Moonbreeze (The Dragonian Series Book 4) (53 page)

“It’s not Billy, Annie.” Charles had just entered the living room. “Lower your guns,” he said to his son and grandsons. They just looked at Charles.

“I said lower your guns.”

They all looked at Blake again and one by one they lowered them.

“You too, August. Not a very smart move. If he hadn’t trapped that bubble, all of us would’ve suffocated. Never release your ability in a closed environment. First rule.”

“Sorry Pops, but look at him.” August had disgust and hate written all over his face.

“I’m not blind. It’s not Billy. Look at his eyes.”

Thank heavens.
I closed my eyes and opened them again.

“Elle.” Charles smiled and opened his arms. I found myself inside of them.

“I’m so sorry,” I whispered in his ear.

“Shhh.” He smiled and looked at Blake. “What is your name, son?” Charles asked.

I stepped out of his hug and just stared at Blake who looked at me through squinted eyes. He was upset again.

He hovered for a short while. “My name is Blake.”

They all gasped, and stared at him with huge eyes, even Annie.

Everyone knew who the Rubicon was. I walked to Blake’s side and saw Annie staring at him. A tear, of fear or anger I didn’t know, rolled over her cheeks. “Blake, as in Blake Leaf?”

He nodded.

“No, this can’t be. The Creepers killed you.” She spoke fast.

“Do I know you?” Blake asked.

“What do you mean by the Creepers killed him?” I walked back to Blake’s side.

She didn’t answer and started to pace. She kept looking at him every five seconds. “This can’t be. He would’ve found you.” Annie didn’t understand. It was evident in her tone.

“Calm down,” Blake said to Annie and I just looked at both of them. “This,” he pointed at me, “is Elena. She is King Albert and Queen Catherine’s daughter.”

Gertrude cupped her mouth, Tom and Marcus just stared, August too, and Charles had that knowing smile on his face.

“Tom found us half an hour after we walked through the Creepers.”

Everyone sucked in a breath again, including Charles.

“You want to tell me that people are still alive?” Charles pointed in the direction of the Creepers. “Behind the snatchers?”

I got what they were saying. “The Creepers only consumed Etan. Areeth, Tith and Elm still exist.” I spoke fast.

“What?” They all looked at one another.

“You didn’t know that?” Blake looked at everyone.

“They told us that we were the only place that survived.” Charles looked at the carpet.

“They lied,” Blake said.

“Wait,” Annie said and looked at me. “You are King Albert and Queen Catherine’s daughter?”

I nodded.

“You never grew up in Etan?”

I shook my head. “I’m sorry. I didn’t even know I was in Etan.”

“That explains a lot.” She spoke softly and looked at Blake again. Something I’d never seen before appeared on her face. It was hope.

She started to smile and then it turned into a laugh and she ran over to Blake and flung her arms around him.

He just stood there, not knowing what to do.

Just hug her,
I mouthed and his arms folded gently over her back.

“Now if I might ask, how do you know me?”

She sniffed, still giggling and pulled away. “It’s me you idiot. Jumble-Bean.”

I gasped. He knew her.

“Jumble-Bean?” Blake asked, it barely came out and Annie nodded. His gorgeous smile broke over his face, as he cupped her face gently. Tears welled up in his eyes, and then he grabbed her around the waist, picked her up and twirled her around. “It’s really you?”

She laughed again. “Yes.”

“Where is your dad?”

She just hugged him. “He died trying to free King Albert,” she mumbled into his shoulder.

I cringed as Blake’s face fell. He put Annie down. “King Albert… is still alive?”

“Yes, I thought …” She looked at me and then back at Blake. “You guys didn’t know?”

Blake looked at me, but I looked away.

“Don’t even think about it Blake. Goran is too powerful, and with the Saadedine protecting King Albert, you will never get him out of there.”

He still looked at me. I could feel his eyes on me. “You knew about this?”

I didn’t answer.

“Elena did you know your father was still alive?”

“How could you not know that? You were reading my mind for I don’t know how long.”

“I didn’t want to then, remember?”

“Wait,” Charles said. “You can hear Elle’s thoughts?”

“Not anymore.” Blake sounded pissed off.

“My dad made me promise not to tell anyone. He never wanted us to free Etan, Blake.”

“That is not for you to decide, Elena. This is my foretelling too. There are families this side that …” He grunted. He was frustrated, angry, I got it. “Do you even know what this is going to do to my father?”

“You can’t tell him, Blake. If he knows, he will do whatever it takes to get past the Creepers.”

“You think I don’t know that? I’ve been there, Elena. I know what he will do, it’s suicide.”

“Please, don’t tell him.”

He shook his head.

Annie just stroked his arm and I felt as if I was back at the academy when none of my friends were really mine anymore. Still, it was slightly different as a tinge of jealousy or worry about who she was to Blake rushed through me. “So, how do you know Blake?” I sounded so obvious and she raised her eyebrow as she looked at me.

“Ew.” She smiled, which made everyone laugh. “Not like that. He’s my cousin.”

I froze and looked at Blake who just shook his head. He made me feel so small at times. I hated that. But then I processed what she’d just said.

“Wait… you are Constance’s daughter?”

She gasped as I said her name. “My mom’s still alive?”

“Jumble-Bean. Believe me this side it is more a surprise of who is alive.”

I just stared at her. I was with Constance’s daughter all that time and …

Blake stroked her back softly. “We have to get you out of here, your mom can’t lose you both.” He took the words right out of my mouth.

She just stared at him when he said,
out of here
. She looked around. “What about them, Blake? They are my family too.”

“Shhhh, what do you think we are doing here? We are not on vacation, that I can promise you.”

Hope filled everyone, and they started to smile and shake Blake’s hand. Introductions were made and Gertrude hugged him. He hadn’t expected that. Tom and August were the only ones that kept their distance.

“Blake,” I started, as he needed to know about the people that were taken.

“Later, Elena.” He looked at me and then at Charles. He walked over to him and shook his hand. “I take it you are the Charles David spoke about.”

Charles froze and stared at him. “My dragon is still alive?”

“Dad.” Marcus smiled and walked over to his side. He put his arm around him. “Come, sit.” He looked at Blake. “My father isn’t as young as he used to be. You can’t just spring that information on us.” Marcus looked at Blake.

“Sorry, I didn’t think.”

He helped guide Charles to a couch and everyone took a seat.

I sat next to Annie. I couldn’t believe it was the Sun-Blast Constance had wanted me to bring home. I wasn’t going to let her out of my sight, until she was safe in her mother’s arms.

She couldn’t stop smiling and just held my hand in hers.

Blake started to speak to everyone about Dragonia Academy and the claiming, everything was just as it had been a long time ago. We told them about Tith, and the museum in Elm that’d had its name changed. They all hung on every word that left his lips. Then he started speaking about David, and the most beautiful tavern that was like a four-star lodge. About David’s family to foster more hope that there was a better life.

Charles started to smile and then I remembered the bag. It was at the door so I got up and fetched it.

“I forgot,” I interrupted Blake. “David wanted you to have this.” I gave him the bag and Charles took it. He opened it and took out the first object. It was a Dingo. A sponge cake, wrapped up in candy paper, like Twinkies, but different. It had the sweetest fruit jam inside.

He smiled and saw the note. A huge grin spread across his face. With tears running down his cheeks his eyes caught mine and then he started to laugh, opened the wrapper and just grunted as he took a bite.

Everyone smiled, even chuckled as they watched him. He took out an entire bag of Dingos and handed each one out. “Eat, it’s time to celebrate.”

WE SPOKE ABOUT the plan of action and what we were going to do over the next few weeks. We were going to bring people in and take the innocent out.

I grabbed Tom and August’s attention too.

“Look, everyone is going to be free. We will get you all out of here,” Blake promised.

“We can’t, Blake,” Charles said. “The Council is coming next week. They know us. If they find someone missing, they will kill everyone.”

Blake paced up and down as Charles spoke.

“We have no hide-out anymore.

“It’s fine. Do they know about all of you now? Elena mentioned something about a facility.”

“Yes, there used to be. They found it three months ago. When they took Elle and Annie,” Marcus said. “They will look there first.”

I just realized Daisy wasn’t here. “Marcus.” There was alarm in my voice. “Where is Daisy?”

“Calm down, Elle,” he said. “Sorry, Princess.”

“Please, it’s Elle, here.”

He smiled. “She fell asleep putting Cassy to bed.”

I could breathe again.

“You haven’t answered my question.” Blake asked again. “Do they know about the little ones?” I loved the way he said little ones.

Marcus shook his head. “Nicky and Max sacrificed themselves like Elle did to keep the smaller ones safe.” His voice broke. “We found a hiding spot for them up on one of the hills, but the last time they brought another Dream Weaver and she sniffed them out.

“Penelope.” I looked at Annie and she nodded.

“You said in a week’s time?” Blake asked.

Charles nodded.

“We might be able to help.”

“How, Blake? If they find you…”

“Elena, calm down. I wasn’t even thinking that. A safer way. We have one week. If we can get the ones out they don’t know about, they will never know.”

I nodded. It sounded like a good plan.

Marcus looked worried. “Cassy is still very small, I doubt she would leave without Daisy, and they know my daughter. They tried to take her a couple of times. I would give anything for her to disappear, but it’s like Charles said. If they find one missing…” He shook his head and a new set of tears lingered in his eyes. “It’s like no matter what kind of hope comes our way, we are never going to get away from this rotten hell hole.”

“Don’t say that.” Blake spoke softly. “There is always hope. And there will be a war. Probably the greatest one in history. No peace can come without war.”

Everyone fell silent at Blake’s words. I didn’t like that, but he was right.

“Dad?” Daisy’s voice came from the door. She sounded sleepy. “What is going on? Who are…” Her eyes found mine and she rushed over to my side and grabbed me with strong arms. “How did you escape?”

“Shhhh.” I stroked her back as she squeezed the daylights out of me.

“We found Annie, and…”

“Calm down Daisy.” Marcus spoke softly and he gave her the biggest smile.

“This is Elle’s dragon, Blake Leaf.” She looked to where her father pointed and her eyes grew.

“He’s not dead?”

I shook my head. “I know he looks like Billy, but it’s not him.”

She gasped. “Wait, what?” She looked at everyone who smiled and nodded. She looked back at Blake. “Blake Leaf as in the Rubicon?” She sounded dumbfounded.