On Friday, I packed my bags, and so did Blake. He was going home with me. I didn’t know what to expect, as it would be the first time we would go to Etan.
He obviously flew to Etan as I took the elevator. I hated the elevator and knew Blake would only arrive later tonight.
When the elevator stopped and the doors opened, Dad Herbert waited for me. There was no sign of Dad Albert.
I looked around, and the room was big. It had an enormous desk, and bookshelves covered the walls. The other wall was still busy getting a repainting job. But I could tell the reds and oranges would brighten up the place.
“Wouldn’t magic take care of this faster?”
“The Malones always believed that there is more satisfaction coming with using your bare hands, fixing things.”
“I see,” I said and wrapped my arms around my father’s waist.
“Where is the dragon?”
I laughed. “Dad, you are one, too. Stop making it sound as if being a dragon is a plague. He hates the elevators, so I’m yours until tonight.”
“You are mine until you are thirty. Thank heavens your dad is with me on that one.”
Laughter escaped my lips as I shook my head. They would blow a gasket if they know I was already married.
“Come, it’s still dusty and your room isn’t fixed yet, but there are a few bathrooms that work and a few rooms we can sleep in for now.”
The hallway was long, and everywhere construction was busy taking place. Plastic covered the carpet as the walls were halfway painted. We walked past a guy and a floating chandelier. I couldn’t stop staring whenever magic happened.
My father was so stubborn, wanting to fix this the old fashioned way. Magic could’ve finished it for him already.
The stairs and foyer had a cold ambience, and I couldn’t wait to see what this place was going to look like when the restorations were done.
Dad kept on speaking to me about how majestic the castle was before this ordeal happened, and he led me through double doors that were gigantic into something that looked a bit more modern and renovated. It was some sort of lounge. Very comfortable with leather couches and fluffy carpets. The walls had paintings of beautiful Paegeia scenery, and a fireplace was busy popping saps.
Dad sat on the carpet in a suit. His jacket hung over the couch and his shoes stood neatly next to the couch, with black socks covering his feet. Papers strewn in piles around him. Sir Robert paced the length, also wearing a black pair of pants and a white button shirt, rolled up to his elbows.
A third guy was trying to make himself comfortable on the couch. He had a laptop dangling on his lap, typing away.
“Al, take two minutes,” Dad Herbert said, and my father looked up from the floor.
“This looks cozy,” I said.
“Elena,” Dad got up from the ground as Sir Robert told the guy to take a breather, “Welcome home.”
“Still a lot to do, I see.”
“Where is Blake?”
“He hates the elevators, so he is flying. Will be here around dinnertime or later.”
Dad gave me a hug and showed me around. We walked through another door opposite the staircase. Dad led me to a room. It had a bed, beautiful curtains, wooden floors, and an ensuite bathroom.
“We are staying on this side of the castle until our wing is finished.”
“Oh, this is not our wing?”
“Stop it.” Dad slapped me playfully. “I’m so glad you are not a spoiled brat yet. It means I can still wow you with so many things.”
Laughter escaped through my lips and Dad Herbert’s. I dropped my bag.
Next, Dad showed me the kitchen, which made me whistle at the sleek granite tops and shining, expensive appliances.
Dad Herbert beamed as he put on an apron and opened the fridge.
“Let me guess, he said whatever you want?” I asked, and Dad Herbert stared at me.
Dad Albert thought I was funny.
“He gets my humor and we basically just met,” I said to Dad Herbert.
“It’s because you are a mini version of your dad, Elena,” Dad Herbert said.
“I told him to go crazy as I wasn’t the one that had a love for the kitchen. He is just like your mother.”
“Mom loved cooking?”
“Oh, she was a baker through and through.”
Dad Herbert worked so fast, breaking eggs and whisking it.
“So I get a feeling we will not have chefs and butlers like the McKenzies.”
Dad Herbert laughed. “That will be the day. Your father still has to do those interviews, but afraid Paegeia only has twenty-four hours in their days, too.”
“Hire someone to do that for you.”
“No, I want to know the people that are going to work for me through and through, Elena.”
“I’m just saying, Dad. You can’t do everything yourself.”
“Thank you, Elena.” Isabel’s voice startled me as she walked into the kitchen with a couple of trays. Steam evaporating from them.
Dad Herbert growled as he put down the gas stove, and Blake’s mom stared at him. “What?”
“Am I ever going to use my kitchen?”
“You will have plenty of time and will beg me then to come back.”
She put the dishes on the surfaces and came over to me with her arms spread out. They were so motherly and soft. She kissed me on top of my head and wiggled side to side.
“It’s so good to have you guys back for the weekend.”
“I’m glad to be back and at a place that I can finally call home.”
“Finally,” Dad Herbert seconded, and my lips curved as he winked.
A few minutes after that, Dad served lunch in a beautiful dining area. It wasn’t big. It was cozy and home.
An hour later, I wandered through the castle.
The construction workers were everywhere, busy. If it wasn’t the garden or outside fixing things around the castle, it was inside, renovating or building some sort of platform.
I got stopped when I wanted to enter what Dad called the West Wing.
The bridge that led to it was gone, and the building sort of stood on its own. I knew that the West Wing had belonged to my mother, and I would give anything to see what was inside. I doubted that there would still be anything of her in there.
Dinnertime, Blake was still not here. Around nine, I said goodnight and went to my room, took a bath, and crawled into bed. I drifted off faster than I thought I would.
I found Blake around the breakfast table. Both my fathers were teasing him. I hugged him from behind. “What time did you got here?”
“Around eleven last night,” Dad Herbert said.
After breakfast, Blake took me around Etan. It was really beautiful.
There was not a creeper in sight, and it was what, only a few months or less, since they’d come down?
Guess my father didn’t want to rebuild the entire Etan and let magic take care of that.
We had lunch and dinner at a small restaurant, and I hung on Blake’s every word as he kept speaking about how he grew up here.
We went back to the castle around nine, and the dads were not so happy about that.
Still, I could feel that Dad Albert and Blake were going to bump heads. It was just the way Blake tried to evade him. He flew back that night to the academy.
On Sunday, I stayed till around four before I went back to Dragonia.
I’d spent the evening with Blake, asking him what was going on, not just with him and my dad, but the past few weeks. He basically told me it was my imagination. They were just upset that he stole me the entire day.
On Monday, Blake was back to his old self. He was relaxed, didn’t zone out like he usually did, and whatever was bugging him seemed to have resolved. I wished he could’ve told me what it was.
On Wednesday evening, Lucian and Blake knocked on our door wearing their swim-shorts and flip-flops.
“What are the two of you doing?”
“Lake?” Blake suggested, and Sammy jumped off the bed.
“It’s eight at night,” I said.
“Live a little, woman.” He pushed himself into our room, followed by Lu.
“I need to wind down. With everything that’s happened the past few weeks, I need a break,” Becky said and shoved the books on her lap to the bed. She pushed herself from the bed and went to her drawer to take out a bikini. She followed Sammy into the bathroom.
“Okay, fine,” I said as I walked to get my swimming trunks and followed the girls as Blake and Lu made themselves comfortable on our sofa.
“We should’ve done this ages ago,” Sammy said.
I pulled on my bottom underneath my skirt and awkwardly removed my top to put on my bikini top. “Are we even allowed to go for a swim at night?”
“Who the hell cares? It’s with Lucian and Blake. I would like to see them get expelled, so I’m in.”
I laughed at the way Becky’s mind worked as I pulled on a pair of shorts and a tank top and stepped into my flip-flops, grabbed a towel, and followed my hyped roommates and husband with his blood brother out the room.
We rushed down the stairs, and I jumped as a figure caught the corner of my eye.
A chuckle slipped out of Blake’s lips. “Relax, it’s only Annie.”
The beating of my heart calmed immediately at that piece of information.
Sammy shrieked. She always shrieked when she saw her cousin. The two of them hooked their arms into one another as they pushed the heavy door open.
We snuck out through the door, and I got a piggyback ride from Blake as we rushed to the lake.
He put me down when we reached the spot. The moon glistened on the dark water, making it look silver. It was such a cloudless night and the stars actually shone on this side. They were so beautiful.
Blake and Lucian jumped into the lake, followed by Sammy and Annie. I pulled down my shorts and yanked off my top. I wished Tabitha was here and wondered where Lucian was that night of the party if he wasn’t making peace with her.
Annie dunked Lu underneath the water, and I didn’t like the feeling that crept into my gut as I watched the two splashing each other in the water. Tabitha would love that.
Lu pissed me off slightly. He was such a hard ass on his dragon and the past few weeks, she was walking on eggshells around Blake, meaning that we didn’t get to finish our conversation.
“You ready?” Becky asked, and I nodded.
We ran straight into the lake. I gasped as the icy water burned my skin and retreated, but fingers grasped around my arm and pulled me into the lake.
A yelp left my lips as my entire body submerged into icy cold water. It got warm fast, with Blake so close to me. The heat rolled off his body in waves, warming the water.
Our lips touched, and the buzzing warmed me up even more.
“Get a room,” Sammy yelled.
Blake flipped her off as Lucian quipped something.
“About that? When are you going to speak to Tabitha?” I spoke against Blake’s lips.
He mumbled something and Blake shook with silent laughter, breaking the kiss.
“What did he say?”
“Hell will freeze over the day that is going to happen.”
“He is so stubborn.”
“He will come along. She really Dented?”
I nodded. “Just don’t tell him that.”
“Elena?”
“Shh.” I closed his mouth, and he licked the inside of my palm.
“Gross.”
“Then stop ordering me.”
I gasped. “I didn’t mean that. Sorry.” I hugged him tight.
“My balls are getting blue too,” he whispered.
“Yeah, I didn’t say to be a jerk the past week. And I know there is something between you and my dad.”
“Which one?” His eyebrows furrowed, pretending that he did not know what I was speaking about.
I giggled. “The king.”
“Oh, we are fine.”
“It looked like you tried to dodge him this weekend.”
“Because he wants to speak about something I’m not comfortable with.”
“Which is?”
“Between me and him.”
I gasped. “I’m your wife. We have no secrets,” I whispered, and he shushed me.
“My sister and cousin are dragons?”
“Oh, shit.”
“Don’t worry, Sammy was underneath the water, and I doubt Annie heard you. Be careful if you want to keep it a secret.”
“Keep what a secret?” Sammy asked.
“Nothing for your ears,” Blake replied.
Phew! That was a close one.
The lightning rumbled, putting an end to our fun.
“Seriously,” Becky yelled at the sky, making Lucian laugh. “Just when the water was finally getting bearable.”
“Let’s go, before we all get electrocuted,” Lucian said to her, and we swam to the edge of the water and climbed out.
I pulled on my shorts over my wet swimsuit while Blake hit everyone with the end of his towel. It clapped on Lucian’s body, and the two of them started a towel war.
I gathered my belongings, dodged a couple of towels, and followed the gang back to the castle.
Lightning struck, and I jumped into Blake’s arms.
He really had great reflexes as he held me tight and then when my heart finally stopped beating its erratic pace, we broke out laughing.
“Dammit! Becky!” Lucian yelled, and my gaze snapped toward Lucian.
Blake put me down and rushed toward Becky on the ground. She shook violently.
Blake reached out to touch her.
“Don’t!” Lucian warned. “You don’t have your lightning yet.”
“I can’t just stand here, doing nothing, Lu,” Blake yelled.
Sammy was standing there, tears glistening in her eyes, and Annie took on my posture.
“Annie, go get your mom,” Lu hollered, but Annie didn’t respond. “Annie?”
“It’s okay, I’ll go,” I shouted, and my feet darted down the path to get Blake’s aunt.
My lungs burned as I pushed the heavy door open and slipped through. I ran as fast as I could out the other door toward the infirmary and knocked like a mad person on her door.
She opened, wearing a robe underneath her PJs as I breathed loud. “Lightning. Becky.” It was the only two words that I could get out.
She darted past me, and I follow. My lungs burned as much as my legs, pushing me toward the lake.
Before I knew it, the lake was in front of us, and Master Longwei’s voice came from up ahead.
How the heck did he know, or get here so fast?
“Detention for all of you.”
When all of them came into view, Blake showed me to hide. I jumped behind a tree and waited as they passed me. Constance walked with her arm around Annie, talking in a low tone with her. Becky was walking among them. Her hair stood in all directions with electricity sparking off it.
I didn’t know if that was even possible, but she was walking. I waited until their voices faded away in the distance before I got out of my hiding place. The walk back alone to the academy now with the winds blowing and lightning flashing in the distance made it creepy.
My gaze caught the group again when they walked through the door that led to the dorms. The sparkles on Becky’s hair resembled some kind of cartoon where the character got electrocuted by lightning. How the hell—
A foretelling that was in the book of Shadows flashed through my head. Dad had said it was a Dent, that was how they got their abilities, or one way.
Which meant that there were going to be three Dents?
I struggled with the door, but help came from the other side, and I almost fell flat on my butt. Strong hands grasped around my wrists just in time and helped with my balance. Blake’s laughter filled my ears.
“How?” I asked.
“She ascended. Let’s go.” He pulled me behind him up to the boys’ dormitories.
“You just got a scolding of your life and now you try to sneak me into your room. Are you crazy? Master Longwei is going to call my father.”
“He doesn’t even know you were there.”
“Constance will tell him.”
“She won’t. Stop stressing.”
We entered the elevator, and it opened a few beats later, right in front of his room’s door, and we walked inside.
Lucian looked as white as a ghost. “How?”
“You know how, Lu.” Blake laughed. “She is a lightning wielder.” Blake gave me that look. A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.
“Blake, it’s not normal to get—”
“I know.”
“Three Dents? What the hell is coming that is going to require three Dents?” Lu asked.
Blake shook his head. They already had put two and two together about the Dent thing.
“All I know, it’s not soon. She and George won’t be ready for a long time, either.”
“George?” Lucian asked.
“Yeah, he made it crystal clear with the way he treated her who she was to him.”
Lu gaped. “Are you serious?”
Blake nodded.
“It’s in the book of Shadows too,” I said.
They both looked at me.
“You saw it?” Blake asked.
“My father told me it wasn’t going to happen in our time. I’m with Lu, Blake. What the hell is coming that is going to require three Dents?”
