“I never liked Tanya or your mother for that matter.”
“What?”
Constance laughed. “It’s not like that, Elena. You see your father and I, well we were sort of an item, even though he was going to marry Grizelda Longbottom, he didn’t like her very much.”
“You and my father?”
She giggled. “Isabel and I used to meet them every month, wherever they were during the last war, the one where they fought for all dragons. We would heal injured humans; sometimes we even stayed with them for a long time. It’s how Robert and Issy met. And I fell madly in love with your father, but he was always so distant. His heart belonged to someone else and I’m sure I don’t have to tell you who. So when your mother was captured after she fought with your grandfather…” She shook her head. “I wasn’t the one, and that is how I met Lee. He was one of your father’s bravest dragon fighters, became the general when Albert became king and the rest was history.”
“You and my father, wow.”
She giggled again. “We did stay friends, and after a while, I could see why Katie stole his heart.”
It was the third time someone had referred to my mom as Katie. Queen Margerite also used her nickname, and Tanya.
“I really wish that you could’ve met her Elena.”
A soft knock on the door made me jump slightly in my chair.
“It’s just Chef.”
I smiled again as she got up and opened the door. “You are fast.”
“If the Princess is hungry, I’m the guy.”
Constance giggled. “Thank you Pete, want to come in?”
“Sure, why not?”
His huge figure entered the infirmary, wearing his pajamas, and a big robe, carrying a silver tray and a plate of food with a glass of milk in his hands.
“Thank you, Chef. You really didn’t have—”
“Nonsense. I haven’t seen you in a long time and I have to admit the untouched plates that came back numerous times made me worry that my food didn’t taste good anymore.”
I giggled. “Far from it. Your food is the best.”
He smiled and put the tray down on a small table. “Enjoy,” he said. “If there is anything else, just yell.”
“Thanks again Pete, and she will.” Constance smiled.
He left and Constance closed the door while I checked to see what he had made. It was a little of everything. A small bowl of rice and coq au vin, next to it was a small pizza and on another plate were fresh fruit and a bowl of ice cream with chocolate sauce. How did he know that all of this was my favorite?
“He really does know what everyone likes, doesn’t he?”
Constance smiled. “Let me guess, all your favorites.”
I nodded.
“Yeah, he really does, Elena.”
HANKS FOR THE chat.” I meant it. We were standing in front of my room. She hadn’t wanted me to walk back alone.
“One day at a time.” She gave me her final piece of advice. “If you need anything else, well you know your way around.”
I smiled and walked into my room. I crawled in again after staring at both my friends’ heaving bodies.
They’d tried to find me and I had to admit, I loved that piece of information. The fact that Constance tried to tell me Blake did too, well, I know him better than she thought. I’d been a Rubicon once, sort of, and I knew the tracking ability was strong. He didn’t try shit. He was probably forced to help here and there if he did at all.
I crawled back into bed and was so tired that I didn’t dream of anything. Nothing came, just black with no images flashing through my mind.
It was a good sign. A sign of taking that first step.
When I opened my eyes, Becky and Sammy’s beds were empty. Shit. I’d overslept and didn’t even know what day it was. I had no idea what class I had at this exact moment, but got dressed anyway, put a few books into my backpack and ran to the office.
The reception lady, whom I’d never officially met since I got here, looked surprised when she saw me.
“Princess.”
I hated that.
“What can I help you with?” She sounded shocked too.
“I have no idea which class I have, can you help me please.”
“Sure, let me quickly check for you.” Her fingers typed the keys vigorously and then she looked up.
“Art of War.”
“Thanks,” I said and started to make my way to Mia’s class.
I hated her class so much, as Blake didn’t give a shit. Well we had that in common. Finally.
I opened the door and could hear steel slamming against steel.
Everyone stopped and my eyes just had to catch on Blake’s mug first. He was sparring with Mia, which was a first, as he never took any of these classes seriously.
He turned around and walked in the other direction.
“Elena.” Professor Mia smiled. “So nice of you to drop by.”
I smiled too. “Sorry I’m late. I overslept.”
“It’s okay, this once.”
I gave her a hint of a smile.
“So you ready to fight against the big guy.”
Urgh, I knew she was talking about Blake. “No, I’ll just observe if you don’t mind.”
“Are you sure? He knows all of my moves.”
I said no! “I’m sure. Thanks Mia.”
“You’re welcome.”
I walked to the bleachers and could feel everyone’s eyes on me.
“Where do you think you are going, mister?” Mia said as I sat down on the first step. “I’m not done with you.”
The entire class laughed.
My stomach turned as he laughed. I never thought that I would ever despise him the same way he did me, and took a notepad out of my bag and started to draw.
Steel against steel slammed again as I started to draw lines, not having any particular image of what I would like to draw.
It carried on for a long time, as my hands draw lines over and over the pages while my head swam with thoughts, images and worries about Annie and Charles. There were so many people that I had met, their faces all carrying signs of no hope, but they dealt with their problems on a daily basis.
I had to find that Wyvern city, I just had to. Guilt rose up in my stomach as I scratched on the right corner of the page. I was so selfish, I should’ve said…I closed my eyes just thinking about it. I wasn’t ready. Maps of Paegeia suddenly entered my mind. When I looked down I was looking into Billy’s face with his dark brown eyes that looked so much like Blake and shoved the notepad to the ground. I got up and ran out of Mia’s class just as the bell rang.
Billy would always haunt my dreams, Seymour too, but I guessed Billy was the worst as he’d betrayed me. Now, even in the light of day, there was no way that I would ever get over this fear, especially with Blake sharing the same looks. I just couldn’t. He reminded me of one of the guys I was desperately trying to forget and also of what he hadn’t done to save me.
I found myself in the library. My body was taking action of what I had to do next when my mind couldn’t, just like it always had.
I remembered what it was I wanted to do, find that Wyvern city and it might not be a bad idea, as it would keep my thoughts away from everything that had happened.
The librarian just gasped. Her face resembled the receptionist’s expression when she saw me.
“Where are your maps?”
“Maps?” she asked and put something that looked like a half-eaten sandwich back on the counter. “Let me see.” She walked toward the third aisle of the library. I followed her all the way to the back where there were more tables and chairs.
“Which maps are you particularly looking for?”
“Paegeia.” My voice sounded so soft and I cleared my throat.
“Well, this entire section all the way to the back is all about Paegeia.”
My eyebrows raised a bit as I looked at how many maps there were.
“Thank you.” I smiled and
put my backpack on one of the tables.
“Just yell if I can help you with anything.”
“I will.”
I pulled the first few scrolls off the shelf and opened them on the table.
It was a big map of a city in Tith. It took me twenty minutes to scroll through it. There was one Wyvern city but no Eikenborough and no Alkadeen.
I closed it and took out another map. There were more cities in Tith, and half of another small Wyvern city. Nothing.
I sighed and lay back against the chair. I was right to think they had the Wyvern cities wrong. For all I knew I was staring at them and didn’t even know it.
Still I took out one map after the other.
I told myself to go through all of Tith, maybe it wasn’t a Wyvern city, maybe it was part of King Helmut’s Kingdom but he just didn’t know what was going on.
The bell had rung twice since I’d been there and I stared at my watch. It was lunchtime and my stomach growled.
I put the maps back and drew a huge star on a piece of paper and put it into the maps to make my marker, and picked up my backpack and headed for the cafeteria. I walked down the aisle back to the front and my eyes caught something, a figure. I could have sworn it was . . . Paul.
I retreated and stared down the aisle. There was nobody in sight. I closed my eyes and heard two heartbeats. I heard mine that was beating like mad, and the other one belonging to the librarian.
There was no one else here. I was seriously starting to lose my mind for sure.
“Is everything okay, Princess?” the librarian asked.
“It’s fine, and please, call me Elena,” I said and walked out the door.
I entered the cafeteria and everyone’s eyes were on me. I lowered my head and walked toward the buffet.
“Nice to see that you are joining us for lunch,” Chef said. “You’ve seen today’s riddle?”
“Nope, and I missed your food so I will only choose this.”
He smiled.
“Hey,” Sammy said next to me and picked up a tray too.
“Hey,” I replied.
“Where did you run off to after Art of War?”
“Just something I needed to do,” I said. I didn’t want to tell her that I was searching for maps. She would just ask if she could help and I knew where that would lead. I wasn’t ready for that yet.
I dished up a small plate and grabbed a fruit cup for desert and a soda.
I have to find that city, I just have to.
I followed Sammy to the table and put my tray down. As I slumped onto my pillow I caught Blake through the corner of my eyes entering. He went to the buffet line too and made a couple of jokes with Chef. He reminded me so much of that time, the time I’d fallen in love with him; but it was over now.
I would never fall for that again.
I put a couple of forkfuls of food into my mouth when Becky opened hers. “So, a Wyvern city huh?” she said and I froze.
Those were her first words, not nice that you finally joined us or something like that? She was so pushy.
“Seriously!” I yelled. “See this is why I didn’t want to come out of the room. You don’t know when to stop. Always pushing and pushing.” I got up, left my tray with food, and rushed through the doors.
“It was just an innocent question.” I could hear Becky speaking softly, probably to George. “Don’t look at me like that. I didn’t push,” she said a bit louder and more sternly and I could hear how her fork got chucked onto her plate.
I tried to focus my hearing on something else as I ran up the stairs back to my room.
I stayed there until the bell rang and I was glad that neither Becky nor Sammy entered. When the second bell rang, I went to the library again.
My note was gone, I couldn’t find it anywhere. Damn.
I looked at the librarian who was busy checking in books. She wouldn’t know because during lunchtime the geeks usually took over, this was their turf.
I started again, taking one map after the other.
Some I easily discovered that I’d been through, and I quickly put them back. I read about five maps and not one had Eikenborough on them.
I’m wasting my time, I just know it.
I contemplated asking someone, but then I would open myself up to more questions. I couldn’t even deal with Becky’s and I wasn’t ready for more.
Master Longwei’s voice filled the speaker system.
“Elena Watkins, can you please come to the office?” he asked. I smiled. He still called me Watkins even if I wasn’t really a Watkins at all.
I put back the maps, made a mental note this time and went to his office.
I knocked a couple of times and entered. He was sitting behind his desk and gave me a smile.
“Welcome back to the living, Princess.”
I smiled as he gestured for me to sit down and take the chair right in front of his desk.
“I’m so sorry to do this, but the Council really wants a word with you. I’ve managed to cancel it four times since you got back, but they are getting impatient.”
I huffed and shook my head softly. They were never going to give me a break. “When?”
“Tonight, at six. It will be at the castle in Tith.”
“Fine, whatever.” I sounded like a sulking brat, one that acted as if the world owed her something, and got up and walked toward the door.
“Elena, you do know that you can request Blake’s presence.”
I turned around. “Why on earth would I want that? He’s not my dragon anymore. I set him free. He can do whatever he wants,” I said and opened the door as Master Longwei stared at me with a gaped mouth.
I ran down the stairs and went back to the library.
I went straight toward the map section and pulled out the one that I’d marked to read next.
It wasn’t a new one, it was one I’d already been through. I put it back and took another one. This one was exactly the same.
I grunted. Someone had messed with them.
I walked to the aisle where I could see the librarian. “Someone been here looking at the maps in the past fifteen minutes?”
“No, only you,” she said and I nodded. “Is something wrong?”
“No, it’s fine.” I sighed and had to start all over.
I stayed there till ten minutes before my departure to Tith with absolutely no luck finding Eikenborough on any single one of them.
I quickly went into the cafeteria, ignoring all the stares again, grabbed a sandwich and rushed toward Master Longwei’s office.
“Elena, wait!” Becky yelled and her footsteps ran hard against the floor. “I’m sorry about this afternoon.”
“Becky, it’s okay. I have to go.”
“Where are you going?”
“I’ll see you tonight.” I ran a bit faster and opened the door. It was lighter than usual which didn’t make any sense, as… I smacked into someone. I almost fell on my ass, but a hand grabbed me and lifted me right up to my feet.
“Sorry,” I mumbled and looked up. I got angry immediately as I saw his face inches from me. “Watch where you’re going next time,” I barked at Blake and rushed down past the stairs that led to the rooms and down the hallway as Becky protested about how rude I was.
I found Master Longwei waiting at the door. He raised an eyebrow and I knew it was because of the way that I looked.
“It’s just the Council.”
“Still, Elena.”
“This is who I am, Master Longwei. They need to deal with it or leave me the hell alone.”
“Let’s go, we are going to be late.”
We got into the carriage and the ride was quiet. At the elevators in Elm, the cameras were flashing in my face as I took that first step out of the carriage.
My heart pounded like the first time, it felt different this time and questions were barked at me again. Kevin’s voice was the loudest and to be honest, I didn’t care about answering him or not. We pushed our way through to the priv
ate section and I took a deep breath as I slumped into the elevator’s chair.
It was a matter of seconds before the door opened up again and we were in Tith’s port.
Emanual’s figure came into view and he led us straight to a limo that was parked outside.
He even spoke on my behalf to a couple of reporters, short answers, and mostly saying that the Princess wasn’t taking any questions now.
It felt as if I could breathe as the door of the limo closed behind him. Flashes still reflected off the window before the limo started to pull away.
Another couple of minutes and we stopped right in front of City Hall.
What were we doing at City Hall?
“I thought the meeting was at the palace?” Master Longwei said.
“I’ll find out from the driver.” Emanual climbed out first.
“The location has changed, sir. The Ancients are coming.” I could hear the driver answering Emanual. Just great.
“Elena,” he bent so that he could look into the car. “Where is Blake?”
“I don’t need him, why are we here?”
“It’s against the law to have a meeting with the Ancients without her dragon.” He looked at Master Longwei.
“He is not my dragon, now move.” I pushed him aside and got out.
I was livid. The Ancients. Still, I would face them alone and just take their verdict, whatever it was going to be.
“This has Caleb written all over it.” Emanual’s spoke softly. “It’s not right.”
“It will be fine, Emanual,” I interrupted him again.
“It won’t, I can’t speak for you,” Emanual grunted.
“I can speak for myself. Just relax!” I snapped at him. “It’s going to be okay.”
I walked up the steps and my heart was beating like crazy. At least my Pappi would be there and if things get too hectic, he would step in. I knew he would.
The door opened and one of the dragons that belonged to one of the Council members, I think Philip, stood in the doorway.
“Welcome, Princess.”
“What is the meaning of this, why are the Ancients here?” Master Longwei asked. “I was told—”