Dim torchlight lit the dark temple around me as I woke, still naked. I stood on wobbly legs, feeling a lightness that I hadn’t in a long time—as well as exhaustion. I retrieved my clothes, now clean and patched up, and then stumbled out of the empty building. Under the night sky, everyone was at work gathering their bags for their voyage.

When Qasven saw me, she turned, smiled, and approached. “Everything is ready, apprentice. Soon, we will depart this place in search of your continent.”

Tab was sitting on Qasven’s shoulder, still topless except for her swim trunks. But now she wore a pirate’s hat that seemed to have been made for her. It already felt a little strange not to have her dedicated voice in my ear. But I also wasn't exactly going to complain about the quiet.

“How long was I out?” I asked, stretching my muscles that felt particularly stiff.

“A few days,” Tab answered nonchalantly.

“A-a few days!”

“Time magic takes a lot out of you just to initiate it," Qasven said, seeming equally unconcerned. "As is ... throwing oneself through an eternal loop of the same reality.”

Kavtagro's cock ring, I had done that, hadn't I?

I nodded a few times and then finally asked, "Why am I still naked?"

“They tried to put your clothes back on you,” Tab said, leering at me with a horny look. “But you said 'no thank you' before taking them off each time.”

“The polite sleep-talking was … quite adorable,” Qasven added.

My face went red and I found myself wishing for somewhere to bury it. I groaned and then mumbled. “So ... the Seacow is ready?”

Qasven beckoned me to the other circle-dragons. As soon as they saw me, everyone's expressions brightened, as if I was the only thing they'd been waiting for. They grabbed as much as they could carry and began moving. With Qasven, me, and Tab following at the back of the group. Together, we all began to walk along a path through the swamp.

When I finally saw the Seacow … in the bay of the crescent-shaped island ... I barely recognized it. “What happened to her?” I asked, realizing my jaw had just been hanging open.

“We raided the navy scrapyard,” Qasven said, seeming quite pleased with herself.

In the moonlight, I could see a little of the shiny framing that had replaced all the wooden outlines. Brass tubing, if the design of the Arch was anything to go by. The mast had been replaced with a metal pole. Instead of sails hanging, there were three short, cloth tubes clustered together with a number of fans and pipes in the front and back of them. There was also a new structure hanging off the back of the ship and dipping down beneath the water.

I had … no idea how any of it worked.

My raft, still relatively unchanged, was waiting by the shore. I climbed aboard. Before noticing all the circle-dragons politely trying not to giggle at me.

“You won't need that anymore,” Qasven said, taking my hand and helping me out of the boat. From there, she guided me onto her axolotl-like back to ride.

I paid a farewell glance at the little boat as I wrapped my arms around her midsection.

“I could definitely get used to this.” Qasven patted my hands affectionately and went into the water.

Using their massive tails, the circle-dragons effortlessly moved to surround my ship. Even with luggage in hand, they had no difficulty snaking up the sides.

Once we were onboard, I climbed off Qasven’s back and stared around at the remodeled ship. Gears and pipes connected to everything–doing Kavtagro-knew-what. Even the barn that had first landed me on the vessel had been straightened, armored, and welded into place.

The circle-dragons immediately went to work preparing the ship for launch. Among them, there was someone familiar.

“Raathgur!” I said, smiling widely–truly happy to see him here.

Raathgur looked over at me, seeming even more reserved than usual. It took me a moment to realize that something had changed about him. He had … dropped his tail. Bandages were wrapped over the place where it had been removed.

Wait ... had he been one of the 'impostors' the whole time? Had he really kept his tail, just to help his people?

I let my smile drop into a softer one as I approached him. “Ruggedly handsome as always, though the new look suits you.”

Raathgur let out an amused smile that I had turned his earlier phrasing back on him. “Thank you, Lilly,” he said, exhaling an apprehension that I knew well. Then he looked around, gesturing to the ship, and said, “Hope you don’t mind the changes to your ship.”

“It’s … an upgrade,” I had to admit, despite the minor point that troubled me.

With all the changes, I had even less of an idea of how to contribute than before. I felt like I had only barely gotten used to the basics of traditional sailing. Of course, I wasn't going to make my own feelings anyone else's problem. But ... was I now useless on my own ship?

"No need to pout," Tab said with a small chuckle.

I blushed, silently cursing my face and its infinite tells.

Qasven nodded and put a hand on my shoulder. “We would never think of replacing your role, apprentice.”

I turned and arched an eyebrow.

Qasven took me by the hand and led me to the front of the ship. There, I noticed a new set of stair-stepped brass railings that led under the bow. Still holding me by the hand, Qasven stayed aboard while helping me down to my familiar post as bow maiden. “We do have to outrun the navy, after all.”

The what?

Before I could turn to make sure I’d heard that incorrectly, Qasven’s guiding touch became a firm grip. She turned me so that I was facing the sea and pulled my arms back to their normal positions on the ship. Only, instead of cloth handles, I felt to heavy, padded shackles latch around my wrists.

When I tried to adjust my footing, even more manacles shut around my ankles. Then, something slid up under my dress and into my backside. I gasped, surprised even further when I felt pressure forward … back … to the left … to the right.

I let out a pleasurable whimper but ... I still had no idea how I was going to relearn the ship in such a short amount of time.

"I ... don't know how to ... move all this," I said, looking at the changes around me.

Qasven nodded deeply and then fell into her calm teaching sort of tone “You're used to being in control of the ship.”

I nodded ... remembering how I had forced the planks in the ship to slither like a serpent over the water.

"But, unlike more dominant sorcerers," Qasven said. "Your magic is most natural when it comes from surrender. And we'll need every advantage to outrun the most modern of circle-dragon ships."

I shook my head, none of this making sense to me. "I thought the Queen liked me! Why wouldn't she just ... let us all go?"

Raathgur peeked out over the side of the ship, a serious expression on his face. "The fault is mine. I and a few other circle-dragon security officers have been helping Qasven's people in secret. Our absence would be bad enough. But, as soon as we aren't there to clear your ship, security will know that something has gone wrong."

All of a sudden, this was seeming a lot more dangerous than before. And I could feel beads of sweat dripping from by brow.

"We should have told her," Raathgur said, like he was only now putting the difficulty of our situation together. "I'll go back, alone, make an excuse for the missing guards and-"

"No," I blurted out quickly, before my nerves could win out. "I've got this." I looked at him, unsure about anything except for the fact that I didn't want to leave any of my new crew behind. "Please, don't go."

"And that's an order," Tab said, in clear agreement. "Lilly has figured this out when entirely on her own. With Qasven, I have no doubt that she'll get us out of here."

Qasven nodded and reached down to pat the top of my head.

"Raise anchor!" Tab shouted, so loudly that it felt impossible from a person only an inch tall.

I jerked my head back around in confusion.

Qasven simply shrugged and said, "I may have taught your Captain an amplification spell. For practicality's sake."

Well ... so much for the quiet.

The ship began to move, out of the bay. In the distance, I could see ships resting motionless. As well as towers on the edges of the island.

"Now," Qasven said, her voice churning sensually. "Enter your magic, as you did before. Begin to acquaint yourself with the ship, as it is now."

I closed my eyes, letting arousal at my situation begin to build. Trying to feel the wood, as I had before. To move the planks themselves, to become the ship.

I shook my head. "I ... I don't even know how this ship works anymore. And all the metal, it feels like ... like weight pulling me down."

"Just like the shackles on your body," Qasven said, undeterred by my confusion. "To a submissive, restriction is strength. Just like pain, just like struggle. Use it."

I nodded ... feeling the Seacow and myself as one. Both of our bodies restrained in metal. Both of us bound to the will of the helmsman, the captain, even the crew.

The insertion in my backside pulled again, this time to the right, at the insistence of the helm. In response, I tried to bring ripples through the wood, but it was doing little if anything at all.

"Don't fight your bindings, Seacow," Qasven said, purposefully referring to me by the name of my ship. Reinforcing that ... within this magic ... we were one. "Use them. Twist to make the blade beneath the waters dance."

At first, the ship only gave out worrisome creaks. But the more I moved, the more I could feel the blade she spoke of. Long, cutting under the water. The more I felt it, the more I could refine my motions. Until I finally felt the blade wiggling with me. Cutting through the water.

With greater speed and feeling than ever before, the ship and I cut through the sea. Then ... to my surprise ... I rose from the surface of the water. Or, rather, the bottom of the Seacow did. It was … I was … a hydrofoil ship!

By the time the other ships had begun to move, we were all long out of reach.

-O-

Over the weeks to come, the crew continued to remodel the Seacow. They built walls in the barn and on the inside of the ship. Creating space for bunks, storage, and even a kitchen. Because Captain Tab had decided that my magic was best saved for storms and rough seas, I spent a bit less time as the bow maiden than I had before.

Of course, I didn’t exactly love dangling over the ocean during storms, But each time, Qasven coached me through turning my fear of the harsh waters into power.

At some point, I remembered when Kavtagro had said about the World wanting to cure my hydrophobia. Whether this was what he meant or not, I was developing a … functional ... relationship with the water.

Of course, that wasn't the only use of my magic.

After Qasven discovered the healing magic I had given up my University education to perfect, it was collected for both the general nutrition of the crew and especially for those who got sick. Apparently, just being nearby was enough to achieve physical relief from general aches and pains.

The crew quickly adapted to the stranger practicalities of traveling with a healing sorcerer. On more than one occasion, I even found members of the crew hanging out near the part of the ship where I was being milked.

True to her word, Qasven began to teach me circle-dragon magic. To my surprise, it mostly consisted of practical survival tools. Creating a small fire, purifying water, summoning fish, even stretching the physical properties of storage containers.

It was admittedly nice to fall into a routine. No, more than that, I was feeling more like the sorcerer I had once aspired to become. As opposed to something of a one-trick pony.

Of course, there was plenty of time to generate my magic by getting freaky with Tab, Qasven, or Raathgur.

I also started calling Namali, Aamalyn, Daava, and Zolreya more regularly. Whether they were struggling or enjoying themselves, I could tell that they were growing. And though I would have been lying to say I still didn’t want to be with them, I was able to feel happy for them.

Maybe that meant that ... I was growing too.

It almost came as a surprise, months later, when Tab called me, Raathgur, and Qasven to a formal meeting at the front of the ship. We had stopped at the largest island we'd seen yet.

"We need to resupply again," Raathgur said.

It seemed he and Tab had already been discussing the matter. Presumably why we had stopped here in the first place.

Raathgur continued, "Perhaps the best way would be through some kind of trade. We do have fish and ... medicine ... in abundance."

"But I really want to pillage and plunder," Captain Tab pouted theatrically, folding her arms. "How are we supposed to call ourselves pirates when the only stuff we've stolen has been from a scrapyard?"

"But they might be nice," I said, only intending to raise an objective issue. "Like the circle-dragons."

"Aw," Qasven said, positively beaming. "Don't forget, you're a nice circle-dragon now too."

Having meant in no way to be corny or overly sincere, I kind of wanted to hide my face.

Raathgur also seemed warmly amused; however he quickly brought the conversation back to the matter at hand. "Lilly, as the most travelled among us, what would you recommend?"

I sighed deeply, thought for a second, and then stepped onto the deck railing.

“What … are you doing?” Raathgur asked.

“Look,” I said and pinched the skin on my forehead. “I’m going to say that the best way to do this is to send someone alone, so nobody thinks we are invading. Y’all will agree and ask who the best person to do that will be. Naturally, it'll be the person who has the most experience with other cultures. I'm just ... trying to speed up the inevitable here.”

“How will we know if you’ve gotten into trouble?” Qasven asked, also seeming a little shocked at my sudden show of confidence. Even if it wasn't as much confidence as wanting to go ahead and rip off the band-aid.

“Oh, that’s also an inevitability,” I replied drolly.

I heard Tab mutter to the two of them, “You know … I’m liking this new grumpy Lilly. Adds some spice, don’t you think?”

I rolled my eyes and said, “Just sail out of sight. I'll call with my magic if I get into trouble. If you see some kind of .... vortex or ... portal ... assume I’ve been sucked in. Since ... that always seems to happen. And just give me a few days if you don't hear back.”

Raathgur and Qasven just stared at me with perplexed expressions.

Tab put her hands on her hips and said, “See? I told you Lilly would know how to handle this sort of thing. Now to figure out a way to get her to talk to me like that when it’s her night with the Captain … ”

I grumbled and then swan-dived into the warm waters below.