“I don’t run, I will never run from you,” he says, a promise laced into his words. I pull my coat off, chucking it on the floor and kicking my boots off as he gives me a confused look. I laugh, a long laugh as I call my dragon, and shift. He stumbles back when I land on the roof as my dragon stretches out her wings. She turns her head to the side, seeing the ice dripping off each little spike on her wings, before turning back to Elias. I watch him, fully expecting him to run from me, but he doesn’t. He stands up, and walks slowly to my dragon, each step full of a confidence I would expect the old Elias to have. When he gets closer, he holds a hand out and my dragon pushes her nose into his hand, a purr vibrating through her.
“Mine,” she whispers and I don’t disagree with her, because it feels wrong to say she isn’t right. My dragon steps back, feeling my need to shift and I close my eyes, pulling my human form back. I look up, my long hair falling around me as Elias stands utterly still. I pick my coat up, seeing my torn clothes on the floor but once my coat is done up, it’s good enough. Only a little bit cold.
“You’re a dragon? A shifter, or whatever you call yourself?” he asks and I nod, not wanting to tell him he is one too as that didn’t work so well with Dagan.
“What else can you do?” he asks, reaching into his pocket and pulling out his cigarettes. He puts one in his mouth, lighting it with a lighter, and then resting against the door.
“Ice and snow,” I say, holding my hands into the air and closing my eyes. I focus on the clouds above, freezing them slowly and then open my eyes.
“I don’t see anything…” he drawls.
“Just wait,” I chuckle, just as it starts to snow. Slow at first, and the wind starts blowing it around us.
“Amazing,” he says, his voice full of wonder and he keeps smoking. We are both silent, both of us close to freezing until he finishes his cigarette and puts it out under his boot. He walks over, stopping right in front of me.
“Any more secrets you want to tell me?” he asks, and he watches me so closely for my reaction that it hurts when the lie slips from my mouth.
“Maybe, but not yet,” I answer, and he nods.
“You don’t trust me,” he says, and for the first time, hurt appears in his eyes. I can see it and he steps back, walking to the door.
“Eli, it’s–”
“You don’t trust me, and I’m not going to make you, princess,” he says and opens the door, slamming it closed behind him. I look up at the star filled skies, the dark clouds and the snow falling slowly. I mess everything up, and I don’t know how to stop doing it.
Chapter Eighteen
Isola
So why are the sexy guys annoyed with you?” Hallie asks me as I open my packet of crisps and lean back in my seat, following her gaze to Dagan, Korbin and Elias who are sat on another table. Each one of them have ignored me since the weekend, but all for different reasons. Korbin thinks I’m sleeping with Dagan, and clearly can’t deal with me. Dagan knows I’m a dragon and overall looks freaked out by me. And Elias…well I think is just working out what I’m still hiding from him, but at least he isn’t freaked out like Dagan is. I’m actually not sure about Elias at the moment, what he is thinking anyway, but I don’t tell Hallie any of this.
“I don’t know, they are just moody,” I say, and then stuff my face with food, and hope it makes me feel better. It doesn’t, but hey, the chocolate buttons are just amazing.
“How is Jules?” Hallie asks.
“She woke up two days ago and is a little groggy, she will need a lot of medical care, but they think she will make a full recovery,” I tell her.
“I’m glad, I know how much you care for her,” she tells me and I nod, not really wanting to speak about Jules. I know I have to return to Dragca, so I can’t look after her long term like I wish I could. Like she deserves. Instead, I had to use the stupid amount of human money in my account to buy her a place in a nursing home for when she gets out of hospital. I hate that it’s all I can do.
“Hey sexy Issy,” Michael says, sliding into the seat next to me, and in some ways, I’m thankful for the distraction from my own thoughts and stuff I can’t change. Hallie just rolls her eyes, stabbing her fork into her pie. I mentally groan as I turn to face him. He slides his giant arm around my shoulder, pulling me into a side hug. I try to pull away, but he doesn’t let for me for a while, making me super uncomfortable.
“Michael, you’re hurting me,” I say, when he doesn’t let go, squeezing me too tight and he does straight away, grinning as he pushes his blonde hair out the way of his eyes.
“Sorry, I forget how small you are,” he comments, using that as an excuse to look down my top, and not raise his eyes for far too long. Urgh.
“Michael, don’t you have an interview with my father tonight? Shouldn’t you be… I don’t know, training or researching, or something other than hitting on Issy?” Hallie says, cutting in, and I flash her a thankful smile.
“You’re working for Hallie’s dad?” I ask Michael, moving across my seat and towards Hallie.
“Our parents are good friends, so he offered me a job. It’s a brilliant one,” he says and Hallie laughs, but she doesn’t say anything as Michael glares at her.
“Shut it,” he snaps at her, and she still laughs. It gets seriously awkward as I sit between them, having no idea what they are talking about. I wish I knew what her father does, what she is so sure she doesn’t want to do.
“So, erm, how was your weekend?” I ask Michael when there’s a very uncomfortable silence between us all for way too long.
“Didn’t do much, I’m just looking forward to my party. You are still coming, right?” he asks, like an excited child.
“Yep,” I say, not really wanting to go, but the puppy dog eyes he is doing right now makes me feel a little guilty. I look away, seeing Dagan, Korbin and Elias all watching me, wearing matching faces of anger. I want to get up and go to sit with them, explain myself to each of them, but I can’t. I’ve already messed up with Dagan, and risked the curse with Korbin. Even with Elias if I’m honest with myself. I might not have kissed him since Dragca, and he might be hurt because of me right now, but there’s something between us. Some princess I am, making the guards lose their dragons because I can’t control my hormones. The bell rings, snapping me out of it, and I quickly stand up.
“Time for class,” I say, walking away, but Michael grabs my arm as he stands, roughly pulling me to him.
“Let go,” I say carefully, not liking how strong he is, and how my dragon hisses in my mind. I look up as he grins.
“I only wanted a hug sexy Issy,” he says playfully, and I pull my arm away.
“You should wait for me to offer, not demand. Goodbye Michael,” I tell him, seeing his bright red face as he glares at me. Hallie links her arm with mine, walking out the dinner hall at my side. I rub my arm, looking behind me to see Michael still watching me, anger flittering in his eyes. Humans and dragons never date, because the human always gets obsessed. It was one of the things Jace made sure I knew, not only for my protection but for my understanding of why guys like Michael won’t leave me alone.
“You should stay away from Michael, he is pretty obsessed with you. I don’t want to see what he would do when he realises you’re not interested,” Hallie tells me, looking back at him when I turn around.
“I plan to stay away, don’t worry,” I reply.
“So, you’re not going to the party?” she asks, relief flittering over her face.
“I will if the guys go, they wouldn’t let anything happen to me, and I need to get them to speak to me,” I say.
“Why? They might be sexy, but so are you. You don’t need to chase them,” she says gently.
“I’m not chasing them, it’s complicated,” I say and she smiles.
“Good, I’m not having you chase anyone,” she says, and I quickly pull her in for a hug. She hugs me back, laughing.
“What’s that for?” she asks.
“For being a good friend. Whatever happens, I’m your friend,” I tell her, and she gives me a slightly confused look as I pull away.
“What would happen?” she asks and part of me wishes I could explain all this to her. Explain that I’m a dragon, and I have to go back to Dragca soon. That I won’t see her for a long time, and I might die trying to save the world I was born in. Not that I can tell her anything, only enjoy the little time I have with a true friend now.
“Nothing, I’m being silly,” I reply, lying.
“Come on you weirdo, it’s Mr Dreads class and you know how much of an arsehole he is if we are late,” she says, tugging me along to class.