LL SORTS OF things went through my mind as we took our stroll through the Creepers. I sort of hated myself now.
I felt so weak for doing this to myself again, for trusting him again, knowing it would only break my heart as he always disappointed me in the end.
I watched as the stupid idiot exited the Creepers, carrying me into the night.
“This doesn’t make any sense.” Blake looked up at the moon.
“They don’t know what time or day it is, Blake. I doubt if they even know what year it is.”
I could hear a few Creepers close by hissing as he passed. He was scared but he didn’t show it, I could see it when he closed his eyes. I kept staring at a Creeper as its mouth came close toward Blake.
I put my hand between Blake’s head and the Creeper’s mouth and it retreated.
He put me down when we were a good distance away from the hissing plants and the idiot fell down on the ground and kissed it.
I wanted to laugh thinking that he was being over dramatic but when he sat back up with tears lingering in his eyes as he looked around, I knew it wasn’t a joke.
“I’m home.”
“You lived in Etan too?”
“My father owned almost half of Bolivia. We had some ground here too, but leased it out because we didn’t know shit about farming.”
“WHAT?”
“Don’t look so surprised, we weren’t always poor.”
“That wasn’t what I meant,” I said and stomped off, walking past him when I suddenly remembered what he had done.
He’d followed me and we walked in silence toward Alkadeen, away from the Creepers. I was glad that it was night time.
Blake kept up, no surprise there, and after a while, it was like he’d picked up on my mood. His hand grabbed mine softly and he pulled me back. I hid my tears, the ones I’d badly wanted to shed.
“What is going through that mind of yours?”
“Nothing, I just didn’t want you to be here, Blake. You seriously do not grasp what they do to dragons this side.” I walked further, and found the fields where they grew corn. It was not far from the Benson’s place.
“I do, Elena. But this is what we need to do, together.”
I stopped walking and turned around. “And if they catch you?”
“They have no idea what I look like,” he said bluntly as he passed me.
“Goran does, Blake. Or have you forgotten that day in the woods?”
He stopped. He’d forgotten. He turned around. “Relax, okay.” He put his hoody over his head which made him look extra beautiful and mysterious. I closed my eyes and lowered my head again.
His fingers touched my chin softly. “A princess never lowers her head, Elena.” He pushed my head up so that my eyes were looking straight into his.
“This feels wrong Blake. What if something goes wrong? What if you find one of them?”
He closed his eyes.
“You can’t attack, not without backup. They will put you down, Rubicon or not and then everything will be for nothing.”
He nodded. “Then I’ll play nice, pretend, if that is what you want, Elena. Just say the word.”
“I’m not like that. I told you not to come with me.” I sounded upset and walked past him again.
He grabbed my arm again and pulled me gently back. “And I told you that I would never let you do any of this, ever, without me again. This is my destiny too, not just yours.”
Just then we heard a gun cock and Blake froze.
“Don’t take off your hoody, or we’ll both die,” I said softly.
I walked past Blake with my hands in the air.
“Who are you and what are you doing here?” I heard Tom’s voice.
“Tom, lower the gun, please. It’s me, Elle.”
He lowered his gun immediately and moved fast. His one free arm wrapped around my shoulders and brought me to his chest. “Elle, what are you doing here? How did…” He stopped. “Who is this?”
I looked at Blake’s back and then at Tom. Blake turned around slowly, with his hands in the air.
“Don’t be mad, okay.”
He lifted up his gun again as I said those words, and almost touched Blake’s chest. “Tom, don’t be stupid and put down the gun. He won’t hurt you, I promise.”
“Speak, who is he?”
I swallowed hard. “It’s my dragon.”
Tom glared at me. “You said…”
“I know what I said, I was wrong.”
The gun was still at Blake’s chest. “Tell him to lower his gun or he can kiss it goodbye.”
“Shush,” I said to Blake. “Please, Tom. Just lower your gun.”
“Is he sane?”
“I’m not the one with the gun, now please, lower it before someone gets hurt.” Blake sounded so calm but still had a warning in his tone.
“Please, Tom.” I couldn’t go through losing Blake again.
Tom looked at me and then at Blake before he lowered his gun.
“You have plenty of questions to answer, young lady.”
“I promise.”
“Let’s go.”
I blew out some air and looked at the sky. No stars. This was my nightmare.
Blake wrapped his arm around me and pulled me into his body.
“Keep your hoody on please.”
He nodded.
We walked past the barn that I’d woken up in six months ago and walked into the house.
“Look who I found.” Tom barged through and Gertrude, who was sitting on the couch, looked up from her sewing.
“Elle!” She put it down and ran toward me. Her motherly arms wrapped around my body. “You are safe.”
“It’s a long story, but yes, I’m safe.”
Marcus smiled at me. He still looked so much like Herbert. He hugged me too. “We were so worried that day they took you.”
“They found the facility.” I felt so guilty about that. “I’m so sorry. I did what I could.”
“Shhhh, you kept them safe.” He looked down at me but there was a sad look in his eyes.
“What happened?”
“We lost Nicky and Max.”
“NO!” My hands cupped my mouth. “How is August?”
“He had started to experiment with his ability.” I knew what that meant. He’d tried to save Max. “I’m so sorry Marcus.”
“It’s okay, you are okay.”
“Elle.” A voice that shouldn’t be here came from the direction of the kitchen. I looked past Marcus and saw her. How was this possible?
“Annie!” I yelled and we ran to each other. Our bodies crashed together as my arms wrapped around her fragile frame, and squeezed her tiny body so tightly.
“What are you doing here, what happened?” I pushed her arms- length away and only then did I see it. One side of her temple and left eye was burned. It deformed her face slightly and the beautiful brown eye with a splash of grey was hardly open.
Tears filled my eyes as scenarios popped into my head. “What did they do to you?”
“It doesn’t matter, I found my way back.”
“No, tell me.”
“Shhh.” She hugged me again and she gasped. “Elle, who is this?”
I’d forgotten that Blake was here too. I was so overwhelmed seeing all of their faces. I turned around, he was still wearing his hoody, standing by the door.
“Tell them Elle,” Tom said in that ‘tell them you were lying to everybody’ tone of his.
“It wasn’t like that, Tom.”
“It’s her dragon,” Tom told everyone
“What?” Marcus said.
“I thought he died, he didn’t,” I said to Marcus.
“Your dragon is not dead?” Gertrude had a much kinder tone and I smiled at her.
“No, he’s alive.” They all stared at Blake and then back at me.
I sighed. I wanted to start explaining that he looked like Billy but my thoughts were cut off.
“You lied.” Annie looked hurt.
“No.” I flinched. “Yes, but not about that. I thought he was dead, Annie.”
“How did you find out he was alive? Where are Zack and Derick?”
I froze when she asked me that. “My fire came back . . . and I killed them.”
I could feel Blake’s eyes on me. He’d never seen that, because I never dreamed about it. He knew what I did now.
“Elle, what did they do to you?”
“It doesn’t matter, Annie.”
She had tears in her eyes this time. “I swear I will kill them.”
“No you won’t,” Blake said. “Killing them is my job.” So apparently he wasn’t that disappointed that I’d killed some people. It was a relief.
“So you are a Sun-Blast too?”
Blake didn’t answer.
“No, I lied about that.”
She looked at me.
“Elle?” August’s voice came from the hallway. He looked tired, sick, as if he had the flu.
He ran over to me and grabbed me. “Where the hell were you? When Pop found Annie, almost dead…” He just looked at me. “Where the hell were you?” he asked again.
“I’m so sorry about Max.”
He didn’t say anything.
“Elena?” Blake asked and everyone gasped. I knew then that he had taken down his hood.
Three pairs of guns cocked again and August’s hands filled with chloroform.
“Where is my girlfriend?” August yelled.
I ran over to Blake to protect him. August didn’t care and tried to push me away. I pushed back. “Back off, August.” He hadn’t expected that.
“What are you doing with this low scum, Elle?” His jaw was clenched. I’d never seen him this angry before.
“It’s not who you think it is, please.”
Everyone started toward the couch softly but they kept the guns on Blake.
I touched Blake’s arm and felt an electric current prickling my fingers softly. I looked down and saw small sparkles forming on Blake’s fingertips. My eyes found his. “Don’t, please. They won’t hurt us.”
“Speak for yourself,” August said.
“What are you doing with him?” Annie yelled too and let out a cough. August was going to kill every one of his family members if he didn’t calm down.
August released a chloroform ball without thinking as the guns were still pointed toward Blake.
Blake yelled an incantation and an invincible orb trapped the chloroform.
“Stop this!” I yelled and stared at the green bubble that was floating in the air. Everyone was staring at it with wide eyes. They still coughed, but at least the air was still breathable.
“It’s not him, Annie.” I spoke fast. “It’s not him.” I looked at August and all of them. Then turned to Blake again. “I told you not to take off your hoody. What didn’t you understand?”
Blake ignored me and stared at Annie. She was petrified. The guns were still pointed at us. My heart beat so fast that I couldn’t even think properly. Gertrude was missing. I hadn’t even seen her leave.
“Who do you think I am?” Blake asked Annie, stepping from behind me with his hands held up in surrender. I tried to push him back, but he just moved forward.
Annie retreated. “Just stay away from me.” Her eyes were wild.
“It’s not Billy, Annie.” Charles had just entered the living room. “Lower your guns,” he said to his son and grandsons. They just looked at Charles.
“I said lower your guns.”
They all looked at Blake again and one by one they lowered them.
“You too, August. Not a very smart move. If he hadn’t trapped that bubble, all of us would’ve suffocated. Never release your ability in a closed environment. First rule.”
“Sorry Pops, but look at him.” August had disgust and hate written all over his face.
“I’m not blind. It’s not Billy. Look at his eyes.”
Thank heavens. I closed my eyes and opened them again.
“Elle.” Charles smiled and opened his arms. I found myself inside of them.
“I’m so sorry,” I whispered in his ear.
“Shhh.” He smiled and looked at Blake. “What is your name, son?” Charles asked.
I stepped out of his hug and just stared at Blake who looked at me through squinted eyes. He was upset again.
He hovered for a short while. “My name is Blake.”
They all gasped, and stared at him with huge eyes, even Annie.
Everyone knew who the Rubicon was. I walked to Blake’s side and saw Annie staring at him. A tear, of fear or anger I didn’t know, rolled over her cheeks. “Blake, as in Blake Leaf?”
He nodded.
“No, this can’t be. The Creepers killed you.” She spoke fast.
“Do I know you?” Blake asked.
“What do you mean by the Creepers killed him?” I walked back to Blake’s side.
She didn’t answer and started to pace. She kept looking at him every five seconds. “This can’t be. He would’ve found you.” Annie didn’t understand. It was evident in her tone.
“Calm down,” Blake said to Annie and I just looked at both of them. “This,” he pointed at me, “is Elena. She is King Albert and Queen Catherine’s daughter.”
Gertrude cupped her mouth, Tom and Marcus just stared, August too, and Charles had that knowing smile on his face.
“Tom found us half an hour after we walked through the Creepers.”
Everyone sucked in a breath again, including Charles.
“You want to tell me that people are still alive?” Charles pointed in the direction of the Creepers. “Behind the snatchers?”
I got what they were saying. “The Creepers only consumed Etan. Areeth, Tith and Elm still exist.” I spoke fast.
“What?” They all looked at one another.
“You didn’t know that?” Blake looked at everyone.
“They told us that we were the only place that survived.” Charles looked at the carpet.
“They lied,” Blake said.
“Wait,” Annie said and looked at me. “You are King Albert and Queen Catherine’s daughter?”
I nodded.
“You never grew up in Etan?”
I shook my head. “I’m sorry. I didn’t even know I was in Etan.”
“That explains a lot.” She spoke softly and looked at Blake again. Something I’d never seen before appeared on her face. It was hope.
She started to smile and then it turned into a laugh and she ran over to Blake and flung her arms around him.
He just stood there, not knowing what to do.
Just hug her, I mouthed and his arms folded gently over her back.
“Now if I might ask, how do you know me?”
She sniffed, still giggling and pulled away. “It’s me you idiot. Jumble-Bean.”
I gasped. He knew her.
“Jumble-Bean?” Blake asked, it barely came out and Annie nodded. His gorgeous smile broke over his face, as he cupped her face gently. Tears welled up in his eyes, and then he grabbed her around the waist, picked her up and twirled her around. “It’s really you?”
She laughed again. “Yes.”
“Where is your dad?”
She just hugged him. “He died trying to free King Albert,” she mumbled into his shoulder.
I cringed as Blake’s face fell. He put Annie down. “King Albert… is still alive?”
“Yes, I thought …” She looked at me and then back at Blake. “You guys didn’t know?”
Blake looked at me, but I looked away.
“Don’t even think about it Blake. Goran is too powerful, and with the Saadedine protecting King Albert, you will never get him out of there.”
He still looked at me. I could feel his eyes on me. “You knew about this?”
I didn’t answer.
“Elena did you know your father was still alive?”
“How could you not know that? You were reading my mind for I don’t know how long.”
br /> “I didn’t want to then, remember?”
“Wait,” Charles said. “You can hear Elle’s thoughts?”
“Not anymore.” Blake sounded pissed off.
“My dad made me promise not to tell anyone. He never wanted us to free Etan, Blake.”
“That is not for you to decide, Elena. This is my foretelling too. There are families this side that …” He grunted. He was frustrated, angry, I got it. “Do you even know what this is going to do to my father?”
“You can’t tell him, Blake. If he knows, he will do whatever it takes to get past the Creepers.”
“You think I don’t know that? I’ve been there, Elena. I know what he will do, it’s suicide.”
“Please, don’t tell him.”
He shook his head.
Annie just stroked his arm and I felt as if I was back at the academy when none of my friends were really mine anymore. Still, it was slightly different as a tinge of jealousy or worry about who she was to Blake rushed through me. “So, how do you know Blake?” I sounded so obvious and she raised her eyebrow as she looked at me.
“Ew.” She smiled, which made everyone laugh. “Not like that. He’s my cousin.”
I froze and looked at Blake who just shook his head. He made me feel so small at times. I hated that. But then I processed what she’d just said.
“Wait… you are Constance’s daughter?”
She gasped as I said her name. “My mom’s still alive?”
“Jumble-Bean. Believe me this side it is more a surprise of who is alive.”
I just stared at her. I was with Constance’s daughter all that time and …
Blake stroked her back softly. “We have to get you out of here, your mom can’t lose you both.” He took the words right out of my mouth.
She just stared at him when he said, out of here. She looked around. “What about them, Blake? They are my family too.”
“Shhhh, what do you think we are doing here? We are not on vacation, that I can promise you.”
Hope filled everyone, and they started to smile and shake Blake’s hand. Introductions were made and Gertrude hugged him. He hadn’t expected that. Tom and August were the only ones that kept their distance.
“Blake,” I started, as he needed to know about the people that were taken.
“Later, Elena.” He looked at me and then at Charles. He walked over to him and shook his hand. “I take it you are the Charles David spoke about.”