“I don’t understand,” Charles said. “You are her dragon.”
“She never knew that I was, and let’s just say the dark in me then, didn’t believe the Rubicon needed a dragon so I let her believe that he was her dragon and my best friend died because of it.”
“I’m so sorry, Blake.”
“Please don’t. I meant it when I said that half of this, I really don’t deserve. Especially that girl upstairs.”
“Nonsense. We might not have known your dark side, but you clearly are not dark anymore. She knows that.”
“I hope so. She is a very stubborn girl when she wants to be.”
They all laughed.
Elena came down, her hair was still wet and she smiled.
Gertrude just smiled at her as Annie took the chair opposite me.
Elena took the one next to her.
“Guess it’s my time to go and bathe now.” I clapped my hands together and got up.
“Yeah, please do,” Elena said. “You smell horrible.”
I laughed as I exited and rushed up the stairs. At least she was talking to me again, like she used to on the mountains when Cara was still with her.
That was a beginning. A sign of hope.
HAT NIGHT I couldn’t fall asleep again. Charles’s alarm was set for one o’clock. Annie had only packed a backpack but we could go shopping on the other side. I was worried and dead tired all at the same time, but I just couldn’t fall asleep. I hugged my pillow as Blake’s snoring filled the room gently. Though it was hardly a snore, it was more like a soft vibration in his throat.
I kept staring at the moon and wondered just what the future held. To go back without him.
To not know if he was going to be safe.
That familiar feeling of not seeing him again filled my gut. I hated that feeling.
I tried to think about that for a long time. If he could do it, why couldn’t I? Was it an ability thing, or a dragon thing?
I finally fell asleep and it felt like ten minutes had passed before the buzzer went off again.
Blake got up first and I just lay there.
He tapped me softly. “Wake up, Elena.”
“I hardly slept,” I complained.
“You couldn’t sleep?” I heard the smile in his tone.
“Something I really struggle with this side.” I turned on my back and wiped my eyes. I opened them. “Something you don’t seem to have a problem with.”
He chuckled. “Did I snore?”
“I wouldn’t call it a snore,” I said and moved off the bed.
He stepped into his jeans, pulled them over his boxers and pulled on a sweater with a hoody over his shirt.
He took the rest of his clothes out but I couldn’t look as I was worried sick about leaving him this side. It wasn’t the right thing to do.
He left when he was done putting his clothes into one of the drawers and walked to the door. “Get dressed, Elena.”
I FOUND CHARLES, Marcus, Gertrude and Luke with Tom and Blake sitting in the kitchen as I entered with my backpack over my shoulder.
“Ready to go?” Charles smiled.
“No, not really, but I guess I have no choice.” Blake didn’t look at me as I said that. “Where is Annie?”
“She’s just saying goodbye to Daisy.” Gertrude’s tone was soft.
We waited for Annie for about five minutes and then we heard their final goodbye being spoken right in front of Daisy’s room.
“Don’t forget about us, please.”
“Never. You are like a sister to me. You and Cassy. I love you so much. I feel like a dog leaving you here.”
“Shhh, you know we have no choice. Just bring those people with those things that can change into us so we can get out of this hell hole.”
My eyes caught on Blake who was staring at the ceiling, he was listening too.
Annie rushed down the steps and all the men got up. We followed them out the door and the way we’d come through the cornfields back to the Creepers.
This walk felt so fast now.
“You can do this, Elena.”
“It’s not why I’m scared Blake.”
“Why then?” He squinted.
“You know why. This wasn’t part of the plan. You make me so furious. You should never have come.”
“Elena, I can take care of myself.”
“Yeah, whatever,” I grunted and walked faster to walk next to Annie.
“You and Plucky fighting again?”
“Yeah, well Plucky is as stubborn as an ox. He wasn’t even supposed to come with and now…” I didn’t want to talk about it. It was his choice. I shouldn’t even care.
“He’s the Rubicon, Elena.”
“Why do you think I’m worried, Annie? If Goran finds him...”
“Still here, Elena,” Blake said from the back.
“Then tune out.”
We reached the Creepers and they hardly moved, it was as if they were asleep.
Everyone kept their distance from them. Including me.
“You ready Jumble-Bean? Ready to see your mom?”
“No.” Annie smiled. “Not really but I can’t wait to live a normal life again.”
He hugged her again. “Just come back with us, please.”
“No, Annie. Elle needs to learn that I have other responsibilities too.”
“Dumb idiot, it’s not like that. You of all people should know that.” I sounded angry.
“Stop enjoying that.” I heard Annie punch him.
“Ow,” Blake said. “And I’m not enjoying that.”
“It doesn’t look like that.”
“Just take care, Annie.”
“See you soon.”
“Of course.”
She said goodbye to August and Tom next. Then Charles.
“Keep a spot for us that side, Annie.”
“You bet I will.” She hugged him tighter.
Luke was last and then Annie walked over to me. “You are not going to say goodbye?”
“No, all the people I say goodbye to end up dead, so no goodbyes.”
“Then a see you later, Elena. You never know what…”
“See.” I looked at Blake. “This is why…” Tears started to well up in my eyes and I stopped and looked away. “Just forget it. Let’s go, Annie.” I grabbed her arm and started to walk toward the creepers. She was hesitant.
“Elena,” Blake called me and I could see the idiot walking over to us. We were not in reach yet.
Annie stopped, she refused to walk a step further and just nodded towards him.
“Fine, what?”
“You know it’s not like that. I’ll be fine, and you will see me again.”
“Will I? What if they come tomorrow Blake, unannounced? What if there isn’t a week? What then? I can’t free these people alone, I can’t kill the Saadedine alone. You are being an idiot and that is why I’m upset. I have so many things to carry, and you know what, I keep feeling that I will have to always carry them alone.”
“Elena…” He got what I was saying.
“Don’t. I just thought that maybe, just maybe things might finally be really different this time.” I looked away and grabbed Annie’s arm again. “Let’s go. Just try to stay out of trouble please.”
He didn’t say anything back and I pushed Annie in front of me as the Creepers started to move.
Her body started to tremble slightly.
“Keep your eyes closed, you’ll be fine.”
She must have done it, but her breathing was still loud and she was still scared.
I closed my eyes too as another Creeper ventured too close. I could hear the men gasp.
“They’ll be fine.” Blake spoke softly. He sounded disappointed. I didn’t care anymore. I was just so tired of showing up alone without my dragon. They were never going to see us as an alliance and they would never follow us into this thing if they believed that we couldn’t even get together on our own terms. Be a team.
The loud
hissing started to fade and a small buzzing noise filled our ears. It was slightly warmer and I opened my eyes.
“Open your eyes, Annie.”
A gasp left her mouth. “Who would’ve known that inside something so deadly was this?”
“Tell me about it.”
“So I take it Plucky wasn’t over exaggerating when he said you two didn’t always get along.”
“Nope, we only recently made peace, that was how bad it was.”
“Elle, I don’t know what his dark side was like, but that, that is the dragon I remember.”
“It slightly differs from the one I knew, it’s hard to trust it.”
“What do you mean hard?”
“He despised me Annie, even after I discovered I was his rider. I could’ve sworn there were times he actually wanted to kill me. Kept begging me to set him free.”
“What?” There was pure horror in her tone.
“It doesn’t matter.” I sighed as I realized she was his cousin. She only remembered great things about him and that he’d healed her freaking eye. What kind of person did that?
“Was he really as dark as Quitto?”
“I didn’t know how dark Quitto really was. So I can’t tell you. But he was quite deep, almost took me with him.”
“You almost became dark?”
“Yes, it’s seriously freaky shit how we are connected to one another. There are even times when I miss his voice in my head, can you believe that? But,” I sighed. “It’s not like that between us, he has a girlfriend back at the academy.”
“What?” she asked.
I just giggled.
“It’s fine, he doesn’t want me like that. It’s like a brother and sisterhood bond we share.”
“I don’t believe that.”
“Are you blind, we keep on fighting over stupid stuff?”
“My mom and dad used to fight over stupid stuff too, Elena, it’s normal.”
“You’ll see what I mean. It’s not like that and I don’t think it will ever be.”
“Then he sure is an idiot. You are the best and bravest girl I’ve ever known.”
I giggled as the Creeper’s noises started to grow louder again and light started to seep through.
“It is really daylight on the other side, isn’t it?”
“Yeah,” I said.
“It’s a good thing,” she stated.
“I hope so,” I said. “Now close your eyes.”
She did and I walked into the opening and picked up my pace again as they hissed behind me.
There was yellow masking tape everywhere and small tents were set up. One was really big and it reminded me of a royal tent, the other two were not so large.
“Where is the lodge?” Annie asked.
“It’s about a few miles from here, on that road,” I said without taking my eyes off the tents
“What is it?” Annie saw them too.
“They weren’t here, when we entered.”
E DECIDED TO go back to the lodge via the road we’d traveled a couple of days ago.
My heart beat like crazy as I kept my gaze on the tents. It was still early in the morning, the sun had just started to rise and I had no idea who those tents belonged to, but the feeling inside made my stomach turn.
Annie didn’t say a peep, but I could feel her presence next to me.
She had tears in her eyes as I turned to speak.
“Are you okay?” I asked and touched her arm gently.
“It’s a bit overwhelming, knowing that almost all my life I’d thought there was nothing this side. That there was no hope and…” She stared to cry.
I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her into my chest. “It’s going to be okay.”
“Is it?” She pushed me back. “I don’t know much about this side, Elle. I can’t even remember if I’ve ever left Etan before. I’m worried about my other family and feel so guilty for leaving them, but at the same time I’m scared. I know what fear looks like, Elle, I grew up with it. When you saw those tents…”
“Shhhh, I’m just concerned. Why did you think I wanted Blake to come with me? The Ancients and the Council aren’t really fans of mine, nor do they believe that I can follow in my father’s footsteps, so …”
“What are they going to do with me, Elle?”
“Nothing, I swear to you Annie. You’ve suffered enough. They will not harm you, okay.” I pulled her in for another hug and we walked further up the road. After a couple of miles the tavern came into view.
“Wow, it is so beautiful.”
“I know. It belongs to David, Charles’ dragon.”
She smiled. “I can’t believe he is still alive.”
I giggled. “Your cousin was right that it’s more of a surprise of who is alive in Etan than on this side.” I grabbed her hand. “Now, come. I need to find out who is here.”
“THEY WHAT?”
“Elena, calm down.” King Helmut’s holograph looked worried just like me but at least he kept his temper together and wasn’t losing it like me. “Can I speak to Blake, please?”
I ignored his last request completely and chucked my Cammy down on my bed. King Helmut’s holograph disappeared. I didn’t even give him a chance to explain further. I was through with asking, asking them to give me a chance, asking them to let me be a princess, asking them to try and approve of my choices. I didn’t have to try and fill his shoes. I was his daughter. We were not going into any sort of quarantine.
“Stupid Blake!” I said but I wasn’t going to run back. I was the princess of this world and if they didn’t want to accept it, well, I would not give them the choice.
I’d never been this livid before. How dare the Ancients send security to come and pick everyone up like they carried some sort of a disease and ….Urgh! They made me so furious.
I went outside while David and Connie kept Annie company.
“Elle.” Annie got up.
“Stay here, I’ll be back in a couple of minutes.”
She nodded.
“Is everything okay?” Connie asked.
“Oh, I can promise you, it will be.”
I walked with huge strides out the front door.
“David, may I please borrow one of the SUVs?” I interrupted the awkward conversation that I’d tried to block out.
“Sure, just let me get you the keys.”
THE DRIVE DIDN’T take that long and there were three men sitting around a fire brewing coffee. Everything about this was wrong. If the Ancients had any good intentions they would’ve come and stayed at the lodge, but they hadn’t. These men knew under what circumstance they had come here and I wasn’t going to let my friends go through this.
“We told you before, we don’t need—” One of them started to speak and stopped the minute he saw that it was me. “Princess, what can we do for you?”
“You really want me to answer that?” I asked and he looked awkwardly to the other two. “Pack up your tents and go back to where you came from. Tell the Ancients that this matter is not one of their pet projects they are going to be able to handle the way they see fit. I will speak to them when I am ready and have some time.”
I walked back to the SUV.
“We do not take orders from you, Princess.”
“I don’t give a shit from whom you take orders. If you don’t do as I say, I swear to you I will unleash my dragon on each and every single one of you and them. Then we’ll see if the dead can give orders.”
They eyes grew huge. “Is that a threat?” one of them got up and grunted.
“See it how you want, but I’m giving you two hours to pack up your tents and move out.”
I climbed back into the SUV. My heart was beating like mad. It was fear or anger or maybe both. I reversed the truck, and had a feeling I’d only experienced a few times warm my belly. It was addictive but it couldn’t be forced. For that second I truly felt like my father and mother’s daughter. That I’d stood up for others, put others before my own needs, and
that I would fight with every ounce I had to keep them safe from whatever harm was coming their way. I truly felt like a princess for the first time.
What they wanted to do was wrong, and every fiber of my being was telling me to fight with everything I had for them not to win this time. I meant it. These people had gone through enough. To put them into quarantine, treating them as if they carried some sort of plague…I shook my head as I drove toward the tavern again.
The only thing I regretted was referencing Blake, but the minute I did, fear jumped through their entire beings. It was evident on their faces. It did the opposite to me. I felt weak, hiding behind him, and it was something I really didn’t like.
“ELENA,” MASTER LONGWEI scolded, “You need to be careful what you say to the guards of the Ancients. They do not answer to any royal, they protect—”
“I don’t care who they protect. And if you want to see me become my father, I need you to fight with me.”
“Elena, the Ancients have a point.”
“Master Longwei, you begged me to make peace with Blake so we could get your family out. What if those people that they are desperately trying to put into quarantine are exactly that, your family? Would you really do that to them? Put them through misery and hell for another four months, not see them?”
He had guilt in his eyes. “I have to think of what is best for Paegeia.”
“No, I have to think about what is best for Paegeia. All of Paegeia. So if the Ancients want to succeed, they will have to kill me first.”
“Elena!” Master Longwei roared.
“What, what do you want from me?” I asked him. “When I don’t act like the princess you tell me to buff up, and the minute I do, it’s not right. Blake was right.”
He froze as I said that.
“None of you will ever give me this chance.”
He didn’t say anything.
“Well you know what, maybe it’s time I stop asking for chances and just take what was rightfully bestowed on me the day I was born.”
I switched off my Cammy. I’d never been this angry in my entire life. They didn’t even know what they wanted from me, but they expected me to know. I couldn’t even remember why I was so scared of all of them in the first place.