Shattered by the Sea Lord - Starla Night Page 0,51
flames against a bamboo backdrop.
“It’s a qilin.” He stroked the center. “It symbolizes protecting the home. And the bamboo means flexibility and endurance. I’m supposed to have a bunch of tattoos already, but we haven’t officially started my warrior training, so I’ll get a more then.” He pointed down the table. “Nuno’s got a tiger.”
He straightened and puffed his chest. “Courage.”
“And the plum blossom means he’s unafraid of difficulties,” Hadali said.
They went around the breakfast table showing off tattoos. Each child had a central animal surrounded by a floral motif. Tulu had a protective lion and steadfast pine trees, and the others had a mysterious mantis, happy magpie, industrious crab, and more surrounded by a variety of plants.
“Fascinating,” Ciran said. “The heart tattoo is normally a personal totem symbol but ours are usually more abstract.”
Dannika tapped the curling circles on his pectoral, the green and coffee brown almost like a yin yang. “This has meaning?”
“A feeling.” He traced the colors with his index finger. “Reason and emotion. For an effective strategy, both are necessary to understand your enemy and yourself.”
Itime and Konomelu had similar abstract tattoos that meant fierce loyalty and a quiet blade.
“In Sanctuary, Prince Ankena ruled that we would honor the traditions of our brides and our warriors,” Konomelu said.
“And not a single dragon,” Val said.
“I tried.” Meg dropped her carved wooden spoon with a clatter, stretched, and sighed. “I used so many squid inks and at least five feather quills. I drew on so many leaves. I just never got it right. No dragons, no chrysanthemums. And nobody wanted a squid. I could draw those in my sleep.”
Val shook her head and then winced again. “Maybe I need my eyes checked.”
They had to get Val real help. She needed modern medicine.
Being stranded on a deserted island for decades was much worse for an ordinary human than for a bride with access to healing elixir. Meg and Angie and Bex were all healthy and strong, and they barely had wrinkles, much less scars. Dannika’s bruises from being whipped by metal had faded to shadowy greens and light purples in a day.
Hopefully, Angie, Meg, and Bex had secret powers up their sleeves.
Even though their island grass dresses were basically sleeveless.
The kids finished their breakfast and ran off to play. Angie called them back to help clean up. Over the chorus of frustrated “aws”, Meg stood.
“I have an announcement.” She rested her hand on Itime’s calm shoulder. “After breakfast, I’m going in the ocean.”
The kids all dropped silent, eyes wide.
“And I’ll need your help. You know why. So, uh, let’s be helpful, okay?” She patted Itime’s shoulder and sat. “That’s all.”
Her kids rushed to pack away the food.
The warriors gathered at the top of the flat white beach.
“Why does Meg dread the water?” Ciran asked the warriors.
Tulu answered. “Disney princess powers.”
“What does that mean?”
Konomelu exchanged glances with Itime. “It is best if you see for yourself.”
Shallow blue water stretched to the coral. Waves stumbled over the ring separating their island sanctuary from the wild, free ocean.
“Gosh, this is beautiful.” Val squinted from beneath a sunshade. Meg’s youngest played in the sand beside her. “Well, good luck transforming into an unstoppable force.”
“Thanks,” Dannika said.
Bex sauntered over, then Meg followed by the biggest cluster of kids, and then Angie, arms crossed, bringing up the rear.
They divested their clothes. Dannika held on to Ciran’s Sea Opal for good luck. The sand was warming up fast, the damp line where the waves ended soothed her hot toes. The turquoise water—clear and sandy up close—invited her in.
Ciran strode into the low waves.
They had made love yesterday. Her body tingled with his nearness. Her unused muscles twinged in a liquid reminder of how long it had been since a man had filled her.
Ciran’s gaze lasered onto hers as the clear surf splashed up her thighs. He sensed her emotions, as always, and amplified her determination with dark promise.
She would succeed today.
The other women would witness her queen powers and develop their own. They would push back the warriors who confined them to this island.
“Okay, guys.” Meg squeezed her eyes shut and held out her hands. “Help me in. And get ready.”
Tulu walked in front of her. Her younger sons took her hands and led her, cautious and blind, into the shallow surf. She let out her breath in a nervous hiss and talked quietly to herself. “Here we go. Here we go…”