I found out that my father had granted him passage, if he needed to go to the other side. We talked a lot about it too, as he was scared that I would do something I shouldn’t do.
I wondered if it was the Wall that blocked this new connection—well, old connection that had been lost, but had so recently been found again. Could it be, was there hope?
I missed his voice, his face. His arrogant ass. I ached to see him, but at what cost?
At night I would either sit on the ledge just waiting for him to come home or I would play all the albums he’d ever recorded and cry myself to sleep. I was becoming one of those girls. Pathetic, but I didn’t care anymore. I wanted him back.
“Your Highness,” a soft voice said over and over, and when my eyes jolted open, I found myself still on the window sill.
Simone, my lady who had a slight Scottish accent, was standing right at my side.
She just gave me a smile.
I nodded, looked one last time at the moon, jumped off the ledge and crawled into bed.
I didn’t dream about my first time in Etan and everything that happened anymore.
Since the night Blake changed all of them, they’d stopped. I had to say the times I’d spoken to Leo had helped me too. They were supposedly dark but they were very smart, had an effect on problems, which would give psychologists on the other side a run for their money.
I didn’t have to see him anymore, but my father still saw one from time to time. She was a woman, and I had to admit, he was getting better and better every week, especially at night.
We shared our ability to dream. In the beginning he used to wake up so many nights. He would storm into my room, almost giving me a heart attack and would just break down.
He would always ask me why I’d freed him. Always, even though he knew the answer.
Still we were all busy healing. The people of Etan were picking up the pieces. All the farmers got their land back. The ones that didn’t sell theirs started working their own lands again.
August found his dragon. He was on the other side and was going to attend Dragonia Academy a couple of weeks from now.
The hospitals were the first to start running again, then the other buildings started to pop up one by one. The farms and docks opened again with the help of many people
My father helped too. He rebuilt buildings alongside his people when he shouldn’t have, but that was just the type of man he was. A king people would remember for millennia and millennia. His greatness was already written in the stars.
THE WEDDING WAS beautiful. It was held in a cathedral that was as big as the coliseum itself. There were so many stores, and I’d never seen so many beautiful flowers and wedding decorations. My father, well it was as if they’d invited the entire kingdom to join in the celebration.
Gustav Mondaux made Constance’s dress and all our bridesmaid’s dresses.
I’d gotten to know him a while back when he was designing all my gowns for special occasions.
The theme of the wedding was Victorian, except for the hair. We all looked gorgeous wearing tiaras and my father looked like a king again with his traditional attire and crown on his head.
Lucille and Etienne were there also and I stared at them for a long time.
I’d never seen Lucille so happy, so beautiful and they had been inseparable since he came back.
Becky and George sat right next to them, then his parents followed. Sir Robert and a couple of his men were standing in front with my father.
Isabel and Sammy were sitting in one of the front seats. Almost all the Leafs were here… almost.
Arianna and her mom with all the first cousins and cousin’s cousins were there too.
I smiled when I saw Ty, Isaac and all of Blake’s band members with many of the shape shifters.
All the Council members were there, even arrogant Philip.
All had been forgiven.
Like I said, many people were here, even ones I’d never met before.
Master Longwei wore a traditional Chinese robe.
He walked Constance in and my heart broke again that his son had died so many years ago trying to free my father.
It wasn’t right for a parent to lose a child.
Annie and I both had tears in our eyes. She was standing right next to me and shared the duty of bridesmaid.
She’d come last night and I was surprised to find out that Emanual was her date.
It shouldn’t have surprised me, he’d helped her find her dragon form, and she’d finally changed a couple of weeks back. Now she was just learning how to be a dragon again. I’d spoken to him last night after she’d gone to bed.
He’d lost both the humans he’d given a part of his heart to and I knew it couldn’t have been easy on him.
“Annie helps a lot with the pain.” He smiled with a beer in his hand.
“She does that really well.” I smiled and he chuckled. “So is she the one for you, Emanual?” I had to know.
“I was wrong,” he said.
“About?”
“That only one like you is born every thousand years.”
“Well, she is a princess.”
He smiled. “That she is.”
“I’m happy for you Emanual, really. I can’t tell you how much. You deserve someone like her.”
He nodded and sighed. He took a sip of his beer and looked up at the moon. “He will come back, Elena. We have to believe that.”
“How do I believe that, Emanual?” I asked and my lower lip vibrated. “It’s been three months and there has been no sign of him. Not even a phone call.”
“Be patient.”
I huffed and wiped away my tears. “It seems that this relationship is all about patience.”
“It’s a good thing. That saying, all good things come to those who wait, it’s a strong and powerful saying, Elena.”
I nodded as dark thoughts crept into my soul. Blake was waiting for me on the other side, I knew that.
“I’m going to tell you what I once told him, Elena,” Emanual said and the look on his face was a sad one. “Just wait for proof before you do something drastic.”
I just looked at him. How did he know?
“I know that look. I searched with him when you were missing. Don’t deny it. I saw it with her too, and I knew what she would do if she had the chance. I fell asleep and when I woke up she was gone. I was too late.”
A tear lingered in his eyes.
I nodded and wiped away my own stray tear.
“I hate that saying so much. Be patient.”
He chuckled again, but it didn’t reach his eyes. Emanual knew and it didn’t even look as if he was going to try and stop me. He saw what Helmut’s death had done to Queen Marguerite. What all of their deaths had done to her.
That was last night, and I’d gotten pulled back to the wedding again as I stood next to Annie, still staring at Emanual. He caught me and just winked. I smiled and looked away.
My Pappi was there too. My father had chosen a different group of Ancients and they would only be called in if all the royals, including me and Constance, with Annie, Arianna and her mother with Caleb couldn’t agree.
It was no longer just the kings making decisions; everyone in the royal house had a say.
I dabbed away a tear when my father and Constance said their vows.
He looked at Constance with so much love, and kindness. I couldn’t imagine how he’d looked at my mom.
Constance said that his heart belonged to Katie, but I was glad that he’d given love a second chance. That he was finding happiness again.
The reception was an even a bigger event. We laughed at Sir Robert’s speeches, a couple of others made heartwarming speeches too. Annie did one as well and I couldn’t believe that she was my sister now.
There were no “step” in this family.
It was a good night.
We all ate and during dinner Sir Robert’s Cammy rang. I stared at him as he got up and went outside.
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Every time his Cammy rang I thought that it was Blake, but he would’ve been here tonight if it was him. And every time he didn’t say anything or looked at me as he returned, I knew it wasn’t Blake. I just knew it, and it became clearer. He was dead. He’d found me and somehow they’d erased my memory of the afterlife and just let me keep our goodbye.
I pushed back the tears and my eyes caught Emanual’s again, sitting diagonally from me next to Annie.
Wait for confirmation, please, Emanual’s eyes begged. I gave a soft smile, and took a huge breath. Okay, I’ll wait for confirmation first. I was going to be patient.
Sir Robert was gone a long time and only after we were finished taking pictures with everyone in the ballroom did he return.
He went to my father and whispered something in his ear, which made my father smile and nod. I saw Sir Robert give the DJ that was playing tonight with an orchestra a nod and he took the podium again.
Was he going to sing? It wouldn’t surprise me, his son had an amazing voice.
“No, Elena, I’m not going to sing.”
“You can read my mind too?” I smiled but was scared that he could, cause he too would know what Emanual did.
“No, but that look on your face said it all.” Everyone laughed. “It is time to ask the lovely new couple to open the dance floor for us. The young want to start partying.”
“Hear, hear!” George said with a beer in his hand, and Becky smacked him playfully on his chest.
My dad and new mom walked hand in hand to the dance floor. She looked gorgeous, with white flowers in her silver blonde hair and the most beautiful gown. It was pure white with lace that clung to her body and fanned out at her knees. Her eyes caught Annie’s and mine and she winked at both of us.
My father pulled her with one hand and she was in his arms. Everyone applauded, which was a moment worthy of an eye roll.
Dad and Constance laughed, whispering in each other’s ears as their bodies glided on the dance floor. She laughed heartily again and they shared a small kiss.
I couldn’t help but smile at them. They made a beautiful couple.
The song they chose had a really long instrumental intro, it was a beautiful soft melody. They glided slowly around the dance floor staring into each other’s eyes. Both looked so happy.
Then the vocals finally started and my smile disappeared.
“Treacherous, powerless, maybe enslaved.
Neither of these, I’ve been saved.”
My heart beat a couple of beats, and I closed my eyes. It was Blake’s voice.
Sweet, sweet love, hold me tight.
My heart is yours, you showed me the light.
“When did he record this?” I asked Sammy and stared at her with glistening eyes.
Her eyes glistened too, and a stray tear rolled over her cheek. She didn’t even wipe it away.
She wrapped her arms around me. I listened to the words. It was one of his poems. The poem I’d read that night when I realized what Lucian had told me all those times was the truth. No one would love me the way Blake would.
“When you were in the coma.”
They’d call it a coma as all of them believed with their hearts that he was going to come back. I didn’t anymore. Why else had I heard that conversation he’d had with death?
It was mixed with his other poem that explained what the Dent was and I doubted that any of them would ever realize it. He’d turned that part into the chorus
I’ve seen your hopes, experienced you fears,
As part of you, I’ve lived your years.
Come my love, come be still.
Wrapped you in the arms of lovers will.
My heart ached just to see him again. I closed my eyes, pretending that it was really him singing tonight. It was too much and I struggled to breathe.
Oh my love, I’ve been so wrong,
I know now where I belong.
My darkness has died, evil no more,
The bond we share shakes my core.
Do not part, it’s too sweet sorrow,
I’m here, loving you till tomorrow.
The chorus came again. I could listen to this song forever. Sammy stroked my back as I rested on my hands. I’d never thought that I would miss him this much. His voice went up a notch with the second chorus and my heart felt as if someone had squeezed it. I’d listened to his songs the past three months but this one, it was the first time I’d heard it.
I wanted to stand up and leave but I didn’t have the strength. I couldn’t part with his voice.
“Hey, it’s going to be okay, shhh,” Sammy whispered in my ear and hugged me tight. It wasn’t okay, not at all. And the worst part was she didn’t even know it herself. It would never be okay and once they found his body, they would realize that too. This was cruel, to play his song. What was my father thinking? What were all of them thinking?
I found the strength I needed to get up and leave. I had to get out of the tight dress, I had to find a way to breathe again.
“Elena,” Annie said and Emanual told her softly to let me go. Becky gasped. All of them did. I didn’t care what my father had done, probably a special step or something.
The door was so close, just a few more steps. The lyrics continued as I reached the door, and I stopped.
Love, come be still.
I need your more than you’ll ever know.
The light in me you make it grow
It didn’t sound like a recording anymore but I was too scared to turn around. Too scared that I would find Isaac or Ty singing the way Blake did.
I need you now, I’ll make things right,
For you alone, I will always fight.
You keep my demons away,
Your purity, your innocence, you make me stay.
Always have, always will.
I finally turned and sucked in a breath. My legs felt wobbly and I struggled to keep the tears at bay, they rolled down my cheeks.
He was making his way slowly to where I stood, and was singing the chorus paces from me.
I pinched myself softly as I just stared at him singing the song, and when he finally stopped everyone applauded, except me. He just stood there staring at me.
He finally smiled, and my legs carried me forward. I flung myself into his arms and just started to kiss him. He hugged me tighter and his lips brushed my neck softly as he twirled me around.
“Where the hell have you been?” I asked.
“I’m sorry I took so long,” he whispered. “I missed you so much.”
“I thought you were dead,” I cried softly.
He kissed me on the temple and his lips lingered for a few seconds. I just breathed in his scent. I was never going to let him go. I knew that now.
“I thought you were dead.” His voice broke too, lips still lingering on my temple as his fingers held the back of my head gently, slightly pulling my hairdo out of place.
“Weeds don’t die that easily.” I laughed and cried all at the same time.
His body shook slightly from laughter as he pulled his head inches back to look at me. Tears lingered in his own eyes, but he had a smile on his face. One that reached his eyes and made my stomach flutter. His hair was a bit longer, he looked tired but he was alive and real. I touched his face with my one hand and he closed his eyes. He opened them again.
“You are far from a weed, Elena. You are a rose.”
I giggled.
“A rose?” I asked.
“Yes.” He hugged me tight again. “And I’m the thorn, the type that hurts like hell.”
Our lips touched one another again. He sounded so goofy, and didn’t give a shit if millions of people were staring.
MY FATHER CLEARED his throat and our kiss broke.
“Welcome back Blake, for a minute I thought you weren’t going to make it,” my father said.
“My king, good to see you are looking healthier.”
I hit my dad playfully on his arm. “You knew?”
“It was a surprise, sweet pea.” He laughed. “Why do you think I chose that song?”
“How long did you know?” I sounded upset, ignoring his last statement. If he knew how close I was, even if I’d said I would be patient, he wouldn’t have kept this from me.
“This morning,” Blake answered instead. “It wasn’t that long and I flew here as fast as I could when my dad finally told me that you’d woken up. I literally landed ten minutes ago and I still had to sing,” Blake said.
I laughed again and gave him a hug around his waist.
My father cleared his throat and looked at both of us with raised eyebrows.
“Seriously. I’m nineteen.”
“Don’t worry, I got the speech already,” Blake said, looking at my father.
I looked at him. From who? And then I remembered that day in the manor. Sir Robert and Isabel. His arm was still around my waist.
“So did you get your stupid orbs?” I asked him.
“Oh they are far from stupid, and I think it’s time I shared with everyone what it is they can do.”
“What they do?”
He raised his eyebrows. “It’s a surprise Elena, so go dress warm, wear a rain coat and boots.”
“What, why?” It was a beautiful night, no clouds or even a hint of a rainstorm coming.
“Just do it. I don’t want you to ruin that pretty dress of yours.”
My father looked at me with a slight frown. “You too,” Blake said and looked at my dad. “It’s something both of you need to see.”
“Fine, but don’t disappear again.” I held my finger in his face.
“Not in a million years.”
I smiled, turned around and ran in the direction of my room.
I looked back at him hugging his sister and his mom. I had to pinch myself as I rushed up the steps to my room to go and change. It was real, he was here. A million years wasn’t farfetched to me anymore. It could happen: it was Paegeia and I had his Essence.
I had to ask Simone for help getting me out of my dress.