“You don't need a pen, Elena,” the keeper said. “Give me your hand.”
It was shaking a little in his big claw which felt like ice. He slashed my wrist open. Blood oozed from the cut, and I thought that this was it. There was no way I would survive this. The blood squirted on the blank pages, destroying the other five names and he closed the book. He took my wrist and sealed my wound with something that looked like a small laser burning out of his claw. It left a small scar, but it didn't burn at all. I looked at it a long time and knew that it was some sort of magic. He showed me the book one more time, and the stain my blood should have made was gone. In its place stood my name, Elena Watkins, and the date written in small beautiful red letters.
I saw the one above mine.
Catherine Squire and the date were 1768. He shut the book and bowed one more time before he took off into the night.
Lucian was the first one to reach me and gave me a long kiss. He then looked at my wrist and stroked my scar with gentle fingers.
“We need to move,” Blake said quickly.
“She's hurt, Blake,” Lucian and Becky said at the same time. I was glad she was back in my corner again.
“We have to get it now or this will all be for nothing.”
Lucian was really pissed at his tone, and the two of them were instantly in each other's personal space.
“Don't fight, it's no use,” I yelled at both of them. They always fight, I'm so sick of it.
“What do you mean,it’s no use?” Blake asked.
“I don't know where it is right now,” I snapped.
“Then when, Elena?” He had a stern look on his face that made my blood sizzle.
I held my ground. “Tomorrow night.”
“We have to wait a whole night!” He turned around with arms flapping in the air.
“Deal with it,” Lucian growled, and lifted me up in his arms. He carried me down the steps.
We reached camp in no time, and the others helped to make fire and brew coffee. Lucian and George tried to push my shoulder back into place. He gave me his belt to bite on. It hurt like hell with his hand on my shoulder pushing hard, and I screamed and tear-up. Then I felt the click. Lucian put my armin a sling he’d made out of his leather belt and pulled me on top of his lap.
I’d never felt so safe and so exhausted all at the same time.
It dawned on me what had transpired tonight. I’d accomplished something only five women had and I was the only one alive that knew what happened behind those doors, but I’d promised on the life of my first born not to reveal any of it to anyone else.
I fell asleep as Lucian's rocking started to become more than just soothing. I could feel myself being moved as he took me inside the tent and laid me down on the sleeping bag.
Then everything fell into blissful silence.
Chapter Thirty
I woke up suddenly, drenched in sweat. It was quiet accept for the sound of a fire dying, and water babbling in a nearby stream.
A faint light emerged from an electric lamp inside the tent. Lucian slept next to me. He looked so peaceful, and I reached out to stroke his cheek.
A deep growl emerged from my stomach, telling me I desperately needed food. I tried to slide out from beneath Lucian's grasp, but when he flinched, I stopped. He went back to sleep, and I waited another five minutes. Crickets chirped like crazy and the singing sound rang in my ears. I decided another attempt to get free. This time I managed and made sure that the pillow I slept on was tucked underneath his arm, just in case.
I just needed some time, alone, without his constant worrying.
The“zip” noise sounded as if it would wake up the entire campsite, but once I was out of the tent, I realized it was still quiet. I stared at the bit of glowing coals that must have been a huge fire a couple of hours ago. There was no food.
Not one bite? I picked up a log and chucked it in the fire. Orange coal dust rose into the sky. I jumped when I saw Blake leaning against a tree in the distance. My heart beat fast, and I took deep breaths to calm my nerves.
Blake guarded the entrance of the campsite and the moon lit up his face, making him look extra mysterious.
I swallowed hard.
Crap! Why do I feel like this around him? I shook my head. Every girl feels like this in Blake's presence. I tried to assure myself.
He was writing in a small journal but stopped suddenly. I stared at Blake. He looked up as if he was searching for something in the sky, and then he went back to writing in the journal. I assumed by the cloudless night, he was stargazing.
He didn't look at me when I reached him, but he buried his journal under his ass.
“Do you mind?”
“Sure, whatever,” he mumbled.
His promise jumped into my mind; the one where he would give me his respect if I made it out alive. It’s so not going to happen, Elena.
I sat down opposite of him, resting my back against one of the trees.
I don't think Blake likes anyone much, except his precious Tabitha.
“It was really brave what you did tonight,” he said.
'What? Was that a compliment?'
“I guess anyone in my position would have tried their best,” I said, shrugging it off.
He huffed, and the corner of his mouth twitched. “How's the arm?”
“Hurts like hell.”
He gave a lopsided smile and stared into the night again.
What does he hear?
The crickets started to work on my nerves again. I sighed and decided that maybe it was time to go back to the tent.
“You're wrong about everyone being able to do what you did.”
“Blake, please. I did what I said I would do.” I didn't want to talk about it. It might be his way of trying to find out what I saw inside the cave.
I can't break my promise.
It was already hard enough not being able to tell them anything. I was dying to know a couple of things myself. Like, who were those ladies playing in the dragon’s garden?
“That's exactly my point. What people say they'll do and what they do are two different things, Elena. I learned that the hard way.”
I felt sorry for him again, but knew exactly what he meant. Dad also said things and instead did the opposite so many times. “I always do what I say I will.”
“You don’t get it.”He chuckled.“You could have asked to see anything.”
“And your point is?”
“You have no idea why your dad died? Or why that dragon was after you? The pond would've even shown you where your mom is?”He looked away the minute he’d mentioned Mom.
How?
“How do you know about her?” My voice broke at the end.
“Just forget what I said.”
I swallowed hard and felt angry; no one was supposed to know she might still be alive. The witch must've told him. After all, he was the highlight of her week.
He was right; I could have asked to see where my mom was or why those dragons attacked Dad that night. But what good would it have been? “It doesn’t matter. The past isn't going to save us from any of this. I went in that cave to find out about the sword, and I did.”I tried to hide the fact that I’d lost the only chance of ever knowing if my mom was still alive.Maybe I wouldn’t even like what it would’ve shown me, and then what?
I made the right choice.
“It's brave of you to have given up that opportunity.”
Whatever. I wanted to say it out loud, but knew if I did, I would probably say more things I would regret later on. I had to admit, a part of me would always regret not asking the pond where my mom was instead.