Frostbite (The Dragonian, #3) - Adrienne Woods Page 0,116

knew who you were the minute Matt brought you here. Every one of us could see it, we just didn’t know how they got you to the other side.”

“Yet I turned into a dragon, one they probably want me to show tonight and I won’t be able to, because she’s dead.”

“Then what is the problem?”

“What if it kills me, you know the things they want to do? What if…”

“Shhh.” She put her index finger softly on my mouth. “They’ll have to kill me first and a couple of other dragons before that will ever happen. Sir Robert isn’t the kind that can be tamed. That was your father’s specialty.” She winked and I giggled.

“He’s sure changed a lot in the past few weeks.”

“What did you expect, Elena? You are his rider’s daughter. The one true ruler. They can strip you of the title and they might come to a verdict that you aren’t who you say you are, but you are their child, their blood runs through your veins and remember, there is nothing anyone can do about that.” She gave me the same explanation Master Longwei had.

“See, told you so,” he said nonchalantly and read today’s paper which carried all the news of tonight’s big verdict.

Constance and I just smiled.

“I don’t know how you can read that,” she said to Master Longwei.

“What? I like to know what is going on inside Paegeia.”

“It’s filled with people who are trying to prove Elena is a fake,” Constance scolded.

“It’s funny,” he joked.

“It’s not a joke.” She sounded irritated.

“Constance, why does this bother you so much? We both know who Elena is.”

“It’s just that the one who is behind this was one of Albert’s best friends.”

“When someone is out of the light, and out of grace, they tend to harden. Caleb is just lost, Constance. I’m sure he’ll find his way back soon.”

“It’s going to take a miracle for that man to see the light again,” she mumbled and everything became silent.

It would not take a miracle. It would only take a couple of seconds, my father lives. If he really cared for my dad, he would fight to save him.

We stopped at Elm’s port and more flashing lights went off in my face as we climbed out. Sir Robert waited for me by the carriage door and led me into the port. Reporters wanted to know how I felt, and what I would do if the outcome was negative.

I stopped, turned around and looked at all of them.

“Whether the outcome is negative or positive, they can’t take away the blood that flows through my veins. I know who I saw while I was ascending. It was your king, the greatest man that fought for the rights of dragons. I don’t have to prove to anyone who I am. You either believe it in your heart or you don’t.”

I turned around. My heart was beating like crazy and it was a miracle that I didn’t end up stuttering. Sir Robert smiled at me as he led me to the elevator that led to Areeth.

“What?” I asked him.

“You may look like your father, but what you just said back there, was exactly the type of thing your mother would have said.”

I smiled at him. Ever since I found out who I was, he was the first to show me what type of person my mom was. She didn’t take shit from no one.

I didn’t cringe anymore as the elevator teleported the four of us to Areeth. Becky was right, it would become exactly like the carriage ride. Besides, my fears were eliminated the minute Cara showed me how fun everything could be. I missed her so much and would give anything just to feel her again. But she was gone. I was once more alone.

In Areeth, more reporters wanted to know the exact same thing. But it was a completely different crowd, one that didn’t believe a single word I was saying. One that knew me as the person standing between their princess’s happy ever after. One that thought I had killed their beloved prince and one that would never believe that I was the true ruler’s daughter.

Millions of bystanders with protest boards stood around the cab that was going to take us to the palace. Sir Robert grunted when he saw the yellow car. “No respect.”

“Let it go, I’m not that type of royalty.”

“Yes, you are.”

“You know what I mean.” I climbed in the cab and looked outside the window. Areeth was really