I disliked every noise that came from Elena’s room. Lucian entertained her with our technology.
The first song had beautiful lyrics, but Lucian called it a bite-your-wrist song.
I couldn’t help but to feel we lived through it. Lights guided us back home and if I remembered that night correctly, I told her we would fix her soon.
What the fuck? Was this guy a Moon-bolt that saw Elena’s life?
Her song choices were depressing, but she was having fun. She needed fun.
Finally, the torture stopped and Lucian left. I waited for him to exit and came to me, but he didn’t and that put me more on edge.
Please don’t fall in love with her. I sighed and the tight feeling pressed against my chest.
I hated every part of being here and only wanted to be up in that room, experiencing everything with her. I was the one that should’ve introduced her to our world, not him.
She didn’t listen to more songs, and I wanted to know what she was watching. There was no audio.
Sniffs came a few minutes later. She was crying again. I sighed and a cluster of pebbles covering the courtyard rolled away from me.
Around three, Emanual trudged down the steps. Samuel probably waited for me already. He would know by now that I would not show.
Elena’s trainer came. Devon Lockendor, who was part of Caleb’s fleet. He was tiny but fast and had the best reflexes in Paegeia. He trained Elena. No wonder she was so depressed.
The sun set, and the purple orange hues that fell on the earth enhanced my senses. The shadows grew darker fast as the spotlights lit up the dark corner of the courtyard. My eyes were everywhere.
They would come. Samuel thought he owned me, like he did Dimmi. I wasn’t as pathetic as Dimmi.
Emanual joined after dinner in his dragon form.
“You need to eat. I got it.”
“I’ll eat later tonight.”
He nodded.
“You saw Lucian?”
“Yeah, he was at the dinner table.”
“And Elena?”
He kept quiet, didn’t even look at me. Silence lingered before he spoke. “He wouldn’t do that to you.”
“Now why would you even think that?”
“Because I see the look in your eyes, the vibration in your scales. He’s your blood brother, don’t forget that. They are just friends.”
Yeah, I still didn’t like that.
The conversation fell silent as the hours ticked by. Around eleven, Elena’s lights went off and my stomach rumbled.
“I’m going to eat.”
“I’ll be here.”
I shifted back to my form and one guard handed me a robe that I pulled on my body.
Queen Maggie smiled as I entered the kitchen. She was in her satin pajamas, wearing a fancy robe and slippers, keeping Helmut company as he made himself a sandwich.
“How are you holding up?” She rubbed my arm.
“I’m okay,” I said, and she got up and heated my plate before she put it in front of me.
“How many men am I going to lose, Blake?”
“Helmut!” Maggie scolded.
“It’s just a question.”
“I’ll try to keep it minimal,” I answered as I dug in.
“If anything happens, Elena will be safe. We’ll be in the safe room.” Maggie promised with a smile.
I nodded. “Thank you.”
“Nothing is going to happen. I promised her she is safe here.”
“Hey.” Lucian entered the kitchen.
“Hi,” I mumbled, shoving another fork filled with beef in my mouth. I didn’t like the feeling that was brewing inside of me. I knew this feeling all too well. It was like a virus that crept faster than the darkness, more like feeding the darkness inside of me—it felt green.
I kept my eyes on him as he opened the fridge, but focused on my plate again.
I guessed I’d have to make it clearer when we get back to Dragonia Academy.
Lucian kissed his mom goodnight on the cheek with a bottle of water in his hand and left. Cat’s nails clicking on the titles followed him.
I finished my meal. Thanked the queen and apologized for this, and then I headed back outside.
ELENA
I drifted away and woke up with a blaring siren. My heart stammered in my chest and Dad jumped out of the bed. He was on full alert, yanking me from under the covers.
Our footsteps disappeared into the lush carpet as we reached the door. He yanked it open and jumped slightly as Queen Maggie and Lucian were already waiting outside the room.
“Come,” she ordered, and we ran-walked down the corridor to their room. I kept concentrating on her loose curls bobbing on her back.
We entered through double doors as King Helmut’s voice ordered someone, and I saw the hologram of him speaking to another member of his fleet.
We passed him and walked through another room into their walk-in the closet. A metal door gleamed against the wall.
She pushed a button after she pressed a sequence of buttons, and the door opened. We stepped inside. Lucian waited with my dad outside the room.
“Get inside, Lucian,” Queen Maggie ordered.
“No, Mom,” he said and walked out of the closet.
“Lucian,” King Helmut’s voice spoke from the other room.
“I’ll watch over him. Stay safe.” Dad kissed me on the cheek.
King Helmut entered with huge strides.
“Helmut please, get Lucian back here.”
“Loosen the ropes, sweetheart. Dragonia trained him well.”
Tears pooled in her eyes.
The king touched her face. “I promise, he will be okay.” He kissed queen Maggie and then the doors closed.
She looked as if she’d seen a ghost, staring at nothing. I didn’t know what to say to her. She snapped out of it and walked over to the tiny kitchen, and put the silver kettle on a burner.
I looked around. It didn’t look like a panic room, well; I didn’t know one except what I saw on movies. This was posh, with white walls and wooden cupboards. There was even a bathroom with a shower in here, and a cosy bed in the corner. I bet they filled those cupboards with groceries. There was even a sink to wash dishes.
The carpet underneath my feet was lush, and the kitchen had beautiful dark tiles. A glass dining table took up half of the dining area and a soft white leather couch sat in front of three by four rows of TVs mounted against the wall.
The queen plopped on the white couch and I followed her and sat down next to her.
She switched on the TVs, and every single one of them showed a different area of the castle. I saw Dad and King Helmut dashing past one, down the corridor.
My eyes skidded over all of them.
It was so quiet as my heart stammered inside my chest.
On one screen, more beasts landed. I squinted as one of those beasts was white and the guy on top of it wore a long white cloak. Was that Blake?
He slid off her wing, and then the dragon left in the opposite direction.
It was him. My heart thumbed again. He was some sort of guard, protecting Paegeia. He disappeared, and I tried to find him on the other screens, but he didn’t show. The one screen filled with more dragons. I tried to find Blake when my eyes landed on the Rubicon, pulling a guy apart close to one camera. A shriek slipped past my lips as I covered my mouth. My heart pounded fast in my chest as the vortex in my stomach was making me nauseous.
“There.” The queen pointed at a camera, and Lucian dashed past the screen. He popped up again close to the maze, his blond hair bobbed above the hedges as he ran deeper into the maze.
Three men ran past the previous camera.
“No! You leave my baby alone!” The queen yelled as her eyes were round, staring at the cameras. We saw them entering the maze, following Lucian.
The queen’s lips moved fast as tears glided down her cheeks, staring at the cameras.
My heart pounded as I stared at the reality outside. Suddenly, white light engulfed the screen, making me jump in my seat. On the other screen, bodies flew in the air, mixed with thickets and earth.
“I don’t think it’s Lucian,” I told her.
“I hate every part of his braveness.”
I didn’t. It was extremely attractive.
My eyes searched for Blake again, but it was hard to see where he was with all the fireballs and lighting that kept flaring up the cameras. A couple of cameras buzzed with snow already.
I closed my eyes as it was so real to what I experienced that night. I could still feel the electricity jolting through my body.
I opened my eyes, and the threat seemed to quiet down. Was Blake okay? Was Lucian okay?
“I pray that it’s over,” Queen Maggie said. Her eyes scanned the TVs for Lucian. We waited for a few minutes and then the door shifted open and Lucian stood on the other side.
He had a shiny kevlar vest that resembled a modern day breast plate over his sleeping shirt, wearing a pair of jeans and sneakers.
“Oh, thank heaven.” The queen jumped up and crashed into Lucian’s body.
“Seriously, Mom.” He growled.
“I worry. You want to give me a bloody heart attack? What happened at the wedges?”
His eyes flickered to the screen. “You watched me?”
“I’m your mother. You are my only child, Lucian.”
“I’m fine. Not a scratch, see.” He showed her. “The maze might need a bit of help.”
“I don’t care about that stupid maze,” Queen Maggie yelled, and Lucian chuckled.
“Where is your father? How many did we lose?”
“Swanson, Ismael, and Richard with Brenna.”
“Brenna!”
“He was in the blow. Blake told him to stay back, he didn’t listen.”
Blake is here!
“Is he okay?”
“Yeah, he left with Emanual to sort out the threat.”
“The guy is still alive!” Queen Maggie yelled.
“I don’t know for how long. He didn’t lie when he said their magic was dark. I only learn about that sort of darkness in school.”
“I lived it for years. Why do you think I wanted you in here!” His mom reprimanded him.
“I have to gain experience with it, Mom. Stop babying me. I’m not five years old anymore.”
“It’s dangerous—”
“I know. I’m ready.”
“I’m glad you are okay.” She spoke in a softer tone and wrapped her arms around his neck. He hugged his mother back.
We went out of the panic room and they took me back to my room.
There were still guards everywhere.
The queen stayed with me, as there was no sign of Dad.
Lucian left, and there was no sign of Blake either.
I crawled back into bed and covered my body. One enemy down. How many more were left?
