Once Upon a Dragon Heart (Once Upon a Dragon Series Book 2)

I stood at the window in my room. Annie watched the footage over the television of any news.

Reporters were everywhere, reporting that the outskirts of Etan were quiet now, but there were still signs of fighting close to Boliva.

They were still busy.

“Switch that off, please.”

“Sorry.”

Outside, everything looked so peaceful. All of this was for my father. I could easily lose them both and my dragon tonight. And what if Goran was free? What then?

The hours ticked by in pacing, lying on the bed and almost drifting away when the door opened. My father’s figure stood in the doorway. His face was dirty, and he wore a robe, meaning that he was in his dragon form. My lips vibrated as I jumped from the bed and ran into his arms.

“Shh, it’s over. It’s all over.”

I sobbed in his chest as he tried to calm me down. He gave me a few minutes and Annie stepped out to give us some privacy.

I finally calmed down and Dad looked down at me.

“He’s out, Elena. Your father is safe.”

“Where?”

“They are treating him and his men at one of the medical stations. Why is the tv off?”

“Because I switched it off. They didn’t share any news.”

Dad took the remote and switched it on. Every news channel now showed reporters around one of the medical stations, trying to get a glimpse of him.

“King Albert has come home. The doctors are taking care of him and then they will transport him to the castle of Tith. We still hadn’t heard about the fate of the Rubicon.”

Dad switched it off.

“What!—”

“Elena, calm down.”

“What happened? Why did she say that?” I didn’t even sound like myself anymore and the tears were flowing like crazy again.

My father held me tight. “Calm down, Bear. He is okay.”

“No, what happened?”

“You know he is faster than all the other dragons. He heard Goran had your father, and he wanted to kill him. Blake got to him in time. That is all I know. He is in that tent with your father. He hasn’t woken up, but his vitals are strong.”

“He came face to face with Goran!” I pushed at my father. “Why, why would you do that?”

My father frowned. “It was his duty with his father to get to yours. His pink kiss. There is no cure. He didn’t tell you?”

“So Goran is dead?”

My father’s face fell.

“He is dead, right?”

“No, your father spared his life. We assume that was when he attacked Blake. He is fine, Bear. His vitals are strong.”

“If he dies…” My lower lip wobbled as the tears didn’t want to stop.

“He won’t. We won’t let him. I won’t let him. I’m sorry. He just wanted to save your father.”

I switched on the tv again. The reporter reported how they hoisted my father into the chopper and I looked past dad at the screen. I only caught the gurney and the medical staff that put him in the chopper. They were still attending to Blake.

“I want him here. Both of them. I don’t care what you say.”

My dad nodded. “He’ll be here soon.”

We left the room, and I rushed down the hallway to the foyer.

Tanya opened her arms as she saw me and I crashed into her body. “Elena, he is going to be okay. We will not let him die. I promise.”

“Why? Why did he spare his life?”

“Elena?”

“No, he tortured him for the past fifteen years. He was going to kill him. Where did they even take the asshole?”

“To Beaufort. He won’t be able to break out of there. Justice will be served. Calm down.”

The heaviness settled in my stomach even more. He played with my dragon’s life, even after I promised nothing would happen to his dragon.

Why would he do that? Goran couldn’t have messed him up that much. Then again, he was for fifteen years locked up in prison, tortured and some more. He couldn’t be right in his mind.

A chopper sound came near.

“They are here,” Queen Maggie said, and a dragon landed. Emanual.

I saw King Helmut sliding off his back, with King Caleb sitting behind him.

He hugged Maggie and froze as he pushed her away. The look on his face spoke pages of what had taken place at the castle, and then he hugged her again.

“What did she tell him?”

“That the castle got attacked, Tabitha is not conscious, Lucian is worried. You are okay.”

She hugged Caleb. It was the first time that I saw his affectionate side.

“I really don’t like him.”

“Caleb changed a lot because of that night, Elena. He’ll come back. He’s not that bad once you get to know him,” Mom said.

The chopper came nearer and Mom hugged me tighter. “I wished it was your mother that was going to climb out of that chopper. I know you are angry at him. I’m sure he knows that, too. He must feel like crap. That I can promise you. Bury your anger. They wanted you so much.”

She had told me how my father used to dance with me and had these long conversations with me. I loved it then, but not so much now as the chopper blades spun slower.

“When are they bringing Blake?”

“Soon. I promise he will be here soon.”

“Elena,” Emanual said, and he hugged me. “He’s going to be okay.”

“When are they going to bring him?”

“He is in the air, okay? He’ll be here in a few minutes.”

“What?”

“Your father was quite adamant that he won’t leave his side. They told him that the chopper wasn’t big enough for the both of them. They load him up on a chopper behind us.”

I closed my eyes. My father refused to leave him. That must say something. The two kings spoke to the person lying on the gurney.

“I doubt he looked like the man you saw in your ascension. He is very skinny and scars from the explosion covered the one side of his face.”

Tears pooled in my eyes at Emanual’s words and I nodded.

The EMTs brought him toward the steps as Dad stepped out behind me and wrapped his arm around me.

My heart stammered as the METs brought him closer and Caleb chuckled at something the king said. “Get better, Al. I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?”

“Thanks, Caleb.” I heard his faint voice.

“Always.”

Caleb rushed down the steps as the METs almost reached us. I couldn’t. I wasn’t ready, and I rushed to my room.

“Elena,” Dad yelled.

“Let her go. I’ll go.” Mom’s footsteps ran behind me as I left for my room and into my bathroom, where I slid against the wall and cried my heart out.

“Elena!” Mom’s voice came.

I shook my head as fear had gripped its talons around my heart.

She hunched down and rubbed my legs.

“You heard what Emanual said. I can tell you he feels like crap, and knowing that you don’t want to see him, he knows it’s because of that.”

I sniffed through my sobs, and I shook my head.

“Then why the tears? Why ran away when he was so close?”

“I don’t know. I fear so many things. My foretelling…”

“It wasn’t the time. It’s not that.”

“He could’ve killed him, Mom. I wasn’t even there.”

She sighed. “Goran didn’t even kill your father. He wouldn’t kill the Rubicon either. Not the Rubicon.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“He always wanted a dragon like the Rubicon. He wanted to get away, and he saw his chance. That is it. It’s not time for that foretelling.”

“How do you know?”

“She would’ve curled up in pain if the time of that foretelling came to rise, or the minute they said you have to sit this one out. She didn’t.”

“She what?”

“Oh, she gets headaches from hell if one of the big ones comes close and nobody has done anything to salvage it. Irene would’ve been in a lot of pain. She is fine. You want a few minutes?”

I nodded.

She touched my face. “I’ll let him know you are coming.” She got up and left the bathroom.

It wasn’t the foretelling. It wasn’t time. Blake would wake up. He had to wake up. I would not be a widower at this age.

I walked to where the light was coming from. They’d put him close to my room.

“Elena,” Lucian said my name, and he popped out of another room. “He’s here.”

“Blake?”

He nodded, and I followed Lucian. Why didn’t I hear the chopper landing?

I rushed into the room, and he was still in his human figure lying on the bed. I climbed on the bed and broke down in tears again.

“Elena,” Isabel whispered as she rubbed my back. “He is fine. His vitals are fine. Listen.”

The heartbeat on the EKG was strong, and I sniffed.

“Your father feels horrible about this as he said you kept your word when he didn’t.”

I closed my eyes. “Is he going to be okay?”

“Yes, he just has to wake up. Give him time to rest.”

I nodded and kissed Blake on top of his head. “You better wake up.”

I climbed off the bed and Isabel walked with me toward my father’s room.

Dad’s voice, and Mom’s voice, were the loudest.

“Albert, stop,” Dad said.

“No,” a faint voice replied. “I owe both of you.”

“Stop it. Stop.” Dad sounded annoyed. “It was my pleasure to raise her and to enjoy every minute, knowing that you would never. I thought you were dead, but you get what I’m trying to say.”

A tired laugh reached my ears.

“Al, you need to get better. For her. She needs you more than she needs me, as she is just like you and Kate. You knew how to handle Kate. I’m a bit on the wrong end of that one. Not to speak about the Rubicon.”

Silence.

“Don’t smile like that. We will speak again when you are stronger. You are going to wish he didn’t wake up.”

“They are a dent, Jako. I knew it since I saw there wasn’t a pair of gahoonies and I made peace. Nobody would love her…” silence grew.

“It’s not on you,” Sir Robert spoke.

“No, if he doesn’t wake up, that is on me. Trying to save his life. What is wrong with me?”

“I agree on that part,” Mom quipped.

“Tanya,” Sir Robert and Dad said.

“I’m just saying, if it was Kate, she would’ve killed him.”

“Elena,” Isabel said as we listened.

“Bear,” Dad called. “Come.”

I walked into the room, followed by Blake’s mom.

King Helmut sat on a chair near the bed next to a chair Sir Robert took. Dad stood right next to the bed on the other side and Mom blocked the front view with folded arms.

I walked closer and Dad reached out for me. I gasped as I saw my father laying on the bed. The one side of his face was all scarred with burns. His eyes were the same green as mine. His cheekbones protruded from his skin and his eyes laid deeper in their sockets.

“I’m with Mom. How could you spare his life?”

Tears pooled in my father’s eyes.

“Bear.” My other dad voiced.

“No, Dad, look at him. Goran did that to him. And you put him in some magical cell! Hoping it’s going to hold him?”

“It will hold him,” Dad said as he pulled me to his side. He planted his lips on top of my head.

It better hold him.

“I know it’s not what you saw during the ascension, sweet pea.” My dad on the bed said as my lips wobbled.

I let go of the dad hugging me and looked at the one on the bed. I sat on the bed next to him and grabbed his hand. He squeezed softly, and I knew he had little strength. Goran barely kept him alive. “It’s not that. Of course I’m happy that you are here, and that I got to see you face to face. I don’t understand. Why? Blake was ready, Dad. He could’ve killed him and all your worries and Paegeia’s worries would’ve been over.”

Tears glistened in his eyes, and he grunted.

Tanya chuckled. It wasn’t funny.

“You look just like your mom.”

More chuckles came as my lips curved. “Now that is a lie. Answer my question?”

“Because nobody showed him mercy before, sweetheart.”

The minute he said that, I remembered what King Helmut had told me.

“He’s not that Goran anymore, Al,” King Helmut said.

“We can’t give up, Helmut.”

Mom grunted. “Who do you think was responsible for Kate’s death, Al?”

“It wasn’t him, it was a wyvern.”

“It’s because of him. This is the side of you I’ll never understand.” Mom made a claw in Dad’s direction, grunted, and stormed out.

“Tanya,” Sir Robert yelled.

“Leave her. She had lost so much more than us, Bob. She was part of a Dent. I don’t want that for your son or my daughter. She is right. I have to change.”

“No, no. You don’t change a damn thing, maybe enhance it a bit, but you will not change your beliefs. I get it now. But if he hurts one more person who I love, I will kill him. I don’t care whose twin he is or what a great friend he was to you. You do not show him mercy again, you hear?” I said.

Dad stared at me.

“It’s his last chance. He has taken enough from this family. No more.”

I bent over and hugged him. Moth balls mixed with an old person’s scent reached my nose. It must have been from a poor diet for the last fifteen years.

“Just fight to get better, please.”

“I promise,” he whispered, and gave me a trembling kiss against the cheek.

I broke the hug. “You need your rest, too.” My gaze skidded to King Helmut. “So whatever you have to discuss with him can wait.”

Sir Robert’s lips grew thinner, as if he tried to suppress his smile as King Helmut’s eyes grew. I looked at Sir Robert. “You too.”

His smile disappeared. “Elena.”

“He is a room away. He will not disappear. We did it in a bloody month. Now give him rest.”

“Thank you, Elena.” Constance stormed in as both my dads laughed. One harder than the other one.

“You heard her,” Constance said, “Go.”

They got up and walked out of the room, including Dad.

I looked down at the one who fathered me. “I only learned about you in school and from the media. It’s time I see it for myself. So please, be the father that I need, the royal one, cause none of this is easy.”

He closed his eyes as tears lingered on his eyelids.

I wiped it away, and he opened his eyes. “Blake will wake up. He has no bloody choice.” I sniffed. “But you got to do your part. Become the king that they taught me about. I need you.”

Constance sniffed.

“I’ll go now.”

“I don’t have a problem with you. The dragon and King I have an enormous problem with at the moment.”

“It was on my orders,” Dad said.

“You are not a dragon. I know deep down you want to be one, but you are not. You need your rest, you need sustenance. I would’ve killed him for doing this to you, too.”

“I already got scolded for that.”

We both laugh.

“Rest,” I said and bent over, kissed him on the head, got up and left.

I looked back as Constance was still busy fiddling with his drip and saw my father’s eyes already closed. He was dead tired.