“I knew the second I saw her.” I took a huge breath. It was over. We were back home. I stroke my hand over my face.
“Princess?” Tabitha asked.
“Later,” I said. “I have to go, speak to Helmut about everything.”
Mom nodded, and I left. Why did my mother bring Tabitha here?
I walked to the steps where all our luggage sat at the bottom. My duffle bag lay among Dad’s and Herbert’s. Elena only had her backpack that was still on my back.
I ran up the steps, and Helmut’s advisor stopped me. I hated the prick. He was tall, had gray streaks in his black hair that he cut in a posh style. A gray suit draped elegantly around his body. He trimmed his beard—Gerard Von Eck. The guy was a slimy, scaly Green-Vapor Dragonian.
“Blake, I think it’s best to stay away from the princess until the claiming.” He squinted, staring down at me.
“Excuse me?”
“You heard me. The beast inside of you might not want the princess here.”
“I spent five hours behind her on top of Emanual. If I wanted her dead, she would’ve been dead weeks ago.”
“Just protocol. Helmut thinks it’s for the best.”
“Get out of my way.” I shoved him to the side. The guards on the step pushed their lances into the air, blocking my entry.
Emanual walked past the entrance in a robe. “Emanual!” His gaze flickered to me. He sighed and walked outside. “What the fuck is going on?”
He pushed one lance away and rushed down the rest of the steps until he stood in front of me. “Blake, it’s just protocol.”
“You gotta be kidding me?”
“You know how they can be. I promise, I’ll speak to Helmut.”
I nodded and pulled Elena’s bag off my shoulders, handing it to Emanual.
He grasped the handle tighter.
I turned around and walked down the steps.
“Run along now,” Gerard said.
One day was going to be the day that I would sink my teeth into him.
I swooped up my duffle bag and walked back to the crowd where Mom and Tabitha still waited.
“Blake?” Mom asked.
“Stupid protocol. If I wanted her dead, she would’ve been.”
Mom stroked my arm. “Let’s go home. We can wait for your father there.”
Sammy shriekedand jumped into my arms as I stepped through the entrance.
I laughed and kissed her on her head. My sister was always so light. She would be a great friend to Elena. They were both the same age. Maybe she could help her make peace with dragons, faster.
“I missed you.” She pulled her reddish-brown hair out of her open face with a headband. Intelligent amber eyes stared at me—the same color as Dad. The dimple on her chin disappeared as her lips sprawled into a smile.
“Believe it or not, I missed you too.”
She giggled, and I squeezed tighter. “Is it true? You have a rider?”
