We had to leave tonight if we wanted to make it to the mountain of Ekwador.
Lu got everyone together, and he had a meeting with the gang while my thoughts about Blake and the redhead rampaged in my head.
Tabitha came too, and Arianna was also there. She kept staring at Tabitha, and I felt the need to make her stop.
Sammy must have felt it too, as she bumped into Arianna and widened her eyes at her to stop.
“What?” she mouthed and shook her head.
Lu told them everything that we had seen. They listened eagerly, especially George, and he kept staring at Arianna with a bit of fear dancing in his eyes.
We all agreed to pack a bag and meet behind the academy at nine tonight. It was a long push to the mountains of Ekwador.
Lu stayed to speak to Tabitha. She knew what was coming and that she would not see Lu for a long time if I wasn’t able to claim Blake.
I only had like fifteen minutes, if not less.
It was a great thing that Blake did not know who I was. Spare him from that. It meant he would yield the normal kind. The kind he needed to break this spell.
Lu held Tabitha in his arms as I packed a small bag. Sammy and Becky also threw a couple of things in their backpacks.
Susan was going to look after Tabitha until we got back.
“Were we really there?” I asked Lu.
“No, we technically never left the tower.”
“Lu, we walked through an area bigger than what that tower was.”
“Elena, we never left that tower. We walked in our minds.”
“Why did she ask us to keep quiet?”
“Because a really great Dragonian can feel the vibrations if we speak.”
“One like Goran?”
He nodded.
“Blake?”
“I know. I saw it when he walked through you.”
The others just listened to the two of us speaking.
“He felt me.”
“He felt something, Elena. Your bond is strong. I get why he believes that the foretelling about a love so great is yours. I asked Arianna about that, and she said a dragon can’t feel it, only Dragonians.”
“So that wasn’t normal.”
“No. He doesn’t know, Elena.”
“Lucian, he spoke that spell, he thought—”
“I’m not talking about us being there. I’m talking about the redhead.”
“What redhead?” Sammy asked.
Tears pricked, and I dropped my gaze from Lucian’s and chucked more clothes into my bag. “It doesn’t matter.”
“Oh man, what did you walk in on?” Sammy asked.
“It doesn’t matter, Sammy. It’s not your brother.”
A knock sounded on the door, and Becky opened it.
Susan entered and walked over to Lu and Tabitha, sitting on her bed.
“Susan is here,” Lu said to Tabitha. “Remember the times, Susan. I will hurt her if I wield my gift and she is not in her dragon form.”
“Relax, we know the times. And if you think Tabitha will forget, you are making one hell of a mistake.”
Lu nodded and kissed Tabitha.
“Just break the spell as fast as you can. I can’t do this without you,” Tabitha said.
“You won’t. I’ll be back before you know it.”
“Ice your uncle’s ass if you have to.”
Lu laughed.
My lips curved slightly as I watched them saying goodbye.
A knock sounded at the door, and Sammy rushed to open it. Arianna walked in with the guys behind her. George handed Lu a medium-size duffel bag.
“So, are we doing this or what?” Arianna asked.
“Yes, we are ready,” Lu said, and he said goodbye to Tabitha one last time before we left the room.
“You really saw Blake?” Becky asked as we walked to the tower we were in earlier tonight.
“It was as if I was there.”
“He stopped when he walked through you?”
I nodded.
She asked nothing more as we snuck out through door in the foyer that Jeff held open.
We followed Arianna as the guys used their enhanced hearing to listen for any of the professors that might roam the grounds.
We had to wait for Lucian and George; they had to stay hidden when Chef locked the cafeteria for the day.
“Did you see what we saw?” I whispered to Arianna.
“Yes, I’m with Lucian. Blake would’ve never done that if he knew, Elena.”
“I don’t care about that. I know he doesn’t know.”
“I’ve never read or learned of a dent that felt his or her mate like that.”
“How many times have you done that?”
“Loads. But my father would kill me if he found out.”
“I thought he taught you that.”
“He did, so that I know how to do it, not actually to do it.”
“Well, this is an emergency.”
She chuckled.
“Does it work on everything?”
“Nope, just living, breathing things, so if you lose your keys, I can’t help. I actually need the property of the being to find them.”
“Great to know.”
“It takes a lot out of me, so I’m looking forward to this ride.”
My gaze landed on her sleeping mask around her neck.
Footsteps sounded, and Lucian joined us with Brian and Jeff.
We waited for nine, and then the dragons disrobed.
Lu was going to fly with me on Sammy’s back while Arianna was flying with Becky.
The rest of the dragons went solo. My gaze found Annie’s as she took off her clothes. The look on her face told me that she was just as worried about failing her cousin as I was.
She climbed out of the tower and shifted as she clung to the wall.
Jeff, Brian, and Annie flew first, followed by George with Becky and Arianna.
I sat behind Lucian as Sammy released the tower wall and flapped in the air.
“Remember, Lu, the sphere.”
“I’ve seen it before, Elena. The wyvern had one too, and I thought it might be important. I iced the bloody thing, and it’s the sole reason why they are not with Goran now.”
“I could kiss you right now,” I joked, thinking that it was Lu that gave us that chance. Lu was the sole reason that Goran didn’t have the Elementals in his hands.
“We will have to get the Elementals from the wyvern and then let Annie and Sammy fly back with them.”
“I’ll get them out of there. You have my word,” Sammy said. “You might need my cousin, Lu.”
“If Elena can claim your brother, we might not need her that much. The Elementals are just as important as your brother,” Lu replied.
“My dads are going to kill me,” I said.
“My parents are going to have a hernia,” Sam said.
“I’ll explain,” Lu put her at ease.
We spoke about the plan, but plans hardly work out the way you prepare for them.
I was going to see Blake again. He had to come home. I couldn’t fail. Not this time.
I dozed off behind Lucian, and soon he tapped my leg. For a mere second, I had forgotten where I was and startled when a bed of clouds was below us, and part of the earth seeped through.
I squinted as the sun rose over the horizon. There was a gigantic mountain in the distance.
“The mountain of Ekwador,” Lu spoke.
Loads of trees covered the mountaintop.
The dragons landed one by one, and Sammy came in last.
“You did great, Sam.” Lucian tapped her as we slid off her wing.
She changed back, and George caught her just in time before she hit the ground. She looked drained.
“I don’t want to be the one explaining to your father what went wrong if you don’t make it back alive, Sam.”
She chuckled as George placed her below a tree. He handed her a robe, and she pulled it on.
Becky and Arianna set up tents, and Lucian helped the guys to set up camp.
We needed a few hours’ sleep.
I shared a tent with Sammy, and we drifted off fast, only to be woken up around twelve.
There were fish roasting on a spitfire. We did not know where on Ekwador Mountain Blake was going to come from.
“I can check, but I won’t be much help when the time comes.”
I looked at Lu. “It won’t matter much if we miss them because we were waiting in the wrong spot.”
“She doesn’t see the future, Elena, only the present. Blake will still be at the compound.”
Arianna looked at Becky. “You have a Moon-Bolt I can use.”
“I don’t have my gift yet,” George said.
“It doesn’t matter,” Arianna said, and Becky looked at George.
He nodded eagerly and rushed toward her.
“I want to see this one myself,” Becky said and followed.
“Fine, whatever.” Arianna unpacked her candles and stacked them into the star formation again. She took out Blake’s journal and cut her hand again with her pendant.
We all watched the ritual of blood dripping all over the leather.
“Utter silence,” Arianna said, and held out her hands for Becky and George.
“Just relax, George, and try to push through the pain if I hurt you.”
“If?” Becky yelled.
“Relax, I’ll be fine,” George said and stretched his neck as he closed his eyes.
Becky’s gaze flickered to mine, and they sat quietly.
No wind came, but when Arianna opened her eyes, they were white again.
“What the fuck?” Annie said, and I put my finger on my lips for her to be quiet. She kept gaping at Arianna. Jeff and Brian sat on their haunches, staring at the princess of Areeth.
I guessed that none of them had seen a scrying spell done before.
George and Becky looked around as Arianna put her finger on her lips.
They both closed their eyes and just sat in one spot. The minutes ticked past and five became ten. Lu kept checking his watch too.
It put me on edge.
Arianna’s gasp broke the silence. She and George started coughing as Becky froze in one spot, eyes wide.
Lu and Brian rushed to their sides and gave Arianna and George water, they gulped down.
It was so different watching it than actually going through it.
“You saw where?” I asked Becky.
George nodded as Becky spoke. “We are not that far. It’s just down this way.”
“Let’s pack up. It’s almost one.” Lu started killing the fire and breaking the tents.
“You guys didn’t see a thing?” Becky asked.
“No, it looked like you just sat there,” Sam said. “You really saw my brother?”
“It was insane.”
“It’s wicked, but I get why it’s forbidden,” Lu said. “The toll it takes on Arianna. She needs to stop doing this.”
“Just let her rest,” I said as it looked as if she was going to fall asleep at any moment.
My thoughts had hardly sprouted in my head when Arianna slumped over and slept.
“She did her part,” Lu said and picked her up and threw her over his shoulder. He took her to a log and placed her body in a sleeping bag.
“She wasn’t out of it like this last night,” I said.
“It’s because she looked into the future, using George’s ability. The effect is double.”
I got what he was saying.
Lu spoke a protection spell, and I watched her body grow fainter until it disappeared.
“Just show Blake where she is. He will know how to break the spell.”
I nodded again.
He put a rock on the log to keep as a reminder, and we followed George and Becky to where they had seen Blake.
“They really saw the future?”
“Yeah. It’s why Arianna is out. George doesn’t have his gift yet.”
“He got a taste of it.”
“She didn’t even hurt him,” Lucian said.
“You didn’t know she could do this?” I asked.
“No. She hid a lot of things from me when we were together. I get now why Blake slept with her to get to her fears. She is crazy good for her age.”
“Now you know why Tabitha suggested that she help us. We wouldn’t be here without her.”
“Just make sure Constance checks her out, please.”
I nodded.
“Here,” George said and looked at Becky.
“At this tree,” she said. “The wyvern and another person are going to come from this side, and Blake is going to come in from here. He appeared out of nowhere.” She looked at me.
“Just be careful of the woman, Elena. She is a hippogriff.”
Annie whined as it looked as if she wanted to cry.
“Relax,” I said to Annie. “I’ll be okay.”
“Brian and Jeff will take out the hippogriff.”
“I’ll help,” Annie said.
“That’s the spirit,” Jeff said, high-fiving Annie.
“Okay, then we wait behind that tree. I’ll try to break his sphere from this distance.”
“Lu, if you miss, he will push the sphere and leave.”
“Then what do you suggest, Elena?”
My gaze flickered up to the tree. “To wait there.”
Lu looked up at the tree. “He will see you.”
“Mask me like you masked Arianna.”
“Elena?”
“Mask me, Lu. I might get his sphere. I’m not leaving him.”
“If he disappears with you—”
“I’ll show him his fire and all his bloody gifts, and I’ll kill Goran. I’ll order Blake to walk away. My order still works.”
“Order him to smash his sphere, Elena,” Jeff said.
“You think he will?” I asked.
“Mean it. He won’t have a choice,” Lu said.
“You bet your ass I’ll mean it.”
Lu walked with me to the tree, and I climbed up its branches in barely a few seconds.
“He won’t remember you.”
I nodded and put in my earbuds. “To protect my heart.”
His lips curved. “You have fifteen minutes.”
“Lu, my record was eighteen.”
“You have his abilities. You need to do it in ten. If not, I’m saying the spell. George, grab the Elementals and give them to Sammy.”
“Got it,” George said, and he gave Becky a kiss.
“Good luck, and stay alive,” I said.
He nodded. Lu knew what I was speaking about. For when he was with his uncle.
He climbed down the tree and hid behind the thickets. The others took shelter behind the trees. I tried to see if I could spot them, but nothing. They blended in perfectly.
The minutes felt like hours, and I kept my eye on the spot where Blake was going to appear.
My eyes caught two figures walking up the road with a bag around the guy’s shoulder.
They walked hand in hand, and I took out one of my earbuds.
The clucking noises drove me crazy.
“Shut up your imbeciles.” The guy hit the bag.
“Stop. Goran will hurt you in so many ways if one of them is dead.”
Blake appeared, and my heart skipped a beat.
“What happened?” Blake asked.
I couldn’t see if the sphere was around his torso.
“Your buddy broke my sphere. Where is yours?”
“Relax, nobody is going to come after us.”
“Blake?”
“Relax, Paul. Are they alive?”
“Yes, they gave me a bloody headache.”
Move, Elena.
I jumped off the branch and landed on Blake’s back.
He moved around, trying to throw me off. A lot of grunts left his lips. The other two froze in one spot, but they couldn’t see shit.
I held on for dear life.
“Nora, put that away. You might strike Blake. Blake, what is it?”
He threw me off his shoulder, and I landed with a thud on the ground. “Reveal yourself.”
The girl yelled, and I saw a tail with a stinger dangling behind her, ready to strike.
An ice spear flew past me and pecked the woman in her chest. She gasped as her shirt became a crimson color, drenched in her blood.
“Nora!” the wyvern yelled and caught her in his arms.
I threw sand in Blake’s eyes, and he grunted as he clawed at his eyes, trying to get the sand out.
George tried to subdue Blake with his lightning, but he didn’t even flinch, meaning Blake had his own lightning.
He lifted his arms, and George flew into the air and crashed against a tree. The pink kiss danced on Blake’s hand as he aimed to throw it in George’s direction.
“Blake, don’t!” Becky yelled.
The fireball left Blake’s hand, and I jumped before George, protecting him with my body.
“You are pissing me off,” I grunted, and I turned around.
Blake’s face grew pallid.
“He is your fucking friend, and you want to kill him with your pink fire?”
“No, you should be dead.”
“Surprise, I’m not. Goran is not your rider.” I charged him and jumped on him, twirling my legs around his neck, and threw him to the ground.
“Change into a dragon, you coward.”
Blake grunted as he was on the floor, and he hit my legs so hard that it felt as if they were going to break.
Lucian iced the living crap out of the wyvern. “That is for blinding my dragon, you motherfucker.”
“Yield,” I yelled, and Blake laughed.
“You are not my rider.”
“Wrong again, now yield.”
“Take the Elementals,” Lucian yelled at Becky and George. Blake grunted and the urgency to get out of my grip became surreal as he slammed against my legs, trying to break them.
“Stay,” he used his alpha call, and George froze.
“Tell them to go,” I commanded.
Blake grunted as he tried hard to disobey my command.
“Tell them to go!” I made it more stern.
“Go!” Blake yelled through a tight jaw.
“You don’t love Goran; you love me. He is using it against you. Wake up.”
“I don’t know who the fuck you are.”
Lucian was still busy with the wyvern and a spell. The wind blew like crazy. There would not be time for Lu to say the words, and I couldn’t fail him. Not this time.
“I love you,” I spoke the words of the conveyance spell, and I made sure that I accentuated every word the correct way this time.
“Elena, don’t!” Lucian yelled.
I meant them.
Blake grunted, and I could tell whatever was leaving his body hurt like hell, as he tried so hard to not sound like a coward, showing his pain.
It seeped into me, spreading as Blake’s screams vibrated inside my ears. My legs trembled as tiredness kicked in. I couldn’t hold him anymore. The darkness crashed against my bones, and tears welled up in my eyes as the pain followed.
The shrilling sound came next. Goran was calling him back, and Lucian ripped off the wyvern’s head with an ice blade.
My legs lost their grip around Blake as I skidded toward the vortex.
A grip caught my wrist, and Blake looked at me.
“Lu,” he yelled as the force pulled us toward the vortex. Relief washed over me as the darkness kept pushing deeper into my core.
Lucian fell on top of Blake, trying to get a hold on to something.
“Brian,” Lu yelled. “Jeff!”
Annie and Sammy were the nearest.
“Don’t you dare let her go,” Sammy yelled as Jeff grabbed Sammy, and Brian got a hold of the tree and Jeff’s heel.
“Don’t let go,” Blake begged as he stared at me.
“Lu, the tree. It will not hold,” Brian hollered.
I saw the tree bending. Goran couldn’t have all of us. “I love you.”
“Elena, don’t,” Blake yelled, and I let go of his grip.
His fingers still clasped mine.
“Blake, let go.”
“Never,” he said through gritted teeth.
“The force is going to tear me apart. Let me go. I’ll break the spell.”
He shook his head and screamed as the pull in the vortex became stronger.
I shrieked as it felt as if my legs were going to tear off. His grip faltered, and I moved further from him.
He screamed, and then he disappeared. The swirling stopped as I landed with a thud on the ground.
