Dragon Frost by S. J. Wist

fragile ship in a swift downburst from his wings, he flew towards the beach. 
    Xirel wasn't going to be left behind as he shifted and jumped the rail of the ship, landing on instead of in the water. He took to a run and followed them.
    "He can walk on water?" Nafury said in disbelief after glancing back.
    "That's so cool." On sensing Nafury's disdain, Ubi started to pet him, hoping to mend some of his ego.

FIFTEEN

    Nafury hovered over the blue dragon that lay on the beach for several minutes. The smaller dragon didn't seem the least bit interested in the ship that remained some ways out. Instead, he kept his orange eyes fixated on Nafury.
    Derel was Tynar and Trista's son, as well as Cecil's younger brother. He was more adventurous than many of the other young dragons, and he was also one of the more intelligent ones. There was no way to tell whether the dragon would attack them like Simera had.  
    Nafury looked back at Xirel as the chimera Awl turned his eyes from the sky to the waves. If Derel decided to attack them, his first move would likely be a tsunami with his command over water. He didn't know if Xirel would be able to do anything with the Thread against that kind of force.
    "My brother made it clear that he wants nothing more to do with you," Derel said when Nafury landed in front of him. "You have some nerve bring that treacherous Alexia over here as well."
    "Ubi would like to see her mother's grave," Nafury replied, hoping to avoid having to try and explain anything.
    Derel looked at the Fay who stayed on Nafury's back. "Yes, we all know about the Outcast Fay. She is dangerous and should not have been brought to Aster."
    "Is that what Simera has told you?" Nafury asked.
    "Simera? Simera was dead before I was born," Derel replied.
    Nafury let out a silent breath of relief. News of Simera's more recent death hadn't spread to here, yet. "So who else is going on about how dangerous she is, then?"
    Derel looked at Ubi as if for the answer. "Her story is in the Texts."
    "Let me guess, these books have suddenly appeared? How peculiar. Look, I would like to discuss your schooling all day, but I have other things to attend to. My niece and I are going to visit my sister's grave, right now. I trust there won't be any problems with the merchants?"
    Derel looked at Xirel who had turned his gaze from the skies to give him a cold stare. "I won't bother them, but I make no promises with what the others will do. Derel was on his feet now, making his way backwards before he took to the air. Nafury did the same some moments later.
    "It's so pretty," Ubi said as she looked at the crystal-like castle rise in the distance. From its center, a pinkish-purple glow rose into the atmosphere and spread across it. "It looks like from a fairy tale."
    Nafury laughed. "We will get a closer look later on. Let's go do what I said we would, first." He turned his wings in the direction of the Bedlam Waterway.
    Ubi looked back to where they left Xirel.  
    The Awl nodded in her direction and thought to her, 'I will hold the beach until you get back. Be safe.'

    After a twenty minute flight, they reached the Bedlam Waterway. Nafury floated down through the mists to a ledge and gave a quick look for danger. Satisfied, he unshifted and lowered Ubi down from his back. They headed inside the small cave that was near the waterfall that fed the river. Some ways inside, they found Sybl's and Cirrus' gravestones. Just to the side stood Serena's as well. A small, intricately carved shrine had been built within the cavern that hadn't been there last time he was here.
    "Who did this?" Ubi asked, looking all around before going over to her mother's grave. Fresh, pink flowers from the Casus Beli Canyon lay on Sybl's marker.
    "It's not much, but it was something to do with my past time," a voice said from behind a pillar. A dragoon with short, blue hair and orange, blind eyes stepped out. He didn't have Derel's better looks, but