It was still dark when I opened my eyes. But I wasn’t on the road anymore. I was on a bed, chained up.
What the…?
Weakly, I lifted my head. I was the only one in this room. Outside the window on the far wall, three humans in FBI uniforms stood in a cluster.
Where is Elena?
I struggled against my cuffs without success.
A nurse with short, dark hair came to my side. She fiddled with an IV that was pumping fluids into my left arm.
“You’re awake.”
“Where am I?”
She didn’t answer. She regarded me with disdain, as if I was some criminal. Without responding, she finished whatever she was doing and walked out.
She spoke fast to the agents, pointing at me through the window. As one, they peered through the glass to see I was awake.
One of the agents walked in. He had gray hair and dark eyes. Maybe a Night Villain.
“You Matt?” I knew he wasn’t, but I needed Matt.
“No. Special Agent Fitzgerald. Matt is busy with another matter.”
“Where am I? Where is my daughter?”
“Your daughter.”
“Yes. Why am I in handcuffs? I need to speak to Matt.”
His face remained stony. “I see. I’ll get Matt here soon. Sorry, the cuffs stay on.” He walked out.
Where am I? Was I still in America—or in Paegeia?
It didn’t feel like home. Where was Elena? Was she okay? Had Matt reached her in time?
Anxiety wracked me. This, this was what parents went through when their children were in danger.
I would always worry about her. And I hoped she was safe so I could apologize to her for everything.
“I need to speak to Matt!” I tugged on the restraints.
The nurse returned. “Calm down.”
“I’m not one of them. I want to see my daughter. Where is she?”
“I know nothing about a daughter. They brought you in here and gave orders not to administer anything more than saline until they figure out who you are.”
“I’m Herbert Watkins,” I said, getting belligerent. “That’s who I am.”
“So you say. You have no ID, sir. I’m just doing my job.”
“I need to find my daughter.”
The FBI agent came back in. “She is safe with Matt.”
Relief washed over me. I lay back against the pillow and closed my eyes. “Thank you.”
Elena was safe with Matt. He would take her to Paegeia—and when her dark mark was discovered, he he’d make sure she went straight to Dragonia Academy.
Blake was there. He would keep her safe.
“I can’t get hold of Matt at the moment, but the minute I do, I’ll tell him you are awake.”
I didn’t answer. I was too tired to even try. I let my mind slip into a peaceful dream.
I woke refreshed. Sunshine streamed into the room. Cold metal handcuffs still pinioned me to the bed.
Fitzgerald sat next to my bedside, speaking on the phone—I hoped it was Matt. Before he noticed I was awake, he put the phone down.
“How do you feel?”
“Like I almost died protecting my daughter. Was that Matt?”
He nodded. “He’ll be here as soon as he can.”
“Thank you. How long have I been here?”
“You slept for about two days when they brought you in, another two since you woke up. So it’s been about five days since the incident.”
“Five days.” I shook the cuffs again.
“Sir, you aren’t going anywhere.”
“You don’t understand. I need to be somewhere important.”
“It will just have to wait. For now.” He got up and walked away.
“I have rights, you know!” I yelled at his retreating figure, rattling the cuffs. What were they made of? But he ignored my pleading. I was only wasting my time.
Dammit, Matt.
I felt useless. Was Elena safe, truly safe, in her birthplace? Had she asked for me? What did they tell her?
Hours ticked by as I tried not to think too much about my current situation.
I would never forgive myself if anything happened to her. What if they gave her the serum? They wouldn’t. Her mark of the riders was dark. She looked like Albert. They had to figure out who she was.
Around five, a man with golden hair and a crooked nose followed Fitzgerald in and stationed himself at the foot of my bed.
Fitzgerald said to the newcomer, “He claims he’s Herbert Watkins, the girl’s father.”
The new guy, who I assumed was Matt, nodded curtly. “Give me the keys. I need to speak with him alone.”
Fitzgerald obliged. Matt watched him leave, thumbing the small silver key. When we were alone, he came over to the railing and uncuffed me without a word.
“Why aren’t you registered with the council?”
“I told you. I hold Paegeia’s future in my hands.”
“You never said that.” His expression was unamused. “You said it was important cargo. It’s her, the girl, isn’t it?”
“Her name is Elena, yes,” I admitted. “We couldn’t register because of our identities…”
“I know who you are, Jako. You are a royal dragon. Why didn’t you tell us? We would’ve protected—”
I laughed. “You don’t know what you’re saying. Twelve other dragons tried. They all died.”
“Fox?” he asked.
I nodded. “He killed them all.”
“He’s dead.”
“Yeah, I think so.”
“What, you don’t remember?” he prompted.
“My memory is a bit vague. Is she safe?”
“Yes. Is she…?”
He’d figured it out. I nodded.
“How?”
“It’s a long story. One I’m willing to tell before the Ancients.” I shifted in my bed. “I need to get back to Paegeia.”
He sighed. “They think you’re a member of the betrayal.”
I frowned. “What, Tanya didn’t—”
“We can’t find her. They know she’s on the other side, but she’s in hiding and wiped from history. It’s against Paegeian law to tell anyone that the queen had a dragon.”
“She was her Dent, for crying out loud.” I was aghast. “Tanya would never betray her. She protected her child.”
“How did she get past the Wall, Jako?”
“The Ancients,” I insisted. “Either get me to the other side, or bring them here.”
“You really are stubborn.”
“Where is she?”
“Safe,” he said.
“Matt.”
“Dragonia Academy. One leg of her jeans was torn when I picked her up, and I saw her mark. So I took her to Dragonia Academy.”
“Thank you.”
“How did you survive?”
I huffed. “Like you said, I’m a royal dragon.” He would never believe the truth.
Silence fell. His face hardened as he stared into the middle distance. “That son of a bitch.”
“Excuse me?”
“Nothing. I just realized a little cunt lied to me.” He huffed, and his lips tugged into a smile. “For what it’s worth, I’m glad you’re alive.”
The next few hours flew by. I changed into a new pair of clothes while Matt made arrangements for me to enter Paegeia.
Herbert Watkins was dead, and Jako Lemier, the royal dragon, was coming home.
They really thought we were part of the king’s assassination. I had loved Albert with everything I was. Even though I always hated the way Louie treated him. Like Louie wasn’t his real dad.
Nevertheless, Matt treated me with the respect deserved by someone of my status. Normal dragons looked up to royal dragons. Because our voices were as strong as our riders’. The council would hear me out, even though my rider had died a long time ago.
The clearance was finally authorized. I had to fly with Matt in my human form, as my dragon form was still weak. I guess that happens when you let the Rubicon take you for a ride.
Still, it was amazing to ride a dragon. To feel the fresh wind in my hair. It was different up here.
I would see Elena again.
“What did they tell her about me?” I asked in Latin as we glided.
“That you passed away.”
“You didn’t tell her yet.”
“No. There is no time, Jako. You will see her soon.”
The conversation died out. I closed my eyes as I lay on his back, reveling in feeling like myself again.
A vibration passed through me. The sensation of home settled into my scales, my bones, my blood.
It left me with tears thick in my eyes as I opened them. One escaped over my cheek.
“Welcome home.”
“You have no idea,” I said as I drank in the sight of my world from above. It had changed in the past sixteen years, but not that much.
How I had longed for this day.
Matt didn’t go to Dragonia Academy but flew in the direction of Tith.
“Where are we going?”
“To King Helmut. He wants a word.”
“Matt, I need to see my daughter.”
“She is asleep, Jako. You can tell her everything tomorrow.”
I sighed. “Fine.”
I was home, and so was she. We would finally be safe. But the most arduous work was around the corner.
