Firebolt(83)

“No, I've made up my mind.”

“What’s wrong with you, Elena? Have you really lost your marbles? What are we supposed to do if you don't come back?” Sammy chirped, her eyes sparkling with tears.

“What are you afraid off?” I yelled at both of them, shaking my head in disbelief.

“Elena, you don't know how dangerous it is.” Becky tried to get through to me and pleaded this time in a softer voice.

“I don't care, Becky. Something tells me if we don't find the sword, things will get a lot worse.”

“Then you don’t give me much of a choice,” she said, and left. I ran after her, thinking of what a coward she was being by bringing Master Longwei into this, but when she changed her course and headed toward the cafeteria, I frowned.

“Where are you going?”

She ignored my question. I followed her into the library and saw her heading straight to where Lucian sat, quietly reading.

I huffed.

She leaned on the table to speak to him softly.

I turned around and left to go back to the room. I didn't care if she told Lucian about my plan, just as long as it wasn't Master Longwei. I got ready to run up the stairs when someone yanked me back and pushed me to the side of the stairs.

“Is this true?” he growled, and looked straight into my eyes.

I looked around me for other students but found none. “Lucian, please, I'm not going to stand here and wait while the sword gets destroyed.”

“Elena, the Sacred Cavern? People don't come back,” he said through gritted teeth. He sounded the same Becky had a couple of minutes ago.

“The Queen did, Lucian. There's no other way.”

“No,” he ordered me.

“No?” I said, surprised. A couple of kisses and he thinks he owns me.

“I said no. It's too dangerous, and not to mention how stupid it is.”

His words pissed me off even more, and he would learn how much, right now. I was sure about my foretelling. “You aren't the boss of me, Lucian McKenzie. I’ll decide how dangerous it is. Besides, none of you knows what danger really means or what will happen if the sword isdestroyed. You think your worst enemy is Goran and what he’ll do to you once he frees himself of Etan. Try imagining what will happen once that wall disappears. Your precious dragons won't stand a chance against the other side. The people living on that side don’t listen to anyone, and they have the weapons to destroy and incinerate countries like this one. So don't you dare tell me no.”

I made sure that every word counted before I pushed him away. Becky and Lucian fell silent, and I hoped that I'd left them with something to think about.

When I enteredthe room again, Sammy was gone. I didn’t see her with them, but at the moment,it didn’t matter if she was with them or not.

An hour later, the door opened and Lucian, Becky, and Sammy entered.

I pretended to read, trying to prepare myself for my trip. To be honest, the words might have swirled around on the page, because I had no clue what I’d read this past hour. I still needed a map to the Sacred Cavern, but I secretly hoped that one of the girls would help me.

I knew that it scared the living crap out of them, and maybe I should be frightened too, but there wasn't time for that. The humans would destroy every single dragon if the wall was destroyed.

Lucian knelt down in front of me and placed his hand on my knee.

I glared at him for a second and slowly put the book off to the side.

“Elena, please don't do this,” he pleaded.

“Lucian, I meant what I said. I can't live my life in fear anymore. If the sword is the only weapon that can protect us from all evil,then we have to get it back. Why am I the only one considering this?”I yelled at all three of them.“Paegeia is your birthplace for crying out loud!”

Becky and Sammy lowered their eyes and stared at the floor. Lucian just closed his eyes for a couple of seconds before taking a deep breath.

“Elena, what you’re thinking of doing is suicidal.”

“Do you have a better plan, Lucian?”

He shook his head.

“Then the Cavern is our only hope,” I said with finality.





Chapter Twenty-Six





“Okay, fine, on one condition, I'm coming with you,” Lucian said, crossing his arms over his chest,daring me to argue. My heart flipped. I’d been hoping for that,and now that he’d said it, I was instantly relieved that someone was going to come with me on this crazy quest.

“Lucian, are you insane too? You're supposed to talk her out of this!” Becky shouted, clearly agitated once again.

“She’s made up her mind. There's no way to talk her out of this.” His one hand stroked his head methodically.

“You're both nuts!” Becky picked up her jacket and headed for the door.