The sun had fully risen above the mountain, peaking through the dark clouds when I finally dared to speak again. Phoenix was attempting to catch some fish, her movements precise and focused, her breath forming small clouds in the cool morning air. I wasn't sure if she wanted me alive or not.

"I-I'm sorry if I went too far earlier. I understand." I spoke.

"I'm sorry your lover left you," she responded, her voice steady but edged with something like empathy.

"Dove isn't my lover."

"What is she then?"

"I don't know what she was, but now, she's no one."

"You're a liar." The warrior's voice was cold, cutting through the warmth of the sunlit morning.

"Maybe."

"If she's no one, why were you with her in the hallway? Doing... more than kissing."

"That's none of your business."

"I'm trying to be nice right now."

"You still have a long way to go."

The conversation grew increasingly awkward, the tension as palpable as the salty sea breeze. I couldn't stand the discomfort any longer. I decided to move to the other end of the boat to look at the sea, the surface glistening under the sun's golden rays. The boat rocked gently with the rhythm of the waves, the texture of the wooden planks under my fingertips slightly rough and weathered.

I knew I didn't like her. Maybe it was because she was arrogant and self-centered. Maybe it was because she was the one who got me into this mess, or perhaps it was simply the fact that she was a warrior. I didn't know how to act around her. She didn't seem to understand how to have a conversation, despite my attempts to reach out. Plus, she refused to tell me why she was keeping me on the boat.

Far off, dark clouds began to gather, their menacing shadows slowly encroaching on the clear sky. I hoped it wouldn't turn into a thunderstorm. If it did, my powers would resonate strongly with it, likely causing a disastrous mess. Suddenly, a burst of red pierced through the clouds, revealing an enormous dragon flying directly toward the boat. Phoenix's dragon.

In an instant, I heard Phoenix scream, her voice high and piercing through the tumultuous sky.

"Come here right now!" Something inside me screamed to listen to her for once, so I moved quickly, shivers running down my spine as I approached the warrior. "You don't fucking move."

"W-why?" My voice trembled slightly, betraying my fear.

"That's not my dragon."

"Who is it to?"

"No one, but it's Naka's mate. He won't hurt me, but you..." As if in agreement with Phoenix's words, the clouds surrounding us grew darker, and rain began to pour down in heavy, stinging sheets. "You don't move, understand?"

I nodded, the rain soaking through my clothes and chilling me to the bone as the red dragon drew nearer. Phoenix seemed to communicate with the dragon effortlessly, and its expression softened, showing less anger. After what felt like an eternity, Phoenix spoke to me again.

"You're coming with me."

"W-Where?" She grabbed me by the arm, dragging me toward the dragon. In an instant, my feet left the ground, and I was atop the dragon. Panic surged through me; I was sure she was going to kill me. However, Phoenix quickly transitioned from warrior to rider. She secured her boots, handed me my coat, donned her own, and carefully braided her hair into a crown before leaping onto the dragon's back. The dragon, a creature of stunning red scales and formidable size, hovered close to the boat, its powerful wings creating gusts of wind that whipped through my hair.

Phoenix passed a rope around the dragon's stomach, securing it tightly around my thighs to keep me in place. "Stay still." She spoke.

The dragon launched into the sky with a sudden, powerful thrust. The sensation of the wind rushing past me was exhilarating and terrifying. Phoenix's skill was evident; she was as stable in the air as she was on the ground, her focus unwavering.

After an agonizing hour of flight, during which my screams were swallowed by the wind, the dragon finally landed. Phoenix, seemingly ignoring me, dashed off immediately. I attempted to move, eager to escape the dragon's menacing presence, but its sharp tail blocked my path, and a grave voice resonated in my mind.

"Don't you dare, sorceress." My breath caught in my throat, immobilized by the dragon's mental command. "I scented it the moment I got near the boat. You're a powerful one. I start with a warning: if you hurt Phoenix, I'll burn you. Ask the last one. I don't think he enjoyed being my lunch." The dragon bared its teeth in a grim show of menace. I didn't dare to challenge him. Moments later, his expression softened. "You're not much of a talker, are you?"

"Not with dragons." I could almost hear its rough laugh resonating in my mind.

"I know you have questions."

"Fine, but I want peace afterward," I replied. I heard a low growl, a sound that seemed to indicate agreement, and began asking the questions that plagued me. "Will you tell her?" The dragon knew what I meant.

"I won't."

"Why?" I pressed.

"That's for another day." I sighed, realizing  he wouldn't answer all my questions.

"What is happening?"

"Naka just found out she's bearing our baby." The dragon's voice held a note of unrestrained joy, its eyes lighting up with an almost childlike happiness.

"That's a good thing, I suppose...?" I asked, unable to hide my own smile at the news of a new life.

"Yes! A good thing. She just wanted Phoenix to be there with her."

"Why didn't she come herself?"

"She was too excited. It would have been even worse than my little rain crisis." The dragon halted abruptly, as if it had revealed too much.

I laughed softly. "So that was you."

"It was."

"Wait. That means that... Dragons have sex...?"

The dragon's laughter echoed through my mind again.

"Yes."

"How is that even possible?"

"You don't want to know." Its voice was thick with amusement but still carried an undertone of seriousness.

"You're right. I don't even for a second." I smiled, feeling a surprising warmth for the dragon. Babies were always a good thing. "W-why are you nice to me? Aren't dragons supposed to be scary?"

"I don't have to be with you."

"Is it because I'm a sorceress?"

"Maybe."

I sighed. "How far are they?"

"Far enough so you don't hear anything."

"Why does she hate me?"

"She doesn't hate you. You hate her."

"That's not true." It was a bitter truth I couldn't deny.

"Have we ever told you that you're a bad liar?"

"Phoenix did," the dragon chuckled.

"Of course she did." The dragon murmured inside my head.

"Why is she keeping me with her? Why didn't she let me out when I asked, with Dove?"

"That's not my role to respond. Who is that, Dove?"

"My... friend? I don't know anymore. I didn't even know when she was by my side."

The dragon said nothing, as if allowing me the chance to continue if I wished.

"How is it possible? To not know if someone was your friend?" it asked, its tone reflecting genuine curiosity.

"I-I know she was my friend. That's not my point." I stared down at my boots, feeling the dampness from the earlier rain seeping into them.

"Then what do you mean?"

"I... Well, you already have information that could get me killed, so this one won't change anything—" The dragon cut me off.

"I won't tell it." Its promise seemed sincere. I had to ask why it wanted me comfortable and why it was clearing its intentions. I nodded and spoke.

"I'm—well, I prefer women. I-I don't like men. The thing is, I'm not sure if maybe I ever felt more than friendship for Dove. Maybe I was falling for her. Last night, she told me she fell for me. I-I pushed her away. I feared what I felt. I know I am attracted to women. I've known it since I was fourteen. What's eating at me is that when love came my way, I didn't take it because I was afraid. I regret not telling her because Phoenix told the king what she saw in the hallway, and now I'm here. I should have been killed, but at least she would have known." The words spilled out, and I felt a pang of regret for sharing so much. Talking about my feelings made them hit me hard in the gut.

"Phoenix talked about you...?"

"She's the only one who saw us," I affirmed.

"You sound pretty sure of it."

"I am." With Phoenix being his girlfriend rider, I doubted it would disbelieve me.

"Nakaligtas isn't just my girlfriend. She's, my mate. It's much more."

"Mate? What does that mean?" Again, the dragon seemed to smile.

"It means that our very souls, minds, and bodies are meant for each other. It's a very strong bond possessed by very few, even among our kind. It means that if one of us dies, the other will likely die too, from grief and pain of losing the other." The gravity of this bond struck me, and I could feel the depth of their love for each other.

Behind a cluster of trees, I saw Phoenix returning. Above her, the majestic blue dragon, Nakaligtas, flew toward its mate. Its scales were a beautiful shade of night sky blue, reflecting the fading sunlight with an ethereal glow. The dragon's tail, adorned with sharp, intimidating spikes, added to its formidable appearance. Nakaligtas was enormous, even more so than the red dragon beside me. As the blue dragon descended, it seemed to almost dive onto its mate, causing them to tumble to the ground in a flurry of wings and scales. They rolled together, their powerful forms entwining, their earlier fierceness melting into a display of affectionate playfulness as they nestled their necks together.

"Let's go as far as we possibly can," Phoenix murmured, her voice soft but urgent. She started to run, her boots splashing through puddles of rain, but then halted abruptly. "Never mind. Naka just said they wouldn't... well, you know."

I raised an eyebrow. "That's straight to the point."

"She's always like that." Phoenix's smile was now tinged with a hint of mischief. "They're going to take us to Caspian. We can leave the boat here; someone will take it. My friends will have one twice the size of the other one for when we leave." I nodded, still processing the new plan.

"Where are you taking me?"

"Somewhere."

A few moments later, Phoenix's dragon settled down gracefully in front of her, lowering itself so she could mount. The red dragon did the same in front of me, its massive body casting a large shadow on the damp ground.

"What?" I asked out loud to the dragon, feeling a mix of apprehension and curiosity.

It responded in my head, its voice resonant and firm. "Get on."

"I-I can't do that. You're too big for me to climb on. Plus, I'll fall."

"I'll catch you." The dragon's tone was reassuring, almost comforting.

"And how do I get on your back?"

Without warning, my feet left the ground, and in a heartbeat, I found myself perched on the dragon's back. The sensation was both exhilarating and terrifying, the dragon's powerful muscles shifting beneath me.

"How?" I asked, bewildered.

The dragon's chuckle echoed in my mind, a deep, rumbling sound. "Magic."

The connection clicked—this dragon had magic. I had sensed it earlier with the sudden rain, but this was even more impressive.

"What's your name?" I asked, my voice tinged with awe. If my life depended on this dragon, I wanted to know its name.

"Haos."

"What does it mean?"

The dragon launched into the sky, the world below becoming a blur of colors. As we soared upward, Haos responded, its voice carrying a hint of cosmic grandeur. "Chaos."