Firedrake the Firelord

Chapter 22

I lean back and slowly open my eyes. Shane does the same. Immediately, I stand in embarrassment. I don't know what to do.

"I-I'm sorry," he says.

"No," I reply. "No need to be sorry. I just-I need to find Ethan."

He nods. "Yeah, I get it."

"Shane," I start.

"No," he says softly. "No, it's ok."

I just smile weakly. He returns it. We stand there for a second, not knowing what to do.

"Maybe we should follow them," Shane suggests.

"It'd be pretty hard. They're pretty far by now, I'm sure," I reply.

"We can do it," he assures me.

"I don't know," I say doubtful.

"I can track them, Elliot," he says. "Just trust me."

I sigh. "Fine. But let's just stay here tonight."

He nods. "I'll go search for firewood. Are you ok by yourself?"

I nod. He walks away. When he leaves, I let out a sigh of relief. What am I going to do?

We kissed. We kissed. We kissed.

I can't stop thinking about it. It just happened. I never thought that I would kiss him.

But I did.

But I'm not sure if I'm glad I did. There have never been boys I've wanted to kiss. Ever.

Now I have.

What about Weston?

I'm surprised that I think about him. He let me leave. He let me go into the woods by myself. I didn't have any food or water. I could have died. He left me and stayed with Samantha. Weston was suppose to protect me. He-he-he was suppose to take me somewhere. Where was it?

My head begins to hurt. The memory is pulling at my brain. And it hurts. I try to think through what it was. Weston and Ethan were traveling with me. They were taking me somewhere.

Where? Where? Where?

Where was it? It-it was the Southern Water Kingdom! Southern Water Kingdom? Yes, Southern Water Kingdom. But why? Why? To-to train me? For what? What was it for? Pain shoots through my head as I remember what Sam and Finnick both called me.

Princess. Princess. Princess.

"What does that mean?" I shout to the black sky.

A burst of pain goes through my head again. I can't get the word out of my head!

Princess. Princess. Princess.

I groan in agony.

Princess. Princess. Princess.

My head feels like it's splitting in half.

Princess. Princess. Princess.

Tears stream down my face.

Princess. Princess. Princess.

Suddenly, the pain stops. Princess. I know what I forgot! I know why we were going to the Southern Water Kingdom. I remember who I am.

I also remember why I am to train. Why it is so important that I succeed. The reason this journey has started, the reason Ethan is gone, and the reason Aunt Elizabeth and my parents are dead. I know my mission.

I am Elliot, the lost Princess of the Western Water Kingdoms, and I must kill Willyn.