“Plucky, what did you do?”
Everyone laughed at the nickname. “I went really dark.”
She stared at him with concern. “How dark?”
“It doesn’t matter anymore, I saw the light.”
She giggled.
“Who is that?” Cassy whispered softly.
“That is my egotistic dragon I thought went to heaven.”
Blake laughed the loudest.
“He came back?”
“Yeah, they chucked him out.”
“They did?” Her eyes were huge.
“No, they didn’t. And I’m not egotistic.” Blake sat on his haunches next to my chair and looked at Cassy. “I’m Blake.” He held out his hand.
She smiled and hid her face in my shoulder.
“Okay, maybe too soon.” He got up and grabbed a dishcloth helping Daisy with the dishes.
“You are just a ray of sunshine, aren’t you?” Daisy looked at him.
I laughed this time.
“Something like that,” Blake mumbled through a smile.
“What you did, for Annie…”
“Don’t. Please, I can heal myself. It was nothing.”
Daisy giggled. “Oh, but it is. Even if you have healing abilities, nobody would’ve taken something like that upon themselves.”
“Okay, you seriously have to stop.”
I didn’t look at them while they chatted, I stared at Cassy who couldn’t keep her eyes off Blake. Yeah, kid, I know the feeling.
Charles came in. He was clean and looked like a new man, ready to face the day.
“That dragon of yours surely has his talents, Elle,” he said glancing awkwardly at Blake.
“What can I say,” Blake joked. “I’ll be here all week.”
We all giggled.
“A warm shower.” Charles sounded so chirpy.
“Let me guess, he heated up the geyser for you.”
“Yes.”
“Tonight, I’m so going to take a real bath, just soaking,” Daisy said and we all laughed again.
EVERY SINGLE ONE of the men, including August, looked like brand new pennies, hair washed and faces clean. Even Tom’s spirit was slightly brighter today.
We ate, everyone talking at the same time. Blake and Charles were in a deep discussion about telling the others. So we had to wait here, until Marcus came back. He’d left about five minutes before, after finishing his plate of food.
Annie and I helped Daisy and Gertrude clean while Blake kept Cassy company. She’d gotten over her shyness and now it was as if they were best friends. I never even knew he was this good with kids.
“What happened with your eye?”
“Cassy,” Daisy said.
“Don’t worry, she’s just curious. Reminds me of a little one I used to know a long time ago. I like that.”
He’d never spoken about his past and now he kept on revealing little hints of past friends like it was the most natural thing for him to do.
Annie bent down next to Cassy. “He took my ouch away, look.” She showed Cassy that there was no longer a mark over her own eye. “But it left him with that.”
She just stared at him.
“Why did you do that?”
“Cassy,” Daisy said again.
“It’s okay,” Blake said to Daisy. “No need to bite her head off.” He looked at Cassy. “Well, because Annie is my family, like August and Tom and Pop are yours.”
“Annie is your family, but she is our family too.”
“Then I guess that makes us family too.”
“I’m family?”
He chuckled.
Marcus’s voice filled the door with Luke and so many others. “Is it true, is Elle back?” Olivia asked. “The Rubicon, the rest of Paegeia?”
“Yes, Olivia.” Charles spoke to the group in the lounge area.
“Cassy,” Daisy said softly and the little girl ran to her mother.
I went to sit next to Blake.
“They are through here.”
All the heads of the surrounding families started to walk into the kitchen. “Elle,” Luke greeted me first. “I was so scared when they took you and Annie.”
“Don’t, I’m so sorry about Max. I’ll get them back. I promise.”
I saw Olivia who looked more than withered. I hugged her too. “We will get them back.”
She looked at Blake. All of them looked at Blake.
“You sure love to get into fights, don’t you?” Olivia joked and Blake smiled.
“Yeah, they all thought I was Billy.”
Every single one of the Bensons gasped, except Charles, he roared with laughter.
“I take it you guys didn’t beat him up?”
“No, for heaven’s sake. He healed Annie’s eye,” Gertrude said. “And he’s busy healing himself.”
Blake hated it. He truly hated it and couldn’t handle the spotlight like he used to. I hated that. It wasn’t even really him.
“You did what?” Olivia asked, shocked.
“She is my cousin, and she didn’t want to look like that, so I helped her. Anyone would do that. Daisy, no comment.”
“I’m not saying anything.”
Olivia huffed. “You are wrong about that.” She took a seat opposite Blake, and just stared at him. “I never thought that I would see what the Rubicon looked like. We thought we’d lost all of you.”
“It must’ve been hard, not having hope.”
“It was, but I had to survive somehow for the sake of my children.”
He touched her hand. “We’ll get her back, I promise. And we will get you all out of here. You have my word on that.”
“They are going to know, Blake.”
“They won’t.” Charles spoke and they all took their seats. He started telling them about the Buyo device. They listened, soaking it all in. A great device to get some of them out, the ones that weren’t going to fight. They would be replaced with trained men and women.
There was so much work to be done until then.
“So you are truly the key to pass through the Creepers?” Olivia asked.
I nodded. “For some reason they don’t harm me.”
“It’s her blood.” Blake spoke as if I was some sort of alien. He told them about what had happened on the mission when Brian died, that our blood could transform any weapon into a special weapon.
“The King of Lions weapon was special because of their blood.”
“Yes,” Blake answered. “The sword is lost, Goran tried on numerous occasions to destroy it, he succeeded the last time but he also must’ve put two and two easily together as Elena’s life was constantly in danger after he saw her.”
Their eyes grew again. “Elle needs to be our top priority then,” Luke said. “If she dies…”
“It will be over my dead body,” Blake said and they all stared at him, including me. “She is my responsibility, I’ll protect her.”
“I know you are the Rubicon,” Olivia said, “But you are only one dragon.”
Blake smiled. “I think it’s time for you to meet the big guy.” Blake got up and everyone started to follow him.
I HATED THIS plan, really hated it as he was huge and if any Wyvern saw him from the sky, everything would be ruined. Still, Blake wanted to show them the Rubicon. I don’t know if it was another hope technique or something, but he was adamant.
Everyone gathered around as Blake started to take off his shirt.
Daisy and Olivia stared at him and I started to laugh.
“Sorry, Elle.”
“It’s fine,” I said and he pulled down his pants and walked in his boxers into the trees.
It took only a few seconds for him to disappear and another few seconds before the birds all scattered up into the air. The trees shook softly making everyone gasp. I was worried sick. This was really stupid.
Annie was the only one who was seriously excited to see Plucky again.
The earth vibrated slightly as Blake started moving out of the
forest.
Olivia and Daisy’s eyes grew big and Cassy jumped into her mother’s arms. All the kids were scared, hiding behind their parents.
“Is this normal?” Olivia asked.
“Yeah, it’s normal for him.”
A gasp filled the air and everyone looked. Blake’s dragon form stood at the edge of the forest. He didn’t come out into the open but hid in the trees. He wasn’t as stupid as I’d thought.
“Mother of Hades!” Olivia said and Daisy just gaped. Annie ran towards him.
She laughed and started speaking in Latin. “Okay, Elena didn’t lie when she said that growing some was an understatement, Plucky.”
“Join me,” he said in a deep voice.
“You know I can’t.” She sounded sad.
“One, day, I promise.”
“Blake, enough please!” I yelled and he smiled.
“I’m almost done, Elena.”
“What is he saying?” Daisy wanted to know.
“He’s almost done. I hate this.”
“I can’t wait to see what he is going to do to a couple of Wyverns.”
“Olivia.” I sounded scared.
“No, Elle, they deserve it. Wyverns are a disgrace and what they do to so many humans this side… I want them all dead. And I’ll pay for front row tickets to that show.”
He spoke again to Charles who understood and I could hear those that understood Latin translate to the children and ones that didn’t speak it.
He was going to show us something new he’d recently discovered. We all saw how he closed his eyes and started to disappear.
Just then the spot where he’d stood was filled with extra trees.
Annie walked over and touched the trees. Her hand even touched the parts that should be clear.
“It’s a blending in technique, Jumble-Bean, not an invisibility spell.”
He came back and retreated slightly, shifting back.
Blake ran back to us in his boxers again and took his pants from Charles. He pulled them on first, and then his shirt went over his head fast as they all started talking to him about his height and all the things he could do.
After a while we all went back to the house. Well, only the heads as Blake wanted me to go back and get King Helmut to start stationing troops this side. I didn’t like leaving him this side, not one bit.
But he was adamant like always, said they needed his help but I needed his help too, on the other side.
The deal was to take Annie back and go speak to the council, show them that we’d brought back a sign of life. That we’d made it through and it could be done. I needed to tell them that in the next few days more innocent people were going to come and we needed places for them to stay until permanent residences could be set up for them.
How on earth was I going to do all of this? How was I going to make them see? I was sure the Ancients would want a front seat in all of this. They feared Blake and would tell him yes, immediately.
I took a huge breath and remembered the words Blake had said to me. That courage and bravery could not come without fear.
I had to stand up to the Council, the Ancients, and show them that I was the Princess of Paegeia.
I would have an entire day with all of them, then tonight Annie and I were going to go back.
At eight in the morning our paths split and I helped again with picking grapes.
Charles was whistling an upbeat tune and this time Marcus joined in.
Spirits were definitely high again as Olivia started singing in the most beautiful voice to the tune they whistled.
We worked till five and then the wagons came to pick up all the baskets.
I was one of the first to enter the house and Gertrude’s cooking smelled delicious.
“You sure know how to make bread,” I grunted as I took in the smell of freshly baked bread.
She laughed. “I’m sure you are used to much finer.”
“No, this is the good kind, believe me.”
“Go wash up and come eat. Blake made sure that there was hot water flowing through.”
“I guess he does have his perks.”
She giggled and I rushed up to my room.
I poured a bath and it felt amazingly warm. I shifted the divider so that it sort of covered the entire bath and started to disrobe.
As I climbed in I couldn’t help thinking that this was perfect.
INSTILL HOPE, CHECK. Show them the big guy, check. Make them trust you, almost there, no check yet. Missing ingredient?
I sighed as I sat feeling extremely dirty and so good that I’d actually worked my ass off today, as the words from that day filled my head. The images that flew through my mind were already fading. I could only remember a field and walking toward the Castle in Etan. It looked nothing like I’d remembered. It used to be a majestic building, but what I saw was nothing like that. Half of the towers were destroyed.
Elena, dying.
I blew out air. That could never happen.
“Blake?”
I jumped out of my thoughts. “Sorry, Gertrude.”
She laughed. “Are you going to wash up?”
“I think Elena is still taking her bath, I’ll wash up after her, thanks.”
She smiled. “Finally, someone that doesn’t think this universe revolves around teenage hormones.”
I laughed, if only she knew me better, she wouldn’t even think that, not to mention say it out loud.
“Hello bird.” I saw Seymour watching Elena as she bathed. I jumped up and rushed up the stairs.
I barged through the door but found nobody, just the divider and…she was asleep.
“Elena, wake up!” I yelled.
Annie was at my side.
“Just wake her up,” I begged and she rushed to Elena’s side.
The water splashed as Elena’s heart beat a thousand miles a minute, but I was glad that she’d found Annie.
“It’s just a dream, you okay?”
I could hear her sigh. “When is it going to stop?”
“It will eventually. She’s awake, Blake. She’s fine.”
“You okay?” I had to know for myself.
“Yes, sorry about that.”
“Don’t apologize, Elena.” I hated that dream and to voice the list of things that I wanted to do to that son of a bitch would make everyone think I’d gone dark again. The worst part of everything was that I was so close, but I’d promised to play nice for now. It sucked.
I walked back down.
Gertrude and Daisy, with Cassy on her hip, were waiting down by the stairs. All these people worried about her, that was evident.
“How did you know?” Daisy asked as I walked past her and back into the kitchen. August sat at the table, looking all spick and span.
“Oh, that? I’m still connected to her dreams. It’s like whatever is shutting me out disappears when she falls asleep.”
“You could really hear her thoughts?”
I nodded and gave her a soft smile.
“Amazing,” she said.
“It’s broken now, thanks to my past.”
“Your past?”
“I was quite horrible to her, if not worse.” I sat back down on the chair opposite of August as Daisy and Gertrude sat down at the table too.
I looked back at the stairs, hearing if she was okay. Annie was speaking to her, about their dreams.
“What is it you guys go through when you Dent?”
I smiled again. “I’ll tell you, but then I’d have to kill you.”
Daisy lifted up her hands, “In that case, I don’t need to know.”
We all laughed.
“What happened to Elle?” August wanted to know.
“It doesn’t matter, she will get through this. I promise.”
“She’s got the barcode, doesn’t she?”
I nodded.
“They are fuckers.”
“August!” Both Daisy and Gertrude spoke in a scolding tone.
“Your lang
uage.”
“Sorry, Cas, don’t repeat what I just said.” He looked at her sitting on Daisy’s lap and shrugged at his sister.
Daisy just shook her head.
“Max is probably…”
“Don’t, please. Don’t think that, don’t hope that. How long has she been gone?”
“Bout two and a half weeks.”
“I will find her, August. That is a promise.”
He gave me a soft smile just as Charles and the rest entered the kitchen. The two women got up to start getting plates ready and the men took their seats.
“You did an amazing job on the shed, Blake. Thanks,” Marcus said.
“What can I say, I’m a dragon of many talents.”
“That you are. How does Elena ride you?”
I laughed. It didn’t come out exactly as he’d meant, but okay. “We haven’t tried it yet, I always carry her.”
“I bet it’s a ride of a lifetime.”
“You’ve never been on a dragon?”
“Nope, not born with the mark. But my father told me that it is an amazing feeling. I can only imagine.”
“The mark only limits you, Marcus. King Albert didn’t have the mark and he claimed a Night Villain.”
“You comparing me now to the Greatest King that ever lived?”
We laughed again.
“How is your father, and the Dragon League?”
“Not around anymore. It was one of the first things that disappeared on the other side. Without my father.” I shook my head. “He is a mess. Hardly the dragon he used to be. I don’t want to know what this news is going to do to him. Instill hope, lunacy, I can’t think of it.”
“Then keep his existence quiet for now Blake.”
“You don’t understand. The rest of Paegeia isn’t as together as it used to be. King Albert was the glue that held them together. Areeth,” I huffed. “Let’s just say everyone was affected by losing him. Not just my father.”
“You need Areeth to fight,” Charles said. “From what I can remember, Areeth and Etan had the best soldiers.”
“Yeah, but they are not Elena’s biggest fans. Caleb has tried everything to disown her from her title. Helmut is the only one that is standing by her side, but he’s not enough. He’s lost both his children.”
“What?” all of them said.
Moonbreeze (The Dragonian Series Book 4) Page 47