I entered the cave, nearest to the flag. I could hear Becky screaming with laughter. George had reached her.
“Elena, go for it!” She yelled, and I moved swiftly through the small cave sideways.
I was finally inside and found Taylor close to Elena. She was wearing all black, tight pants that clung to her legs and a grey long sleeve shirt, with a matching vest.
She ran hard and then Taylor swung the log with Elena on it. What the hell was she doing?
Elena kept her balance and to my surprise kept running forward even though it was spinning.
She leaped for the next log and I was glad when she caught the railing, hoisted herself over and carried on running.
Move you idiot. I said and ran forward to the front, through another passage that blocked my view of Elena.
The chains rattled again. Taylor was on Elena’s log once more. She was going to do the same thing she’d done the last time. I didn’t like it. Taylor really took winning extremely seriously. To such an extent that she didn’t care whom she had to hurt to win. Well, I did.
I exited the sideways passage.
One of the logs Taylor was on, swung around and around, and Elena had just leapt for the podium.
She caught it just in time, almost giving me a heart attack and pulled herself up. Then she sprinted towards the flag.
“Blake!” Taylor yelled.
A grin appeared on my face. Not this time, Dad, I don’t care who you send.
I ran as fast as I could and just as Elena reached for the flag, I collided with her and she fell on top of me as we slid off the clearing. A yelp left her mouth.
I grabbed with one hand and held onto the ledge, while the other one had her hand securely in mine.
I could hear her body colliding with rock.
“YES!” Taylor yelled. She chanted our victory and it echoed through the entire cave.
“Are you okay?” I asked and could hear her laughter below me. She was fine.
George laughed as Becky grunted, but she laughed with him after a few short seconds. “You tried, Elena!”
“Not good enough!” She yelled back.
She still dangled from my hand, but her heart was beating from pure adrenaline. At least she trusted me enough to know that I would’ve caught her. She looked up and then that disappointing laugh escaped her lips. “Seriously, you couldn’t just part with it once? Just once.” She spoke up, clinging on to my hand for dear life. The drop was far; she would break at least both her legs and a couple of ribs if she fell.
“You have no idea what that flag represents.” I pulled her hand once and she came flying upward to me. I caught her around her waist.
Her face was inches from mine and she took a deep breath as she stared at me. “Very disappointed, Blake.”
She didn’t look upset.
“Sorry, seems to be my field of expertise.”
She giggled and shook her head. I pushed her up onto the ledge and watched how she climbed onto the clearing again. My other hand reached the ledge too and I pushed myself up.
Taylor was still cheering. She was such a bad winner. It irritated the living crap out of me.
“You guys take this Dragon League business seriously.” She kept staring at Taylor and her Cammy buzzed. She smiled as she opened it.
My father’s face appeared. “Did you get it?”
“Nope, he is way too fast, picked up on it as we entered the cave.”
My father grunted and his holograph disappeared.
I laughed softly as she smiled. We started to move out of the cave. The flag was securely inside my hand.
I helped Elena onto the upper platform that led to the sideways passage, and we moved out of the cave.
Once outside I could hear Taylor teasing Sammy and Dean.
What is it with this chick? It was just a game. When we reached them, she grabbed the flag from me, and waved it around, making more cheering noises.
My sister just stared at her, which made me laugh. George and Becky were gone, no surprise there.
Sammy caught my eye. “I really thought you would let Elena just take it, Blake. Just this once.”
“Not that flag, sorry.”
“Urgh, you are such an idiot,” she said and Elena laughed.
“Well if you were on my team, you would’ve tried everything in your ability not to lose that flag too. Dad is just sour because I’m close to breaking his team’s record,” I said. “It’s very bad form using Elena like this.”
Samantha cackled again and so did Elena.
We walked back to the campsite.
“So what gives me the pleasure of your company on this beautiful night? Shouldn’t you be celebrating somewhere?”
“We partied last night. I didn’t think you would even know what day this was, wow, I’m impressed.”
I chuckled. If only she knew.
“Happy Birthday, Elena.”
“Thank you, Blake.”
“Nineteen, wow.”
“Yeah, if only people would treat me like a nineteen-year-old and not a ten-year-old, that would be awesome.”
I smiled. Not knowing what she meant by it. “You still haven’t answered my question. Gracing us with your presence. Wait let me guess, my father put you up to this?”
“No,” she sounded a bit uncomfortable. “Ralph dropped this off.” She handed me my journal, the one with all my poems that had been missing for the past five months. “The day he demonstrated the super suits. That was your idea?” she asked.
I nodded. “I knew nobody was going to be able to make a saddle that was going to fit my fat ass, so I had to think of a better plan to make you feel safe and secure.”
She laughed again.
“You opened it.” I looked down at my journal. She shared the ability. The one that was the key. Shit. Now I know why she’d used it so many times.
“The pink kiss was a brilliant idea but I figured it out really fast, sorry.”
“So I take it you read them.” I didn’t like that one bit. My voice said it. Some of the stuff was dark, very dark. Things I didn’t want her to ever find out. Irene…
“Please don’t be mad,” she touched my arm softly, it send a million volts up my arm. “They were the most beautiful words I’ve ever read. Who would’ve thought? You, a poet.”
I just stared at her.
“You should actually be grateful that this journal ended up with me. It was those words that made me realize what a stupid idiot I’ve been,” she babbled.
What? I was totally not expected that. She was really so different from all the other humans I knew. A lot like her father in some ways. “You are not an idiot, Elena, you figured out how to open my journal.” I was still disappointed. But the journal was private.
She laughed softly. “Yes, because I had to know what was in there. Such bad character.”
I chuckled. “Well if it’s my words that changed your mind, then I’m grateful for this book. I actually thought it would do the opposite.”
“You mean the beginning of the journal?” She smiled.
“I did plenty of shit, Elena.”
“We are all capable of bad things Blake. It’s in the past. Yours was dark. You had to act and couldn’t help it.”
I stared at her. “As easy as that?”
She laughed. “Oh no, I was quite shocked about all the nasty stuff you did. I couldn’t really imagine how dark you really were, but that last three quarters… it just shows you how powerful those poems were.”
I smiled, put my arm around her and pulled her into my side. This felt normal, I felt normal again. I didn’t worry about her like I had the past two months. I’d really never expected this in a million years.
We reached the campsite and Emanual laughed at Taylor who was now pushing the flag in Oliver’s face.
“I’m disappointed, Princess,” Emanual teased her.
“Not as disappointed as me,” she said back.
She couldn’t be that disappoint
ed. She must know that the flag represented her, and I just showed her that I would do anything to protect the flag.
I sat down and she took George’s seat.
More rustles came from behind and George was walking with Becky in his arms, whispering sweet words in her ears.
They had it so easy.
“I really am sorry for the disappointment.”
“It’s fine.” She smiled at me, and Taylor handed her a cooler.
“No hard feelings?”
“None,” Elena smiled and took the cooler from Taylor. I would love to know what had happened on those logs.
“Happy Birthday,” she sang and everyone on my team wished her a happy birthday. Elena went scarlet, but thanked them all.
“You must know what the flag represents?” I asked as everyone gave her space to breathe and she took a sip.
“Emanual told me, but still. I went for it.”
“It doesn’t matter.” I smiled.
“But it is good to know that in a real war you would be there.”
“I will always be there. War or no war.” I took a sip of my beer and stared at her.
I got up, and gestured with my hands for her to wait. Where else was she going to go?
I walked into my tent and picked up the present I’d made. I went back and she was making jokes with Emanual. She was really that disappointed? I should’ve let her grab the stupid flag.
“Here,” I hunched in front of her chair and she just looked at the badly wrapped present in my hand.
“What is this?” She looked at me.
“It’s your birthday, I was going to give it to you when I returned, or saw you again.”
“Blake,” she whined.
“Just take it, it’s not much, but it’s from me.” She didn’t get what I was saying and she took it.
She opened it and slightly gasped as she saw the dragon leather bracelet. It was a deep red purple and then realization dawned on her face. “When you say it’s from you…”
“I heal fast.”
Her eyes grew. “Are you insane? Why do you do this?”
“It’s nothing, it’s just a piece of skin.” I chuckled and tried to explain quickly while George chirped softly in the background. Everyone laughed except Elena.
“You are crazy,” she sounded upset.
“Just take it, please.”
She shook her head. “I don’t know if I should smack you or thank you.”
“Is the thank you a violent gesture too?”
She laughed. “No, it’s not. Come here.” She cupped my face and gave me a soft kiss. My stomach did all sorts of things. She broke the kiss and stared at me. “It’s seriously beautiful, but really stupid. I don’t care if your skin grows back, don’t do this again.”
“Okay,” I spoke softly and helped her put on the leather bracelet.
The color of my skin looked so beautiful on her wrist. It was a gorgeous bracelet too. I’d written a small love note with my fire, burned it in there and hoped that she would find it and decipher it.
Images of her sharing a sleeping bag with me tonight flooded my brain. It quickly changed into something else, and I pushed those thoughts to the back of my mind.
I tied up the last string and I could feel Elena’s eyes on me.
“What is going through that mind of yours?” she asked and I smiled.
“Nothing,” I said, sounding guilty. Was it that evident on my face?
“Well,” Emanual smacked both his hands together and I looked at him. “It’s ten, and we still have to get back.”
“Go back?”
“Yes, Blake. The other team lost. I have to take them back.”
“Oh, okay.”
Taylor waved at Oliver. “Bye,” she said and he laughed, got up with his team and started to leave.
“Where are you going?” George asked behind me and I glanced over my shoulder. I saw Becky had just kissed him, and was getting up as if she was ready to leave too.
“I have a really busy day tomorrow,” she answered. “Win this thing, baby.”
“You’ve got to be shitting me,” he whined again.
My face fell as I realized why I’d felt disappointment earlier. I opened my eyes and looked at Elena. “You have to go too, don’t you?”
“Your father’s rules.” She had a soft smile on her face.
I laughed when I actually wanted to cuss. “He is seriously a strategist.”
“Very disappointed, Blake,” she said again and kissed me softly once more, as she got up and walked over to Emanual.
“Really?” I looked at Emanual.
“Sorry. I’ve got my orders.”
“Screw your orders.” There was begging in my tone and Elena turned around slightly, waved at me and walked away.
Did she just have to do that?
I watched her retreating figure. She looked so gorgeous tonight.
This was not happening. Dad! You fucking asshole.
George grunted and just stared at me. “Dude,” he spoke softly.
They disappeared into the woods.
Taylor wielded a shield around us. “Blake, don’t.” Taylor seemed angry, as if she knew what I was going to do.
I sighed, looked at George who looked as if they’d just taken his favorite toy away from him again, and back at Taylor. “It’s just a flag, Taylor,” I said and lowered her shield.. “Emanual, wait.”
ELENA.
I WAS SO CLOSE, so freak’n close. Sir Robert hadn’t been joking when he said he really didn’t want Blake to break his record and had made it so hard—or thought he had made it hard. It was really so easy for Blake.
Still, I really was disappointed. I’d wanted to spend the last of my birthday with him, and now I had to go back without him.
Blake’s face fell right after Becky told George about our busy day tomorrow. “You have to go too, don’t you?” He sounded disappointed. Finally. I sighed.
“Your father’s rules.”
He laughed, the one that just made me want to grab him and kiss the living crap out of him. He bit his lower lip. My insides clenched. I wondered if he even knew he was doing that. “He is seriously a strategist.”
“Very disappointed, Blake,” I said again, and bent my head closer to his for one last kiss.
His lips tasted perfect. I hated this feeling. I really want him to come with me tonight, so badly that it hurt, and now, it made me feel sick knowing that he was staying.
I got up and went over to Emanual.
“Really?” Blake asked Emanual.
“Sorry. I’ve got my orders.”
“Screw your orders,” he begged and my stomach clenched. This was what Sir Robert’s one condition meant. He still wasn’t going to give up that flag.
I turned around and waved one last time at him. He didn’t even wave back.
I didn’t care how I looked around him anymore—which right now was a pathetic loser—I wanted him so bad and I knew he wanted me too. The words in that journal had said it over and over again.
I reached Becky and just stared at her. I took another deep breath and she pulled her face at me. She wanted George to come home too.
George seemed quite disappointed as well. He was whiny and grunted a lot.
Becky smiled but didn’t say anything.
Emanual chuckled as we took the path back to the farm.
“You know how hard that is for him, right?”
“He makes it look so freak’n’ easy.”
“Believe me Elena, it’s not.”
I shook my head.
“Sorry, Princess.”
“It’s fine. It’s my own fault. I should’ve tried harder.”
Emanual smile and raised his eyes knowingly as he put his hand up in defense and started counting off. Five, four, three.
I frowned. Two, one.
“Emanual wait!” Blake yelled and my stomach fluttered.
Becky jumped up and down excitedly on one spot.
“Thank yo
u,” George grunted.
Emanual turned around, and walked back. “You called?” He asked.
“My father is a fucking idiot.”
“Your father is brilliant.” Emanual joked.
“I seriously can’t believe you are doing this!” Taylor yelled.
“For the umpteenth time, it’s just a flag. It’s not the real deal. I caught it, so relax, Drama Queen.” Blake sounded like his old self again, the way he used to sound when speaking to me a long, long time ago.
She kept grunting.
“Oliver,” Emanual said. “Here,” he threw him Blake’s team’s flag.
“Never thought the big guy would falter this way.” Oliver laughed and I grinned like an idiot, “Thanks, Elena.”
I didn’t say anything. I felt quite bad now for Blake’s team.
“Dents,” Emanual said and smiled at me.
I shook my head and waited. We heard them starting to pack up.
“I want to stay,” Taylor said.
“Do what you like, I don’t care,” Blake said back and she grunted. What the hell….stop it Elena, he would never. I looked at the bracelet again. How the hell had he even done this? I pushed the image of George holding a knife, while Blake was in his dragon form, to the back of my mind.
Stupid idiot, but the bracelet was gorgeous. Really, really gorgeous.
The other girl and guy walked out first with huge backpacks on their shoulders.
“I want a long freak’n bath,” she said and giggled as she passed us. She didn’t even sound upset.
“Make mine a long shower,” the guy said.
Then they started talking about steaks, how it should be done with mashed potatoes and whatnot. Emanual chuckled.
George passed Emanual and ran straight to Becky. He wrapped his arm around her and they walked on.
Blake followed a minute after him with a bag over his one arm. “Don’t,” he warned Emanual, sounding slightly upset but winked with a smile when he saw me. “I hate it that my father knows my weakness.”
He pulled me closer to him and I was crushed against the side of his torso.
“Everyone knows you Dents have weak points,” Emanual chirped from the back and Blake shook with laughter.
It was that obvious, even if I almost hadn’t seen it. But he’d made that clear by giving up the flag.
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