I drifted away after I fought with Catherine. Losing hope was the worst thing that could happen to a man.
Months had passed since Elena’s claiming. She had told no one. Why?
Catherine fought, saying she was only sixteen and scared. I shouldn’t have put that responsibility on her shoulders.
I wished it was Catherine that saw her and not me.
She replied with a snide comment about how that privilege only belonged to the men and that she had died here and was tied to this place.
I told her so many times to rest, but the woman was stubborn, even in death.
I woke up with horrible squawking bird calls. Sometimes it felt as if Goran put a spell on them to steal our sleep.
Travis crawled to the beams. His cell was in front of mine.
“Is it just me, or is that…”
I listened to the bird calls. It wasn’t just random squawking. It was a message. I crawled closer to the gate and listened when they squawked again.
Warmth heated my core as a chuckle rustled through my throat. I grasped the beams. Elena told them, meaning that they found a way past the creepers.
The squawking came again, and it was my name wanting to know if I were alive.
Laughter bubbled out of Travis and me, waking the other men up. Tears filled my eyes. My girl did it. She told them. Robert. My dragon’s face filled my thoughts.
I sucked at the squawking, even if Bob said I was brilliant. I squawked back as best I could, wondering who it was. Bob had struggled with the sounds, so I knew it wasn’t him.
Silence lingered as I prayed it wasn’t a stupid bird and we just wanted to hear what we wanted to hear.
“What is happening—”
“Shush,” Travis said.
The squawk came again. Relief and my name.
Travis laughed as the hope traveled through my body
“Is that—”
Travis shushed Etienne again when I squawked my reply, asking about Bob. Please be alive.
They replied. My dragon was alive and determined to free his king and rider. They are doing it next week.
Travis gasped, and the rest wanted to know what they said.
I squawked back, telling them it was too soon.
The reply came. Nothing was too soon, not for me and my noble men. He had to go, and we said goodbye.
Happy tears fell down my cheeks as I slid down the wall to the ground and sniffed.
“Albert?” Travis asked.
“You heard right, Trav. It’s happening next week.”
“What is happening next week?” Etienne and Matthew wanted to know.
“We are going home, getting out of this hell whole. Albert didn’t lie when he said help was coming. How, Al, how?”
“Not yet. I’ll tell you later.”
Travis nodded and relaid what had just happened to the others.
“I’m going home, love. I’m going to see her real soon.” My tone was hushed so that the others wouldn’t hear.
“You better fight to get him out of your head and give her the father I always knew you would be. Love her for the both of us, please. Don’t forget about me. Tell her who I am and tell Tanya—”
“Don’t. Forgive her. She is your Dent.”
“She left her.”
“Jaco didn’t. Forgive her, Kate.”
I wished I could touch her. She had been here with me since day one. She was so real that I thought she was still alive, but I knew she wasn’t. If she was, Goran wouldn’t have kept her here.
ELENA
The next week, Blake spent every minute he could with me. We grew closer to each other, and he kept kissing my neck as I told him about how Becky took the news.
“I don’t care. They have to sort it out the way we sorted it out.”
“Grouchy much?”
“Yes, you are not here with me.”
“I’m afraid to be here with you, you make me forget about everything when I’m here with you.”
Laughter slipped from his lips, laying half on top of me on the couch and kissed me again.
I broke away. “Answer my question. Would she be able to choose another dragon if she wants?”
“She could, but it’s not wise.”
“Why not?”
“Because he is the best match for her.”
“She hates the guy with a passion. I don’t blame her. He treats her like crap.”
“Because he is a chromatic dragon. They all hate the rider-dragon thing. I did too at a stage. I was bad ass at it.”
“It’s so sad that such an insignificant little girl brought you to your knees.”
He breathed a laugh through his nose. “It is. I mean, the Dragonians I came up against were so brave and mean.”
It sounded so flirty, leaving his lips.
“I believe in love, not war.”
“Ditto,” he said, and brought his lips closer to mine again. I wanted to lose myself with him like this and I wanted to forget about what awaited the next few days, but it would not change our reality. The fact was that the mission was right in front of us and I was going to die.
We left early the next morning. Me via the elevator, and Blake via flight.
I got picked up by Emanual when I exited the elevator. The drive was a long one, but I got to know Emanual better.
Today we had to take the first group in and bring back the other groups for intel.
We had to wait for Blake but Emanual didn’t have time and took Blake’s place. I wondered why the Viden said both of us. Maybe it was just to show that it was his rider and not him because she struggled to see my future.
We took about thirty new troops in and brought the first two groups back. Emanual and I walked out with one soldier from the second group and found Blake, with arms folded, waiting on the other side.
His jaw muscles pumped as he glared at Emanual.
“We are on a tight schedule,” Emanual said as he touched his shoulder.
“Let’s go,” Blake said and took over from Emanual. We took another group in so that the third group could come back.
The last guy was the redhead that Sir Robert begged to see if he could get closer to my dad.
“And?” I asked.
“Let’s go, Lass.” He spoke and took Blake’s arm as I got pulled in front of them. The guy showed no fear.
“James, did you see him?” Blake asked.
“Aye, the king is alive.”
I cupped my lips as I stared with wide eyes at him as Blake stared at James, who roared out his laughter as he slapped Blake on the back. We reached the core as the warmth of knowing my real dad was still alive crawled into my gut.
We reached the other side and when we walked out, Caleb, Sir Robert, and Helmut waited for James’ verdict.
He nodded and smiled. “The bugger is still alive.”
King Caleb went down on his haunches, Helmut pumped the air and Sir Robert stared at the creepers.
“Dad, it’s one more week,” Blake said.
“Anything can happen in a week.”
“Not likely,” James said. “This situation is a bit messed up, but Goran wouldn’t do it. I picked up word of a plan. The wyverns on that side make my scales rattle.”
“Did you see him?” Sir Robert asked.
“Naw, we communicated through bird whistles. I couldn’t use the dove call as I had seen none of them, so I used the screechers that annoy the crap out of me.”
“Time?” Sir Robert asked.
“Three in the morning.”
“You’re sure it’s him?”
“No one can make bird sounds like Albert. It’s him.”
Sir Robert laughed as tears lingered in his eyes.
“He knows we are coming. Here is my report. Read in his words what he said.”
“Through bird whistles?” I asked.
“Aye, lass, very complicated language, but yes. A couple of us knew it.”
“Does my brother know?” Helmut asked.
“I didn’t see him. He stays in Boliva and only comes once a month to have a word with Albert. I don’t know what they talk about as he gets taken away from the others.”
“Are the men waiting for us?” Caleb asked.
“They’ll be ready. I just wish I could see the condition they are in, as the others that made sure I got close access kept telling me they look mighty skinny.”
“We’ll fatten them up fast. We have to get them out of there,” Caleb said.
“One more week,” Helmut said. “If Bob can wait, so can you.”
He nodded.
My father was still alive. They had that evening more meetings that I wasn’t part of, but Blake sat in.
I visited Charles and Annie. She was more acquainted with her mother and aunt and there were signs that the construction to build tiny houses started. We walked past foundations. It looked like a tiny village. I guessed magic had a limit, but then David always had this thing for hard labor. He told me once that it kept a man humble, knowing that he did something with his own hands.
I helped to set up dinner. Connie served three seatings since the fleet members came and the royals made sure that she got every penny in order to do this. Queen Maggie called it her project. She loved to help people wherever she could.
The women helped where they could and the transition was coming along great.
“It was great to see Adolph again.”
“He visited,” I asked Charles.
Charles nodded. “He has always been one ancient that reached out to the people. One of my favorites.”
I smiled. “Thank heavens it wasn’t Duclin.”
“The old bugger is still alive?”
I nodded.
“Yeah, he is as smart as they come, but not very bright with making the hard decisions. He always thinks that people have an agenda.”
The news of my father being alive hit the tabloids fast, and they had interviews with James to find out more. Everywhere, people rejoiced and got ready for when he was going to come back home.
I was going to see him in a week’s time and the reunion was gnawing on my stomach. I didn’t know what to expect.
The second seating finished, and Connie prepared for the thirty we brought out today. They were still in the meeting. I was dying to know what they spoke about.
“You are mighty quiet today, Elena. What is on your mind?”
“That clear?”
Connie nodded.
“My dad, what he went through? What he feels knowing it’s a week away, and everything can happen in a week’s time.”
“I know. Just keep in mind, if he had held on this long, knowing that help is coming, a week is nothing.”
“What if Goran kills him? Had enough of him.”
“He wouldn’t give Goran reasons to kill him. From what I gathered, Goran knows by killing the king, he would lose control over Etan. He is dark, not stupid. There is a vast difference.”
My lips quirked.
She rubbed my back. “You will see him, and get to meet who he is to all of us, Elena. Your father is a fighter. He will fight through this one.”
I helped to take the food to the tables. The doors to the library opened, and everyone in the meeting streamed out.
They chatted, were in high spirits as they walked into the dining area.
My gaze found Blake. He looked drained, or maybe he just didn’t like something that was said.
I sat down next to him and ate supper.
“Tomorrow doctors are coming to draw some of your blood. They are going to start with tests to create a serum that is going to bring down the creepers. I’ll be there. I won’t leave you.”
“If there is blood going to be drawn, I’ll do it.” Constance winked as she took the seat across from us, sitting next to Anouk.
The tightness around my shoulders disappeared, knowing that Constance would also be involved. The heaviness on his shoulders didn’t leave him.
“What are you not telling me?”
He looked at me, and the corner of his lips quirked. “What gives you that idea?”
“I can see something is worrying you.”
“My dad wants me to go with him.”
“So we are going with your father?”
“No. You need to stay.”
My foretelling jumped into my head and I gaped at him. “I’m not leaving you.”
“You are not ready to fight a war like this.”
“I trained to claim you, right?”
“It’s not the same.”
“I didn’t say yield!” The entire dining area fell into silence as I jumped up and rushed out of the lodge. How could he even think that? Then again, he did not know about the foretelling that I’d kept from him.
I took a huge breath, trying to calm everything that stirred inside of me. The evenings here were beautiful. The sky sparkled with stars as there weren’t any clouds in the sky.
I couldn’t lose him now. Tears laid thick in my eyes, imagining being away from him like that. I put my hands on top of my head and took deep breaths, trying to pull the tears back.
Footsteps rustled behind me, but I didn’t turn around to see who it was. His scent caressed my nostrils as he wrapped an arm around me. “It’s not about me submitting. It’s about keeping you safe so that your father can meet you,” Blake said.
“You want me to sit this one out?” My voice faltered.
“Yes, please.”
I turned around. “I can’t.”
His jaw muscles pumped as his one eye twitched. “Why not?”
Tears filled my eyes as the foretelling kept playing a loop in my head. “I can’t, please.”
“I need a better reason, as I can’t sit this one out. They need my pink kiss.”
“To kill?”
“It’s war. You heard what they said about Goran. He got stronger. My pink kiss might be the only thing that can kill him.”
A tear rolled down my cheek.
He wiped it away with his thumb. “What is it you are not telling me, Elena?”
I had no choice. Air expelled from my body as I closed my eyes. I opened it and stared at the ground.
“Elena?”
“I got a foretelling, okay?”
He nodded. “What did it say?”
“It was gibberish but the key message was that something is going to happen inside those creepers, and I have to make a choice, otherwise the entire Paegeia would suffer. I can’t make that choice if we are not together.”
Blake’s face softened and he pulled me into his chest. “It’s not this mission, okay?”
“How do you know?”
“Because you are not ready. She wouldn’t give you something if you were not ready. Nobody would be ready for that. It can be years from now. It’s not this one.”
“She said the greatest mission.”
“And you think it’s saving your dad? It’s not. It’s something else.”
“How do you know?”
“Because Lucian and Tabitha aren’t ready, either. It’s something that requires two dents. Your dad’s mission doesn’t require two dents. Just brave men.”
I got what he was saying. The second dent wasn’t ready. Something else was going to happen that is going to require two dents.
He hugged me tight. “But it’s great that you would take my place without thinking about it.”
“What?”
“You forgot the last part of that foretelling. I’m the only thing that can destroy Paegeia.”
“You knew it was mine.”
“Of course I knew it was yours. It won’t happen.”
“We don’t even know what is going to happen, Blake.”
“I’ll figure it out. That is a promise.”
“Stop making promises.” I hated how the promises bound them to keep it.
He kissed me hard on the lips. I couldn’t imagine my life without him. The Vastech plopped into my head and the kiss broke. I breathed hard.
Blake planted his lips on my head and kept it there. The buzz overpowered my being, but not my thoughts. “Marry me,” I whispered.
“What?”
“You have enhanced hearing. You heard that.”
“Yeah, I doubt Herbert or your dad would give their consent.”
“Then we marry the way my parents got married. In secret.”
“Elena, you need a very special person for this.”
“An ancient.” I nodded.
“They are not big fans of us.”
“One is. He will do it.”
“Which one?”
“You know which one.”
He sighed. “The one that was affectionate with your mother. Who is he?”
I swallowed hard.
“Who, Elena?”
“I promised I won’t tell. He is the only one standing with us. We can’t lose him.”
He nodded but didn’t answer me.
“If you are not ready, just say so.”
His gaze flickered to mine. “It’s not that. I just don’t think you understand the severity of marrying a dragon, whether it’s Vastech or in a church in front of our families. It’s forever.”
“I’m stuck with you for the rest of my life, if not longer, and thank heavens that feeling is mutual. ”
He shook his head. “You are stuck with me for infinity.”
I smiled and kissed him again. His saying sounded way much better.
