I hurtled over to the nearest plastic pot plant. Nothing came out but the noises the girls made who passed by us told me it wasn’t the best way to handle it.
“Move on, there’s nothing to see here,” Becky remarked. “It’s Nicole, Elena. Seriously.”
“Becky!” Sammy sounded mad.
Inside the cafeteria people still congratulated Nicole. Becky and Sammy glared at her on my behalf as I still felt sick to my stomach.
I lifted my head and found Blake. The horror on my face told him exactly how I felt. He winked and smiled which sort of calmed me down as this afternoon he would guide me through what would happen in that ring on Thursday. Still, a heaviness fell on my chest. Rumors had it that Lucian hadn’t trained her but that her father had paid a shit load of money to get her four trainers ever since she entered Dragonia.
I wasn’t ready for the ring and to be honest I didn’t know what to do. I heard Becky back biting Nicole, who just laughed it off. She didn’t even seem worried or anything. That freaked me out more.
Sammy put a tray of food on the table in front of me.
“I can’t do this.”
“Elena, it’s just a claim.”
Becky slumped down onto the pillow next to me.
“What if she succeeds?”
Both of them stared at me with raised eyebrows.
“Worse, what if I end up killing her. I don’t have full control of my dragon.”
“Now that’s what’s supposed to come out of your mouth. Besides, she deserves to get her ass kicked Elena,” Becky said.
“I can’t end up killing Lucian’s cousin, Becky.”
“She should’ve never asked for this.”
“How on earth did they even give permission for her to face Elena in the ring?” Sammy sounded as if she couldn’t believe it herself.
“Daddy has plenty of money,” Becky offered, and jumped up as George reached our table. She gave him a long kiss before he sat down on the pillow next to her.
“Thursday.” George had this huge grin with both thumbs up.
“Your timing sucks,” Becky snapped at him and he dropped the thumbs and his smile vanished. “You’re not scared, are you? It’s Nicole we’re talking about here.”
“She’s had trainers, George.”
“Still, Elena. You’re a freaking Rubicon.”
I ignored his over confident comments. “I can’t become her dragon. She’s like Arianna, even worse.”
“You won’t. George is right. You have a shit load of abilities. She doesn’t stand a chance, Elena,” Sammy said.
“Maybe you should stop seeing Blake for a couple of days,” Becky said. George just gave her the ‘huh?’ look.
“Are you insane?” I grunted at her through clenched teeth and looked at George. She rolled her eyes.
I couldn’t do that. I would go dark and that girl would die. I wasn’t going to kill Lucian’s cousin.
“Just a suggestion.”
“No.” I took a huge breath and pulled out my ponytail. I was used to the rainbow fringe and didn’t stare at it the way I used to anymore. “I will have to be calm and not give in. She can’t possibly be that good yet.”
“Don’t underestimate her trainers.”
“Seriously,” Sammy said and gave Becky the look. “Make up your mind if you’re going to help. You just told her that she has nothing to worry about.”
“I’m just saying.”
“So what do you say, give up, let that horrible girl become my Dragonian?”
“Elena, she’s not going to become your rider. She doesn’t have what it takes to claim you. I’m sure my brother will have some sort of plan.”
I nodded.
“What is this about Elena not seeing Blake?” George still wanted to know.
“Eat your food,” Becky snapped at him.
LASS WAS DIFFICULT because I couldn’t stop thinking about Thursday. I hated every minute of it. Two o’clock couldn’t come soon enough and when Blake landed on the mountain I just started to explode.
“How could she do that? How did they even let her?” My back was turned to him and my hands went up in every direction. I was so furious but with him being close to me, the feeling disappeared faster than it appeared. “I don’t understand. I can’t face her, I’m not ready.”
Blake grabbed both my arms and for a minute I really thought he was going to kiss me to make me stop ranting, but he just stared at me. “Stop freaking out.”
His peacock-blues took the heaviness from my chest and I could breathe again.
“The ring isn’t your enemy, it’s theirs.”
“I don’t know how to do this.”
“Then I suggest we get started.”
For the next four days Blake drilled me. The minute I