Starlight (The Dragonian Series Book 5) (44 page)

“You know what I mean.” He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “There is going to be plenty of time to do this. It’s not the right time, not yet. Just trust me, okay.”

He rested on his one arm and looked at the foot of my bed. He wasn’t even looking at me.

I hated this. Tabitha had no problem getting him riled up. Me, I seriously sucked at this. “Look I know I’m not Tabitha…”

“Elena,” he scolded at me. “It’s not that.”

“Then what is it Blake? I actually remember the two of you at the old place.”

He closed his eyes at that memory and looked disgusted. “I’m not that Blake anymore.”

He made me furious when he said that, really he did, but if he didn’t want to, I wasn’t going to beg him.

“Fine.” I said and closed my eyes. This was so stupid. I should’ve never asked him to come tonight.

He kissed the top of my nose and I opened my eyes. I just stared at him, not really wanting too. I felt so embarrassed now.

“Don’t look at me like that.”

“Like what?” I said.

“Like I just disappointed you again. I hate that look.”

“Sorry, I don’t mean it.”

“Elena, I just want what is best for you. Believe me when you are ready, it will be special. I promise.” He cupped my face and kissed me softly on the lips.

How could I be angry with him? I felt like an idiot but I wasn’t going to push if he wasn’t ready. I knew I was. I just had to be patient now.

I closed my eyes again and moved closer to him. Just being this close should be enough. It would be enough for now.

I forgot about that night I actually went to his room to tell him about the plant.

It wasn’t a surprised that he knew the berries well.

“Tia actually gave it to you.”

“Yes, and then Raymond told me about the berries, it was a huge discussion. She named him Louie, so know we just have to wait for Louie’s berries.”

“You think it’s the missing ingredient?”

“It has to be, it’s powerful enough, or so Raymond said.”

“Okay,” he sighed. “That was the plant you had that night in your arms, wasn’t it?”

“The same one.”

An awkward silence hung in the air. The berries just had to be the missing plant’s ingredients. It just had to be.

The subject changed and we spoke about the past month, about his training with the Dragon League. I couldn’t stop listening to him. It sounded like something that belonged in a King Arthur story, but with dragons. I kept wondering what his father was going to do tomorrow and when the clock read five, we finally called it a night and went to sleep.

WHEN I OPENED my eyes, light streamed into my room. I looked next to me where Blake had fallen asleep and the spot was empty.

I grabbed his pillow and pulled it against my face, breathing in the scent that lingered on his pillow. I loved everything about him, even if I hadn’t said it out loud.

I remembered he had hummed me a song right before I fell asleep. He was driving me insane, and I could finally understand why Tabitha didn’t want to let him go. I found my Cammy on my bed stand and I picked it up.

“Blake Leaf,” I spoke and wielded my shield.

It rang a couple of times and his face appeared. He was in bed and still sleeping.

“What do you want woman? I’m tired.”

I smiled. “Good morning to you too, sunshine. I thought dragons could go without sleep for a long time.”

He chuckled.

“Why did you leave?” I sounded upset.

He wielded his shield too. I could see the faint sparkles in the back ground. “I told you my dad …”

“Keeps an eye on you, yes I got that part.” And forgot all about it.

It was silent for a while and he opened his eyes. “What is it Elena?”

“I’m scared of today.” I looked at him. “What if I can’t do it?”

“Elena, you have to. It’s time.”

“I know. Are you sure you will contain your father?”

“Elena,” he spoke softly in a tone mixed with authority and dislike.

“That’s not what I meant. He was your father’s rider, Blake.”

“Is, he still is. I will speak to Emanual before the interview, just in case. Does that put your mind at ease?”

“I don’t care how many of you there are, I’ll still be worried about him.”

“He knows what the plan is. I just need five minutes to remind him.”

“Okay,” I said as Becky and Sammy barged into my room. It was so weird not hearing any sound. “I’ve got to go, see you later.”

“Counting off the hours.”

I laughed softly, and his holograph disappeared. I lowered my shield and Becky just gave me the eye as she kept looking at the pillow next to me.

“It’s not what you think,” I said quickly as I got up from my bed and went to the bathroom.

I could hear her laughter as I opened the tap of my shower.

“Am I missing something here?” Sammy sounded left out as she struggled to put two and two together. I tuned out their conversation as the warm water fell over my head.

I hated waking up and finding his spot empty. It was as if he really didn’t….
stop that Elena, you read his poems
. Then why didn’t he want me like that? Could he be thinking like Paul?

I got out with the towel wrapped around my body and both girls were sitting on my bed.

“So when did…”

“Shhhh, my walls aren’t soundproof, okay,” I warned Becky.

“How on earth did he manage last night then?” Becky asked as she wielded her shield around all three of us.

“My brother came back?” Sammy finally got it and blushed.

“Nothing happened,” I spoke fast and Becky squinted slightly. She must have seen the disappointment on my face.

“What do you mean nothing happened?”

“He doesn’t want me like that.”

“Elena,” she spoke.

“Then why, Becky? I don’t get it. Tabitha never had this problem.”

“Tabitha is nothing, Elena,” Samantha said. “My brother didn’t even care about her. Now you, I know he cares about you.”

I smiled. “I love you so much, Samantha,” I said.

“I have to admit, he really had to be extremely good if my mother didn’t hear him.”

I started to laugh and Becky did too.

It fell silent.

“I’m glad you are finally trusting him,” Sammy said.

“Well, he showed me what I needed to see. It wasn’t that hard after all,” I lied as she didn’t know that I’d read his journal. I’d only shared it with Becky.

Becky looked at me. “Now you know how I felt.”

A smile tugged at the corner of my mouth. I closed my eyes as doubt crawled back into my gut, and recited his words.
As entity I lived your years. I’ve seen your hope and your fears.
It wasn’t a spell. The Dent was real. It just had to be.

WE SAT AROUND the table eating our breakfast. Afterwards we would leave for Just Kev Studio, which was also in Tith. We needed Areeth to fight. I was done begging them and Just Kev was the last interview where I could get through to Areeth.

I just couldn’t imagine how today was going to turn out. Would I be able to deliver? What if Kev only asked me about my time in Etan? What I’d gone through? Would it make me angry and would I storm out and leave without saying anything about my father? I feared it. It was evident in my plate that was still stacked with eggs and toast that Isabel had been eyeing for the past five minutes.

My Cammy beeped and it was a message from Blake.

The corners of my lips curved slightly.
‘U can do this. I have faith in you
.’

That’s all it said.

I can do this.
I had no choice and still felt like crap that I’d be breaking my father’s promise.

Becky, George, Dean and Sammy came with me. The boys acted like my bodyguards, pushing through the crowds that were stationed right in front of the studio.

A woman welcomed us inside and took us to the dressing room. My hair and my make-up were done while Sammy and Becky kept me company.

“What did Blake mean when he told Isabel to watch today’s show?” Becky asked.

“Just wait, Becky,” I said without looking at her. I felt bad since Blake had said her father was one of the men that was still alive. I was going to give all the names we’d spoken about last night. Etienne Johnson was among them.

“Five minutes,” another guy with a device around his head spoke to the make-up artist and she nodded.

She finished and smiled at me. “You are ready to go.”

“Thank you,” I got off the chair and walked to the door. I stopped in front of Becky. “Just know that I am so sorry, Becky.”

Her face fell and then it grew into worry lines. “You are scaring me.”

“I know.” I sighed. “I had no choice.”

She nodded her head, and I grabbed her tight. I was sorry. I should’ve told her, but there would always be things that I wouldn’t be able to share with them.

I touched Sammy’s shoulder as the stage manager came to get me. He led me on to the stage where Kev and I were going to have our delayed chat.

Just get through to Areeth, Elena.

I had to push Sir Robert to the back of my mind, and I could still feel Becky and Sammy’s eyes on me.

“Good luck,” Becky mouthed as my eyes found hers again.

Kevin got up from his chair as I reached him and took my hand softly in his. “I’m surprised that you kept your end of Blake’s deal, Elena.”

“I’m a person of my word, or in this case, his.” I smiled and he showed me the open chair where I would sit with his hand.

Another guy clipped a small microphone onto my shirt while the make-up artist applied another layer of powder on Kevin’s face. When both of them left, and the stage was cleared, Kevin’s stupid melody started.

“Good day, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to another Just Kev Interview.”

He was finishing his introduction as I took a couple of deep breaths. I’d done this so many times now.

Keep your answers simple, say what is in your heard and don’t forget to tell everyone that your father is still alive.

I blew out the air softly.

You can do this
, and smiled.

Blak
e
.

THE CAFETERIA WAS packed. Every dragon that attended training was here, watching Elena’s interview.

I stood next to my father, leaning on one of the tables in the back row. Emanual’s face was as pale as a ghost’s. He looked like he’d seen one too, as he stared at the table without blinking an eyelid. Still, he took his post right on the other side of my father.

Emanual was struggling with the truth. I shouldn’t have sprung it on him like that. But he’d kept pushing so hard when I’d asked him to just be there when Elena revealed something, something that might let my father act irrationally.

Kevin’s show started and I watched as Elena walked on stage. I hated this show.
She can do it, I know she can.
He asked her something and she replied with a faint smile tugging on the corners of her lips. When the introduction melody stopped, he welcomed everyone to his ‘brilliant show’ and put the main focus on Elena.

Many people were watching today, they couldn’t wait for today’s episode.

He immediately bombarded her with questions about Etan and she answered them like a professional, as if we’d rehearsed this a million times.

“She brings up so many memories,” My father voiced.

“I know,” I whispered and put my one hand on his shoulder. She did. She might not look like Queen Catherine but she sure was her daughter.

“You brought about how many people back now?” Kevin asked.

“About a hundred and fifty,” she said and smiled. “We still need plenty of support from anybody that would like to assist. There are plenty of children that need to be educated, to get them emotionally ready for attending school. It’s like they have to go through some sort of rehabilitation process, just getting them ready and helping them learn that they are safe this side, that no more bad people will take them away from their family.” Kevin just nodded as she kept talking to him about everything. She really knew just what to say to make people relate to what it was these people had lived through the past seventeen years.

“And we also know that really bad things happened to you that side.”

“Kevin,” Both my father and I scolded as if he could hear us. I stared at the fan and prayed that she had strength just to tell him something to make him shut up about this.

I looked back down to the screen. Elena took a deep breath. I felt sorry for her. I should’ve been there, but I had no choice. She wanted me here.

“Those people are surrounded by darkness, Kevin,” she spoke again. “What happened to me wasn’t easy and I don’t wish it upon my worst enemy either, but I’ve had plenty of amazing people supporting me this side, making sure that I know I am safe and that somehow pulled me through all the darkness in my life.” She smiled and a warm, fuzzy feeling heated up my core. It was good knowing that she knew that.

“So, in less than two months you are going to free Etan. We all know what the plans are, but you truly need Areeth to stand with you on this.”

My body froze and Elena nodded.

C’mon you can do this. I know you can.

She looked at Kevin. “We do need them, we can’t win without them but they made it perfectly clear that they don’t want to be a part of this.”

No, don’t do this. Please.