Chapter 11

-Ellie-

Instead of running out towards the island like all the other girls, I rushed back into the castle towards the library. Yesterday I noticed the very top floor of the library had what seemed like a perfect view of all of dragon island.

When I was halfway up the winding library stairs I could feel his presence nearby. "Clever Elizabeth, but you won't find the location of the Dagger in any of these books. Let me save you from pointless hours of reading." Liam said with a smirk.

"That's very kind of you sir, but I actually had a different idea." I said with a cheeky grin and ran up the rest of the stairs before he could give a snarky comment back. When I reached the top floor an uncontrollable gasp escaped me. The top of the library was a circular room with glass panels that seamlessly covered the whole top area. It was spectacular. You could see the whole island from this point, just as I had hoped. I took out my phone and slowly took a panoramic photo of the island so I could easily find my way when I was on the ground.

As I started to ascend the steps a shadow below caught my attention, but then before I could fully see who it was it had disappeared. Strange. I knew it wasn't Liam, I could still feel his eyes on me as I made my way to the bottom of the stairs. As I passed by him, he tried to reach for me but I breezed past him. I turned back toward him before I left the room and winked. He smiled in return and I shot quickly out of the room.

My instinct was to go out the front of the castle since everyone else went out towards the back. But the voice inside me stopped me.

Stop! It isn't that way you idiot. If you want to win, you have to listen to me.

I must be fully going crazy, because I felt myself nod to the strange voice and completely accept the voices words as truth.

The voice turned me to the left side of the castle towards the water. I prayed this wasn't an underwater challenge. I know how to swim, but it's never been a great skill or interest of mine. The idea of wading in cold water for fun never made sense to me. Why can't we just be dry and go for a walk? Sounds like a whole lot more fun to me.

I surveyed the water from what I could see. As we were on an island, I knew the water wrapped around us fully. But to the left of the castle the edge of the water was more accessible than the other areas. I pulled out my phone and looked at the picture I took of the island. I zoomed into the left side of the island and noticed how far this particular beach went. It was surrounded by rocky cliffs that molded into green luscious mountains.

Damn, this place was insanely beautiful. I can't even fathom what it would be like to live here.

I started walking towards the nice beach area that lined the coast with pristine looking white sand. The water was a picturesque turquoise color, sparkling from the sun above. I had only seen this kind of oasis on commercials for some vacation resort. Typically when you actually go to that resort it never looks as nice as the ads. But this was truly beautiful. The cool breeze from last night had lightened from the warm sun above. Making the temperate perfect for an adventure like today.

As I walked on the shore, I continued to listen to the weird voice. It told me to keep following the shore.

I heard a girl squeal behind me and saw that she had jumped into the water. But the water must have been almost frozen from the look of her pale face and insane shaking. I moved to help her out. I might be in a competition and she might be an idiot for jumping in the frozen water but I'm not going to leave a girl to freeze to death out here. Before I could reach her a dragon swooped down out of the sky and pulled the girl out of the water, then flew back towards the castle with the wet girl dangling below it.

So crazy!

They must be watching us all pretty closely if they noticed her distress so quickly.

I let out a breath of relief and continued on. I was almost to the end of the beach when the strange voice told me to walk towards the rocky cliffs to my right. I noticed a path in the sand that was laid out with large rocks. The path led right up to the cliffs, then went around a large boulder. I followed the path behind the boulder and saw what looked like a decrepit cave. Large stones blocked the entrance and thick vines covered the outside. Looking every bit of a place no one had been for many years. My logical brain was telling me there was no way the Dagger was in this forgotten place. But that stinkin' voice in my head kept repeating it like a crazy person.

It's in the cave! In the cave! In the cave!

I rubbed at my temple for sure I was going mad. But the voice had gotten me this far, it would be stupid to disobey now.

I started tugging at the vines. Thankfully they were not too hard to rip down. The large stones were more difficult. Not only were they heavy, but wedged in pretty tight to create the closure. I got about half the stones removed when I heard a syrupy high pitched voice behind me.

"Oh sugar I know you are use to manual labor, I am so glad you are here to remove these for me." Caro smiled at me with the fakest smile possible. Making me want to puke.

I had to tune out the strange voice in my head. If I didn't, I wouldn't be able to stop myself from scratching Caro's eyes out. The voice was very clear on how exactly I should get my revenge.

Guh!

Before I could make a snarky comment I heard a smack, scream and thud behind me. I turned around to see Anne standing over Caro's body like the triumphant hero that she was.

"Man, I've been wanting to do that ever since we were trapped in that vehicle with her." Anne said in an annoyed tone. She kneeled down and felt Caro's pulse. "She's out cold." She rubbed her hands together and looked up at me with a smirk. "Alright, what's next boss?" I shook my head and let out a small laugh. Anne was turning out to be even more awesome than I originally thought. She quickly sidled up next to me and we finished off the remaining stones fairly quickly.

The cave was pitch black inside. I turned on the flashlight on my phone and Anne quickly did the same. Together it still was a pretty weak amount of light for the super dark cave.

As soon as we put one foot inside the cave, fluttering creatures swarmed all around us. Their tiny wings buzzed around us till we were forced to step back out of the cave. They continued to fly around the opening of the cave. Now that we were no longer being attacked by them, we could get a better view of the teeny tiny creatures. They reminded me of what I would think a pixie would look like. Delicate, cute little bodies with shiny wings. They were actually pretty cute. They had high pitched voices, but I couldn't make out what they were saying.

I looked over at Anne who was fixing her wild red hair that had been strone all around from the pixies. Her eyes were wide and in awe as she watched them gracefully flutter from one side of the cave to the other.

"They are just so cute! I want to take a picture." Anne said with an awestruck smile. She held the phone up selfie style and got us both in the frame with the pixies fluttering behind us.

Because of the darkness of the cave behind us, the flash came on when she took the photo.

Right as the flash went off the pixies went berserk. It was like an evil presence took over their tiny bodies. Their faces were no longer beautiful but disgusting with bumps all over and had turned bright red with razor sharp teeth. They began to hiss at us. Lunging their heads at us and snapping their tiny jaws. Dread filled me when I tried to take a step back, but was frozen in place.

"I can't move my feet!" Anne yelled as the hissing had grown louder as the seconds passed.

I moved my hand to grab my phone hoping to call someone, but as soon as I did the hissing turned to a loud piercing screech. So loud it felt like they were drilling a hole into the side of my head. I moved my hands to cover my ears, knowing it might cause an even more intense reaction from the pixies, but I had to try something.

I looked over to Anne whose eyes were rolling back in her head. She fell limp to the ground. The evil pixies surrounded her screeching even louder. It was like they were pulling something from her body. Something ghost like.

Fear gripped me. What if they were taking her soul or something crazy like that? Is that even a possibility? But that's what it looked like. Like they were taking away a part of her.

I couldn't stand it any longer and lurched my body on top of Anne's to shield her unconscious self from the little devils. My feet were still frozen in place so I had to just free fall on top of her and pray I didn't crush her too badly.

Thankfully they stopped sucking away Anne's soul, but instead moved to mine. It was the most disturbing feeling I had ever experienced. From the loud piercing cries in my ear drums, beating wings all around my face and soul sucking stings that attacked my body. I held on tight to my grip of reality, my mind flashing of anything to help me come up with a plan to stop the madness.

I even pleaded for the strange voice to come back. To tell me what to do. But no, nothing! My strength was weaning and blackness began to creep into my vision.

A loud roar rippled through the air above and a dark shadow passed over us. I turned my head as far as I could toward the sky and saw a huge golden dragon above.

Liam!

Mine! Mine! Mine!

"Now you're talking!" I gritted out loud to my stupid inner voice. Finally speaking up!

The golden dragon flew right above us and let out another loud roar. So loud and fierce it caused my hair to fly into my eyes.

The evil pixies immediately stopped sucking my soul and flew back to the cave. But tried to act all big and bad by hissing and snapping towards the dragon from the dark caves protection.

The dragon spat a long stream of fire towards them in the cave. Amazingly not touching Anne or I. But I could feel the heat simmering close to us. The dragon didn't stop till all the pixies were completely incinerated.

The dragon landed in the sand a little ways off from us but quickly walked its humongous golden self over to us. I let out a long breath and let my muscles relax from the clenched position I had been holding for the last 10 minutes. I felt for Anne's pulse and quickly found it, but noticed she was still out cold. Unlike Caro that must have woken up and ran away while we were being attacked.

The stinkin' coward!

I felt the large beast nuzzle its nose into my hair. I gently pressed my palm to the side of its face and rubbed his scales for a second. Taking a moment to calm my breathing and insanely rapid beating heart. I looped my arms around it's humongous head and without even telling him what I needed he began to pull me off of Anne's body. It was then I realized my feet were finally unstuck. I used the dragons neck to help steady me as I tried to stand. He snarled at me, trying to push me back down.

"No! I can rest later. I have to find the Dagger now!" I snarled back at him, the dragon's nose almost touching mine.

I will have to add that to the list of things I never thought I would do. Stare down a dragon that was the size of my house!

The dragon let out a huff. But finally relented.

I started to take a few steps toward the cave when I felt the large dragon at my back.

"Nooo, no big guy. You have to stay out here. If Liam wants to come back and help, awesome. But I have a feeling that either of you helping me won't win me any extra points." I said with my arms crossed and an eyebrow raised, my back to the cave.

And oh you know just me staring down a pissed off dragon again, like I do.

He pushed his big dragon head down lower in front of mine and I recognized the gesture from last night. And in the same way as before I knew he wanted me to push my forehead to his.

Just like the night before when I did, moments flashed before me once again. This time the moments were mostly filled with Liam. Like I was seeing his life. The longer I pressed my forehead to his I could see it all. His childhood, his parents, his sister hidden from all, his parents passing away and him being forced to be the King at such a young age. Then I started to appear in the moments again. Us meeting for the first time, kissing at Netherfield, his dragon saving my life. Then moments that seemed to be in the future, of me becoming Queen, that strange moment from my dream I had right before I left for Dragon Island, Liam watching me from a far as I cradled a baby in my arms.

I pulled my head away from the dragon and locked eyes with him for a second. Letting his warmth and strength wash over me. I let him nuzzle into the side of my face for a second. Wiped my face of tears and got my game face on.

"Make sure nothing attacks Anne. I'm going in!"

I was relieved when he didn't follow and also relieved that nothing attacked me when I fully entered the cave.

Let's do this!

For once I was in full agreement with my weird inner voice.

My weak phone light only lit up a few steps in front of me, but I was thankful I had thought to bring it. They never said you couldn't use a phone, so why not use what I got.

After I had been walking deeper into the pitch black cave for about 10 minutes, I looked back to the opening of the cave but couldn't see a thing. Nothing. Not even the remaining simmering ashes that I saw just moments ago.

Suddenly a figure appeared before me. She looked like a holographic projection, almost like something you would see on Star Wars when they would contact people on different planets. She was in front of me but almost transparent.

The woman looked familiar but I couldn't quite place her. She had long blonde hair that was braided to the side and wore a long flowing white gown, with long flowy sleeves that touched the ground. She reminded me of a Viking looking Elsa.

"You have finally made it my dear. You are just as gorgeous as I knew you would be." The woman gushed as she took in my features from head to toe with a wide bright smile.

Her words startled me, but I continued to stand there in shock.

Ask her! Ask her now!

Finally my brain caught up with me and I rushed out my words. "Madam, do you know where the Ceremonial Dagger is?"

Her smile grew even wider. "To find the Dagger, you must answer a riddle."

I bit my tongue so I wouldn't let out a loud groan of frustration. For real? I almost died back there and now I have to answer a riddle? What is this Camelot?

"The Dagger can be found, where the King's heart is bound." The woman said with a cheeky grin.

Gggrrrrrrrrr! I hate riddles! The Kings heart… the Kings heart. Where would it be bound? In his chest? Maybe it's on Liam? Seriously it was with him the whole time?

I couldn't hold back my glare at the woman.

No you idiot! Who is he bound to?

Bound to? What do you mean? Like his people? The prophecy?

Do I have to spell it out for you. Y O U!

Me? He's bound to me? Like as his True Mate? But he's never called it that? It can't be me? And also I clearly don't have the Dagger!

Oh good, now I am debating with the crazy voice! I have fully lost it now!

A loud boom echoed around us as a few rocks began to crumble from the top of the cave. Crashing down around us.

"You don't have long to answer, if you don't give the answer soon, the cave will close up with you still in it." The woman said completely calm and pristine. Not like she just gave me life threatening news.

Say it! Tell her the answer it is Y O U!

My heart hammered in my chest so loud I could hear it in my ears.

"It's me! The King's heart is bound to me!" I yelled as the rocks shattered all around. My arms up over my head trying to help shield my brain.

As soon as the sentence left my mouth the rocks stopped. Everything went back to complete silence as it was before.

"Just so my dear! I knew you could figure it out!" The woman clapped her hands in excitement. "Now to retrieve the Dagger you must place your right palm over your heart." She said while placing her own palm to her heart, just in case I was unsure how to do it. I want to laugh at the gesture. But I kept my cool.

I did however do it while giving Viking Elsa a skeptical look.

"Ok good. Now anytime you want to retrieve the Dagger you place your hand like so and say 'Dagger Now!' But you must say it with full authority, you are its master and it responds to your commands only. Then when you need to hide it again you say 'Dagger go!' and it will disappear once again."

I stared at the crazy woman like she had two heads.

What the hell! I am the Daggers master? Did the Dagger become my pet all of a sudden?

Do it! Listen to your heart. You know she's right. You can feel it.

Whenever I go home they are going to have to throw me into the looney bin, because my stinkin' inner voice was right. I could feel it. I knew it was within me.

I looked back towards the woman, she was looking at me with big hopeful eyes and a soft sweet smile. It suddenly hit me. I knew why she looked so familiar. I had just seen her in Liam's memories!

"Are you Liam's mother?" I asked while we both still stood there with our palms over our hearts. Looking like we were about to say the pledge of allegiance.

Her face brightened and a lightness I hadn't seen before filled her dark brown eyes. Ones that matched Liam's perfectly.

"Yes I am, and you are his True Mate. I am so thankful he will have a strong woman like you by his side."

Her honest kind words hit my heart with a thud. From the moments I just saw of a possible future with Liam and hearing those sweet words from his mother, it was hard not to wonder if we truly were meant to be together.

With that thought, I knew what I had to do.

"Daggar now!" I said with complete trust that it would obey me.

Suddenly the Dagger appeared in my hand. Causing me to stagger backwards. My eyes went wide as saucers as I observed the beautifully hand carved Dagger.

"Well done! You are a natural. Now it is time for you to go, find my son and show him your treasure." She said with a slight bow of her head.

I ran over towards her and tried to give her a hug but my arms went right through her. She really was not in the cave with me.

"Thank you Mrs. Darcy! Or do I call you the Dragon Queen?"

She laughed. "Mother will do. But Queen is now only reserved for you my dear." Her smile filled me with pure warmth and love. More love than my own mother had ever shown me.

I nodded and smiled back. She began to disappear and the opening of the cave lit up before me.

I let out a loud laugh of relief and ran towards the opening.

Anne was sitting up with her back against the boulder and her legs pushed out in front of her. Her head was resting against the flat rock and her eyes were closed. I didn't see the dragon or Liam anywhere.

I quickly rushed to the ground beside her and grabbed her shoulders. "Anne! Are you ok?"

She blinked up at me with a small smile tugging at her lips. "Yep, just catching up on my beauty sleep."

I laughed and shook my head at her ridiculousness.

"Oh man! You scared me! I thought I was going to lose you!" I said gripping her shoulders a little too hard.

Anne dragged a hand across her face and let out a breath. "Yeah it got a little crazy there for a bi-" Her words were cut off and she grabbed my right hand. The sun made the blade flicker as it reflected the bright light. "You did it! You actually did it!" Anne cheered, pulling me into a tight hug.

A loud alarm sounded. "I guess they must have noticed you found the Dagger as well." Anne mused. "Let's get you to the King before one of the Blonde bingos tries to take it from you." She said with a wink.

"What about yourself? Not going to try for the gold?" I asked with smirk and a raised eyebrow.

"Are you kidding me? Have you seen how the King looks at you? No other woman stands a chance. And I am pretty positive the Kings dragon was standing guard outside the cave when I woke up. The man's got it bad!" Anne said while dusting herself off as she stood up.

My cheeks reddened at her words. She could see it too!

"I am only helping you so you make me the Kick-Ass leader of the Queen's guards someday. She gave me a full watt smile and a wink.

I let out a loud laugh. "Sounds like a plan my friend. That is if we both survive this thing. If the next two trials are like this one, we might only make it out in pieces."

Anne visibly shuttered, most likely thinking of the evil pixies.

We heard voices close by as we walked out back to the beach.

"Quick, you need to hide that thing before someone tries to steal it from you." Anne's eyes darted to my Dagger still clutched in my right palm.

"Oh yeah. The woman told me how to hide it. Hang on one second." I grabbed Anne's arm and pulled her with me back behind the boulder.

I took the Dagger and placed it over my heart. Holding it just like it was when it first appeared in my hand. "Dagger go!" I said forcefully. Just like Liam's mom had said the Dagger disappeared into thin air. Crazy!

"Sooooo…. You just made that completely vanish. I think it's time to tell me what happened in that cave. Did someone teach you how to be a magician? Sleight of hand? What the heck Bennet?" Anne was looking at me exactly how I looked at Liam's mom when she told me how to retrieve and hide the Dagger. Like a straight up lunatic.

I let out a sigh as we started to casually walk back to the castle. "Oh friend, I got a lot to tell you."