Chapter 64 Elara Saves Lily
Elara's POV
The soldier holding me loosened his grip when another explosion rocked the courtyard. I yanked free and ran.
"LILY!" I screamed into the chaos. "LILY, WHERE ARE YOU?"
Smoke burned my eyes. People ran everywhere. Soldiers fought. Bodies lay on the ground.
"ELARA!" A small voice."ELARA, HELP!"
I ran toward the sound. Pushed through panicking crowds. Dodged soldiers and fire and falling debris.
There, Lily huddled behind an overturned cart. Three enemy soldiers advanced on her. Faye lay unconscious nearby, blood on her head.
"GET AWAY FROM HER!" I screamed.
The soldiers turned. Looked at me. Grinned.
"The imposter," one said. "Even better. The queen wants both of you alive."
"You're not touching my sister."
I had no weapon, no armor, no training. Just fury and love and desperation.
The first soldier reached for me. I grabbed his arm. Bit down hard on his hand.
He screamed. Jerked back.
I kicked him. Not gracefully, not skillfully, just hard. Right where it hurt most.
He went down gasping.
The second soldier swung his sword at me. I dodged. Barely. The blade whistled past my face.
"RUN, LILY!" I shouted. "GET TO THE CASTLE!"
"NOT WITHOUT YOU!"
The soldier swung again. This time I wasn't fast enough. The flat of his blade hit my shoulder. Pain exploded. I stumbled.
"ELARA!" Lily screamed.
The soldier raised his sword for a killing blow.
I looked up at the blade. At death coming for me.
Thought about Drakon. About how I'd never get to tell him I understood now. Understood why he made the choices he made. Why duty sometimes had to come before love.
The sword began its downward swing.
A small body crashed into the soldier. Lily. Tiny Lily tackling a full-grown man.
"DON'T HURT MY SISTER!" she screamed, hitting him with her fists.
The soldier swatted her away like a fly. Lily flew backward. Hit the ground hard.
"NO!" I lunged at the soldier. Grabbed his sword arm with both hands. Tried to stop him from hurting her.
He was too strong. Shook me off easily.
"Stupid girl," he sneered. "You both die now."
He raised his sword toward Lily's prone form.
I threw myself over her. Covered her body with mine.
"If you want her, you go through me first," I said.
The soldier laughed. "Fine. Two corpses instead of one."
He raised his sword high.
I closed my eyes. Hugged Lily tight. Whispered, "I love you. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
"I love you too," Lily sobbed beneath me.
The sword whistled down.
Then something massive slammed into the soldier. Sent him flying across the courtyard.
I looked up.
A black dragon stood over us. Huge. Magnificent. Furious.
Drakon.
He'd come back. Abandoned his fight with Queen Morgana. Chosen us.
The remaining soldiers ran. Drakon roared after them. Breathed fire. They didn't get far.
He transformed. Became human. Knelt beside us.
"Are you hurt?" His hands checked us frantically. "Are you bleeding? Did they..."
"We're okay," I gasped. "Thanks to you."
"Lily?" He looked at my sister. "Can you stand?"
"I think so." Lily sat up slowly. "That was so cool! You saved us! You're like a hero in the stories!"
"Some hero," Drakon muttered. "Almost let you both die."
"But you didn't," I said quietly. "You chose us. Even though the kingdom needs you. Even though Queen Morgana is out there. You chose us."
His golden eyes met mine. "I'll always choose you. Even when I shouldn't. Even when it costs me everything."
The golden thread between us pulsed. Warmed. Strengthened.
He felt it too. I saw recognition in his eyes.
"We need to get you to safety," he said. "Both of you. Before more soldiers come."
"What about the battle?" I looked around at the chaos. "What about your people?"
"Thorne is leading them. They'll hold until I return." Drakon picked up Lily. "But first, I protect what's mine."
What's mine. Not "the prisoner." Not "the traitor." Mine.
Hope bloomed painfully in my chest.
He transformed again. Carefully. Making sure Lily was secure on his back.
"Hold tight," he told her. Then to me: "Can you climb up?"
"I think so."
I climbed onto his massive back. Gripped his scales. Felt the heat of him. The power.
He launched into the sky. Away from the battle. Away from the courtyard.
Toward the castle. Toward safety.
Below us, I saw Queen Morgana screaming orders. Saw her army advancing. Saw Drakenmoor's forces retreating.
We were losing. Badly.
And Drakon had abandoned the fight to save us.
"You should go back," I shouted over the wind. "Your kingdom needs you!"
"My kingdom needs me to keep fighting! But you need me to live!" he roared back. "And right now, I choose life! I choose my true mate, even if she's complicated and breaks my heart daily!"
Lily giggled despite everything.
We landed on a high tower. Safe. Protected. Far from the battle.
Drakon transformed. Set Lily down gently. Then looked at me.
"I have to go back now," he said. "I have to fight. Have to lead my people. Have to stop Queen Morgana."
"I know."
"Stay here. Both of you. Don't leave this tower no matter what happens." His hand touched my cheek. "Promise me."
"Drakon..."
"Promise me!" His voice broke. "I can't fight if I'm worried about you. I can't think if I'm constantly checking to make sure you're safe. Please. Just promise me."
"I promise," I whispered.
He kissed my forehead. Quick. Desperate. Then Lily's.
"If I don't come back..."
"You'll come back," I interrupted. "You have to. Because we have unfinished business. Because the bond isn't fully healed yet. Because I still need to tell you a thousand things."
"Like what?"
"Like I'm sorry. Like I love you. Like..."
Another massive explosion cut me off. The southern wall collapsed entirely.
Drakon's face paled. "They've broken through. They're going to overrun us."
"Then go," I said firmly. "Go fight. Go save your kingdom. We'll be here when you get back."
He transformed. Flew away. Back into battle.
Lily and I watched from the tower.
Watched Drakon breathing fire. Watched his soldiers falling. Watched Queen Morgana's forces advancing.
"We're losing, aren't we?" Lily asked quietly.
"Yes."
"Is Drakon going to die?"
"Not if I can help it." I looked at my sister. "Lily, I need you to stay here. Don't leave. Don't move. No matter what."
"Why? Where are you going?"
"To fix this. To stop Queen Morgana. To end this war before everyone we love dies."
"But you promised Drakon..."
"I know." I headed for the stairs. "But some promises have to be broken. Some rules have to be disobeyed. Some sacrifices have to be made."
"ELARA, NO! DON'T LEAVE ME AGAIN!"
I turned back. Hugged her tight. "I love you. Never forget that. But I have to do this. It's the only way."
"The only way to do what?"
"To save everyone." I released her. "Even if it costs me everything."
I ran down the tower stairs before she could stop me.Toward the battle, toward Queen Morgana. The only person who could end this war.
Me.
The one person Queen Morgana actually wanted.
I was going to surrender myself. Trade my life for peace.
It was the only way to save Drakon and the kingdom.
And this time, it would be my choice, my sacrifice , my redemption.