“SO SHE SAID,” King Caleb stated. He was always the main speaker, the one against me in a hearing. The last time, the Ancients had stripped me of my dragon, now it was my title they wanted. I was not a princess in their eyes. A princess didn’t run when she was in trouble. She didn’t leave her people – under no circumstances does she ever leave her people.
“Caleb, enough.” King Helmut spoke for the first time tonight, got up and walked toward him. “Elena went through a whole lot of things wherever she was. What you are asking is not the right way. Stripping her title from her?” He shook his head. “How are you supposed to do that? She’s Al and Katie’s daughter. The one they always wanted. How is this repaying him for all he has done for us?”
“We simply need to know the truth of why she ran,” Caleb said, as if he had not heard a single word King Helmut just said.
“She’s already told us, on numerous occasions, that she thought she had killed the Rubicon.”
“Bah! That is the biggest lie I’ve ever heard. She abandoned her people, abandoned her responsibilities. She needs to step down from everything that has to do with this world. She is not the best heir to step into Albert’s shoes. Something you have forgotten.”
King Helmut stared at him again. He was shocked. “Best heir. You’ve hardly given her a chance. Never showed her how.”
It was becoming a full-on fight and the Ancients watched it as if it was their favorite game.
I didn’t like seeing only the four of them. My Pappi wasn’t in his chair, and all sorts of things went through my mind. Where is he?
“You know this is wrong. Blake should be here.”
“Oh, he was invited, didn’t you know?”
“Bullshit!” Sir Robert yelled from his seat, and people gasped. Myself included. My heart raced as I remembered Stanley locking the door then using magic so that none of us could get out. Or was it the other way around, not allowing anyone to get in? I stared at Sir Robert.
“Hold your tongue, dragon. When I heard that the Ancients were coming, I made sure Stan sent him a letter demanding his presence. I guess he has better things to do with his time.”
I huffed and it eased my mind immediately. At least King Caleb and I had one thing in common – Blake Leaf – and what a douche he was. He always had better things to do, just like the time Lucian needed him in that cave.
“Stanley, sure, just like that time –” Sir Robert stopped mid-sentence. I knew what time he was referring to. Stan was supposed to have sent them invitations to my birthday party but never had. But that wasn’t the reason he stopped.
Sir Robert squinted, his head slightly raised to the roof, an action everyone mimicked. I squinted too, not hearing what he did, and I looked back at him. A soft smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he sat back down in his chair.
I heard it then. It was a whooshing sound.
By the looks on the Ancients’ faces, and King Caleb, they looked petrified. It made my heart jump.
The windows started to shake softly as the noise became louder and everyone stared. Cracks appeared in one, then two, then all of them.
Oh shit, this wasn’t good, not at all.
I got slammed down to the ground by a hulking figure as all the windows shattered. The sound of their crashing was so loud.
Yelps and screams filled the hall; the entire building rumbled as if an earthquake was taking place.
“What is going on?”
“Just stay down,” Emanuel said as he protected my entire body. And another explosion went off.
Emanuel grunted slightly and hugged me tighter. Then the trembles quieted down and everything stopped with a few boulders still rolling, coming to a standstill.
Silence filled the air.
My heartbeat was so fast thinking that we might be in real danger. Someone was attacking and having all Paegeia’s most trusted people in one hall was the chance whoever wanted to hurt us had waited for. I couldn’t help but think about Seymour and Billy, and that they’d found me, that the wyverns were here.
Emanuel lift his head, and I could see a gaping hole in the wall.
“Elena.” Emanuel looked at me. “Are you okay, you hurt?”
“I’m fine.”
He helped me up as people started to dust themselves off. Nobody was running; they all acted as if this sort of thing happened daily.
“Please, don’t let them take me,” I begged Emanuel and a new set of tears glistened in my eyes.
He wrapped his one arm around me. “Nobody is going to take you, okay? You’ve got my word on that,” he whispered.
From what it looked like all the dragons had protected their riders, and I was surprised to see Sir Robert releasing King Helmut.
He transformed partially, just like Blake had that night at the Warbel games, and a part of his wing protected the king.
Nobody was seriously injured, but chaos was starting to buzz out.
The Ancients got up, ready to leave.
“Where do you think you are going?” Blake’s roar filled the hallway, and I swung my head to where his voice came from. For some reason I could breathe again, and my body trembled slightly, probably from shock.
He had just exited the big hole in the wall, only wearing a pair of jeans. His sign was bigger than ever on his left arm. You could see it a mile away. He was steady, with huge, bulky muscles, built to last, and he was moving quickly to their thrones. “Sit down!” He was facing the Ancients, and all of them looked at one another then back at him as they took their chairs.
My jaw muscles pumped, as he’d almost just given me a heart attack. I felt so stupid begging Emanuel like that, so weak and small, because of him. I stared at his figure, then looked back at the hole.
Hadn’t he ever heard of doors? Okay it was protected by magic, but still he could use his telekinesis or something to break through. He was the Rubicon; he didn’t have to destroy the entire hall.
“What is the meaning of this hearing?” he asked and looked at each of the Ancients.
“The meaning of this hearing? Look at what you have done!” King Caleb was beside himself.
Blake ignored him as he went even closer to the Ancients. “I demand an answer, as you know it is against law of the dragons to have a hearing with their Dragonian without their presence.”
Their Dragonian, what?
“We sent you a letter,” one of the Ancients said calmly.
“Well then it got lost in the wind, as this hearing would have not taken place if I had gotten one.”
I was totally confused now. Who was this?
“Blake, don’t be absurd, Elena has a duty to her people. She needs to take responsibility for her actions,” Duclin spat out the words.
He started to chuckle.
“What is he doing here?” I looked at Emanuel.
“Elena, don’t.”
“No, he shouldn’t be here,” I whispered through clenched teeth. Blake glanced over his shoulder and I turned my head toward him.
He turned around and strode back to me. My heart had beaten like crazy before, but this time it was ten times worse. “Yes, I should. Don’t ever do this again. No, keep your mouth shut and let me deal with this.”
He was angry, and I swallowed hard.
He turned back around and walked back to the Ancients. “You were saying she had to stand trial for her duty to her people, take responsibility for her actions, of what, running away when she thought that she killed me? And what exactly was the punishment in all of this?” Blake carried on.
“Stripping her of her title.” Emanuel’s tone was soft but carried a slight sarcasm.
Blake squinted at Emanuel then he started to laugh. “You are shitting me, right?”
A few others laughed softly too.
“Show some respect.” King Caleb spoke again and started to approach him. “She was gone for four months. She abandoned her responsibilities.” King Caleb was inches from him.
“What responsibilities, Caleb? Please enlighten us as you gave her absolutely nothing to be responsible for.” Blake mocked him.
How did he know all this?
“Remember who you are speaking to, boy.” King Caleb spat every single word out through clench teeth.
Blake grabbed him by his shirt and pulled him toward him with one hand. Their faces were inches apart. A few people voiced their concerns and shook with audible gasps.
“No, you remember who you are talking to. This hearing is over.” He said that last part loud and clear and pushed him away
King Caleb had to struggle to keep his balance as he staggered back but didn’t fall on his ass.
I had to admit, seeing this, seeing that bastard who had been against me from the start, getting the same dose of medicine he bestowed on me felt like a kind of payback.
I just hated that it had to come from Blake. He turned around and strode back to me. “Move.”
I stared at him. He closed his eyes as one of the Ancients addressed him. His jaw muscles were pumping again. His eyes opened again and look down at me with wild peacock blue eyes. “Elena, move or I will drag your ass out of here.”
“This hearing isn’t over.” I looked him straight in the eyes.
“Emanuel,” Blake said without taking his gaze from mine, and Emanuel grabbed my arm softly. He started to lead me out the door.
“Emanuel,” I said tightly as he dragged me through the door we’d entered earlier.
“Elena, do what he says, please,” he said softly as he pushed the door – or what was left of it – and walked toward the City Hall’s entrance. Emanuel huffed when he saw Stan’s shield, shook his head, removed the shield with another incantation and I heard a click. The door was open. I could just barge out and leave, but I had to know one thing.
“Why, why now? He was never there for me before, and now I must just do as he says.” I wanted to cry, I was so angry.
Emanuel took his hand off the door handle as I pulled my arm out of his grip.
“It’s so unfair.” I closed my eyes and felt Emanuel’s arms wrapping around me. “You of all people should know this.”
“I do. Remember the reason I gave you that night. That time has come. He’s ready.”
I pushed him away. “Well, I’m not. I will never be ready.” I ran through the door as more flashing lights filled the night. I hated those flashes, and a part of me wished I could go back to Annie, but she was dead. Besides, they would surely chuck me into the pits the minute I set foot in that place. I ran toward the carriage and found Pedro waiting in front of it.
“Elena, please he needs a word with you.”
I nodded, took a deep breath, as I’d been so worried about Pappi tonight, and followed Pedro down an alley.
The reporters wanted to follow but the Ancient’s guards blocked their view as they yelled more questions about what had happened inside, why had Blake ruined the Hall, and blah-blah-blah.
I found Pappi further down another alley and he wrapped his arms around me. He wasn’t wearing his Ancients robe. “Where were you tonight, I was worried sick?”
“See that as payback.” He had a twinkle in his eyes, but the lines on his face were worried. “I’m so sorry, my sweet child, for everything that has happened to you.” He had tears in his eyes.
He knew too. Did everyone know?
“They forced me to sit this one out.”
“Why?”
“Because they were going to strip you of your title, and when I discovered that they never informed your dragon, well, Pedro made sure that he got an invitation really quick.”
“They what?”
“They never intended to send him an invitation. The Stan story was a lie, so I had to make sure that he got one, otherwise we would have had plenty more to sort out when he eventually discovered what they’d done.”
“It was you, Pappi. It’s not like that. He’s not my dragon,” I whined.
“He’s not? You did claim him, right? I remember that day when the others took him away from you, for a short while.”
“I set him free. He has no obligations to me.”
My Pappi started to laugh. “Elena. There are some things in this world that you cannot set free, and a dent is one of them.”
“No, I said the words. I know it can be done. It released him from everything.”
“Ahh, now I get why he can’t hear your thoughts anymore.”
“What?”
“He came to me a couple of months ago, nice lad.”
I huffed. “Maybe sadistic and evil, but not nice.”
“You have still so much to learn, and this one is going to be the hardest.”
He kissed me on my temple. “We need to have some tea again, real soon. I’ve missed you so much.”
“Missed you too,” I said, ignoring his statement.
“For what it’s worth,” he said as he was starting to walk away, “it was fun witnessing that entrance.”
I huffed and shook my head. “Yeah, I probably have to pay for all the damages.”
“It’s against dragon law, and you will learn the dragon law soon. You won’t be billed for it; they were wrong tonight.” He smiled sweetly as I just stared at him. “Give him a chance. He is not so bad.”
Yeah, I know he’s not. I’d fallen for that part once.
I WENT BACK to the carriage as Emanuel looked frantically for me. “Where the hell have you been?”
“Calm down, my Pappi wanted a word.”
“Your Pappi?”
“Just forget I said anything.” Not many people know about Pappi and our being related.
“Just go.” Emanuel spoke to someone and a figure with dark hair pulled off a robe and morphed. It was George. What the hell was he doing here?
Emanuel opened the door, and Becky was sitting next to Sammy inside the carriage.
I sighed.
“Oh no, missy. That sigh is not going to relieve you from any of the things that you have done tonight,” Becky started.
“Done tonight? I haven’t done anything!” I yelled back and plunged onto the seat.
“Guys, seriously. I hate this fighting.”
“Fighting is sometimes good to get thick heads like her back to reality.”
“Oh, so now I’m a thick head, for what, Becky? Not telling Blake my every move?”
She chuckled. “No that would be too much for you, right princess?”
I wanted to leap at her, I hated her so much at that moment, and Master Longwei pushed me back.
“Enough, both of you!” He raised his voice as my anger flared. Becky’s eyes reflected hurt, but turned to anger the moment she realized I wanted to strangle her.
“Now you’ve done it. Can’t you just be patient?” Sammy shouted at her.
“I’m not like you!” Becky replied.
“I said enough!” Master Longwei commanded. “You act like five-year-olds.”
He shook his head and sat next to me.
The rest of the trip was quiet.
She made me so furious with her pushing and accusations, it was so Becky and right now I hated that part of her.
Angry tears welled up in my eyes, and guilt in my stomach. I couldn’t believe I had been about to strangle her.
Still, tonight had drained me. To listen for almost an hour to what they’d had to say, to what Caleb had to say, was why I regretted making that stupid promise to my father. If he could just see what Caleb had become, he would take Areeth away from him. Not to mention what he would say about how his once-best friend treated me. Like vermin.
I sniffed hard as I stared outside the window. It was dark, the clouds rumbled slightly, and in the distance dragons soared through the sky; a part of me wanted to fly with them, but at what cost? I wasn’t going to make peace with the Rubicon soon.
I looked again and the dragons were gone. They just vanished.
I remembered what Pappi said, that Blake couldn’t hear my thoughts anymore, and I was so relieved he was finally out of my head.
What he was doing there tonight, well Emanuel had summed it up in so many words. He was finally ready to take on some responsibilities. Yeah, well, it was too late, idiot. That door had closed, and it was never going to open again.
THE CARRIAGE LANDED and I was the first one to open the door. I smacked into a figure again and I just knew who it was.
“A word, princess,” he barked.
“What do you want, Blake?” I replied and I could see he didn’t love the tone at all.
“I know you don’t want this arrangement, but from now on you will inform me of every meeting with the Council, especially the ones with the Ancients. Do I make myself clear?”
“Go fuck yourself. I don’t have time for your stupid games.” I pushed him aside, which wasn’t easy, but to my surprise he let me go.
I could hear his grunt as I walked through the main doors of the Academy and rushed through the hallway before Master Longwei wanted a word too.
I went straight to the bathroom and screamed at everything that was happening tonight.
They would really have stripped me of my title, and I should’ve probably thanked the idiot, but I was so mad at him for how he’d destroyed everything.
All he did was destroy things.
I took a shower, and was surprised that neither Sammy nor Becky was back yet. I put on my pajamas.
I found my notepad, the one I had been drawing in during Art of War on my bed.
Oh shit. They all saw that picture. What was I thinking?
The picture of Billy had been torn out and on the page were the words, written in big bold letters, I’m sorry. Nothing else, just those two words. I could only guess who the words belonged to, but I didn’t want it to be him, or I didn’t want to think that it could be him.
I put my notepad in my nightstand’s drawer and crawled into bed.
I didn’t want to close my eyes anymore, but I was so tired, dead tired.
Constance hadn’t been joking last night when she said it was going to be hard.
If my first day looked like this, I didn’t think that I wanted to get out of bed tomorrow.
And then there were the words that Blake had spoken tonight outside, to inform him of every meeting, yeah right. But the minute that left my thoughts, those two words that were scribbled on my notepad entered my mind.
It could’ve been Becky or Sammy too; it sounded more like them than him.
I grunted. I hated how all of my thoughts strayed back to that idiot.
No more. I was done.
