I was woken by being slightly shaken mixed with my name being whispered into my ear. I opened my eyes slowly, refusing to believe it was dawn. There was no way I had the energy to walk anymore, they could just come pick me up right here on their way back.

"Alyson! Alyson!," I was shook with more vigor and my eyes opened to see Collin was above me.

"What?," I snapped angrily at him.

He drew back at my harsh tone," Shhh!," he covered my mouth and glanced over his shoulder.

Oh no! Something must have happened!? We're being ambushed! Oh god! We were so close! I pried Collin's fingers from my lips," What's wrong?!" while looking around from the ambush.

"Shh," he silenced me again, he checked behind him again and then beckoned for me to follow him. I pushed my blanket off and stood but looking around the camp, everyone was gone all that was left was the crackling of the dying fire. Ashley and Matthew were not in their blankets, but looking to my left I saw that Quinten and Ariana were safe and sleeping. I opened my mouth to question for the second time what was going on, but Collin covered my mouth again with his hand. I was going to bite him but he pushed me in front of him and told me to go.

To be honest, I was scared shitless, I thought they were going to kill me or something like in a weird cult sort of way. I didn't have any weapons, but even if I did it wouldn't do any good. All of them know magic and Collin is apparently one of the best warriors, so basically I was already dead.

I saw 2 figures standing a few yards away and I knew it was Ashley and Matthew, I closed my eyes and prayed for my family and for Luna. A tear slid down my face, because if I died, she would die too; a dragon cannot live without it's rider.

I opened my eyes and there they were, three dark shadows against the night huddled into a small circle. Out of all ways to go, this was it? I was slightly unimpressed, but complaining would do nothing.

"Okay, all here. Did you tell her," the large dark shaped to the smaller one beside him. I knew it was Matthew talking by his deep thick voice and by process of elimination it was Collin he was talking to.

"No, I didn't want to wake anyone."

"Fine. Alyson, we need to tell you the plan for tomorrow," Matthew turned to me.

"Plan? What plan?," I asked while wiping the tear stream off my cheek. I was thankful for the shadows, because I knew they couldn't see my face and that I had been crying. Don't get too comfy, they could still kill you. Anyone here could, this whole place is crazy.

Ashley huffed impatiently," Tomorrow when we reach the egg, Quinten and Arianna must not know. They can't know why we came. Matthew has a plan to get the egg so they will not see."

"Okay, lay it on me."

Matthew cleared his throat," Tomorrow when we reach the egg, we do not know where it will be whether it be buried or hidden-..."

"Where else would it be? There is nothing here!," I gestured to the emptiness around us. Even though I couldn't see him, I knew Matthew was grimacing at my interruption.

"Yes, it is most likely buried, but this is Tarathi, he was very crafty. When we do reach the spot, Ashley and Collin will begin to fight, knowing Quinten he will try to break it up. That's when Collin will use magic to distract them and attack, Ariana will have to jump in too. While they are all fighting, you and I will find the egg and hid it in my backpack and if we plan it right, no one will ever notice."

I sat silently, Magic fight? That's the plan. Really? What is someone gets hurt! The Queen won't let me go home!

"No."

"What?," Ashely hissed.

"No!," I said emphasizing loudly.

"Keep your voice down," Collin grabbed my arm.

"No? What do you mean no?," Matthew asked.

"We can't do that! What is someone were to get seriously injured. The Queen wants no complications, this is a complication, Matthew."

"The Queen wants the egg," he countered," she will not care as long as the wounds are healable."

"What if it takes us longer than the fight find the egg? What if we can't find it at all? There are too many variables here! Quinten is really skilled with magic, he can probably take both Ashley and Collin without blinking! AND THEY HAVE DRAGONS!"

"Hey," Collin sounded offended," You have never seen me in action before. I can take Collin with my eyes closed!"

"And his dragon?," I questioned. "You don't have Razor."

"If magic fails, we go to combat," Ashley stated. "We need the egg and they can't know, if you have a better plan, share."

"Anything would be better than this! We could ask them to turn around by order of the Queen or whatever! That's a thing right? Or fake an injury...," I knew my ideas were shit but I didn't want to watch a fight.

"No offense, Alyson, but those would never work. Ariana and Quinten would see right through anything, except for this," Matthew said. " They would never expect Ashley and Collin to fight, never. It's fool proof and Collin won't hurt Quinten. Right Collin?"

"If I have to I will."

"Not helping,' Matthew muttered. "Alyson, this is it. We have to do this, or we don't get the egg. The Queen wants the egg, we need to get it."

If we don't get the egg, I don't go home...

"Okay...," I bowed my head in shame for agreeing.

"Yes," Collin and Matthew high fived.

"So what exactly is this plan?"

"All you need to know is when the fight starts, follow me," Matthew spoke seriously.

"So you're not going to tell me?!"

"We told you this," Ashley. "That's all you need to know. Now, come on, let's go get some sleep for the big performance," Ashley pushed past me to grab Collin.

I held back my remarks, there was no point in fighting with her. I followed them back to camp and made sure to face away from the fire, I didn't want to look at any of them. This is a bad idea, a very bad idea.

This time when I woke up, it was for real. The sun was beginning to peak over the horizon and everyone was packing up. Maybe last night a dream? We packed up and began walking, as soon as I started my legs were screaming. They ached all over for walking all day every day, but no one else complained so I kept my mouth shut. I bet Quinten and Ariana's legs hurt too, riding chafes my thighs and they've been riding just as long as I've been walking.

I thought about asking Collin if last night was real, but I figured if they started fighting I would know soon enough. It felt like we had been walking for hours, I kept tripping and falling because I was watching Ashley and Collin, waiting for them to start. But there was nothing: they laughed, smiled, flirted, there were no signs of a fight ensuing. Glancing to the sky, I saw Erea and Pustrei soaring above us, unaware of why they were here or where we were going.

It was just a dream. Just a dream. Think about something else: Think about Luna. My heart throbbed, I missed her so much. I hope she is okay, that she learns to breathe fire. I am so selfish to want to go home... she needs to be here. She belongs here.

I looked up when I hear Ashley yell something, both Collin and Ashley had stopped walking and were staring at each other in disbelief.

"REALLY? ARE YOU SERIOUS?," Ashley stepped back from Collin with disgust.

Oh shit! NO! NO!

"Are you seriously going to get mad about this?" Collin stepped toward her but she backed away.

"You think she's pretty don't you?!"

"What?! I nev-..."

"DON'T YOU?! You do, I can see it every time you look at her!"

Collin threw his hands up," What are you talking about?! I never said that she was pretty!"

"You don't have to!," Ashley turned to me," I don't even see it! Why her?! HER OUT OF ALL OF ALAGAESIA!"

I stopped walking, What? Wait, what's happening.

"Ashley, stop this."

"She's not even pretty, Collin! She's not even anything!," I saw a tear run down Ashley's face.

"ASHLEY. ENOUGH.," Collin said loudly.

The wind picked up around me and dirt began to fly, I knew a dragon was coming down to land. They're are running out of time, I turned to Matthew who was watching. I began to move toward when he gave a small no, moving his head sharply. What? When the fight starts I follow you! This is the fight! LEAD ME!

"NO!," Ashley yelled back. "THIS IS NOT ENOUGH! I know why you like her AND DON'T TRY TO DENY IT!," Ashley stepped towards Collin.

WHAT IS HAPPENING!?

"She looks like Dalia!," I heard Ashley scream. "That's why you want her!"

"Ashley STOP!"

Ashley turned and ran toward me, looking like cougar pouncing on it's prey, I froze with fear and I saw her jump. Time slowed down as she flew toward me and I thought I was about to die... for the second time in 24 hours. I close my eyes an waited for her to land on me, but I heard the thump on a body... and it wasn't mine. Opening my eyes, I saw Ashley laying face down on the ground with Collin wrapped around her ankles.

"ASHLEY STOP!," he shouted. Ashley was struggling against his weight, reaching out for me with a wild look in her eye.

I felt the solid thump of a dragon landing, in the corner of my eyes I saw the rider jump down. I looked up to Matthew waiting for his signal to let me know. NOW? His eyes met mine and he nodded, then turned his back on the fight. Quinten ran up, trying to pull the two apart from one another when I heard Ashley mutter something and both Quinten and Collin flew across the field. I stood frozen again, WHAT THE FUCK?!

Ashley stood up slowly, turning to me I saw her anger and passion, no way she was this good an actress. This was real to her, she wanted to hurt me, I still had no idea why. Collin? As she stood there, I thought she would pounce again but she just gritted her teeth and yelled," GO! GO!"

I didn't need to be told again, I ran past her towards Matthew, he was farther than before but I pumped my legs as fast as they would go. When I caught up to him I was out of breath but he didn't slow down.

"What...the fuck... was that?!," I said between labored breaths.

"That was the plan."

THE PLAN?! NO NO NO NO! THAT WAS NO THE PLAN!?

"That is not what we discussed!"

"To be fair, we didn't discuss anything," he held the map out and scanned the grass.

I looked over my shoulder and saw Pustrei was now landing beside Erea, Ashley was on the ground not moving, and Quinten and Collin were battling.

"This had better work, Matt," I turned to the map.

"Here. It's here. Dig."

I tossed my bag off and we both got on our knees to begin scooping the soft dirt with our hands. Behind me I heard them yelling at one another and then the roar of a dragon, Oh god! Oh God, someone is going to get hurt!

"Faster! Faster!," Matthew commanded.

I dug as fast as I could, we had made a sizable hole in the ground. "Are you sure this is the spot?!"

"This is it!," Matthew said as my hand hit something hard. I looked down and saw it would something dark and large. "Grab it!" I found the side of the large object and began to pull it from the dirt, it looked like a wooden chest but it was black and had strange marks on it.

It was heavy and stuck in the ground but Matthew kept yelling for me to hurry. Once it was out of the ground, Matthew ripped open his back and tried to stuff the box inside. I glanced over my shoulder to see Ariana get hit with a bolt of power from Collin that sent her to the ground instantly.

Sorry for such a long wait. It's not great, I know and I'm sorry but I figure its a step closer to a better chapter! Tell me what you think!

Thanks for reading and reviewing!