Dad never agreed with Tanya. “The queen scared the living crap out of me.”
“Now you know why. She knew her daughter had to claim you one day. I guess a part of her even blamed you for sending Elena away.”
“Huh.” I didn’t think about that.
The meeting got dismissed and I couldn’t believe that I was going to see Elena again.
My thumb rubbed the stress in my palm away as we both got up from the chairs.
The waiting part until the guard called us was killing me, and I kept scowling at the door.
“Calm down.”
“It’s weeks, Dad, almost a bloody month. If I wanted to kill her, I would’ve done that a long time ago, not helped to get her back to Paegeia.”
“Just remember, you are the first Rubicon to show us what is real. There isn’t a book out there that can guide any of us.”
The door opened. I walked with huge strides and rushed up the stairs and entered the hall. My eyes flickered to Helmut. Both the chairs next to him were empty.
The heaviness came back. I slumped toward the chair and plopped into it, folding my arms. My jaw muscles pumped as I ground my teeth.
Dad begged me to keep quiet. Helmut was going to speak on our behalf.
“The case is against the authorization of a mission that was unorthodox. We didn’t grant any permission,” Duclin spoke. He was such a scaly bastard.
“Sorry, your honor. I granted them permission,” Helmut spoke up.
“Why wasn’t it brought to our attention?”
“Because with all due respect, it had nothing to do with you. I’m still king of Tith. I funded this mission, and they departed from Tith and entered Tith. So, I can’t foresee any reason to run this by you. You might not like Tanya Le Frey, but she opened my eyes today. Hit a couple of truths that I’d forgotten about.”
Duclin glared at Helmut.
“What is the plan with the person of interest that you brought back?”
“Princess, Duclin. That is the word you are looking for.” Adolph spoke. “You can ask Blake. Her dragon is sitting right there.”
My lips curved, and I saw Dad’s lips moved into a smile too.
“We are going to train her, so that she can claim the Rubicon. I got a feeling that was why Albert sent her away, so that we do not lose another Rubicon,” Helmut said.
Immense guilt weighed in my gut. I was the reason they didn’t get to raise their own daughter.
“I thought it was because they were threatened?” Duclin said.
“Your honor, if you knew King Albert the way I did, you would’ve known that there are a few reasons behind his actions, not just one.” King Helmut stood straight with his chin held high.
Duclin nodded, and his gaze shifted to mine. “Is she your rider?”
“Yes, she is.” I never addressed them as your honors, as there was nothing honorable about them.
Everyone gasped and twittered.
Duclin’s lips twitched. “How can you be so sure? How do we know it isn’t another tactic of yours—”
“To do what? Kill her. If she isn’t my rider, why would I even waste my time worrying about her. As you know, a dragon always knows that part. I’m the alpha, like it or not. I knew it the second I saw her.”
“Do you have an urge to kill her, Rubicon?” Adolph asked.
