The Hidden Princess: Secrets Revealed (Book Two)

Chapter Twenty-Five: I Was Honestly Not Expecting to Live

It was nearly dark when Rowen, James, Kole, and I found ourselves sitting playing marbles three weeks after Rowen and I's conversation on the tower. "Sam, you're supposed to hit the marbles in the circle," Rowen teased as my shot went wide. James and Kole laughed while I glared at Rowen.

"Shut up," I said, grabbing the marble from James who was still laughing. "I get a second shot. Rowen distracted me," I grumbled.

"Sure, say whatever you need to make yourself feel good," Kole said grinning.

Glaring at the boys I focused in on the marbles, aimed at my marble, shot, and sent my marble rolling past all three boys and to the feet of Erik.

"Sam, not sure if you know the rules but you want to shoot another marble out of the circle with this one," he said, picking it up and handing it to me, causing the three boys to burst out laughing again. "Once you've finished your game I was hoping to speak with you," he said as an afterthought.

Taking the marble from Erik I chucked it at James' head. Unfortunately my aim was off and it went sailing through the air and hit Orion on the back of the head.

"You're so dead!" James said, falling onto his side laughing so hard.

Gasping my hand flew to my mouth as Orion slowly turned around. He bent over, picked up the marble, and walked over standing silently in front of us. The boys quickly stopped laughing and stood up straight. "Who threw it?" Orion asked.

Hesitantly, I stepped forward. "It was me. I'm so sorry Orion. It wasn't supposed to hit you," I said, putting my hands behind my back and biting my lip.

Orion looked from the marble and back to me. "So how did a marble fly so high from the ground to smack me in the back of the head?" he questioned.

"I was frustrated at the boys for laughing at me. I threw it at James, but missed," I said ducking my head.

Orion didn't respond right away. His eyes were sweeping between the four of us. "You didn't mean to injure me, but you were attempting to injure your fellow Dragon?" he asked.

"I'm sorry. I let my frustration get the best of me. It was just a game," I sighed.

Orion nodded. He tossed the marble back to me. "Although it's late it seems the four of you have quite a bit of energy. Take three laps through the obstacle course and that should work off that energy," he said then turned and left with Erik smiling beside him.

Sighing, the four of us slumped off to the obstacle course. We were lucky to have a full moon on our side as we started. With the moon lighting the course and no limits to our runs it didn't take long for us to finish the three laps.

"Next time you ask me to play marbles kindly remind me of this night," I said as we stretched out after our final run.

"Get up! Let's go!" a voice called as my door banged open. Sitting up, I grabbed the knife on my nightstand. Blinking a few times at the glare the lantern brought, I realized that Benedict had barged into my room before the sun had even risen. "Alakay's been taken and we need to go now before things have a chance to turn ugly," he said grabbing an outfit from my closet and throwing it at me.

Nearly tripping as I jumped out of bed, I caught myself and stood up. "What? By who?" I questioned.

"We aren't sure. We are gathering in the arena. Come out as soon as you're dressed, bring your sword," he said then turned and jogged out.

Benedict hadn't even shut the door all the way when I was undressing and pulling on the clothes he'd thrown me. Buckling my sword around my waist I ran out of my room and into the arena where my brothers and Erik stood. "Why aren't there more Dragons out here?" I questioned.