Deserted (Shadow Beast Shifters Book 4) by Jaymin Eve

Author:Jaymin Eve [Eve, Jaymin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-09-27T18:30:00+00:00

29

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.

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