Darkbeam Part II

by Adrienne Woods

  “Constance!” I roared as she and Julia ran out.

  “Blake, what’s going on?”

  “Help!” I screamed as I lowered Lucian’s body to the ground.

  “No!” my aunt wailed as she fell to her knees next to Lucian. She put her hands on him to drag out the poison.

  Master Longwei rushed toward us. “What’s happened?”

  “Please, please, please,” I pleaded as I watched Constance work. He had to live. Tears blurred my vision.

  I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry.

  I should have listened to him instead of letting him go to that cave alone.

  The silver of her hair started dimming, fading with her strength as the black veins in Lucian’s face started disappearing.

  “Constance, you’re killing yourself,” Master Longwei said worriedly.

  “I’d rather die than lose the Prince of Tith,” she panted. She’d barely gotten the words out before she collapsed next to Lucian, unconscious.

  I watched in horror as the black veins inched their way back into Lucian’s face.

  “No!” I fell on my knees. I had shifted back to my human form without knowing, and someone had draped a black robe over my body.

  Angry tears streamed down my face. This was all my fucking fault.

  Constance regained consciousness and tried again, but in the next instant she started wailing. She looked up at me and shook her head, and it felt like a spear twisted in my heart.

  No, no, no. Tears were flowing freely down my face. I brought my fist up to my mouth and bit down on my knuckles, fighting back a scream.

  The Prince of Tith was dead because of me.

  “What happened?” Master Longwei demanded.

  A distant sound pulled my attention away. On the horizon, I saw a dragon struggling to fly.

  Fucking Elena. All this time, I’d been so wrong.

  I shrugged off my robe, transformed, and flew toward her.

  Her heart was beating so fast, so loud. It was unlike any other dragon.

  I positioned myself beneath her, and she collapsed on my back. I dipped a bit from the extra weight, but quickly got my rhythm back.

  Elena was going to lose it when she saw Lucian, and I wasn’t ready for that.

  I landed gently and laid down so Elena could slide off my back. She fell to the ground with a crash.

  Everyone who had gathered outside stared.

  They had thought she was dragon spawn or a Dragonian. They were wrong.

  I glared at Professor Pheizer once I’d shifted back to my human form. Her “a dragon always knows” bullshit. Perhaps now everyone would see her for the fraud she was.

  I turned to Lucian, who was now covered with a white sheet.

  I felt Elena’s eyes on me and walked over to her.

  “You need to change back,” I said, keeping my voice soft.

  “Blake!” Becky screamed. “Where the fuck is Elena?”

  I spared her a quick glance. “You’re looking at her.”

  A gasp rang through the crowd.

  “How is this possible?” Master Longwei approached to get a better look at her.

  “I don’t know, Master Longwei. She was already in her dragon form when I reached the cave.” My gaze found Pheizer’s again, who was staring at Elena, a frown furrowing her brow.

  Just as I thought. She had nothing to say to me now.

  “No!” Elena screamed in agony as she noticed Lucian’s body.

  I moved closer to her, but she pushed me away with such a force that I flew through the air. I landed with a thud, an aching pain tearing through my skull. I sprang back to my feet as Elena reached Lucian’s body.

  A heart-wrenching, keening cry filled the air. A dragon’s cry. The sound urged humans and dragons alike to cry their souls out. I couldn’t stand it.

  Elena wasn’t holding back. She needed to change back before her dragon’s cry drove us all insane.

  Constance morphed into her dragon form and brushed her head against Elena’s purple head in an attempt to comfort her.

  “Sweetheart, you need to change back,” Constance murmured in Latin.

  “She doesn’t speak Latin, Constance. She is English.”

  “How is that possible, Blake?” she asked.

  “I don’t know.”

  “Will you translate?”

  I nodded and looked at Elena. “Constance says you need to calm your mind, Elena.”

  “Calm down?” she shrieked. “Where the fuck were you?”

  I grabbed the horn that sprouted from her chin and pulled her head until she was looking at me. If I had to use persuasion to get her back into her human form, then so be it. “Calm down. “Now, imagine your human body.”

  The green of her eyes brightened as she slowly began shifting. The brilliant purple of her scales faded, lightening until her pale skin returned. Her tail and wings retreated as hair started sprouting from her head.

  It was slow going—dragons usually shifted much faster than this.

  “That’s it, Elena.” Once the final scale vanished, her knees buckled and she collapsed in my arms.

  Her cries returned, and even her human sobs penetrated my soul.

  I tightened my hold on her, afraid I would break apart if I let her go.

  Julia rushed over with a soft blanket and I wrapped it around Elena.

  “Fuck, Elena, I am so sorry. I was so wrong,” I whispered. I should’ve been there.

  “Bring her inside,” Constance said.

  I picked Elena up and cradled her in my arms as I followed Constance.

  Her head nestled perfectly in the curve between my neck and my shoulder. Tabitha’s always pressed against my collarbone—but Tabitha had never felt like the perfect fit.

  This was so wrong. She was supposed to be my rider, but now she was a dragon.

  I put her on the bed, locking eyes with her. “I’m so sorry,” I mouthed before I turned and fled from the room.

  “Blake.” Master Longwei grabbed my arm and pulled me back.

  “Not now, please.”

  “Come with me.” His tone of voice left no room for argument. Reluctantly, I followed him, trying to ignore the crying all around me.

  He led me to his office and I collapsed into a chair. The wall inside myself finally broke. I gasped for air through my sobs and tears. My heart shattered for the one person who had remained my friend no matter what shit the darkness made me do.

  Queen Margerite refused to leave Lucian’s body, her broken, grief-stricken cries cut me to the core.

  Constance offered what comfort she could as the queen lay next to Lucian’s body, her slender arms twined around him as she kissed his stark white face.

  King Helmut turned his ashen face toward me. “Take me to the cave, Blake.”

  I nodded, leading him and Emanuel.

  “Where did you find him?” King Helmut asked.

  I pointed, and he walked over, bending to pick up the iron blade.

  “Did Lucian tell you what he discovered?”

  I shook my head. “I think he came straight here. I found the Hippogriff scent and followed it here.”

  The lies stabbed into my heart, but if the king knew I had refused to help Lucian, he would ram that iron blade straight into my gut.

  “I was too late. I’m so sorry.”

  He nodded. “She got away?”

  “Yes, she vanished like the last time.”

  We fell quiet, the air thick with emotion as King Helmut started to shake.

  His choked sobs filled the cave and he fell to his knees, covering his face with his hands. Emanuel crouched beside him and wrapped his arms around his king.

  Tears glistened in Emanuel’s eyes as he looked up at me. “I think you should go now, Blake.”

  I nodded and jumped through the hole in the wall. I headed straight for the mountain, where I screamed until my throat was raw.

  Unrelenting and unforgiving anger built up inside me.

  I was angry at mysel
f. Angry at the Hippogriff. Angry at Lucian. I’d told him to leave it alone. He should have listened to me. I should have listened to him.

  But most of my anger was for Elena. If she’d cared for him the way he cared for her, Lucian would be alive.

  She was the one who should’ve died.

  She hadn’t deserved him.

  And now the truth was out. She wasn’t a Dragonian. Her mark was just a birthmark after all.

  But I couldn’t understand her uncanny resemblance to King Albert.

  Then it hit me.

  What Elena had said on that mountain the night she came out of the sacred cavern.

  Maybe King Albert had a heir, but not with the queen.

  Elena looked nothing like Queen Catherine. However, she looked a little like Tanya.

  Did the king have an affair with the queen’s dragon? That would explain why the queen sent Tanya away. The king hadn’t asked the queen choose; the queen had asked the king to choose.

  Everyone knew Queen Catherine had been barren. Having no heir must have put significant strain on their marriage.

  But the timeline was wrong. Dragons only received their human forms after seven years.

  The queen couldn’t have known, unless she caught them together.

  But a human and a dragon couldn’t produce a dragon. Their offspring were always human.

  Which meant… King Albert was a dragon.

  I desperately wanted to ask my father about King Albert, but I couldn’t. The king had always been like a second father to me, and now it felt as if I hadn’t known him at all.

  I’d thought that he loved Queen Catherine, but clearly that wasn’t true.

  That was why she’d hated him, because he had ruined everything they’d shared. And with her dragon—her Dent. The one creature who was never supposed to hurt her.

  It didn’t sound plausible, but what else could it be?

  I wandered through the eerily quiet halls, my mind twisting and turning. Many students had gone home. There were rumors that they wanted Dragonia to close its gates forever, but for now, the school would remain open for anyone who wanted to learn.

  How had I gotten this all so wrong? Why had I woken up when they brought her in? Clearly, it wasn’t because she was my rider. They wouldn’t put her in the ring with me now. Only humans could break us. Perhaps it was because she was King Albert’s heir.

  It felt like I was missing something and couldn’t see the big picture. There were too many unanswered questions. I was never going to get to the bottom of this without talking to my father, but that was out of the question.

  My father hadn’t liked Tanya at all. I wondered if he knew about the affair.

  It shouldn’t be bothering me. There was nothing anyone could do for me now.

  The only person ever to be worthy to be my rider was lying in the morgue. And no one else had the guts to try to claim me. I was doomed.

  I blinked away the tears in my eyes. I missed Lucian, I missed his advice.

  I was the reason… No, I wasn’t. I warned him not to go. Elena was the reason Lucian was dead.

  He hadn’t even known what she was. He’d just loved her blindly.

  I couldn’t believe Elena had fooled us all.

  I despised her even more than I ever had before.

  I stared out the carriage window, barely taking in the photos of Lucian that hung from every tree and pole. The roads were blocked off for those of us arriving for Lucian’s funeral.

  Flowers, cards, teddy bears, and more photos of Lucian covered the iron-wrought gates of the palace in Tith.

  He was the prince of everyone’s hearts.

  Tabitha sniffed beside me. Her eyes were red-rimmed and puffy, and she clung on to my arm as if I were her lifeline. I was relieved she’d covered her bruises well, because Master Longwei and Jeff were sitting across from us in the carriage.

  There were cameras and press everywhere, and the interviewers clamored to speak to people as they walked inside.

  I got out of the carriage once it had stopped in front of the cathedral, ignoring the group of people who rushed toward me with microphones. I was sure they wanted to speak to Elena as well, but she was nowhere to be found.

  Arianna and Nicole both stopped to speak to the press, lamenting the big loss to Paegeia, stating how shocked and furious they were.

  It was a huge loss, and for what? A stupid Thunderlight? It infuriated me.

  I had to tell Master Longwei everything that had gone down in the cave, and George and the rest had to explain why they’d kept the Elementals a secret.

  Elena was the only one he hadn’t spoken to yet; everyone was cutting her slack because of her relationship with Lucian.

  But they didn’t know that she never cared for him. Elena had thrown Lucian aside like he was nothing and stepped straight into Paul’s arms.

  The cathedral was packed, but there was still no sign of Elena. It wouldn’t have surprised me if she’d decided not to come.

  The pastor spoke about Lucian as if he knew his heart. He spoke about all the things Lucian had still wanted to do, and about the way he loved and cared for every creature.

  I glanced over at Queen Margerite. She was a mess. I don’t think she even heard a word the pastor said. She simply clutched at her chest and covered her face with her free hand, shaking violently.

  I wished I could ease her pain somehow, but that was impossible. There was no way to turn back time.

  My cheeks were wet as I tore my gaze away from the queen. I still felt so much guilt, even though I wasn’t the reason Lucian had gone to that cave.

  Once the ceremony was over, we moved down to the lake where Lucian would get the royal send-off he deserved. Burials were rare in Paegeia—we preferred to burn our dead.

  I watched as Lucian was settled on the altar, and then a man sang a slow ballad.

  I loved the song, but hated it at the same time because my friend’s life, my blood brother’s life, would forever be attached to it now.

  I looked back at Queen Margerite, who had her face buried in King Helmut’s neck. He had his arms wrapped around her, keeping her from sinking to the ground in despair.

  Suddenly, red-hot rage bubbled inside me when I caught sight of Elena staring at the queen.

  She was the only one who wasn’t crying, her face filled with guilt.

  I shook my head in disbelief and looked back toward the lake as they pushed Lucian’s coffin into the water.

  I walked forward and started to undress, and those around me made space for me to transform.

  I flew out to him one last time.

  I am going to miss you.

  I tried to get my dragon’s cry under the control, and when I was sure I could open my mouth without losing control, I released my Pink Kiss.

  A cannon went off in the distance as my flame engulfed Lucian’s coffin, followed by another until the air was heavy with the loud bangs.

  I let out a cry and swooped down low over the water, then I propelled myself skywards without another glance.

  I needed a release. Fire Cain was the only thing that would calm my mind.

  I didn’t care if it would end me. At least that would be a better end than me turning completely dark.

  Life would never be the same again. I knew it, the darkness knew it. There was no reason to keep fighting.

  I had no idea how many days had passed since Lucian’s funeral. I spent all my time in my room dark room.

  I still felt like an idiot for thinking Elena was my rider.

  I still didn’t have any answers the questions running around in my mind, and I would probably never get them.

  Whatever Lucian had discovered in the Acker woods had died with him in that cave.

  When I couldn’t ignore the hungry ache in my stomach anymore, I trudged to the shower and let the water wash over me until it turned cold. My movements were stiff as I dressed.

  A part of me wanted to fight. But for what?

  What was t
he fucking point anymore?

  I felt empty.

  But Lucian wouldn’t want this for me. He would’ve died trying to claim me. And I guess he did die on that mission, even though he came back.

  Our parting words filled me with guilt.

  I would never forgive myself for the things I said to him.

  I headed down to the cafeteria, and forced down the food, but it was tasteless.

  Lucian’s death had even taken the simple joy of eating away.

  Sammy sat down in front of me, her eyes filled with tears.

  “Sammy, please, not now.”

  “I’m sorry, Blake, but I need your help.” She sniffed, wiping at her tears.

  I narrowed my eyes, gesturing with my fork to continue.

  “It’s Elena. I know you don’t like her, but she is giving up. She doesn’t want to live.”

  I snorted. “Sammy, don’t be such a drama queen.”

  “I’m not being a drama queen. If you don’t believe me, come and look for yourself. Becky and I have tried everything. We don’t know what to do. Please.”

  I sighed. “Fine.” I abandoned the rest of my food and followed her out.

  She didn’t even shed a tear at his funeral, so this had to be another act.

  When I walked into their room, it was just as dark as mine.

  I looked toward her bed where Elena lay with her back facing us.

  She wasn’t moving. It looked like she wasn’t even breathing.

  I walked to her bed and leaned over her.

  Her eyes were open, but there was no light in them. They were dull, and she stared at the wall, not even blinking.

  Sammy hadn’t been joking.

  “Elena, enough!” I snapped. “I thought my sister was overreacting when she said you didn’t want to do anything, but obviously she was right. What are you doing to yourself?”

  She pushed herself up and gave me a murderous look.

  “Leave me alone!”

  “No!” I grabbed her arms and pulled her out of bed in one movement. She was so light.

  “Lucian died for you. This is how you repay him?” I shook her again. She needed to wake the fuck up and deal with this shit like the rest of us. “It’s not how I am going to live. I’m going to fight till the very end, Elena. Because that guy believed something out there would claim me. He went on that mission for me! I’m going to fight.”