Moonbreeze

  “You still haven’t answered my questions.”

  “Magic, Gertrude.”

  I smiled.

  “Magic?” Charles said, skeptical.

  “It’s war time, Charles. And every war has its casualties. I don’t want it to be the people that are actually helping the princess.”

  Blake’s face fell and he rubbed it hard. Emanual looked at him and laughed, just like Charles. “Let me guess, took the words right out of your mouth?”

  “Shut up. Still a pain in the ass.”

  Emanual laughed.

  It was so weird. Blake loved to fight, that was for sure, but he did have nice words for me now and then, especially around nighttime.

  “So nine of us leave tonight?” Daisy asked.

  “You and Cassy have to come,” I said.

  “Elle, if they want to put us in quarantine…”

  “Not going to happen, Daisy.” Blake took the words out of my mouth this time.

  “Promise? I don’t want her to be more afraid than what she is used to.”

  “She won’t. Freedom is what we offer and freedom is what each and every one is going to get,” Blake said again. I looked at him. For someone that wasn’t able to read my mind anymore he sure knew just what I was thinking.

  “Okay, I trust you.”

  “I won’t disappoint. I promise.”

  She nodded.

  BLAKE TOOK EMANUAL around the farm. It didn’t matter if it was dark, the two of them had night vision and would see everything clearly. Charles and some of the other house heads were sitting in the kitchen.

  They drew up a list to choose the ten that were going to leave with us.

  It was going to be Cassy, Daisy, Olive and her girl. Two adults. Then it was Luke and his two girls. Three adults.

  Maggie and little Simon and Trevor. Four adults as Trevor was only fifteen, still too young to be trained.

  Gertrude wanted to stay with Marcus so we let her stay for now.

  And five adults from one of the other farm houses.

  They all came to the house around eleven so we could move out under the cover of darkness.

  Blake was packed, I was glad as he would be out of this dark place where they toy with dragons, but a part of me wasn’t glad. I knew he didn’t want to and it made me feel like one of those Dragonians again that tell their dragons what to do. I wasn’t like that.

  He really knew how to make me feel so useless at times, but Emanual was staying. Even though he was all warmed up for this war. I didn’t like it.

  Around twelve, families said goodbye to their loved ones. I hated this part and all of us with Charles, Marcus, Tom and August left with Emanual and Blake to head to the Creepers.

  I took Cassy out first and found David with Annie and a truck waiting nearby. They’d known we were coming.

  Annie rushed to my side as she took Cassy from me and hugged the poor, shaking little girl. Stupid Creepers.

  I took Raymond in. He carried me just like Emanual had. He didn’t want to take any chances, and he wasn’t scared either.

  Daisy came out. And Dicky went in.

  Then it was Olivia’s girl and after I took Taylor in, she didn’t carry me and actually hissed at one of the creepers that came too close as we exited.

  Emanual and Raymond just laughed. Olivia came out.

  Amanda went in, and so it went for the next two hours.

  Simeon seriously made my skin crawl. He was so quiet and didn’t say a word, and Jerry was a babbler, quickly putting me at ease.

  Luke and his two girls came with us and Maggie with her two boys after.

  Emanual’s entire team was inside now and the only people that still had to come through were the rest of the group from the farms.

  I soon realized that this was what my life was going to be for who knew how long.

  I went back in alone and took one of the other children. But the minute I came near, one of the Creepers struck like it’d never struck before. It didn’t go for me, it was more like they were blocking my path.

  An arm pulled me back and I found Blake standing really close behind me. I put the kid down.

  “What is going on with them?”

  Blake just stared at them.

  “Blake?”

  “How many went out?”

  “It’s five people they know of.”

  “How many altogether?”

  I counted on my fingers. “Ten.” I looked at him.

  He looked at the Creepers.

  “Clever bastards,” Emanual said and Blake glared at him.

  I looked at the creepers too. “They can count.”

  Blake smiled and a couple of the ops guys chuckled, including Emanual. “Yes, Elena, the Creepers are smart. You brought ten through, only ten can leave.”

  “No.” I sighed as I realized that Blake was not coming with me after all. I didn’t like this at all. He was staying for real.

  “It’s going to be fine,” I said, I sounded defeated.

  “Elena, you threatened—”

  “I know. I was there, okay?” I sounded so upset. Why had I said those words to them? “I guess I just have to think of something.”

  I sounded sarcastic as I walked into the Creepers and they opened up.

  “It’s not funny!” Blake yelled as I disappeared into the Creepers.

  I could still hear his cussing.

  “Let’s just wait, maybe she will find someone else to come through.”

  “Emanual, without a Buyo?”

  I didn’t hear what Emanual said and to be honest, I really didn’t want to walk out of the Creepers as more danger waited for me on the other side. It was why I’d run in the first place when I’d thought I’d killed Blake. Now, I had no choice but to go back as the people that I’d just taken out needed me more.

  I rested against a Creeper. I could feel the life pouring through them like an electric current.

  They were quite amazing now that I thought about it. They were smart.

  I remembered what Lucian had told me that night. That it was my father’s love that had conjured them, the love for his people, for their safety, but Lucian was wrong. He hadn’t died. Then who had conjured them, my mother? Was it my mother’s love?

  I remembered her stories, she was afraid too but she always found a way to be brave.

  This was my time to be brave now, the only problem was that I knew I was going to mess this one up, so badly.

  Scenarios of me being taken into custody, bad things they could do to punish me, streamed through my mind. They could do whatever they wanted because Blake was trapped inside Etan.

  He wouldn’t be able to reach me, none of them would.

  I panicked the minute I got to the other side. My hands were inside my hair and I struggled to think straight.

  David and Luke were at my side at once. “Where are the others?” Luke asked.

  “The creepers are smart. Ten go in, ten come out, no more.”

  “Elle,” Luke said. “What about Blake? You need him tomorrow night.”

  “I’ll be fine.” My voice broke and I took a deep breath.

  “From what I remember, the Ancients don’t take life threats lightly, Elena. You need him. Take me back.”

  “No, Luke. You are all your daughters have left. I can’t—”

  “I said—”

  “I’ll go, Elena,” David interrupted.

  “David…”

  “Please, I haven’t seen Charles for more than sixteen years. I’m begging you, take me. I won’t be a nuisance.”

  “That’s not what I’m saying. You don’t know—”

  “I’ll be with my rider. Please.”

  “What about Connie?”

  “She is safe here. They are not. You need Blake to help you, stand by your side and put the fear in the Council that needs to start looking at you as King Albert’s daughter.”

  I just looked at him, this was a stupid idea and he didn’t even have a Buyo. But the fact that Bl
ake would be at my side, David was right. I needed him whether I liked it or not.

  “Okay,” I said.

  “Just give me ten minutes to pack. I’ll be quick.”

  “LEO WAS RIGHT,” I said as Emanual took his harness off.

  “About what?” He looked at me

  “I keep messing up with her. I should’ve gone back with her.”

  “Stop being so hard on yourself, you didn’t know that they could count.”

  “Then why do I feel like this? You know what the Ancients are like Emanual. I’m trapped here, I can’t even fucking protect her. I really suck at being her dragon.”

  “You want her to find her strength, Blake. I know that now. She can do it.”

  “But at what cost, Emanual?” I ignored the last part. I didn’t want her to face them alone. “If she doesn’t come back…”

  “Shhh, they are not stupid, they know she’s the only one that can get through the Creepers alone.”

  “No, not her, her blood.”

  Emanual looked at me with shocked eyes. He knew why I was so afraid now. Why I was so upset with myself.

  “They wouldn’t do that, Blake. She is King Albert’s daughter.”

  “They hate her as much as I used to.”

  “Then we wait. Someone will take your place, I know it.”

  I sighed.

  It was quiet for a long time and my fingers kept pulling out clumps of grass.

  “She still thinks you loathe her in some way.”

  I sighed. “She said something?”

  “Sort of. Stop fighting with her all the time Blake and tell her how you feel.”

  I hated that so much. I didn’t mean to fight, she just made me so furious at times.

  I felt like this Dent was all for nothing. If it was to show us, to get to know who our riders were, I had messed up. She’d changed into a different person right in front of my eyes and I hadn’t paid any attention.

  I really had no idea who Elena was. Emanual knew her better than I did.

  “There is still time, Blake.”

  “I don’t know, Emanual. It feels like we are never going to get there.”

  “Don’t give up now. You were always there, even when you were the last one that she needed. Now she needs you, just be there.”

  I nodded. I hoped that I would get that chance. What was I thinking?

  The Creepers started to hiss again and it felt as if I could breathe.

  “See, I told you someone would take your place. Just stop fighting her, and stand with her, Blake.”

  “Emanual.” I glared at him.

  Charles and Tom had stayed with us while the others left. They got up too at the sound.

  I gasped as I saw David looking like a boy scout exiting with Elena. Elena’s gaze caught mine but she looked away fast. She didn’t even look relieved, nothing.

  I looked at Charles. He finally looked up and froze.

  David wasn’t paying any attention and I smiled as he ran as fast as he could to Emanual and me. “Outside is horrible, but inside…”

  Emanual and I laughed. “Who would’ve known?”

  “David?” Charles spoke and David finally looked.

  The two men stared at one another for a short while and then they ran towards each other, barely containing their joy.

  “I thought I lost…”

  “Shhh,” Charles said. “We thought that too.”

  David pushed him away at arms-length to look at him. “When Elena told me you were in Alkadeen…” He cried and laughed all at the same time.

  “I’d gotten the deed a day before. You and Connie had that function and I left, thinking I would phone you later to tell you I’d made it safely to Alkadeen.”

  “There was no later.”

  They smashed into one another again.

  Elena just smiled and she wiped a tear away.

  “Don’t fight.” Emanual spoke softly and hit me hard on the back.

  I growled at him and walked to Elena.

  “Why did you wait?” She looked at me.

  “Because I knew someone would take my place on the other side.”

  “Fine, let’s just go,” she said and grabbed my arm, pulling me toward the Creepers.

  She was angry, but I wasn’t. I could breathe again.

  I lifted her up and I could tell she hadn’t expected that.

  “Everyone else seems to be doing this, so,” I joked and she rolled her eyes.

  “A princess never rolls her eyes, Elena.”

  “Oh shut up, you are not Stan.”

  I closed my eyes as they started to hiss again and just walked faster. She wrapped her arms around my neck, and my stomach went crazy. Why couldn’t every day be like this?

  “You are seriously afraid of them.”

  I chuckled. “You are literally keeping them from snapping my head off, what do you think?” It got warmer and I opened my eyes again. We were inside. It was really gorgeous with vines hanging everywhere and beautiful pink and purple flowers I’d never seen before hanging from their roots.

  “Funny, Emanual didn’t even flinch.”

  “Oh, shut up.” I cupped the back of her head and pulled her face closer to mine. Our lips touched. She really hadn’t expected that either.

  Her kisses were driving me insane and images of wanting to be with her made my mind feel like it was going to explode. I couldn’t help it.

  When our lips parted she was slightly out of breath. “If you tell me he kisses better, then I’m sorry but I will have to kill him.”

  She giggled. “No, he was actually the perfect gentleman in that department. You on the other hand are extremely grabby.”

  “Now, I wouldn’t be me, if I wasn’t.”

  “True.”

  The Creepers hissed again and I tried not to flinch. Her eyes were on me, that, I could feel, and we both broke out in laughter as we exited. I ran toward the truck, and put her down. I couldn’t believe that Annie was still alive. She was going to be reunited with her mother, and the Ancients were going to regret ever thinking about the word quarantine.

  E IS GOING to be fine, I wish you could’ve seen both their faces when they saw one another. It was priceless.”

  “I’m so happy, he really missed Charles.”

  I was tired after that, drained and just wanted to sleep.

  “Thank you.” Daisy grabbed me around the shoulders.

  “You are welcome.”

  Blake drove the truck and they all gasped as we neared the lodge. It was gorgeous and breathtaking, and I felt sort of safe, now that Blake was here.

  We all went in, Shelby showed everyone to a room, the little ones must have been exhausted because they fell right asleep.

  “Thank you, so much.” Luke had sincere gratitude on his face. His girls couldn’t stop looking at everything around them.

  “Welcome to Areeth.” Connie spoke and they hid behind their father. “They must be exhausted. Come, let me show you to your room.”

  I could hear Connie telling Luke that whenever they woke up, they must come down for something to eat.

  I was tired too, so tired.

  “I’m going to go to bed too,” I said walking into Blake’s room and just crashing on his bed.

  I fell asleep faster than I thought I would, but heard him coming in. He was so quiet, and I only felt the bed shifting. I couldn’t open my eyes. I wanted to this time, but I just couldn’t. I was really drained and way too exhausted to speak.

  I felt his body lying close to me, he was so warm and then I drifted away again.

  A CAMMY RANG and Blake picked it up.

  “Yeah,” he said in a sleepy voice.

  My stomach clenched as I knew it was Tabitha.

  “Who did you find, Blake?” Isabel asked.

  Isabel.

  “I can’t tell you that Mom, just make sure that you are all there please. The Council is threatening to put them all in quarantine.”

  “How many?” Isabel asked. br />
  “Mom, please, I need some sleep.”

  “Is Elena okay?”

  “Yes, she is fine.”

  “Okay, love you. Sorry that I woke you.”

  I smiled at that part.

  “Love you too, speak to you soon.”

  I almost choked as he said those words. Blake actually told Isabel that he loved her? It scared me more as it was just more proof that none of who he was now was really him. I felt sorry for him.

  I couldn’t fall asleep and just listened to him breathing.

  I didn’t even know if he was excited to be here at all, I shouldn’t even care about that, but the idiot kept on kissing me every time we were alone. He made me so confused that I had no idea what was going to happen next.

  What was school going to be like? I’d promised Tabitha that I didn’t want the boy, ever, I only wanted the dragon. And now…I never thought that this would be possible. Me wanting another guy. After what Seymour and Billy had done, after what all of them had done to me.

  I’d never dreamt that he would change like this, either. He was Blake, for crying out loud. A dark entity that had made my life a living nightmare a good six months back. Now whenever I thought about that, it was as if it all just disappeared as the images were replaced with the new Blake. The one who had saved my life from the mermaid, the one who had saved me when I’d collapsed from the mermaid’s poison, the one who’d saved me that time we climbed that wall and the one who’d always ended up changing most of my dreams. It was hard to still hate him the way I used to do. I knew hate was a strong emotion, a wrong one too, but it was how I felt. Whenever I tried to remember the way he was, the way he was still supposed to be, that Blake kept jumping into my mind, killing the Blake who had been mean and cruel to me for so long.

  I was in real danger here, real danger of giving my heart to him again. How on earth could I trust something if I didn’t even know it was real? I understood now why Becky was fighting with me every time I said that. I wanted this to be real, I really did.

  BREAKFAST WAS QUIET around the table – or let me rephrase – I was quiet. Everyone commented on dinner, how amazing their rooms were, how good it felt to be living on the other side of the Creepers again, to feel hope, to wake up with hope. Their conversations revolved only around that.