Darkbeam V, page 4
Then one afternoon, Kevin interviewed Charles and Marcus at the lodge. They spoke to him about the princess’ actions, and Charles just smiled.
“She is the princess, and she has all the right to lash out at the reporters. They stepped out of line.”
“Charles, you were the farm head in Alkedeem for the past eighteen years. Give us a picture of how Etan changed?” Kevin asked.
“You don’t see the stars anymore. The days felt longer, too. I guess we lost time when all the electronics stopped working. No satellites meant a lot of malfunctions, and eventually, we lost track of time. We couldn’t even follow the sun, as it was dark for days and days. Generators mostly run Etan and the fuel, well, it’s created like we had to in the old days.” He told Kevin everything, trying to paint a vivid picture. How the dragons were mutilated in public hearings. How some of them didn’t even have their dragon forms anymore. He spoke about the day when Elena had returned with me and discovered that Paegeia still existed. He talked about his emotions, how they’d flared up with hope, and when he’d seen his dragon again, well and alive. It brought tears to his eyes.
“How many times have you seen the king?”
He kept quiet for a moment. “Four times a year, until a year ago. But we know for a fact that he is still alive. Goran won’t kill him, he wants to break him, and the king didn’t break yet. He is Etan’s only light on that side. It’s why so many people are still holding on.”
“Do you think that the mission will succeed in two weeks?”
“I know it will. Because this mission doesn’t just have the king’s dragon, they have the Rubicon and the princess too. Those two will make it work. I’ve seen their bond. They are strong, no matter what the media says. They are like magnets always pulling each other together, no matter how much they like to argue.”
Marcus chuckled.
He asked Charles a few more questions and then ended off his interview, begging the world of Paegeia to do whatever they could for this mission.
My father called me to his office.
I knocked on the door and waited for his command.
“Enter.” His voice came, and I opened his door.
Pages covered his desk. Dad stood by the 3D project that he had been working on for the past two weeks.
He’d gotten a thorough layout from King Helmut’s men, who spend more than a day scouting through Etan’s cities.
He nearly finished it.
He placed small 3D objects to complete the layout, and I gave him time to finish.
He stood up straight and wiped his hands with a cloth, probably some glue that got stuck on his fingers.
“You have to start putting your part of the plan into action.”
I nodded.
“So, I’m releasing you from the Dragon League. Tomorrow you will go back to Dragonia and first go speak to the Shifters. We need them to win this war. And take Elena with you. Seeing how these meetings go might be a significant learning experience. She needs to know these protocols for when she runs the country.”
My lips curved into a smile.
“Yeah, yeah, I know. I kept you away too long from your rider.”
I chuckled. “That clear?”
“That clear. So you might work on that one too.”
I got up.
“There is one more thing, Blake.”
“What?”
“You need to speak to Caleb. We need Areeth. I know what I said in the interview, but we need Caleb’s fleet to succeed.”
“I’m not one of his favorite dragons in this world, father.”
“Try, please,” he begged.
“Okay, I’ll put my best paw forward, but I can tell you now, I’m the wrong person to get through to him.”
“Maybe, maybe not.” My father smiled and went back to his project.
“Is that all?”
“Yup, and whatever you do, make sure that the people of Paegeia see that you and Elena are stronger than ever.”
“I will.”
“Enjoy the last night at Dragon League.”
He dismissed me, and I went to pack my bags. I was so ready to go back and to just be Elena’s dragon for once.
We have a huge road ahead of us.
I dialed Isaac’s Cammy.
His face appeared in a few rings. “Dude, how are you?”
“I’m good. How are you?” I asked.
“Better. I wish this free Etan crap can be done with now, and everything can go back to normal.”
“You and me both,” I admitted.
“Your dad is seriously pushing this one up?”
“Yep, two weeks to go.”
“Man, that is tight.”
“Tell me about it.”
“You found the missing ingredient?”
“Not yet, but my dad strongly thinks that it’s something both Elena and I process, so it could be our love for all we know.”
“We write songs about that shit, man. Love is powerful.” He sounded like he was high on weed.
“You high?”
“High on life,” Isaac teased, and we both laughed.
“I need a favor?”
“Anything, just tell me what you want?”
“A meeting with the elders tomorrow night. You think you can do that?”
“You bet. I’m the last Sovereinheight Eagle, so you bet I can get a meeting taking place. What time?”
“Around six, six-thirty.”
“I’ll phone you tomorrow morning with the verdict. Is the princess coming?”
“Yep, she needs to learn the Shifters’ Protocol.”
“Rad, just remember to tell her not to swallow the trippy juice.”
I chuckled at the way he said it. “Believe me, I will.”
“Speak to you later, Bud. Let me go do my part for this war.”
“It’s not a war. It’s a rescue mission,” I reminded him.
“Which I promise is going to have casualties.”
I chuckled, and his hologram disappeared.
I was glad to go back to Dragonia. To have Elena in my arms. We’d speak plenty of times on the phone at night, but it wasn’t the same. I missed her scent and having her close to me.
These two weeks were all I have with her. I needed to make them count.
I went to bed early that night as I hadn’t slept well the past few nights. Knowing that I was going to see Elena tomorrow might help me sleep better tonight.
* * *
After breakfast, I left and told my father that I would call him after tonight’s meeting.
The flight to Dragonia was a few hours long, but I pushed myself again, trying to break my record.
I landed in the courtyard and was surprised to see Master Longwei exiting the main entrance.
I changed back into my human figure and pulled on my jeans and shirt.
“You keep on growing, Blake. I could swear that you are bigger than the last time I saw your dragon.”
“Story of my life.”
He chuckled.
“I need Elena to go on a few errands.”
“Errands?”
“Speaking to the shifters. We need them for this mission and hopefully working in King Caleb too.”
“Yes, he wasn’t easy on her during that meeting after she revealed that King Albert is still alive.”
“Yeah, I don’t care about what he feels. There is no agenda. He needs to fight.”
“He will. He wants us to grovel some more.”
I chuckled. “Yeah, I only grovel for one royal, and it’s not King Caleb. We might sleepover tonight at my mom’s, but I’ll let you know. It all depends on the shifters.”
“I wish you both all the luck in the world, Blake. It’s time that Paegeia sees you and Elena as a unit.”
“Agree on that part,” I muttered and went into the building as he walked on toward the infirmary. My aunt was still on vacation, and I think it would take time before she came back.
I rushed up the girls’ stairs and could feel the pull. Elena was definitely in her room.
I reached their dormitories and knocked on the door. My body already started up, like a new life was being forced into it. I didn’t mind it one bit.
My sister opened the door. The look on her face was of pure relief. She flung her arms around my waist.
Okay, that was weird.
I broke the hug and entered their room.
Elena turned around, got up, ran to me, and literally jumped into my arms.
I laughed as she planted her lips on mine—my drug.
But she broke the kiss way too fast for its full effect, pouring through my body and making me act like an idiot.
“When did you come back?” she asked.
“A few minutes ago,” I replied, not being able to hide my feelings.
My eyes glimpsed the TV when I put her back down on the floor. “Why are you watching this?”
The remote was on the coffee table, and I walked with huge strides to retrieve it.
I switched it off.
“Seriously?” My sister grunted. She gave me that look again, as if I was going to disappear any second.
Something was off with her, but I’d ask Elena later.
“I’ve been listening to many plans about how we are going to pull this off over the past two weeks. I don’t want to listen to non-believers for the next two weeks. Thank you very much,” I casually mocked her.
Sammy rolled her eyes. “It’s still my room.”
Whatever.
“So what is the plan, Blake?” Elena asked.
“Well, for now, I need to eat.”
She laughed. I even missed that.
“And then, I need you to come with me so we can convince more people to fight with us.”
She grunted. “I thought you said that you don’t care about the non-believers.”
“I don’t. They are not non-believers. They are just cut off from the press and media.”
“Where are you taking me?”
“Not to Etan. I promise.” I pulled her into my arms again and bent down for another kiss. “But you really need them,” I spoke against her lips.
“Not me, we. We really need them.” She looked up at me sternly.
“Okay, we really need them.” I raised my eyes playfully at her. Correcting my mistake.
I shook a lot of hands as we both walked down the hallway toward the cafeteria.
It was great to be back to the place that felt like home, where I could just be Blake.
Chef smiled when he saw me neared.
“The prodigal son returned.”
I laughed at how that saying was becoming a regular thing. “How was your training at Dragon League?”
“Eventful, that was for sure.”
“I heard that you finally capture Paul and Nora. To think they were right under everyone’s noses. I never knew that Wyverns were that talented.”
“Few people do. We still have plenty to learn about the wyverns, and I doubt it was ever going to be possible to learn what they’re truly capable of.”
“That would be nice if someone could actually get the facts about them and write that book.”
“Yep, that would be awesome.” I second that. Especially about the threats they held to us.
We dished up and went to sit at a table for two.
“So there is something I need to tell you,” Elena said.
I squinted. “What is it?”
“I got the suit, and I asked to get it changed.” She spoke the last part fast before putting a fork heaped with food into her mouth.
“You what?”
She sighed. “The vision showed you wearing black. I changed it to white.”
“Elena,” I said, and laughed. “That’s not how it works.”
“I don’t care.” She whined.
I touched her hand, knowing that she would do whatever was in her power not to let one of us perish. “Thank you, it’s adorable.”
“You are welcome.” She smiled and carried on eating.
“So where are George and Becky? I haven’t seen him at all.”
She shook her head as her smile immediately vanished.
“Elena?”
“I haven’t seen her since the interview. She said that she needed to go to her mom, and that was it. She refused to speak to me, and she doesn’t even pick up when I call. Neither does Lucille.”
I spoke to George. Was Becky really that upset with Elena? “I’ll speak to George tonight, find out if everything is okay.”
“Thank you.” She sounded as if she was about to cry.
My sister’s looks popped up in my thoughts. “Can I ask you something?” I needed to know.
“Sure.”
“Does Samantha know about the vision?”
Her lip twitched slightly. “She found out when the suit arrived.”
“It explains the looks. I just wanted to know.”
“What looks?”
“The kind she gives when she does not know what the future holds.”
“Well, she doesn’t; it’s not her ability.”
I smiled. “I just can’t deal with Sammy worrying about this too.”
“She is your sister. I’m her best friend. It’s difficult, and she is going to worry whether or not you like it. It’s what people do when they love someone.”
“Okay, Freud, whatever you say,” I answered, but to be honest, I didn’t think about it that way. It made sense.
Elena laughed as we carried on eating.
“So what did you think about the suit?” I asked.
“It’s something else, I have to say.”
“Something else?” I frowned.
“Okay, it’s freakin’ brilliant. I didn’t know you had it in you.”
“What can I say? I’m a master of many things.”
“That you are.” She laughed. “So, where are we going?”
I snarled, baring my teeth.
“Please tell me. I’m not good with surprises.”
“I’m scared you won’t come with me if I tell you, and to be honest, two weeks away from you was really hard.”
“Stop whining. Where?”
“To Isaac’s family.”
She burst out laughing. “You are taking me to your band member’s house? That is so terrible,” she mocked me.
“What can I say?”
“Should I take my axes?” She joked.
I laughed. “I would love to see the look on Isaac’s face, but no, they are not a threat.”
“You said that they are secluded.”
“Not really secluded, more like... You’ll see when we get there.”
“Okay, whatever.”
Five
Elena rushed up to her room to get dressed for the shifter meeting. She looked excited, but her heart was thumping wildly.
I texted Isaac to know the verdict.
“They agree to sit with you, Blake. Remember to warn Elena not to drink the trippy juice.”
I chuckled again as I read his text.
I quickly went to Chong’s office to tell him about tonight’s meeting and that I would let him know what time we would get back. The mansion was closer to the Shifters village, and we might sleep tonight over at my mom’s.
“I wish you all the luck, Blake,” Chong said.
“Thank you.” I smiled.
I waited for Elena at the entrance of the academy, wearing my robe.
The meetings with the elders were a severe deal. It was how they sort out alliances and discuss the art of war to protect their lifestyle and traditions. Isaac was next to take his father’s place as the chief of his shifters’ community. He would make an outstanding leader one day.
Elena skidded down the steps, and my smile immediately lit up.
She became my everything so fast, not that I complained one second about it. It was how it should be between Dents.
I held out for her hand as she looked around. She probably wondered where Chong was.
Outside, I pulled off my robe as she turned around, and I morphed into my dragon form.
She picked up my robe from the ground as I stretched out my wing for her, and then she ran up my wing with all her strength as I retreated it to help get her on my back faster.
She sat between my two horns, and I lifted into the air as gracefully as possible.
The fight to the Shifter’s community took a few hours, but we would make it in time for the meeting.
She was quiet on the way there, and it was during times like these. I wished I could hear her thoughts. We could really have great conversations traveling.
When the faint lights of the shifters village showed on the horizon, I descended, and a few minutes later, we landed right in front of their high walls.
Elena slid off my wing and handed me my robe. She turned around again so that I could shift back to my human form.
The gate opened, and Tim walked out. He was a shape-shifting bear, guarding the entrance. I put on my robe and walked over with gigantic strides, holding my hand out to greet him.
“Tim.”
“Blake,” Tim replied, and shook my hand.
“This is Elena.” I introduced her to Tim.
He gave her a funny look as if he never saw a woman before, but shook out of it quickly and grabbed her hand. “So nice to meet you, princess.”
“Elena is fine, and it’s nice meeting you too.” She spoke confidently.
I chuckled as Tim led the way through the gates and into the village.
It was a beautiful community, with giant trees and lots of cabins. I can hear the river gushing over rocks a few miles to the south that led to their lake.
They lived off the land and from the lake for centuries.
Gerald was here, too. He was a panther-like Ty, and his human form was as big as a house.
“Blake,” he greeted me, and I shook his hand as Tim took us to the van that would take Elena and me to Yuri’s house.
Lanterns hung over our heads, lighting the way. I understood why Isaac loved his home. It was so peaceful and still so untouched.
I let Elena climbed into the van first.
I sat next to her as Gerald and Tim climb into the front seat.
