“Huh,” she leaned back. “I expected you to say 292 or something. That's not bad at all.”
“It's the age of majority,” he replied. “Which is probably why my father chose this year to tell me the truth. He thought I could handle everything I knew being a lie easily when I reached majority. Turns out, it's harder the longer you believe a lie.”
“Cole,” she squeezed his hand. “We all make our own path in life.”
“My Enya,” he answered. “So ridiculously positive, even though we're stuck in a God-forsaken place.”
She glanced around. “We could go shopping. I have a bit of room left on my credit card, and I've never shopped in an airport before.”
He raised an eyebrow.
“Why? Are things different here?”
“It's the experience,” she said, and he rolled his eyes but rose to oblige her. At that point, his heart would have given her anything that she wanted. He dreaded spending time in this place. It seemed overly chaotic, tempers were running high, and everywhere he looked felt dirty. The effect on Enya's fragile state was not going to be a good one.
As the hours ticked by, it was exactly as he feared. They lost their spots on the bench, long since taken after a shopping spree. Despite his better judgment, he let himself be convinced to sit on the floor so she could lie in his lap. He wasn't quite sure that she was sleeping, but she was quiet, still, and her body warmed as she snuggled against him.
Eventually, an announcement came over the PA, offering to re-book flights for the following days. But by the time he got the front of the line, they only had seats for two days down the road.
“It'll be fine,” Enya said, barely sitting up when he returned. “We can explore Belgium. Unless you have a time limit?”
“I don't,” he answered, crouching down to meet her eyes. “But I am concerned about you.”
“One last time,” she said, with a smile. “To have an adventure and act normal before you take over the world. What do you say?”
If it was anyone else, he would have smited them. But instead, he leaned forward, kissing her soft lips.
“One last time it is, then,” he said, pulling back. But he worried it would be more than just one last chance for a normal life. Perhaps this would be one last chance at life itself.
CHAPTER 9
She fiddled on her phone as he returned with the luggage they had collected. “There’s a hotel downtown that's pretty cheap. Right off the train station, and then we could be close to all the sights.”
“I shudder at the word ‘cheap,’” he said, crouching down to look at the picture. “And if you don't want to vomit now, I'm sure you will by the time we get in there. There must be something better.”
“Again, room on my credit card,” she answered. “Unless you can conjure up some compulsive magic.”
He flexed his hand, thinking. He really didn't want to use an ounce of the returning magic in case she needed him. At this point, though, he wasn't sure he could convince any innkeeper to even give them a smile.
“It will be good for you to see how the other half lives.” She smiled.
“I don't like it,” he said. “But then, I haven't liked much since I came here, apart from you. Tell me which way to go.”
“Um.” She glanced at her phone and coughed. “We have to catch the train downtown, I think it connects to the airport. This way, up a flight.”
“Sir, do you need any help?” a porter stopped them, pointed at the bags, and Cole realized it was going to be quite a challenge. Everything was a challenge in this human form, and what frustrated him the most was every one else seemed to be managing quite well. It was as if they spent half their lives pulling roll-away suitcases through airports. Enya not being stable on her feet presented a problem at this moment, but it was more than that. This human form was weak – physically, and emotionally. He never felt so strongly swayed by another being when he was a dragon. He didn't know how to deal with his feelings half the time. Of all the challenges he expected to meet on Earth, this was not one of them.
“I uh...” He looked to Enya.
“It's alright,” she said, reaching for Cole's hand and using his weight to struggle up. “We'll manage. Won't we?”
“Will we now?” He kissed the top of her head. “I guess we will.”
Her sense of direction seemed to have improved since the night of the ball, and she figured out how to buy tickets and board the train. He had one arm wrapped around her waist, and they both pulled a suitcase onto the crowded train. He felt like such a commoner and such a failure as she curled against his chest. The country side of Belgium flew by as they passed the few stops to downtown.
“Have you ever been here before?” he asked her, and she shook her head.
“No. I've flown at home, but never across the ocean. I've always imagined Europe as a place with great castles from fairy tales. I suppose they are around here somewhere.”
“Pardon, Madame. Est-ce que cette place est occupée?”
“Non,” she answered the stranger without a second thought, waiving her hand as he sat down. Cole raised an eyebrow at her.
“French,” she said. “They speak French in Belgium.”
“Excellent,” he said, leaning his head against the window behind them. “I'm stuck in a country I don't intend to be in for two days, and they speak a language I don't know.”
“They speak Dutch, too,” she replied.
“Oh, that makes things so much better.” He rolled his eyes.
She clung to his waist. “Cole, we only have two days. Let's make it the best two days either of us have ever had. Think back. What was the best day of your life? We'll re-create it.”
He looked down at her eager face, despite her tired eyes, and couldn't help but smile. He didn't want to appear so sentimental, so emotional, but there was only one answer that had truth in its words. There were happy memories with his brothers at home, laughter in his days. Despite being the black sheep and often in trouble, his life hadn't been terrible. But there was nothing that stood out as the best day of his life until he met her. That was a day he would remember, no matter how many days he lived. So, he gave the simplest answer he could.
“Walking in the park,” he said, and she took it at face value.
“They have parks here, I think,” she said, as the train chugged along.
“And you, my dear?” he asked. “What was the happiest day of your life?”
She looked up to meet his eyes and said words that warmed his heart.
“I think that a park would suit me just well. Just walking, just sitting, just being. No stress, no pressure, no school. Just me and you.”
The train signboard announced their next stop and they rose, his arm still around her waist. Looking around, he saw other couples just like them – young, tired, burdened down with baggage and yet happy. No one gave them a second glance; no one even blinked an eye.
Anonymous in a crowd – no one bowing down to him. No one fearing him. It was surprisingly refreshing.
The hotel was exactly as he feared it was. It wasn't the worst thing he had ever seen. There weren't bugs or dirt. But the room was small and cramped, and he didn't get the feeling of comfort or luxury, Enya sank onto the sheets though, her head happy to be on a soft surface.
Deciding to put his thoughts aside, he crawled onto the bed over her, smiling devilishly as he kissed her. Her body reacted, arching up to meet his.
“Mmm,” she said, as he lay beside her. “I feel so gross. But that was nice.”
“You're not gross,” he assured her. “That plane shower was quite the thing, wasn't it?”
She chuckled.
“What's the plan?” she asked. “Short nap and then explore?”
“If you're feeling well enough,” he said, “then I'd love to. But if not, we can do whatever you desire. Do you need some food?”
“I don't know,” she squeezed his hand. “I just need you.”
“Mmm,” he lay his h
ead on her stomach, calmed by her breathing.
“You don't mind, do you?” she asked, tangling her hands in his hair. He had never felt anything more glorious in his life. “That we're a bit delayed?”
He could barely form words as she scratched his head. He could waste his whole life lying here, having her touch him.
“No,” he said, as tingles ran up and down his spine. “Not for just two days.”
“What will it be like when you take over?” she asked.
He raised his head. “What do you mean?”
“It won't be some biblical tale of terror, will it? Humans enslaved and a reign of fire?”
He once thought that it would be exactly that. But her shining eyes changed his mind every moment.
“No,” he said. “But even you must agree that there are things on your planet that need fixing and that need a strong leader.”
“Yes,” she said. “There's so much chaos and destruction, and I have often wished for unity.”
“You will have nothing to fear from me,” he promised her. “How could you even think otherwise?”
“I suppose I wonder what my place will be,” she said. “Will I go back to my old life, just healthier? Or do you have other plans?”
“There will be a place for you,” he promised her. His heart was breaking at what he wanted to tell her. But he couldn't. Not yet. He couldn't promise her the whole world, not when he had been so broken. The thought of betrayal outweighed the love he was feeling. “But this is not the time to worry. I thought we were going to spend two days being normal.”
“Oh,” she said. “Is that what we're calling it?”
“Yes,” he snuggled into her flat stomach. Their hands were tangled together as the sunlight streamed in through the window, warming them both up. “What's the most normal thing you can think of, since you obviously don't want to get up.”
“Ordering pizza and watching a movie?” she suggested and he smiled as he rose.
“Consider it done.” He glanced from the television to the phone. “As soon as you teach me how to do both those things.”
That made her laugh out loud, and she propped herself up on her pillows.
“Oh, how the mighty have fallen,” she teased him.
In the end, it was the most normal evening of his life, and the happiest. They didn't leave the hotel room all day, snuggled in each other's arms. They watched hours of stupid TV, making fun of whatever they saw. The pizza was delicious, and after dinner, they made love for an hour – lazily and happily.
He knew there was a whole world out there with so many things that had to be done. But he was content here and now.
But in the middle of the night, he got up, sliding slowly away from her arms to gaze out the window.
The night was clear, and the stars were shining brighter than they were in America. The moon was full and perfectly white over their window. He cracked open the window as quietly as he could and climbed out on the windowsill.
The air was slightly chilly, and the noise of traffic outside was louder than he liked. But he drew his knees up, blocking both the cold air and hopefully the noise from his sleeping angel as he watched the night sky.
Somewhere in that mess of stars and planets was Umora. He had lost track of where it was and lost track of where they were.
And tonight he had lost track of where they were going, he admitted.
Oh, how his brothers would laugh if they could see him now. He had stormed away in such a huff, in such a fit of anger, to rule this planet. To show them he was better than the fate they left him with.
They would not praise him for being holed up in a cheap hotel with a weak human girl, with no one bowing or scraping.
He fiddled with the dirt on the windowsill, tracing a pattern with his nails.
Was this about them? Was this about showing them what he was worth? Showing his father that he was more than a bastard orphan child? Or was this about him and reaching his true potential? Or was it just about finding happiness?
Behind him, he heard Enya cough, and he glanced over his shoulder. She shifted in her sleep, but she didn't wake, so he remained on the windowsill.
What was happiness, really? Was it measured in grand halls with thrones and crowns?
She coughed again, causing him to turn completely this time. She was restless, her body trembling with cold.
He felt remorse right away, and came off the windowsill, closing the panes behind him.
She coughed again, and then her breathing grew harsher.
“Enya?” He approached her cautiously. If she was alright, he didn't want to wake her. But she twisted, and he knew she was in pain. Just as he lay a hand on her, she woke with a blood-curdling scream. It startled him, and he jumped as he realized her scream was not terror, but pain. “Enya, what's the matter?”
“I can't!” Her hands flew to her head. “I can't. It hurts. I can't…”
And then, to his horror, she went completely limp in his arms.
CHAPTER 10
“ENYA!” he screamed in her face. He didn't know what to do. Flexing his palms did barely anything, but he placed his hands on her stomach anyways, trying to help.
The screams brought knocks on the door, and he threw it open. Cole had never been one for accepting help, but he never needed such help.
“Monsieur?” said a bleary eyed and confused hotel staff member.
“Please!” he pleaded, pointed to her limp body. “Please, my…my girlfriend, please. She's sick.” He could barely remember the words in English, but the hotel clerk seemed to understand. He rushed to the bed, and one look at Enya had him rushing to the phone. “What are you doing?” Cole demanded. “What are you doing? Are you calling for him?”
“Monsieur,” he snapped his fingers. “CPR.”
“What?” Cole babbled. He had never felt so helpless or so useless in his life. He was a sovereign prince. He was a dragon lord. But he could fix nothing with this world, it seemed.
“Here!” the staff member threw the phone to him and immediately went to Enya, compressing her chest. Cole didn't know much, but he knew life was leaving her.
“Bonjour?” said a voice in his ear, but he couldn't speak. Whatever emergency phone call he was making would not be in time. “Bonjour?”
Silently, he put down the phone, closing his eyes. There was no magic left, but there was something he could always do, no matter what state he was in.
It was his last hope and he was quite sure that they wouldn't come. But he had to try, even if it meant the end of his life.
He closed his eyes, trying to focus his energy away from there. His heart was breaking, and hot tears were running down his face as he focused his mind back to his planet. Back to his brothers.
Nicholas. Alexander. I am here.
He had spent this whole time guarding his location and his thoughts from them. If they knew he was on Earth, they had no idea where. And he suspected they were doing him a favor by not finding him.
Nicholas, he called again. Nicholas was the middle brother, the one that often took care of him and came to his aid. Alexander was to be King. He was always far too busy to listen to his youngest brother's cries for attention. Find me.
There was silence in his mind. He could barely feel any life left in Enya, and the hotel clerk was panting in frustration and panic. He could vaguely hear the man screaming at him, begging him to use the phone. But Cole knew this was his only shot.
Brothers, he said. I will lay down my life for her.
Suddenly, there was a flash of lightning. He felt it in his very soul. He took a step back as he felt a large gush of wind.
When he opened his eyes, he was only half surprised to find both of his brothers standing there in dragon form. They barely fit in the hotel room, knocking things over. The hotel clerk turned white and slumped against the wall. Alexander, who was the smaller and yet the more regal of the two, snorted, blowing magic in the man's direction. He slumped peacefully to the gr
ound, and Cole recognized the illusion. What little magic dragons had was quite useful.
The majestic dragons regarded him wordlessly, and he used his mind to hear them.
Please. She is dying.
Alexander's yellow eyes looked right into his. If you return, you will be jailed. You cannot escape what you have done.
Nicholas's thoughts penetrated his mind. She is human, brother. And she is almost gone. She may not survive the jump, yet alone long enough for us to heal her.
“You must!” Cole practically screamed at them. “You must, please. Please.”
Do you accept the price? Alexander regarded him.
“Yes,” Cole said, and realized he had to do more than that. He sank to his knees, humbling himself. He had never done anything like that. He refused to bow to his father half the time. But this was different. This wasn't about pride or ego. This wasn't about him. “Please. I have no magic, though. You must take me, too.”
The two dragons looked to each other, and for one terrifying, heart stopping moment, Cole wasn't sure they were going to help him.
His childhood flashed before his eyes – playing in the meadow, laughing through the palace. They had been so innocent and young. And once, they had not been so different. When had it become them versus him?
He then suddenly realized that he had made it so. He had chosen to distance himself. He had chosen to run.
They had always been there for him and always tried to protect him.
Hold on, little brother, he heard Nicholas say as Alexander approached the bed. Cole went to Nicholas, wrapping his arms around the dragon’s long neck.
Alexander ducked his head, putting it against Enya's now still body. Her life force still beat, but just barely.
Cole felt the familiar magic swirl around him, and he closed his eyes.
Please. He didn't think he had ever prayed before. He wasn't exactly sure who he was praying to, but he needed to do something. He had never felt so helpless.
He felt a jolt – a start – and then, the ground became solid again beneath them.
He felt his own magic rush back and fill him. He was strong, and he was home.
Ilias: A Paranormal Shifter Romance (Stratham Dragons Book 2) Page 15
