“You didn’t morph because of me?”
He touched my face. “I couldn’t. Sorry. I didn’t want to scare you like that again. I couldn’t afford to lose you like that again. Dragons can pick up other dragons when they morph. I was afraid that if Fox was close, he would’ve found us.”
I hugged him softly. “I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t. Raising you was my greatest honor, Elena. I’ll do it again in a heartbeat.”
I smiled. “Even though I literally caused your gray hair.”
He chuckled and complained again.
“Sorry.”
“Don’t. I’m glad you are alive. That they got to you in time.”
“Me too. I was way too young to die. I’ll give it my best, okay. For the love of blueberries I didn’t want to turn evil too.”
Dad smiled and touched my face. “I’m happy to hear that.”
I laid down next to him on the bed, in his good arm. It was the safest place for me right now. Well, second safest. Dad had lost that first spot the second I fell asleep in Blake Leaf’s arms.
23
ELENA
Dad was getting stronger as the days passed. The bandages came off revealing blue, purple and green bruises on the side of his torso. There was no burned skin which was weird because of the amount of fire from that explosion. I thought he would be ashes.
He laid mostly in bed, but he was getting his strength back as we took walks through the garden, down to the lake with the help of a cane.
The lake was one of my favorite places at the castle and we took a walk every morning.
“So how was the fitting?”
I grunted as my thoughts went back to the nightmare I endured last night. When I finished, Dad was already asleep. “She is a character, that is for sure.”
Dad chuckled.
“The queen said Georgina needs a few days to purchase everything.” She was some sort of royal purchaser. I didn’t know there was a job like that. She had a twang to her unclear words, making it harder to understand her. But she looked human with her strawberry curls that were pinned up messily. “They say she has style.”
“I bet she does. So, what do you think about Queen Maggie and King Helmut?”
“They are kind.” I smiled as the swans glided on top of the water. Long willow leaves covered the top of the lake, caressing the water. Trees, which led to more forest, surrounded the edges. “There are many trees and mountains here.”
Dad laughed and flinched as he grabbed his torso. “Don’t make me laugh.”
“Sorry.” I led him to the bench and helped him to sit down, holding his cane.
Dad got on the seat with a lot of groans and grunts. I sat down next to him.
“It’s Paegeia. Looks nothing like the other side. Here, the mountains and forests are sacred to them. It’s where they recoup, become one with their aura. Find their balance again.”
“The beasties?”
Dad’s lips curved into a grin. “Dragons.”
They would stay beasties. My mind couldn’t process the concept yet.
He tapped my leg. “You are doing great.”
