“Yeah, I don’t think you are ready for that dark piece of information.”
“Okay, then don’t. I still struggle with the D word.”
“What? Dragon?”
“I call them beasties. It dulls the effect of what they truly are.”
She threw her head back and laughed. “Beasties? The Rubicon is everything but a beasty, Elena.”
“Yeah, tell me something I don’t know.” I giggled.
“So, the prince told you about me?”
“He mentioned your duty if I am going to fail miserable at claiming the Rubicon.”
“That is not how it works. You will claim him. He carries all your abilities. It won’t surprise me if you are going to break him on the first try.”
“That is setting up the stakes quite high for me.”
“No, it’s not. He will release your abilities and you will kick his ass, especially after I’m done with you.”
I loved her energy. I wished I could mimic mine until it becomes a reality.
When I walked to my room, I felt positive. Something tells me Micha and I were going to be great friends.
The weeks progressed.My birthday was coming nearer, which meant the claiming was drawing nearer. If someone would’ve told me a year ago that I would tame a beasty on my sixteenth birthday, I would’ve called them crazy.
But here I was, training hard to face their alpha.
Emanual started training with us during the second week. He changed the entire arena to look like a swamp. How he did it, I did not know, but the willow that hung low over the muddy water, and the surrounding boulders, with the sticky warmth caressing my cheek, made it very real.
Micha told me to concentrate on the arena and taught me the Latin phrasingrevertere.
Those words came with a headache, and it depleted my energy faster than Micha.
I also spent a lot of time in the simulator with Micha in my ear. She guided me in how to get onto his back, but he kept me occupied with releasing my abilities one after the other. The suit did crazy things to mimic the reality inside the ring. A warm glow that became hot came with the fire. It only lasted for like twenty seconds, and then the coolness of the suit spread through my body. The ice brought a freezing sensation that scorched. A prickling sensation came with the acid and the lightning was stronger.
Every time he released an ability, I couldn’t do anything for a few seconds, while the beast chomped my health away. When the heart meter of that ability pops up, I had to use it wisely and fast.
I kept on dying, and I wished I could replicate the perfect yield the night I did it with Lucian.
During my classes, there were rumors of orientation week at Dragonia. It was happening the week before my claiming. Every student that would attend Dragonia next year had to be present.
I couldn’t wait. It meant that I would see Lucian every day and speak to him whenever I wanted.
He came home early on Friday and watched Micha and me trained.
“Your Highness.” Micha bowed low.
“Micha,” he said using incoherent mumbling, and we both laughed.
“Go grab your vest, I need to see my girl’s improvements.”
“You want me to fight against Elena?”
“Why? Are you scared?” she taunted. Fighting Lucian scared me! Lucian was great.
“Okay, I’ll accept.” He ran out of the training arena.
