“Fran, I can’t believe that you could be so stupid—”
“Nicolas, remember what we talked about. Francesca is a gown woman,” Aly said, raising her voice slightly.
Nicolas had his shirt on now, but he still didn’t look happy. I moved my hands over my face, wanting to convince him that we could trust Idris.
“Either way, it’s a suicide mission. I don’t trust him, and you shouldn’t either,” he said, standing up.
“He let me go when I broke into that house to steal the necklace. And if it wasn’t for him, I would already be back in Draconia without Avianna, dying in prison. Let’s just spend our last day together and not fight. Seriously, guys, because tomorrow I’m leaving, and I don’t know if I will ever get a chance to come back,” I said, but it seemed that Nicolas didn’t want to listen to me at all.
He continued to push his argument, attempting to convince me. Aly was on my side, trying to tell him that he should give Idris a chance. In the end, he went to his room in a bad mood, claiming that he had to get another a few hours of sleep before his next shift.
I couldn’t believe that he was acting so immaturely.
“Don’t worry about him. He’s just jealous. Idris is dark and handsome,” Aly whispered to me later on. “We both missed you terribly, but I think deep down, he was hoping that you would stay.”
“He has nothing to worry about, and I can assure you, there is nothing going on between Idris and me,” I told her a bit too promptly.
“Oh, I don’t know, dear. I have witnessed that kind of chemistry before. Back when I started going out with my husband,” she said in a singsong voice, and started doing the dishes.
I wasn’t planning to tell her anything. One steamy make out session didn’t mean we were together or that we had any kind of future.
“Nicolas knew that I was going to leave and Idris is accepting it,” I sighed.
“Either way, hon, now you have two men that want to steal your heart and a little egg that you have to think about. Maybe you should consider staying after all.”
I didn’t stay, although I was considering it. The problem was that I didn’t have any books or resources that could tell me what would happen if Avianna hatched out in this world. The risk was just too high. The next day, Idris arrived outside the house around eleven p.m. to pick me up.
The day before, after Nicolas had a few more hours of sleep, he finally emerged from his room in a better mood. He was leaving for work soon, and we didn’t have much time to talk. Aly made roast chicken and I went out in the evening to get some wine.
Nicolas didn’t have to be at work until ten p.m., so we ate together, talking and enjoying each other’s company. We were all in better spirits, but I couldn’t help thinking about what might happen.
Then in the morning, he walked into my room and told me that he was coming with me. I was half asleep. When I glanced at the clock I saw that it was seven a.m. I recognised that determined look on his face. I knew that he wouldn’t let me go alone with Idris, so I agreed.
“What’s he doing here?” Idris asked, glaring at Nicolas who was standing behind me.
“If you think that I would let her go with you alone, then you have another thing coming, mate. Unlock the door,” he ordered, and I could almost see steam coming out of Idris’s ear. He didn’t look happy with the idea, but we didn’t have time to argue about this. Time was running out. We needed to head over to central London.
“Idris, just let it go. Nicolas is only trying to help,” I said, and he nodded to me.
Nicolas sat in the back while I sat in front next to Idris. The car passed through the busy streets. The atmosphere was frosty, almost unbearable, and I wished that I could do something to help them get along. Idris kept glancing at the warden in the rearview mirror as we drove for about half an hour.
“Where are we heading? Where are the cracks supposed to appear?” Nicolas finally asked, breaking the awkward silence. I was so glad that he didn’t use a demanding tone again.
“It’s one of the prime locations in the city. One of the cracks appear right underneath the water and Francesca must jump off the London Bridge. Only certain people in the council know about it. It’s the one crack that the Dark Ones cannot guard or control,” he explained, and I swallowed hard. I should have asked him about this sooner, but now I had no other choice.
“How are you, Avianna? In about two hours we should be home, back in Draconia,” I said, sighing loudly in my mind.
“The shell is cramped. I think I might hatch out tomorrow or the day after. I just feel it in my horns,” she admitted.
“Don’t worry, you will be fine, but I might get a little wet.”
“Jump off the bridge? Are you even listening to yourself? This is way the hell too dangerous,” Nicolas shouted from the back seat. Idris tensed his shoulders and I sensed changes in his magic. Nighttime in London was busy, so this was going to be a hell of a challenge. It was late, but I suspected that there would be other humans out there.
“It’s a moving crack and the only way back, mate. So, I suggest you shut your mouth and let me deal with the logistics,” Idris said.
“Are you even listening to this guy, Fran—”
“Please, Nicolas. We have been through this. Avianna won’t be able to make it much longer. It’s a hell of a risk to stay here,” I told him.
Nicolas opened his mouth to add something else, but I glared at him from the front seat. He didn’t say another word.
I could barely stand the tension for the rest of the drive, and was so glad when Idris killed the engine some time later. He locked the car and led us through a gloomy street, saying that we couldn’t park any closer.
It felt like a bunch of stones cascaded down to my stomach—my nerves were getting to me, but I kept telling myself to stay positive. Ten minutes later, we reached the bridge, and I was a little relieved that there were only a few cars passing by, and not many humans. The strong wind ruffled my hair. The view of the parliament stretched in front of us. This was it, my final moment in this world.
“Here, the crack spreads over several meters, but it can be unstable. There must be too many interferences around,” Idris explained when we reached the middle of the bridge. The river seemed calm and there were many different ships and boats docked by the edge. I couldn’t imagine jumping straight into the water. I knew how to swim, and I trusted that Idris would measure the exact moment when I was supposed to pass through the portal, so I could avoid killing myself. The magic in Draconia was calling for me.
It was time to say goodbye, and I truly hated that moment. I walked up to Nicolas, seeing the apprehension in his eyes. This was going to be awkward, saying what was on my mind in front of Idris. Last time, he kissed me, and I just couldn’t do that right now. My body secretly craved the intimacy of another man.
“Okay, I think this is it. The final goodbye,” I said, aware that Idris was listening in on every word, even though he was looking away. Nicolas looked torn, and before I could stop him, he brought me into his arms, pulling me close.
I inhaled his scent, aware of how loudly his heart thumped in his chest. We had a connection and there was definitely an attraction there, but I considered him a good friend, nothing more. When he finally let go of me, his eyes were filled with desire.
“Just get there safely. I don’t care about anything else, and kiss Avianna for me,” he told me. Then it was Idris’s turn. He smiled at me, and I wanted to do a lot more than just hug him. We both knew that wouldn’t have been appropriate, especially in front of Nicolas. Idris must have sensed my hesitation because he said, “Get over the balustrade before anyone sees us. The crack should appear at any moment. I can sense rippling energy already rising.”
He and Nicolas helped me over the balustrade. The weight of the egg inside my backpack was pulling me down. The wind started howling and I closed my eyes for a second, letting go of the fear I held inside. I looked down, seeing the water and knowing that if
I fell, I probably wouldn’t survive. I noticed that the air was crackling slightly and then some time later, I opened my eyes. I looked down, seeing a hole in this world, a portal to my city, my Draconia. A tear moved down my cheek, because I couldn’t believe that I would be there in a moment.
“Take one step forward, Francesca, and your friend here is going to die. Good job, Idris. You were right about everything that you said a few days ago. You just had to gain her trust and then she would fall right into our hands,” a loud voice echoed, and I looked behind me, trying to keep my balance.
A shock wave tore through me, and I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. There were at least three other Dark Ones standing behind Idris, all in their true forms. One of them was holding Nicolas. There was a sharp knife pressed against his neck.
I stared at his father who smiled at me, placing a hand on his son’s arm.
“Father, what—”
“Silence!” Magnus shouted and in that same moment I realised that Idris had betrayed me.
25
Hey cool dudes.
“Idris betrayed us, Avianna. It was just a step up and now they have Nicolas. What do I do now? The crack is slowly disappearing,” I said, using my mind to communicate with my egg.
“What? No, he couldn’t have done that. He is good, and he is on our side. What is happening?”
Strong wind was picking up and my feet were slipping. I didn’t know what to do. My heart raced triple time as I stared from Nicolas to Idris, not understanding how I didn’t see that he was only using me.
“You want him dead, warden? I can make it happen in a matter of seconds. Just hand over the backpack and I will let you walk away,” Magnus shouted at me, moving closer, but I wasn’t listening to him. There were these feelings, spiraling emotions that were gripping my heart so tightly. Idris was just like them and I wanted to rip his fucking face off.
“Nicolas!” I shouted, parting my lips and staring in horror as the Dark Ones behind him smiled, pressing the knife harder, grazing his skin. This wasn’t happening, and there was no way that Idris could have manipulated me like that. I sensed when people lied to me, and he never had.
A pulse of energy left me, zooming around. The crack was pulling me down and I just needed to take a step forward.
“I knew that scum couldn’t be trusted, I knew it. I’m going to kill you once I get—”
Everything happened all at once. The Dark Ones behind him dropped the knife, but Nicolas’s eyes rolled into the back of his head and he collapsed. I screamed, wanting to go to him, but at the same time, I was being pulled by a strong magical force.
A blast of energy exploded on the bridge. Magnus. There were tiny sparks of static shooting through my system. More Dark Ones appeared, running in our direction. I heard a loud noise, and then a large vehicle appeared in the sky near the parliament building.
Idris was shouting something to me, but I couldn’t hear him. The large flying vehicle was moving towards us.
I didn’t want to listen to him. He was done, we were done, and I was afraid that Nicolas was dead. The crack was beginning to disappear, and I knew that I only had a few seconds to make a decision. Energy was crackling all around it.
Then magic exploded from my pores, lashing out of my hands. Magnus, Idris and his people were thrown several meters away, off into the distance. Then white smog appeared out of nowhere. Warmth was spreading, and I knew that it was all my doing. Anger and frustration flashed from every part of my being, turning into static magic. Then, it felt like someone pushed me, and I was falling. The portal—the entrance to my world—vanished just as I was about to fall through. The magic pulled away in an instant.
Seconds later, I plunged into the ice-cold water and my lungs seized. The shock of the freezing cold must have knocked me out for a good few seconds. I started kicking my legs when I realised that I had to get back to the surface.
My body refused to cooperate. I was so cold and exhausted. The water was flowing into my nose, and there was nothing but blackness in front of me. I kept moving my hands, working my muscles as hard as I could.
A tiny voice in my head told me that I couldn’t die here. Maybe I failed to go back, but I had to keep going—I couldn’t give up.
All of a sudden, my body stopped moving. The darkness started shading me. I was falling again.
“You stupid, stupid, girl. What are you waiting for? Start moving your legs. You have to save yourself and the egg or I will kick your butt.
I opened my eyes and in the darkness, I saw her. She was there, Dara, swimming next to me, shouting that other people were counting on me. That I couldn’t give up just yet.
Seconds later, I started kicking my legs through the dark water, concentrating on my magic. My chest was tight, and I didn’t think I could hold my breath for much longer than a few more seconds.
Finally, I broke through the surface, inhaling air sharply, trying to stay afloat. The strange machine was still flying in the sky, and its lights were shining along the bridge. I started swimming towards the shore, knowing that I just had to go on for a little while longer. My legs and hands were numb, and the backpack was pulling me down.
I kept going, swimming, and breathing hard. Avianna was in the backpack and she was keeping me warm for some reason. I had no idea what happened to Nicolas or the Dark Ones. I truly hoped that he wasn’t dead.
My breathing was strained, and I thought that I would never make it to the shore. Dara had finally left me alone, and I was on my own again.
I was cold, freezing, and my magic was fading, but sometime later, I finally touched the rocky shore. I was on the other side of the bridge, coughing and spewing water until my lungs were clear. There were more people on the bridge now. I could see flashing lights.
Nicolas was going to live, and I was planning to get him out, but first, I had to make sure that Avianna was all right. I couldn’t even think about Idris. I wanted to kill him with my bare hands, but there was no time to be angry.
I sat down on a large rock and shut my eyes for a second, so I could rest. The cold wind howled again, and I was shivering with cold chills.
I opened the backpack. The egg was shining in the darkness, its scales were warm and vibrating. My heart was jackhammering in my chest now. Thankfully, there were no marks around the shell. She seemed fine.
My fingers were so numb when I was holding her, trying not to shake.
“Avianna, hon. Are you all right? Please answer me.”
There was a long silence and I waited, but she didn’t respond. Something was wrong, and I knew that the fall must have damaged her. Tears forced their way into my eyes, and then the egg began vibrating even more.
I opened my mouth and then the shell started cracking.
“Oh no, no, please. Don’t hatch out here. I’m begging you. No, we aren’t home, and I can’t protect you here,” I said, trembling with cold.
The shell was falling apart in my hands, and it finally stopped shining. Seconds later, a creature the size of a large hand emerged from the egg. It was a small black dragon with horns and red eyes. It was one of the most beautiful, precious, moments of my life. I couldn’t stop staring at her, sensing her magic flowing through me, connecting with my system.
“Avianna, are you all right? For Qesborth!” I whispered, and she made some sort of roaring sound, then released smoke from her nostrils.
“Hey, cool dudes. I’m here, and I hatched. Awesome. So, what’s going on?” She looked around with her tiny eyes and a I sat back, shocked.
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