, they had an extensive trade route set up along with the networks for a black market all made possible by their impressive ships designed to travel across the desert sands with the aid of a little wind enhanced by magic.
They had been an impressive group of people, dedicated to exploring the deserts and practicing their trade more so than fighting amongst themselves, then one day they had just vanished. No one knew where they went, or why they left the land they’d called their home. All that had been left in their wake were ships like the one they stood before, scattered across the desert without rhyme or reason.
“We can rest here until the sun sets; we’ll wait out the worst of the heat,” Xavier said, leading Rosalia toward the abandoned ship.
“You’re a dragon. Does heat even bother you?”
“No.”
“And I’m half-djinn. That means I can keep going.”
“Far from it. It means until you are more in control of your gifts and in touch with that side of your heritage, you are subject to the whims of your magic. Maybe you will be unharmed.” He leveled his gaze on her in a laser-focused stare that told her his next words left no room for argument. “Maybe you will collapse from heat sickness, as your body masks the harm caused by the sun.”
Blast. She hated when he was right.
Xavier paused once more, right before they entered the hull, eyes set on the shrub of multicolored flowers that brushed against the faded wood. Purple petals with a dull lilac glow bobbed in the passing breeze as if they were waving at them.
“Condea emoryi, desert lavender,” he said, eyes lighting up.
“What?” Rosa mumbled, rubbing at the corner of one of her eyes sleepily. The thrill of seeing the ship was already gone, leaving nothing but exhaustion.
“They