The Great Beyond

Chapter 52: Shell Shocked, Pt. 2 (Reign)

              Hiccup still hadn't returned by the time the sun started to rise, but I chose not to focus on that. Besides, Dagur, Heather, and I were engaged in an admittedly heated conversation that prevented me from really being able to focus on anything else. We tried to keep our voices low, ensuring that the other Riders in the Clubhouse couldn't hear about the one specific thing I was referencing that they didn't know about yet.

"Reign, I promise we're going to be fine." Heather was stuck on repeat, uttering different variations of the same thing over and over again.

"Okay, but, Heather, I can't just sit here and pretend that you all aren't going to need help," I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. "You said not that long ago that building was going to take a long time."

"We just don't want to draw you away from the Riders, or be the reason that your union ceremony got delayed because you were too busy helping us to plan it," Dagur argued.

"Guys, look." I hesitated a moment, crossing my arms against my chest. "I would feel terrible if you all were struggling to rebuild your island while I sat there, planning this elaborate ceremony. Besides, I'm sure everyone involved would understand. If you need our help, I'm sure all of us would be more than willing to provide it."

Under any other circumstance, I would have relented and let Dagur and Heather have their way. But this was completely different. The home that I couldn't even remember had been destroyed. I hadn't been there to defend it, and part of me felt guilty because of that. However, more than anything else, I wanted to be part of the life I had missed out on. Heather and Dagur were always bouncing between Berserker Island and the great unknown, and although I tried to be fine with it at first, sometimes it really hurt.

I tried to tell them that, but before I even got the chance to open my mouth, I noticed something move out of the corner of my eye. Curious, I turned to face the source of the movement, but what I spotted caused my blood to stop pumping entirely. Not only had Hiccup climbed off Toothless' back, but Viggo had as well. Were the two of them... working together?

Hiccup tried his best to explain the situation to everyone as Viggo paced back and forth, but by the end of it, I felt no more reassured than I had when they first arrived. The only thing that gave me momentary pause was when Hiccup produced none other than the Dragon Eye itself and held it out to me, proving which brother had been lying.

"I don't trust the guy," I snarled, keeping my eyes deeply focused on his every movement.

"He'd actually be pretty fun to hang with," Tuff shrugged. "I mean, if he weren't trying to kill us."

"You've gotta love the way he talks." Ruffnut straightened up, trying her best to impersonate Viggo. "'Hiccup, I'm afraid our time together has come to an end. I must kill you now, if you have no objections.'" Tuffnut scoffed.

"Yeah, like he's not gonna have objections. And then he'll go, 'All of your Dragon Riders must also go, with my sincerest apologies.'" I tried to figure out something to say to the twins, but honestly, anything filled with logic and reason was leaving my head.

"I'm with Reign," Fishlegs supported, steering us back on track. "This is all just one big game to him, Hiccup."

"Ryker is coming to try to wipe us all out, along with his brother. Are we really gonna take any chances with Viggo here?" Astrid scoffed, sounding slightly disgusted.

"You guys are right." Hiccup turned away from all of us. "I got this." Before he got the chance to say anything, I stepped up by his side and placed a hand on his shoulder. Even if I didn't like the idea of attempting to trust Viggo, I wasn't about to abandon him. We were forever a team, after all.