A knock on the door came and Sammy switched off the TV. I got up and opened the door.
It was Master Longwei.
“The Council wants to see you, Elena.”
“Now? It’s almost ten o’clock.”
“I’m sorry but as you can imagine, today’s revelation…” he didn’t finished. He didn’t have to finish.
I nodded and left with him.
THE RIDE TO Town Hall in Elm was silent. Master Longwei didn’t say a word. He didn’t ask any questions. He just stared out of his window.
We landed at the palace in Tith. Everyone was waiting for us in King Helmut’s meeting room. I was glad that it was just the Council and not the Ancients too.
I walked in and found the long, oblong table. Master Longwei and I sat down on the only two chairs left way at the end.
“Thank you for joining us on such short notice, Princess,” King Helmut started the meeting.
I nodded.
“So this morning with Just Kev,” he asked. “Elena, is that the truth?”
I stared at him and shook my head. “You’re seriously asking me this?”
“We need to know the tactic behind this revelation you spewed all over us today,” King Caleb started.
“I’m not lying. I didn’t make any of that up. If you don’t believe me, ask the hundred and fifty people I brought out.”
“Easy to…”
“Stop interrupting me. I’m so tired of your constant belief that I’m trying to fool you or trying to trap you into fighting a war you absolutely do not believe in. I didn’t lie in order to get Areeth to fight. I never wanted to tell anyone the truth about my father, but it wasn’t just my destiny. Blake was the one that said I had to tell the truth. He’s carried this knowledge, along with me, for a couple of months now, and if you think that it was easy keeping it from everyone, you are making a huge mistake. Fight if you want to fight, don’t fight, but know that I will free my father and then all of you will have to look him in the eye. And I hope you’ll have a really good reason of why you didn’t want to help him. I’m really not doing this for me. I’m doing this for my father. Because he deserves to be free.”
I got up.
“I’m done begging. Those of you who want to fight for my father, fight. Those of you who feel that I’m lying, don’t fight. Nobody is forcing you.”
I turned around and left.
Master Longwei was still sitting in his chair when I opened the door. Flashes went off in my face again as I stormed into the castle. They hadn’t been there a few minutes ago. How did they know about all these private meetings?
The guards kept them at bay, but the palace was sort of a free for all. It served as a sort of sanctuary so the gates were open until midnight.
“What do you want from me?” I yelled at them and as one by one they all stopped and lowered their cameras.
“You want me to tell you that I made all of that up so that Areeth could fight? That’s clearly what you keep on reporting.” I stared at all of them. None of them had expected this, and I was done being this proper princess.
“Well, I can’t tell you that, because it would be a lie. I never wanted anybody to know the truth, because my father loves his people more than his own freedom. That is the kind of man he was, and I respected that. But then I started thinking. Why do you get to have that man give his life for you? What makes you so special and not me? So I told the truth because my father is a great man. Is, not was. He is alive. I swear on my mother’s grave that he is alive. How much longer he’ll stay that way, well that is up to you. Fight if you want to fight, don’t. To be honest, I don’t care anymore, but my father will come home. That is a promise.”
Queen Margerite put her hands on my shoulders.
I didn’t want to go back inside and I nodded. “I’m fine. I just want to go back to the Academy.”
She nodded toward one of her men and they pulled up in a royal carriage with a dragon at the front.
I got in as cameras flashed once more. They still yelled questions. Questions that sounded more directed at what my father said during my ascending, how I’d discovered he was still alive, yada, yada, yada.
The minute I closed the door, the dragon started to run and lifted off as fast as he could.
It felt as if I could breathe again. Regret over what I’d just done filled my gut. Queen Margerite told me that it was okay to lose your patience with one or two at the most, like she had with Stanley that time. But a crowd? They would never let me forget it as long as I lived.
I FELT THE carriage land and I opened the door. I thanked the dragon and watched him lift off again as another one pulled in.
I didn’t want to listen to Master Longwei’s advice about how I should never handle the council like that. He would see tonight as a learning experience, so I walked as fast as I could to the front door of the Academy.
“Elena,” Master Longwei called me back. “Hold up.”
I stopped. I felt so drained. Today hadn’t been as easy as everyone thought it was. I wanted my bed, I wanted to go and sleep.
He reached me in no time and just stared at me.
“I’m telling the truth. My father is alive, and nobody believes me. It’s like they forgot what he was to all of them.”
I wiped an angry tear away.
“Don’t be so hard on yourself, Elena. Believe it or not, I don’t doubt your word. I just struggle to imagine what it must have been like for him all these years.”
“I…” I wanted to argue my actions from tonight and only just then realized what he’d said. “What?”
He smiled. “Congratulations, I’m proud that you finally stood up to all of them questioning you.”
I just looked at him with a slightly gaped mouth. He smiled and closed my mouth.
I sighed. “If nobody wants to fight…”
“Don’t, Elena. Let it sink in first. Let them make up their own mind about what is true and what isn’t. You may be surprised at how much your father was loved and respected. I’ll get word out to the other side, gather all the other Metallics. It might take a month or so…
“We only have four weeks,” I interrupted.
“What?”
“Sir Robert is pushing us. He wants my father to come home.”
“So he believes you?”
I nodded.
Master Longwei smiled. “If his dragon believes his rider is still alive, then he’s alive. People will believe, Elena. Just give them time.
THE NEXT FEW days we watched and listened to so many TV shows and radio stations talking about my father and whether or not he was really alive. Then, finally, Just Kev did an interview with Sir Robert. It was held at the Dragon League, in his office.
“So, what did you feel when Elena told everyone that her father was still alive?”
“The same as you, Kevin. I was shocked for a few seconds, but a part of me always knew that he was too magical to die by the hands of a lowly piece of scum like Goran. I know he is fighting every day for his life, and Elena might not plead anymore, but I will. Remember the Great War, the one where all the dragons won their freedom? It was the crown prince, fighting against his own father. Many crown princes, and their dragons, fighting their parents. That is the man that none of you want to free. We need all your help, but if you are not willing to stand with us, we will do this by ourselves, and we will succeed.” He looked down. “I just don’t want to be the one that has to tell him that this person and that person didn’t want to fight because they didn’t accept the princess’s word. That would be devastating for him, especially if it’s someone he used to see as one of his greatest friends.”
“Was that aimed at the King of Areeth?”
Sir Robert smiled. “You might have forgotten about him, Kevin, but I haven’t. Albert treated everyone as his friend.”
Sir Robert got up. “Now if you will excuse me, I have a war to get ready for and I only have three weeks.”
“Three weeks?” Kevin
asked.
“My rider is coming home in three weeks.”
I closed my eyes and when I opened them, Kevin had nothing to say, he was speechless.
“Guess there is a time for everything,” Sammy said. Now that Becky wasn’t here, she was the one leaving her two-cent comments in Becky’s place. I laughed. I missed Becky. I’d tried to phone her so many times but she hadn’t accepted my calls or called me back.
Sammy’s hyena laughter filled the room as Kevin finally showed the cut sign and the show went to a commercial. I couldn’t help but to join her.
When our laughter quieted down she looked at me. “You think they will fight?”
“I don’t know. Master Longwei said that he will try to get word over to the dragons on the other side. So let’s hope.”
“I know this sounds strange, but I’m ready for this, Elena. It’s exciting, it’s new.” She looked ready and I just grabbed her around the neck and hugged her tight.
“I wish I had your confidence.”
“You do, you just don’t know it yet.”
I shook my head. “Becky,” I said and couldn’t finish my sentence.
“Give her time, Elena. She has to digest a lot.”
“None of them are returning my calls. How am I supposed to say sorry for everything if they don’t return or pick up when I call them?”
“Some people need time, especially the Johnsons. You know she always wants to know everything. Just give her time.”
Just Kev started again and he carried on with his interview but this time Blake was sitting in his father’s spot.
My stomach fluttered. I missed him too.
“So, Blake. You’ve obviously known about this for a long time?”
“Yes, Kevin. I have.”
“And what were your thoughts about it the first time?”
He smiled. “To be honest, it wasn’t Elena that told me the truth. It was the people of Etan. Goran is guarding King Albert with his life, so if you want to know if I have seen him.” He shook his head as an answer. “But I’ve seen all the others. They are alive and they are only alive because of their king. If he was dead, they would’ve died too. So yes, I believe with all my heart that he is still alive.”
“Is it true that Elena didn’t want the people to know about her father still being alive?”
“Yes, because he made her promise not to tell anyone. He loved his people, something a lot of people seem to have forgotten. He loved them so much that he would give up meeting his daughter, so that they could live in peace for as long as they lived. But I say fuck that. I want her to meet the man her father is, the man who all of us had a chance to know and she has only read about in history books. And I will find a way to free him. I will bet my life on it.”
Kevin had nothing to say as Blake had just cussed on live TV.
Tears welled up in my eyes when he said it. One of us was going to die if Louie’s berries wasn’t the missing ingredient was.
He ended it with a plea again. “Everyone should fight, not because they are scared, but because of the person that is behind those Creepers, for all of the families still trapped behind Etan. It is time to stand together again, like we did a long time ago when the other side wanted everything for themselves. Nothing will be able to touch us ever again if we can just learn how to stand together.”
“Thank you, Blake, for giving us the time and for those words of encouragement.” He cleared his throat. “And I really wish you all the best on pushing this forward.”
“Thank you, Kevin.”
“Only he can cuss on live TV and get away with it,” Sammy said.
“Yeah, just imagine what type of king he will be,” Dean peeped next to Sammy.
“King?” Sammy and I both said.
“Well,” Dean said. “If you think about it, he will eventually marry you one day Elena, and your father is not going to live forever. Blake and you will take over this world, together.”
I looked at Sammy who had a blank look on her face.
“My brother is going to be a freak’n king one day!”
“And not just any king, a dragon king,” Dean smiled.
We all laughed at his comment. I would give anything for that to become true, anything
INTERVIEWS WITH SOME of the people that had come back from Etan followed over the next couple of days. I smiled as Charles spoke to a reporter while helping out in David’s garden.
He spoke so easily about the times he’d seen my father, how Goran was trying to break his spirit, but that gleam in his eyes never faded.
It made me want to fight, even though I was shit scared.
Dean, Sammy and I were watching in our room when a knock came from the door and Sammy got up to open it. I would have given anything to have Becky and George walk through the door.
Even better, Blake entered and his face lit up when he saw me.
I got up and jumped into his arms.
Our lips touched.
“When did you come back?”
“A few minutes ago,” he said with a lopsided smile.
He looked at the TV.
“Why are you watching this, Elena?”
He let me go and walked to the coffee table, picked up the remote and switched it off.
“Seriously?” Sammy grunted.
“I’ve been listening to all sorts of plans about how we are going to pull this off over the past two weeks. I don’t want to listen to non-believers for the next two weeks. Thank you very much,” he teased.
Sammy rolled her eyes. “It’s still my room.”
He ignored her comment.
“So what is the plan, Blake?” I had to know.
“Well, for now, I need to eat.”
I laughed.
“And then, I need you to come with me so we can convince more people to fight with us.”
I grunted. “I thought you said that you don’t care about the non-believers.”
“I don’t. They are not non-believers, they are just cut off from the press and media.”
“Where are you taking me?”
“Not to Etan. I promise.” He kissed me softly on the lips, “But you really need them, Elena.”
“Not me, we. We really need them.”
“Okay, we really need them.”
I left with him to get something to eat. Many students greeted him as we walked over to the buffet area and when we finally got something dished up, we went to sit at a table for two.
“So there is something I need to tell you,” I said.
“What is it?”
“I got the suit. And I asked to get it changed.” I put a heap of food into my mouth.
“You what?”
“The vision showed you wearing black. I changed it to white.”
“Elena,” he said and started to laugh. “That’s not how it works.”
“I don’t care.”
He touched my hand softly. “Thank you, it’s really sweet.”
“You are welcome.” I smiled and carried on eating.
“So where are George and Becky? I haven’t seen him at all.”
I shook my head.
“Elena?” he asked.
“I haven’t seen her since the interview. She said that she needed to go to her mom and that was it. She’s refused to speak to me, and she doesn’t even pick up when I call. Neither does Lucille.”
“I’ll speak to George tonight, find out if everything is okay.”
“Thank you.”
“Can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
“Does Samantha know about the vision?”
“She found out when the suit arrived.”
“It explains the looks. I just wanted to know.”
“What looks?”
“The kind she gives when she has no idea what the future will hold.”
“Well she doesn’t, it’s not her ability.”
He smiled. “I just can’t deal with her worrying about this too.”
&nbs
p; “Blake, she is your sister. I’m her best friend. It’s not easy and she is going to worry whether you like it or not. It’s what people do when they love someone.”
“Okay Freud, whatever you say.”
I laughed as I carried on eating.
“So what did you think about the suit?” Blake wanted to know.
“It’s something else, I have to say.”
“Something else?” He squinted.
“Okay, it’s freak’n brilliant. I didn’t know you had it in you.”
“What can I say? I’m a master of many things.”
“That you are.” I laughed. “So where are we going?”
He pulled his face.
“Please tell me. I’m not good with surprises.”
“I’m scared you won’t come with if I tell you, and to be honest, two weeks away from you was really hard, Elena.”
“Stop whining, where?”
“To Isaac’s family.”
I burst out laughing. “You are taking me to your band member’s house? That is so terrible, Blake.” I teased him.
“What can I say?” He teased back.
“Should I take my axes?”
He laughed. “I would love to see the look on his face, but no, they are not a threat.”
“You said that they are secluded.”
“Not really secluded, more like… you’ll see when we get there.”
“Okay, whatever.”
WE FLEW TO the not secluded, yet secluded spot where the shifters lived and to be honest, I felt free riding on Blake’s back.
Riding him wasn’t as difficult as I had thought he would be. Sure he was big, but I found a way to feel secure and safe on his back.
The evening was beautiful. The stars shone brightly and I couldn’t stop thinking that in less than two weeks, I might lose it all.
If anything happened to Blake, I knew I would never be able to fly like this with another dragon.
He started to descend and in the distance I could see faint lights flickering on the horizon.
It was a village with gates and walls taller than Blake standing in his dragon form.
I slid off his wing as one of the guards came out of the gatehouse and Blake shifted back, pulling his robe over his body.