As we lowered to the ground my mother, father, James, and Charlene emerged from the barn. Charlene let a gasp before collapsing to the ground. Mother shook her head, father watched, and James stared in awe. My skin tingled beneath the new armor. I slid from Draco's back and inspected his battered body. Not a single cut or gash could be found.
"How?" I asked.
"What was that?" James asked.
"I don't know and I don't know," Draco replied to both of us.
"I thought you already bonded," my mother said, circling the both of us.
I nodded my head. "We did. This was different. Very different."
"What happened?" she continued.
"He was hurt during the attack, but managed to defeat the intruders." I pointed to the charred bodies still lying behind him. "I was scared and confused. I knew he couldn't have been dead because I'm still alive. When I cried some of my tears landed on his wounds. He started to heal. I climbed on his back and that happened."
"Did you bond again?"
I shrugged my shoulders, looking down at the magnificent new armor. "Maybe we had a deeper bond. I healed you instead of you healing me."
"Maybe," Draco replied, nodding his head.
I took a deep breath and stepped forward. "Mother. Now is the time we fight. I know you want me to marry immediately, but it's going to have to wait."
"Absolutely not. The wedding will go on."
"No. We can't." I shook my head and pursed my lips into tight lines.
"Why not?" she asked. "What excuse do you have this time?"
"Excuse? Mother, half of the staff is lying dead right outside the castle. The Guild had them murdered in the middle of the day. That is more than an excuse. That is reason enough for us to attack them!"
"We can't. We are no match for them."
"We are now," Draco pipped up.
"What?" James turned toward him.
"The dragons are aiding in the battle. They will begin to take on more riders."
My mother's eyes grew wide as saucers. "The dragons are coming out of hiding?"
"Not necessarily. The riders will be hand-picked and the battle will have to be where the Guild is hiding. They're isolated and not far from here."
"Not far? How not far are they?" Father asked.
"St. Andrews."
"What?" James sounded exasperated.
He almost sounded defeated.
"They moved shortly after the escape. A few of the dragons have been keeping an eye on them for me and giving me updates on their movements. They are planning something. While Evelyn was able to free a lot of girls from captivity, quite a few have remained loyal and they called back all those from kingdoms worldwide. All the royalty is without protection right now."
"It's all my fault." I sunk to the ground, burying my face in my hands.
When I thought I was helping out everyone, I was actually hurting them. I was ruining everything in the world. If anyone died it would be on my hands. How could I have been so stupid to believe I could change anything.
"No, it's not Evelyn. This battle has been raging since before you were born. I started this by disobeying the Guild in the first place. Had I just been the obedient servant and protected your father instead of marrying him, nobody would be dead right now."
"And we wouldn't have such an amazing daughter. Do you want to know who is to blame for all of this?" my father asked.
I wiped at the tears flowing down my cheeks. "Who?"
"The Guild. They shouldn't force any of the girls to do what they're doing. Royalty survived for years before The Guild came into existence. They can survive without it."
"Wh-what happened?" Charlene asked sitting up.
"You fainted," I muttered, my head hanging low.
"This place is a graveyard," she mumbled.
"It's not a graveyard. Something terrible happened is all." James's voice betrayed how he really felt. It trembled with each word spoken.
"Who did this? Who killed all these people?"
"It was The Guild. They are always responsible."
"Are you certain?" she questioned.
I stood and walked to one of the burnt corpses. Near the neck a piece of charred metal in the shape of the insignia. I tossed it on the ground in the middle of the group of people.
"What's that?" my father asked.
"Something they give to their elite assassins." Mother knelt down and scooped up the burnt broach. "When I was an assassin there were six girls that were made elite assassins. The Guild could call upon them at any time and retrieve them from their kings."
"How do you know this?" James asked.
"I was one of them. I have a broach just like this. I don't wear it anymore though."
"I sure hope not, mother."
"That is neither here nor there. What we need to do now is make a plan. When do we attack?"
"Attack? Attack who?" Charlene questioned.
"The Guild. I'm going to end them."
"You're not doing it alone, Evelyn," James said, grasping my hand and kissing the back of it.
"Perhaps not."
"The dragons are aiding in our cause. They're being affected by this situation now. which is why you saw me glowing all blue like. Draco and I grew in our bond."
"Amazing," she muttered.
I climbed onto Draco's back and nudged him. He nodded and turned toward the sky.
"Where do you think you're going?"
"St. Andrews. Don't worry, we're not attacking yet. I need to see what we're dealing with myself. Then I'll meet with the dragons to find out how they want to aid and how many want riders."
"I'm going, too." James stepped forward. His shoulders back and his head held high.
"How? Draco only carries his rider."
"My dragon. He's not far, and he gave me a special whistle to call for him."
"He did? When?"
"You're not the only one who sneaks off, Evelyn."
He held a shiny, golden whistle to his lips and blew. No sound emerged. The thing was broken.
"James, I hate to tell you, but that doesn't work."
"Shh," he said, watching the sky.
After a few moments, a dust cloud blew up as a loud thud came from behind. A large, old dragon shimmered into view.
"You called?" he asked.
"We're going to St. Andrews. I want you by my side."
"Of course, majesty. Does this have to do with the whispers amongst the dragon elders? About The Guild."
Draco nodded his massive head.
"You've changed," the old dragon said.
"We've had a bit of a new thing happen."
"The great bond?"
"Is that what it is?"
"You have much to learn, young one," the elder dragon said to Draco.
"So it seems."
"What that means is you've found your one true rider. The missing piece of who you are."
"Yes. I do feel different," Draco agreed.
"As do I."
"We will discuss this more at a later time. For now, let's see what The Guild is up to."
"We are also going to Kirkcaldy to meet with the elders."
"A wise idea."
As James mounted Draco, we waved farewell to those being left behind. I had to remember that I promised my mother I wouldn't attack yet. Of course, I knew it would be a poor decision. They seemed to be growing in numbers despite my debacle with them. The ground vanished beneath us as we zoomed through the clouds. We quickly left dry land behind and saw nothing but the blue of seas all around. I took to flying quite quickly, James though clung on for dear life.
I smiled, hoping this wouldn't be the last time we'd fly together.