The elevator stopped, and it opened into the office.
Dad Albert looked up, probably expecting someone else as he spoke, and stopped when he found me in the chair.
“Elena?” He rushed to me as my lower lip trembled. “What happened? Where is Blake?” He helped me out of the chair and wrapped his arms around me as I broke down. “Get Jako here now.”
“Where is Blake?” Sir Robert’s voice came from the entrance.
I sniffed. “We need to talk and now,” I used my stern voice. My father looked at Robert and nodded.
Dad chased everyone out of the room, and Dad Herbert walked in.
“Bear?” he asked and came to hug me. “Where is Blake?”
I shook my head.
“What happened?”
“Soon.”
Dad Herbert led me to one chair in front of Dad Albert’s desk and took the seat next to me. Dad Albert sat on top of the desk in front of me. Sir Robert stood against the wall with his arms folded.
“I want to know what happened, Dad.”
Dad closed his eyes. I knew he knew exactly what time I was talking about. He opened his eyes and stared at me with his green eyes. “Elena?”
“He is different.” I wiped the tears.
“In what way?” Sir Robert asked.
“I spoke to Tabitha, and she said he sounds and acts like the Blake she knew. The Blake before me. He is stepping back, and it’s a slow transmission, but I’m not imagining it anymore. I want to know what happened behind those creepers.”
My father sighed.
“Albert, it might not be that. We spoke about it?”
“What if it is, Bob?”
“She didn’t claim him.”
My gaze flickered to Blake’s father. “This is happening because I didn’t claim him?”
“The best is to set another date, and he has to fight this time. You need to speak to him, Robert. He can’t submit,” Dad Albert said.
“So this happens when they submit?”
“He is part Chromatic, Elena. I thought he might choose, but it’s his Chromatic side that hasn’t yielded yet. So the best is to claim him and see what happens. You should train.”
“I helped Becky to claim George. I trained her and believe me, I’m ready. I just want him back.”
Dad nodded as my other father stared at the wall.
“Dad?”
“Bear, I’m sorry, but there was something to what the ancients claimed. I think it’s for the best, too.”
“Then a second claim it is. I wanted it. It was Blake that didn’t.”
“Did he hurt you, Elena?” Sir Robert asked, and both dads looked at me.
“Just my heart,” I lied then got up and walked out of the office with my bag.
Dad Albert followed. “Are you sure he didn’t hurt you?”
“It’s nothing I can’t handle, but I want my….” I almost said husband and quickly changed it to, “dragon back.”
He nodded. “I’ll arrange the claim. Maybe inside the colosseum here to kill the horrors of what has taken place. Bring back the honor to the ground.”
I smiled. “It sounds like a plan.”
“I don’t like the circumstances that brought you here, but I’m glad you are.”
“It’s great to be home, Dad.”
“Get settled. When you are ready, come join us?”
I nodded, and he closed the door. After dropping my bags on the ground, I went into the bathroom and opened the taps. Taking off my hoodie, I walked back to my room. I took my Cammy out of my bag and two messages from Blake flickered on the phone.
I opened the first one. He wanted me to speak to him. The second one said he was sorry, but not for what. I chucked my Cammy on the bed and left it there.
He wasn’t my Blake. He was going to get the surprise of his life when the news reached his ears.
BLAKE
My Cammy rang, and I thought it was Elena, but my father’s name flashed. I growled and didn’t pick up.
My phone kept ringing until it finally stopped.
Then Lucian entered. “He is here. Hold on. Speak to your father, Blake.”
Dad’s hologram didn’t look pleased.
“Blake, what is going on with you?”
“What did she say?” I sounded short. I felt sick to my stomach. Something was wrong.
“It doesn’t matter what she said. You are her Dent, and we decided.”
“She is not yours to decide over. She is my true rider. We will work it out, but her legs keep running back to her dads.”
“She is your rider, but she is my daughter, Blake.” King Albert’s face popped up, and I wished I could’ve told him how wrong he was.
“Where is she? I need to speak to her.”
“You will speak to her when you are worthy to speak to her.”
I laughed. “What?”
“Blake,” Lu scolded.
“I’m setting a new date. You can’t submit. You will fight if you want to find yourself again and treat her with respect.”
The holograph disappeared, and a grunt escaped my lips. I could breathe fire.
“Blake, just think about it. This was what the ancients meant when they wanted her to claim you again. You are losing yourself and going back to who you were.”
“Shut up.”
“No, I will not shut up. Listen to yourself. The way you treated Elena this morning. Flirting with Tabitha, that is not you, and I made a fucking blood promise with you not to lose you. Stop being a thick head and just do this.”
I grabbed him around the throat, and he iced my hand as he struggled to breathe.
He hit me and kicked me, but I only pressed harder.
Pain spread over my skull, and everything went dark.
I woke up in the cell at Dragonia’s dungeons.
What the fuck was I doing in this cell? Did Chong lock me up? He said he was going to get to the bottom of it. I tried to remember everything, but it was cloudy. It was happening faster and faster. I could recall my father. What did I say? It sounded as if I was losing my mind.
Tears welled up in my eyes. I couldn’t remember anything.
Master Longwei sat on the other side of the bars.
“What happened?”
“What was the last thing you remember, Blake?”
“Your office. The rest is blurry, like I had no control. What happened?”
King Albert came into view and looked at me. “Can I have a word with him, please?”
Master Longwei nodded and left.
He sighed and I knew what this was about. Goran, his version of that day. “I told you, I don’t remember your version.”
“You hurt my daughter, Blake.”
“Lu told me. I’m sorry.”
He lifted his hand. “I know. Something is wrong, and I know you don’t remember, but it might not be that.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Your darkness isn’t suppressed yet.”
“Excuse me?”
“What is the last thing you remember of Elena?”
“We talked. She was happy, I was happy.” I couldn’t tell him we were happy she’d started with her period.
“Did you fight?”
“No, we didn’t fight. We laughed, and we made jokes. I would never treat her like anything she isn’t.”
“Like a princess?”
I nodded.
“You didn’t. I know you hurt her, but she denies it. She is in Etan. She doesn’t want to come back. Not to mention what you did to Lucian.”
“Lucian?”
“Blake, you almost killed him. If it wasn’t for Tabitha knocking you out with a fucking bottle, you would’ve killed your blood brother.”
“What?!” I paced. “Wake up, please, just wake up.”
“Blake, you are awake. You have been causing heartbreak and havoc the past few days, maybe longer. You need a second date and this time you have to fight. Yield like you are supposed to yield. The Chromatic side of you is too strong. You can’t choose. I wish you could, but you can’t.”
A tear spills over my cheek. “I don’t want to hurt her.”
“You won’t. She has your abilities, she is trained. It was her idea. Please, just do this. For Elena. She worries about you, and I don’t like the look on her face.”
“I already went through the process, and now you want me to hurt her?” Tears blurred my sight.
“Let’s hope you will be out of it again when the day comes.” Tears glistened in King Albert’s eyes too.
“Tell her, I’m sorry, it wasn’t me.”
“I will. Let’s get you out of here.”
My fingers curled around the bars and held it closed. “No. Leave me here. I don’t want to hurt anyone. Please?”
King Albert stared at me. His eyebrows knitted. “You sure?”
I nodded.
“You’ll be comfortable.” He reached in and touched my cheek. “I know you are sorry, and I know that wasn’t you, Blake. You don’t remember what Goran said, but if she claims you, it will disappear. I know it will.”
I nodded. I was done with this confusion. Done not knowing what was real and what wasn’t anymore. My dreams turned dark, and I fear now that they might not have been dreams. What if they were tests?
