BLAKE LEAF
I went down to lunch. The nausea was gone. She was probably still in Elm, shopping. George’s attempt to make her go bonkers yesterday had been so pathetic. If it had been me, Constance would’ve needed to administer her the serum afterward.
Sammy and Becky chattered away at their usual table in the cafeteria. Where is the spawn? There was no sign of her.
I stood in line and piled food on my plate, ignoring Chef’s jovial greeting and tuning in on my sister’s conversation.
They weren’t talking about her.
I carried my now-full tray to a table not far from them.
They didn’t go to Elm. Why not? What happened last night?
Sammy sounded happy. If anything like George’s stunt happened last night, she’d be pissed off right now. Everyone would be talking about it.
“Hey, girls!” Dean said as he walked up.
“Hi, Dean.” Sammy beamed. Flirting. Ugh. Dad is so going to love this.
“He’s not dead, huh?”
“Nope!” That grin turned up a few hundred watts. “He fetched her himself just this morning. I’m so glad. Strangely enough, he came with Lucian’s dad.”
I frowned, got up, and sauntered over, careful to be casual. “Who came with Lucian’s dad?”
“Sod off,” Sammy snapped. Still upset, then.
“Elena’s dad,” Dean offered. “Guess he’s not dead.”
My voice came out flat. “Elena’s dad came to fetch her?”
“Yep, with King Helmut. Weird, huh?” Becky said, perky as ever. “You think her father is some sort of royal dragon?”
“We don’t have royals, just alphas.” Sammy pointed at me. “The stupid ass standing right here is the lame excuse for ours.”
“Don’t you forget it.” I walked out, leaving my uneaten lunch where it sat. This cannot be happening. Matt said he’s dead. He died.
Why was he with King Helmut? Someone important to go around in the company of kings. I didn’t care who the hell he was; he needed to keep Elena’s identity secret. He wasn’t, that was why he was with King Helmut. Who was he?
I went to Master Longwei’s office. I didn’t give a shit anymore. I needed to know more about this dragon who pretended to be Elena’s father.
I knocked on his door—rather, pounded in my frustration.
“Enter.”
I let myself in. He looked up and raised an eyebrow. “I was wondering when I’d see you.” He placed a black ribbon in the book he’d been reading and shelved it behind him.
“The spawn’s dad is still alive.” It wasn’t a question.
He kept his back to me. “Why so curious, Blake?”
“I’m not. I just want to know who he is.”
“Why? Scared he’ll tell everyone who she really is?”
“Who she really is?” I played dumb.
“He’s King Louie’s dragon, Blake.” He faced me. “I’m sure you remember him. Jako Lemier. He changed his name when he moved to the other side. I don’t know how they managed to get Elena past the Wall the first time, but that’s neither here nor there. Exciting, no? The disappointment is that you didn’t come forward.”
“Forward for what?”
“C’mon, Blake, you know who Elena is.”
I laughed. “She’s nobody. Dragon spawn.”
“No, she’s not. Jako is going to the Ancients. Your secret won’t be secret much longer.”
My nostrils flared.
“Your days of being evil are numbered, boy.”
I growled and slammed my fist on his desk. It shook but didn’t break. He looked shaken too. “We’ll see.”
I ran out of his office and heard Master Longwei dialing a number. Probably warning King Helmut that he had another problem on his hands.
I knew where to go. Jako was with Helmut, probably revealing how they got Elena to the other side, who she was… everything. Lucian would be ecstatic to learn I lied to him.
I morphed as I ran through the castle doors.
“Blake,” my aunt yelled.
I was already in the sky. I’m not tamable. I’m the Rubicon, alpha of all dragons.
Kiiiiiiiiilllllllll! My dragon form hissed.
For once, we wanted the same thing.
JAKO LEMIER
Helmut’s Cam-phone rang. “Hello, Chong.” He listened and relayed the message. “Blake knows. He’s on his way. He is not a happy dragon, Helmut. Be prepared. He may harm her.”
“We’ll see about that.”
He put the phone down. “I need to get back home. Elena, it was a pleasure spending the day with you, but your dragon is livid. I guess he knows the cat is out of the bag and would do anything to wrestle it back in.”
She looked so innocent. “What?”
“It’ll be okay. We’ll get him under control. He won’t hurt you.” He gave me the expression he always wore when performing official kingly duties. “Jako, stay as long as you like. When you’re ready…”
“See you tonight.”
“Thanks for everything.” Elena gestured at the bags that surrounded us, stuffed with her purchases. “It’s good to have clothes in my size again.”
“You’re welcome.” Helmut winked. “Stay safe. I’ll call when the coast is clear. And I’ll update you on the Ancients. I’m sure I have dozens of messages already.”
I huffed. “Thanks, Helmut.”
He left.
Elena had had the best shopping experience of her life today, but she just stared at the carpet.
Our room was over the top, the best the Marionette offered.
“Dad?”
“Yes, bear?”
“Why did Master Longwei call… him?”
“Blake is a bit unstable, sweetheart,” I said. “I guess he learned I’m alive and knows I’ll tell everyone.”
“So, he’s trying to do… what?”
“Probably kill me.”
“What?”
I smiled. “It’s not uncommon. I’d be surprised if he didn’t. He’s the alpha of all dragons, Elena. Some would even call him the king of the dragons. You are his biggest threat now, and he would do anything to keep what we know a secret.”
“But then their lives…”
“They grew up with this sort of tantrum, sweetheart. We’ve been dealing with this for millennia. Sure, he’s the Rubicon, but he can be controlled. He’s not indestructible. Yet. You have nothing to worry about it.”
“How far is Tith from here?”
I answered the question behind the question. “The elevator would get him there in a matter of seconds. Distance is no problem this side.”
“What is the elevator?” she asked.
“A way of transportation. You’ll find out later. It’s a thrilling ride, bear.”
She blew out a breath.
“Just to be safe, maybe we should turn on the TV. They might feature us . The last time I saw the Rubicon, he was a baby. I’m sure his form has grown a bit.”
I found the remote and pressed the button. One wall shifted open, a white wall came forward, and the screen appeared on it.
“P-news,” I said.
The channel changed. There was nothing on yet.
Speechless, Elena gaped at the wall.
I pressed her jaw shut. “You’ll get used to it. I’m going to take a shower. Yell if anything about Blake comes on.”
She nodded as I walked to the bathroom.
Everything in this suite screamed royalty. I’d forgotten how great they—we—had it. This was supposed to be her life from infancy.
Why couldn’t a bigger power have warned her parents about Goran? Why did they have to die?
The shower felt great on my skin.
I was thankful for the chance to tell her in person. It chilled me to the bone to think what would’ve happened if I didn’t make it.
Blake wouldn’t have said a word. She wouldn’t have known who she was, she would’ve turned dark when he did, and then it would’ve been too late.
Paegeia would’ve been destroyed, Elena helping him do it.
That evil made my hair stand straight, the scales hiding underneath my skin rattling.
“Dad!” Elena yelled.
I got out, pulled a terrycloth bathrobe over my dripping-wet body, and hurried to join her. My feet disappeared in the lush carpet as I walked out and saw the images on the screen.
Blake was in his dragon form. He was no baby anymore.
The image was taken from above. He was soaring over the palace in Tith, enraged, roaring something indistinct.
Humans, among them no doubt Helmut and the royal guards, were protecting the castle with enchantments as he spewed his pink fire.
Goosebumps erupted over my arms.
His fire ran down the shield they were wielding.
A Sun-Blast flew into the frame, distracting him.
The reporter spoke coldly about the horror of the Rubicon finally gone dark.
I studied at Elena. She was still herself.
He wasn’t dark. This was just a tantrum. Damn… what did his darkness look like?
I switched off the TV. She didn’t need to see this now.
The expression of alarm melted off her face. “Why’d you do that?”
“They’ll be fine. Come here.” I opened my arms hugged her.
“Dad, I can’t claim that.”
“Yes, you can. With training from the best, he’ll be nothing to face.”
“What was that stuff?”
“His fire?”
She nodded.
“Not his, yours. You have to take it back.”
“Huh?”
“All his abilities are your abilities,” I explained. “He doesn’t want to part with them. Why do you think he’s putting on this big, scary show? I hope you understand now why I didn’t want you to train at Dragonia for now.”
She nodded.
“Good. It’s going to be okay. You’ll see.”
The suite phone rang. I picked it up.
“Jako, Helmut here.”
“Saw everything on P-News. You okay?”
“He’s sedated. They’re speculating that he’s turned dark.”
“He hasn’t. She would turn too. She is still herself.”
“Figured. He demand to see her. You might be right. She is not safe at Dragonia.” Helmut sounded unsteady. “Look, they’ve taken him away, he’ll be sedated until the next claim attempt. I’m sorry… Lucian is adamant.”
“Tell them the truth. He can’t.”
“They’re already asking questions about who Blake was after. I have no choice.”
“Go. Explain to your family. We’ll be there soon.”
“Give it a few hours. Let’s make sure he is safely contained. We don’t want anything to happen now with her or you.”
“Got it.”
We said goodbye and I put the phone down.
“Are they okay?” she asked.
“Yes. They sedated him. They think he’s turning dark, but we’re sure that’s not it. Yet. Only a matter of time before the Ancients summon me to explain everything. Everything’s going to be okay, bear. I promise. I’m not going anywhere.” I won’t die on you again.
“I believe you.” She hurtled into my arms. “Dad?”
“Yeah?”
“He wouldn’t have said anything if you actually died, would he?”
“No, I don’t think so.”
“I wouldn’t have known the truth.”
I held her at arm’s length and tucked a stray blonde lock behind her ear. “The truth always comes out, Elena. You might not have found out immediately, but you would have eventually.”
She hugged me again. “I’m glad you’re alive. The sooner we deal with this, the better.”
I smiled. “That’s my girl.”
