As comfortable as I was going to get, I concentrated on the bigger picture. “Now what direction is Energo?”
“Here, take this.” Ollis handed me a metal-encased compass. “You need to go west. Cross the mountains, and you will be in the boundaries.”
Samantha nodded. “I can find the caves from there.”
“Great.” I let out a deep breath and tried to pretend I was on a horse.
That was easy enough until we started rising into the air. Luckily, I held back the girly scream that wanted to come out. Samantha would never have let me live that down.
Chapter Seventeen
Charlotte
We didn’t waste any time after meeting the turtle. Thankfully, Nal told us about a shortcut that would shave an entire day off our trip. The best part was that we’d avoid the desert. I wasn’t sure if I could handle that again. Charleston got hot in the summer, but between the beach and air conditioning, it was nothing compared to the Sutuni desert.
“Do you think Kevin made it back yet?” Henry tossed around one of Kevin’s old hacky sacks as we walked. He must have found it back at the house and brought it with him.
“I hope so.” I nabbed the ball after he tossed it. “I don’t think we’re going to get two chances to break into Bellgard. We need the Onyx.”
He grabbed the ball. “And we need Kevin. He is generally pretty good in tough situations.”
“He is, usually.”
Henry glanced ahead of us to see if the others were listening. They didn’t appear to be. “Are you ever going to tell us what the turtle said?”
“It’s hard to explain in words. We just have to go to Bellgard.” The true meaning of the words had hit me hard, and I wasn’t about to put the weight of them on anyone else. There was a reason I was the only one who could understand the writing.
“If you are sure…” Henry seemed torn on what to say next. “Just remember that if you ever want to talk about it, I am available.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” I forced a smile, though my thoughts were churning a mile a minute.
“What are you going to do when this is all over?”
I rolled up my sleeves. The sun was high in sky, and I was starting to bake. “What do you mean?”
“Are you going to stay in Bellgard, or are you going to go back and finish school?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t actually thought about it.” I’d been living from day to day ever since discovering Energo. The future wasn’t something I could even picture.
“They are going to try to make you stay. He is, too.” He nodded toward Calvin.
“Calvin would never make me do anything.”
“He would not make you, but he certainly would give his opinion.”
“Yeah, he’s good at that, but then again, what man isn’t?”
Henry laughed. “Girls are good at that, too. Rachel has taught me that.”
“What opinions does she make clear?” I hadn’t thought about Rachel much over the past weeks, but I missed my spunky friend. She’d made my year in Charleston tons better, and the more time I spent with just guys, the more I wanted a girl around.
“She thinks I’m the one.” He blushed slightly.
“‘The one’? Wow. That’s big coming from Rachel.” I knew Rachel had gone into the relationship with Henry just wanting to have fun, then fallen hard for him. I just hadn’t known quite how far she’d fallen.
“Yeah, I thought so too. She is so different from anyone I have ever met.”
“Does that mean you’re going to go back for her?” I hadn’t even thought about that possibility.
“Yes.” His response was firm and absolute. My respect for Henry rose another ten levels.
“That’s awesome.”
He started with the ball again. “Do you think she would like Bellgard?”
“Bellgard? Why not just live in Charleston?”
“Well, that is why I was asking where you were going to be. I have to stay where you are.”
“No, you don’t!” I said it louder than I meant to. Calvin and Liam turned around. I waved at them and waited till they turned forward again, then I lowered my voice. “I just mean you can’t make decisions based on me.”
“But I am your Guardian. It is what I was born for.”
“I think you are getting enough Guardian points now. Besides, if we’re at peace, why would I need protection?”
“I want to bring her to Bellgard. Can you imagine her here? She would be in shock.”
I smiled. “I’d love to see her reaction.”
“My mom is going to like her. Mom is a spitfire, too. I think they will get along.”
“I bet she is. The mother of six boys has to be really strong.”
Henry’s expression darkened. “What do you think it is going to be like when everyone we know is gone?”
“What is with all these questions?”
“Have you not thought of it?”
“We need to get through this first, then I’ll worry about a long life.” Tears welled in my eyes.
He put an arm around me. “Are you okay?”
Both Calvin and Liam turned around and walked toward me.
“Charlotte?” Calvin asked.
“I’m fine. I’m fine.” I wiped my eyes with my arm. I hoped they got the hint that I didn’t want to talk about it.
***
“You can tell me anything.” Calvin’s whisper was barely audible as we lay cuddled by the fire.
We’d made it back to the plains quickly, but we couldn’t go farther without resting. My eyes were heavy, and I felt sleep pulling me under as soon as I lay down. All the stress and uncertainty was really wearing on me. Usually that was enough to keep me up, but physical exhaustion the magnitude of what I felt was pretty potent.
“I know.” I did know it, but being able to trust someone was different from having to keep something from them for their own good.
“Then tell me what is wrong. What did the scroll say that has you so upset?”
“I’m not upset.”
“Yes, you are. I can feel it. It is like you are trying to build a wall between us. I cannot let you do that. You are my other half, Charlotte. I need you to let me in.” His tormented expression ate at me.
“I love you. That’s all you need to know.”
“As I love you, but there is more. Tell me.”
I shook my head. “No.”
“Walk with me?”
“Now? It’s too late.”
“Please. We need time alone. I will take the blankets, and if you are too tired, I will carry you back to the campsite.”
“Okay.” I got to my feet. How could I say no to such a simple request when he’d say yes to anything I asked?
Henry looked over from where he stood watch but didn’t say anything as Calvin led me into the woods.
I leaned heavily into Calvin’s side. “Where are we going?”
“You will see.” He wrapped an arm around me.
I let him escort me through the dark woods until we reached a stream. “Is this…?”
“You remember it?”
“Of course. It’s where you kissed me for the first time.” I hadn’t realized how close we were to where I’d first met Calvin.
“I still remember how it felt to connect with you. How I felt like I would never be whole again without you.” He stopped in front of the rock we’d sat on that first day.
“If we only knew then…” I took a seat on the rock, and he sat next to me.
He inched closer to me. “If I had known how hard a road we would have, I would have probably whisked you away. I would have selfishly kept you to myself instead of sharing you with our people.”
“I would have wanted that.”
“It is better that we did not know then, is it not? Without us, Energo would have no hope.”
I nodded. My exhaustion faded as I lost myself in memories.
“Let me kiss you, Charlotte. Let me kiss away t
hat sadness.”
“Please do. It’s all I want.”
He kissed my cheeks, my eyelids, my earlobes, and my neck.
I sighed, trying to savor every sensation caused by his lips on my skin.
As his lips explored me, so did his hands, and before long, I was undressed in his arms. We’d left the rock and had a blanket spread out near the water.
Calvin looked down at me. “It is freeing, is it not? Being naked together out here all alone?”
“I hadn’t thought of it as freeing, but I do feel that way.” I ran a hand down his chest.
“This is the memory I want to hold with me forever.”
“Of tonight?”
“Of holding you, of watching the moonlight dance across your naked body.”
I rested my head on his chest. “Promise me you’ll live a happy life.”
“Of course I will. Having you beside me makes me the happiest man alive.”
“No matter what. You need to promise me.”
“Why does it sound like you are saying goodbye?”
“I just love you.”
“I love you, too.” He kissed me gently.
I looked into his eyes. “Make love to me, Calvin.”
“I have never been asked to do something I want more.”
***
Sometime in the night, Calvin kept his word and carried me back to our camp. I don’t remember dressing, but I also didn’t remember the last time I’d slept so soundly.
I was ready to face Bellgard. I was ready to face the Source.
Chapter Eighteen
Samantha
Flying on a plane was an experience, but flying on a dragon was life-changing. The wind in my hair, adrenaline flowing through my veins, I felt alive in a way I’d never felt before, as if I’d been born to fly.
I leaned forward on the dragon, wanting to be part of the movement, not a mere passenger. I was barely aware of Kevin flying beside me, but when I did sneak a glance, he was smiling. At least he had overcome his fear. Fear did not wear well on him. He was a warrior, a Guardian. Bravery was an intricate part of who he was.
We reached the mountains, and I guided my dragon higher. I had no doubt that Blake would have guards searching the mountains for intruders. Intruders—as if I could ever intrude on Energo. I was my nation’s daughter. Nothing could change that. It saddened me to no end to think about what Blake had done to such a beautiful place. We could not let him win.
“Stay alert,” I called to Kevin as we passed into Energo. Part of me expected to be attacked, but we were high enough that very few men could hope to make a shot. The reality was that if Blake wanted us dead, we would be. The darkness in him was growing stronger by the minute.
“I will.” Kevin grinned.
He really was having a good time. I knew we would have to return the dragons to Ollis, but I also knew I was not settling for this one experience. We would be borrowing them again sometime. Maybe if we paid a high enough price, we could keep them. I laughed at the thought. Where would we keep dragons? Then another thought hit me. If I united with Kevin, we would be entitled to live in the castle. He was a Winthrop. If there was any place in Energo to keep dragons, it was Bellgard. What a thought. Living in the castle with pet dragons in the stables outside. I laughed again, and it felt good. Things had been so tense over the past few days.
I directed the dragon toward the fern grotto. I was not sure where we were going to land, but my biggest fear was that the Resistance would mistake us as enemies and try to attack. We needed to be careful with our entrance. As we drew closer, I called to Kevin, “Be careful. No sudden movements. We will not get the usual welcome.”
He nodded. “I’ll let you lead then. You’re usually better with things like this.”
“I am glad you acknowledge my superiority.”
“Only on this… not everything.”
“Yes, there are things you are very good at.”
He did not say anything else. Sometimes Kevin could be very smart.
As expected, the Resistance waited for us on high alert. We landed in the clearing between the fern grotto and the caves. Noticing the swords and spears pointed toward us, the dragons tensed. This probably made them seem even more frightening. I hoped Ollis was right and they could control their fire. The ride back was fantastic, but creating a fire or hurting a single member of the Resistance was an unacceptable outcome.
“It is us!” I jumped down and called to the men. “It is just us!”
“Samantha?” Lawson took a few steps toward me. “Where did you get such beasts?” He eyed the dragons skeptically, as though waiting for them to attack.
Kevin hopped down and joined me. “Oh, you know, we just picked them up along the way.”
“Kevin!” Emma ran over and embraced her son. Tears spilled down her face.
“Hey, Mom. Where’s Charlotte?” Kevin looked over his mother’s shoulder.
“She isn’t back yet.” She didn’t bother to hide her nerves. We all expected Charlotte to beat us back by several days. She was only traveling a short distance.
Kevin placed a hand on his mother’s arm. “Have you heard from them at all?”
“They sent a message to have someone pick up their horses a few days ago. They’d left them in the Sutani desert.”
Kevin took a single step back from his mother. Any signs of his good humor were gone. “What were they doing there? That’s completely out of the way.”
“We don’t know. Calvin sent only a brief note. He was probably afraid the message would get intercepted.”
Kevin inhaled deeply. I could tell he was desperately trying to hold it together.
I walked over and took his hand. “She is with three Guardians. They are keeping her safe.”
He gripped my hand tightly. “But she should be back.”
“Not if they went through the desert. Whatever she found at Ruth’s led them somewhere else.”
“So what now? We can’t just wait here.”
“I do not see another choice.” I wished I had more soothing words to offer him, but I was at a loss. Charlotte getting held up was a possibility we had not seriously considered.
Emma looked over at where the dragons stood waiting. “Where are the others? Monty, your father, Talen?”
Kevin blanched.
I was not sure if he could answer, so I said, “We do not know.”
“What does that mean?” Emma looked me straight in the eyes. “Did you get separated out there?”
I glanced at Kevin. I knew holding back any of the truth would only make things worse. “There was an incident. We were caught in a storm, and Kevin and I were separate from the rest. They were taken.”
“Taken? By whom?”
“Do you think we know?” Kevin snapped. That was out of character for him. He was usually so polite to his mother.
“I can’t imagine they would be easy to take. And why weren’t you with them. Where were you?”
I swallowed. “We could only get a few motel rooms. We were upstairs.”
“Together? You were in a motel room together?”
Any other time, I might have been embarrassed by the insinuation, but it was nothing compared to the greater problems we faced. “Yes. I felt safer with Kevin at my side.”
Emma suddenly smiled. “I’m glad my son makes you feel safe. I hope he treated you like the gentleman he was raised to be.”
Kevin groaned. “Mom.”
“I’m just saying… but that’s beside the point. You have no idea where they were taken?”
“We found blood.” Kevin looked down at the ground.
“Blood? Whose?”
“We don’t know, but Dad left his car keys with it.”
“If he left his keys, he still had his faculties. We have to assume they’re okay.” She sounded as though she was trying to convince herself.
“I’ve been tricked before. I’m not believing anyone’s dead unless I see a body.” Kevin appeared to regret
the words as soon as he said them. It was not his mother’s fault he had suffered such a traumatic experience. “Kevin, we need to tell her about the dreams.”
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