Free Doom of the Dragon by Margaret Weis Page B

You’re hearing things,” Skylan retorted.
    But now he was curious, and began listening more closely. At first all he heard was the waves splashing against the hull; then it seemed the waves spoke words: “Skylan Ivorson,” repeated over and over.
    Telling himself he was only hearing his name because Joabis had put the thought into his head, Skylan went to the stern and leaned over. The moment the oceanids caught sight of him, the beautiful women with their silvery, sleek bodies and long, sea foam–colored hair swam to the side of the ship. Swirling about the keel like a school of fish, some even excitedly began leaping from the water like dolphins.
    The oceanids reached out their hands to him, as though they would pull him into the sea. Startled, Skylan drew back. Although the oceanids had come to his aid in the undersea world of the Aquins, he still viewed all fae folk as chaotic and unreliable, not to be trusted.
    â€œWhat do they want with you?” Joabis asked, coming to stand near Skylan, but not so near that the oceanids would splash him again.
    â€œI have no idea,” said Skylan.
    â€œYou had better find out and shut them up,” said Joabis nervously. “All that noise and commotion they’re making, they’re sure to draw attention to us.”
    Skylan wondered whose attention the oceanids were likely to draw, but he went back to the stern to talk to them.
    â€œWhat do you want of me?” Skylan asked dourly, feeling foolish.
    The oceanids were greatly excited and all of them answered at once. He couldn’t make out what they were saying until he caught a word he recognized.
    â€œWulfe?” Skylan repeated. “What about Wulfe? Not all of you together. Only one of you talk. You, there!”
    He pointed to the oceanid who was closest to him, swimming in the water directly beneath him.
    â€œOur prince is searching for you!” the oceanid called, bobbing up and down with the motion of the sea. The other women around nodded their heads. “He sent word out to all the fae folk in the world to look for you.”
    â€œPrince? What prince?” Joabis asked.
    â€œThey mean Wulfe, a foundling I took aboard my ship,” said Skylan. “He says he is the son of a faery princess.”
    â€œYou believe him?” Joabis was disdainful.
    â€œNo,” said Skylan. “But he’s my friend.” He turned back to the oceanid. “Why is Wulfe looking for me?”
    â€œBecause your soul is lost, silly!” said the oceanid with rippling laughter. “Our prince misses you and so does your wife. They want you to come back. We will take you to them.”
    â€œI miss them,” said Skylan. “I want to go back to my wife and my friends, but I can’t. Not yet.”
    â€œHe is coming with me!” Joabis explained. “To the Isle of Revels.”
    The oceanid clapped her hands in delight. “We know the isle. The dragonship on which our prince sails is very near there! We will take you to him. We do not want to disappoint him.”
    â€œNo, we must go to my isle!” Joabis protested. “The matter is urgent!”
    The oceanids ignored him. Diving beneath the sea, they swam back with long ropes of seaweed festooned around their bodies. They wrapped the seaweed around the neck of the dragon-head prow, apparently offending the dragon, for the red glow faded from the eyes. A green-and-gold dragon materialized above the ship, spread his wings, and flew off in the direction of Torval’s mountain.
    The dragonship slowed to a halt, drifting in the water.
    â€œNow look what you’ve done!” Joabis cried, rounding on Skylan. “We’re becalmed! Sure to be caught!”
    Skylan was barely listening. “They’re not going to leave us here. They’re going to take me to Aylaen.”
    Some of the oceanids grabbed hold of the seaweed ropes wrapped around the prow, twined them about their bodies,