“Why didn’t you heal her arm earlier?” Lucian lashed out.
Blake turned around with his index finger inchesfrom Lucian’s face.“Don’t start with me.”
George and Brian stepped in between of them and spoke softly to Lucian and Blake.
“Lucian, just drop it,” Ariannasaid.“Her arm is healed. So please, can we just get back to the mission. I really want to go home,and we need a solid plan.”
Lucian’s jaw was set; he was angry and just glared at Blake.“But you stay away from me,” he said to Blake, who just laughed.
“Blake?” Arianna said, and gestured for him to carry on.
“Fine, once Elena gets the sword, Sammy, you morph and get Elena the hell away from here. The rest of us will take care of the Dragonian.”
“Okay,” Sammy said in a faint whisper.
“Please, just try not to blow your cover,” Blake begged his sister.
“I said I will try.”
“It might work,” Lucian said after a long silence.
“Off course it will,” Blake said in a self-assured tone. The conversation changed over to who would be teaming up with who after Sammy and I had fled with the sword.
“What if his Sun-Blast comes after us, Blake?” I asked in a trance.
He kept quiet.
“Don't worry about that, Elena.” Brian winked at me. “Brian’s got it covered.”
“Brian, he might be fully grown,” Blake said cautiously.
“Brian doesn't care. He's going to struggle to get past Brian.”
Blake started to chuckle and the two high-fived each other.
“Idiot,” Becky said in a singsong tone and rolled her eyes.
“That's good, Elena,” Lucian whispered.
“What?”
“You're starting to think like a Dragonian in battle.” He smiled reassuringly.
The corners of my smile pulled a little upwards, but I still felt unsure about me being the one that got the sword.
“Don't worry, Elena, I'm really fast. I'll get us to safety, even if it's the last thing I do.” Sammy misunderstood the unsure expression on my face.
“I know.” I decided to try to hide my fear. I knew they were just as scared as I was. I would give anything for one of the Council members or even Master Longwei to find us about now. Becky said that Fin-Tail dragons were champions against all evil, and I knew Master Longwei would fight with us. This really wasn't a task for teenage wannabe Dragonians.
We waited in patience for the Dragonian and his dragon to land, as Blake guarded the entrance again.
I stared at him the entire time, thinking that he didn't seemed to be scared of anything.
He was brave. I was glad that Lucian told him about the mission. I did feel safer with all of them here. What would I have done if it was only me?
“You know that he can see just as far in his human form,” Lucian spoke into my ear. “His night vision is crazy good. When we were children, we used to play hide and seek at night. It was his favorite game, and he loved it when he was it. It didn't take him too long to spot us in our hiding places.” There was a satisfying grin on Lucian's face as he told me memories of their friendship. I knew that he really missed the way it used to be between them.
I looked back at Blake where he stood as he watched and waited for the Dragonian.
Suddenly I noticed him sprinting down the path. That was the sign, and he dove for his hiding place behind a bush. There was no turning back now.
Becky was with Sammy trying to keep her calm, and I prayed that she would stay strong. I couldn't bear to think about what would happen if she transformed.
I put my hand in front of my mouth, trying to silence my breath, as the Dragonian and his dragon landed.
The Dragonian I saw in the millpond jumped off his Sun-Blast and landed perfectly in a crouched position. When he stood straight up, I could see that he was still in a trance. Goran was his puppet master and led the Dragonian straight to the volcano.
He waved in an unnatural position over his shoulder for his dragon to leave. I could hear how his wings flapped hard as it disappeared into the distance. That was what I was afraid of.
Sammy moved, and it sounded so loud in the cool silence. It made him stop and looked around.
He started to run fast as he made his way closer to the volcano. When he was right in the middle of the trap, we acted, confidently jumping out of our hiding places. His back was to me as he looked at the others who were distracting him from the front. I didn't waste any time and went for the sword. I knew where the Dragonian had hid it and could see it in my mind's eye. I saw how I was going to push away his jacket with my one hand and grab the sword with my other, before I rolled into Sammy's path, which would be waiting for me. I reached out my arm, and the strangest thing happened.