Starlight

  I just couldn’t imagine how today was going to turn out. Would I be able to deliver? What if Kev only asked me about my time in Etan? What I’d gone through? Would it make me angry and would I storm out and leave without saying anything about my father? I feared it. It was evident in my plate that was still stacked with eggs and toast that Isabel had been eyeing for the past five minutes.

  My Cammy beeped and it was a message from Blake.

  The corners of my lips curved slightly. ‘U can do this. I have faith in you.’

  That’s all it said.

  I can do this. I had no choice and still felt like crap that I’d be breaking my father’s promise.

  Becky, George, Dean and Sammy came with me. The boys acted like my bodyguards, pushing through the crowds that were stationed right in front of the studio.

  A woman welcomed us inside and took us to the dressing room. My hair and my make-up were done while Sammy and Becky kept me company.

  “What did Blake mean when he told Isabel to watch today’s show?” Becky asked.

  “Just wait, Becky,” I said without looking at her. I felt bad since Blake had said her father was one of the men that was still alive. I was going to give all the names we’d spoken about last night. Etienne Johnson was among them.

  “Five minutes,” another guy with a device around his head spoke to the make-up artist and she nodded.

  She finished and smiled at me. “You are ready to go.”

  “Thank you,” I got off the chair and walked to the door. I stopped in front of Becky. “Just know that I am so sorry, Becky.”

  Her face fell and then it grew into worry lines. “You are scaring me.”

  “I know.” I sighed. “I had no choice.”

  She nodded her head, and I grabbed her tight. I was sorry. I should’ve told her, but there would always be things that I wouldn’t be able to share with them.

  I touched Sammy’s shoulder as the stage manager came to get me. He led me on to the stage where Kev and I were going to have our delayed chat.

  Just get through to Areeth, Elena.

  I had to push Sir Robert to the back of my mind, and I could still feel Becky and Sammy’s eyes on me.

  “Good luck,” Becky mouthed as my eyes found hers again.

  Kevin got up from his chair as I reached him and took my hand softly in his. “I’m surprised that you kept your end of Blake’s deal, Elena.”

  “I’m a person of my word, or in this case, his.” I smiled and he showed me the open chair where I would sit with his hand.

  Another guy clipped a small microphone onto my shirt while the make-up artist applied another layer of powder on Kevin’s face. When both of them left, and the stage was cleared, Kevin’s stupid melody started.

  “Good day, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to another Just Kev Interview.”

  He was finishing his introduction as I took a couple of deep breaths. I’d done this so many times now.

  Keep your answers simple, say what is in your heard and don’t forget to tell everyone that your father is still alive.

  I blew out the air softly.

  You can do this, and smiled.

  Blake.

  THE CAFETERIA WAS packed. Every dragon that attended training was here, watching Elena’s interview.

  I stood next to my father, leaning on one of the tables in the back row. Emanual’s face was as pale as a ghost’s. He looked like he’d seen one too, as he stared at the table without blinking an eyelid. Still, he took his post right on the other side of my father.

  Emanual was struggling with the truth. I shouldn’t have sprung it on him like that. But he’d kept pushing so hard when I’d asked him to just be there when Elena revealed something, something that might let my father act irrationally.

  Kevin’s show started and I watched as Elena walked on stage. I hated this show. She can do it, I know she can. He asked her something and she replied with a faint smile tugging on the corners of her lips. When the introduction melody stopped, he welcomed everyone to his ‘brilliant show’ and put the main focus on Elena.

  Many people were watching today, they couldn’t wait for today’s episode.

  He immediately bombarded her with questions about Etan and she answered them like a professional, as if we’d rehearsed this a million times.

  “She brings up so many memories,” My father voiced.

  “I know,” I whispered and put my one hand on his shoulder. She did. She might not look like Queen Catherine but she sure was her daughter.

  “You brought about how many people back now?” Kevin asked.

  “About a hundred and fifty,” she said and smiled. “We still need plenty of support from anybody that would like to assist. There are plenty of children that need to be educated, to get them emotionally ready for attending school. It’s like they have to go through some sort of rehabilitation process, just getting them ready and helping them learn that they are safe this side, that no more bad people will take them away from their family.” Kevin just nodded as she kept talking to him about everything. She really knew just what to say to make people relate to what it was these people had lived through the past seventeen years.

  “And we also know that really bad things happened to you that side.”

  “Kevin,” Both my father and I scolded as if he could hear us. I stared at the fan and prayed that she had strength just to tell him something to make him shut up about this.

  I looked back down to the screen. Elena took a deep breath. I felt sorry for her. I should’ve been there, but I had no choice. She wanted me here.

  “Those people are surrounded by darkness, Kevin,” she spoke again. “What happened to me wasn’t easy and I don’t wish it upon my worst enemy either, but I’ve had plenty of amazing people supporting me this side, making sure that I know I am safe and that somehow pulled me through all the darkness in my life.” She smiled and a warm, fuzzy feeling heated up my core. It was good knowing that she knew that.

  “So, in less than two months you are going to free Etan. We all know what the plans are, but you truly need Areeth to stand with you on this.”

  My body froze and Elena nodded.

  C’mon you can do this. I know you can.

  She looked at Kevin. “We do need them, we can’t win without them but they made it perfectly clear that they don’t want to be a part of this.”

  No, don’t do this. Please.

  Both Emanual and I just stared at her.

  A deep breath Elena, you can do this.

  Just then, she took a deep breath as if she could hear me.

  “So I’m begging them one last time, please stand with us.”

  My body was on alert and I felt Emanual getting ready too. My father just stared at the screen.

  “We can’t overrun Goran on our own. We can’t kill the Saadedine on our own, and we can’t bring peace to Paegeia on our own. If you don’t want to fight for me, then do it for my father.” She stopped. It didn’t have the impact she needed.

  She knew it too as she looked around her and it was as if her entire body deflated. I could see her taking another breath. Her body straightened. She was going to give this another try. “I don’t mean by what he stood for, who he was, I mean for the man… he still is.”

  The entire audience gasped. So did a few of the dragons in this room.

  “Wait, what?” Kevin was caught off guard. “You want to tell me that King Albert is still alive?”

  She nodded. “I figured it out the day I ascended. He didn’t want me to say anything…” She kept talking about it.

  I froze as she said it.

  “… I promise you he is still alive trapped behind those Creepers.” She started to name a few of his men that were barely hanging on too, saying Etienne Johnson’s name as well. I told George to be there for Becky when she heard her father’s name. He would make it better.

  The entire audience was in utter shock, everyone in this room too.

  Everyone in the audie
nce on his show started voicing their concerns. Kevin tried to hush everyone. My only concern was my father standing next to me. He was frozen solid as he just stared at the TV screen.

  “Dad,” I spoke softly.

  He didn’t answer and I closed my eyes.

  In one second my father leapt over the table and ran for the door.

  “Emanual!” I yelled and we both ran after my father. He wasn’t thinking straight. Elena had been scared of this, she feared this and I wasn’t prepared at all.

  He took flight and I followed. He was heading straight for the Creepers. I flew faster and gained on him in no time.

  I pushed him back with my body.

  He grunted but didn’t say anything. He fought like he’d never fought before as I pushed him down toward the ground.

  “You can’t do this, you know the Creepers will kill you and Elena is not going to take you inside. We have a plan and you will ruin this.”

  “Don’t, I beg you, don’t. Just let me go to him.”

  We were almost on the ground now.

  “Dad, please,” I begged as we touched ground. Both my front paws held him down. His one wing was secure under my paw. “You know the plan. Your actions will let Goran know that we have found a way in, please, there are so many people that are counting on you.”

  “He is my rider.”

  “I know what he means to you, but if you go in now, you will kill him. Don’t be stupid. Think, please. I know you can do this, you are his dragon. He’s still alive. I promise you, we will get him out that way, but you have to stick to the plan.”

  I didn’t know if my begging was getting through to him He had so much fight left, fight that I hadn’t seen for a very long time.

  “Calm down, please, Dad. Remember the plan. It’s your plan and it’s good and solid.”

  Emanual landed, with a couple of other dragons, and my father finally succumbed. He wailed and I knew he was crying.

  “A small part of me knows how you feel. I promise I will get him out. Just stick to the plan.”

  “Okay,” he finally said after a soft wailing song.

  Reporters were going to bombard him again and I had no clue how that was going to end.

  “Is he okay?” Emanual asked.

  I turned my head and looked down on his dragon figure.

  “He’s fine.”

  I let one of my paws off my father and watched him turn.

  I did the same and both of us were handed robes.

  “You get him out of there, alive.”

  I nodded. “You know I will.”

  “I will stick to the plan, on one condition, Blake. We speed this up.”

  ELENA

  I FOUND BECKY sitting against the wall with her head between her legs. George crouched next to her, rubbing her arm.

  “Becky,” I spoke and went down on my haunches in front of her.

  She looked up at me. “This was your big secret, Elena. That our fathers are still alive.”

  I nodded and silence lingered around us as she stared past me. Then something in her mind went off. She looked at George with concern. “My mother. George, we have to go to my mother.”

  “Will you guys…”

  “Go,” I said to George and they both left. I felt even worse now as I imagined what Lucille was going through with only Rosa at her side.

  I should’ve prepared them for this. They were my friends.

  I clutched my hair.

  “Elena,” Sammy’s hand was on my shoulder.

  “I suck at this. I’m probably the worst friend out there.”

  “You are not, okay? You are the princess and we made peace with the fact that sometimes there will be things you won’t be able to share with us immediately. It was just a lot to take in.”

  I hated it when Sammy did that.

  “He’s really alive.”

  “It’s why your brother isn’t here. He stayed with your father, to who we have to go to now.”

  “So he knows.”

  “Yes, he found out when we were in Etan the first time.”

  “Okay, let’s go.”

  We left on Sammy’s back and she flew as fast as she could back to the Dragon League.

  I slid off her wing when she landed and had to endure all the stares that most of them gave me.

  I didn’t care if any of them understood why we kept this a secret. I know the media was going to make it sound as if it was a tactic I’d used to make Areeth fight with us, but there were many that could confirm this, A hundred and fifty people to be exact.

  I entered the door and found Emanual leaning against the wall right in front of Sir Robert’s office.

  I touched his arm softly and he looked at me.

  “I’m so sorry.” It hardly came out and he gave me a faint smile.

  I opened the door and could hear the sobs coming from Sir Robert. He was sitting in his chair. Blake sat on top of his desk in front of him, with his hands on his shoulder, speaking Latin to him.

  He looked at me and back at his father.

  “I’m so sorry about this,” I said to Sir Robert.

  He looked at me for a few seconds, closed his eyes and shook his head.

  He inhaled deeply and exhaled before he spoke. “A part of me always knew that he was alive. The worst part of it now is that for some reason,” his voice rose, “I can’t get the last time I saw him out of my head.” He got up and started to pace.

  “Dad,” Blake said.

  “No, son. I should’ve been there, but he forced me away from him. He used the binding spell against me!” He yelled and then he stopped as he remembered something else and started to smile, but it was one of those smiles you get when you just realized how stupid you were. “I taught him that, and he used it to order me away, because of you, because of what we all promised. To keep you safe no matter how hard it was going to be.” He looked at Blake.

  “What?” Blake said.

  “I thought about that night a million times. He knew that you would be claimed one day, and all we had to do was to keep you safe until that time.” His face hardened. He walked over to his book shelf and threw the contents to the floor. Books scattered everywhere.

  I flinched. Blake was at his side at once trying to calm him, but he slipped past him and threw the contents from his desk too. I flinched again, wanting to leave as Blake closed his eyes.

  “What pissed me off the most was that he’d told nobody about her. I’ve lived eighteen years thinking he thought that I was behind his betrayal. That was why he forced me away from him that night. For fifteen years.”

  “He didn’t…” I started.

  “I know, you told me that. But it doesn’t change the fact that I left him when he needed me the most.”

  “Dad, he used the binding spell. You just said that.”

  “I could’ve fought harder Blake. When I saw the Creepers jumping out of the ground, I knew it was something out of this world. I could’ve found a way to control the spell, use it against my rider. I gave him my oath that I would keep him safe…”

  “And he broke it when he bound you, Dad. He is alive, you will see him again. I promise. When the right time comes…”

  “One month, Blake.”

  “Dad, we told them two moons from now.”

  “One month. They are men of King Albert. Men I fought wars with for a long time. They know the signs of war. They will be ready no matter what you told them. Four weeks. Whether you are ready or not. In four weeks she will take me in.”

  WELL THAT WAS unexpected. To hear Sir Robert giving us an ultimatum of one month to get everything ready for war, was hard to swallow.

  Eight weeks was doable. Four weeks, was a suicide mission.

  But Blake nodded and I knew we had no choice.

  I went back to the Academy without Blake, who wanted to make sure that his father was really okay with all of this and wasn’t going to do something stupid the minute we left. He would never reach my father in time. He would die
in the Creepers.

  Media crews were already waiting for us in the courtyard. I could see Constance and Master Longwei trying to get rid of them but the minute we got near, flashing lights bounced off Sammy’s scales.

  They bombarded me with questions.

  “Princess, you said that you promised your father is still alive. Is that a tactic to get Areeth to fight?”

  “No comment,” I said. No matter what I was going to say, they would turn my words around and use them against me. I had nothing to prove to them that I was telling the truth. They either believed me or they didn’t.

  Sammy and Dean followed after me as more reporters’ yelled questions.

  Professor Pheizer was waiting inside for all of us.

  “We will get more guards here in the next few weeks, Elena,” she said. “I’m so sorry that you had to keep that all to yourself for so long.”

  I smiled. She was kind, had always been kind and it was hard to imagine what Blake had gone through when he’d discovered that she was on to him a few years back.

  “I’m sorry. I know I still have a lot to learn, and it feels like I’m doing everything wrong.”

  “That is what will make you a brilliant queen one day. It’s knowing you are not ready, when you are.” She winked and left as we climbed up the stairs to our rooms.

  The rest of the night I watched reporters questioning the families whose names I’d mentioned today. I even saw them bombarding Becky as George landed with her close to her home.

  “Rebecca Johnson, how does it feel knowing that your father is alive?”

  “Show some respect!” she yelled. “You just don’t know when to stop, you scum.”

  George, who was buck naked, was pushing her through the door that Rosa was keeping open.

  I lowered my head into my palm and just shook my head. She was never going to forgive me.

  Then I listened to the interviews they had with random people, how many of them questioned Just Kev’s interview today. They were completely pulling me to shreds because I said no comment.