10

Sarah dropped her bag on the sofa and crashed on it. It had been a long day. She was exhausted and ready to curl up with her favorite book and a bottle of juice with some of the cookies Cooper had left for her before going to work that morning. Suddenly her phone rang. She reached a hand up to grab her bag to retrieve the phone. When she saw the caller ID displayed on the screen she hurriedly sat up. It was her father Edgar Dragenar.

She wasn't scared of her father. Actually, she was slightly scared of the man who was a moving force to be reckoned with on Sunny Island. He was well respected. Though he was dad to her she felt like she barely knew him when all he did was send money and give orders to her through his minions. Even during the years when he had sent her off to boarding school she had barely heard from him. He sent Eric or whatever other minion was available to pick her up from school. Good thing she was always a gentle kid so she never got into any trouble. 

When the other kids had their parents smiling into cameras for photographs on their graduation she had had just Samantha and Eric. If only her mother was alive…yet no one would tell her about this mother she never knew. Not even Samantha had much to say about her. Yet she knew more about a father who she wasn't sure even knew she existed. 

She considered throwing the phone aside. After all, whatever he had to say could be sent through his many minions. Eventually, she had no choice but to pick it when the shrill sound of her ringtone wouldn't stop.

Her heart racing she picked it. "Dad?"

"Sarah!" it was one of the few times he called her name. "How are you?"

That was strange. Was he trying to make small talk? He never had the time for small talk. Their calls usually sounded formal. 

"I-I'm fine…"

"Good…" it was obvious he was struggling for words to say too. "Uh…how are your classes?"

"Dad everything is fine. Is there something you want to ask me?"

She never knew what to say to him but it occurred to her that being direct was the way to go if they were to have a meaningful conversation.

"Yes," his voice was stronger. "I need you home this Friday. There is something important we need to talk about and there is an important event we must attend together."

The urgency in his voice was clear and unmistakable and she found herself wanting to say yes. It wasn't every day he invited her to come home, much less an event with the both of them out together in public. He was more content with keeping her at arm's length. It was his treatment of her that made her believe he blamed her for her mother's death. Her mother had died at childbirth after all.

"Sarah, can you come home on Friday?"

"No," she heard herself say. Well, she really couldn't go home, especially since she was among the people chosen for the excavation exercise. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Being with her father was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity too. 

"Why not?"

She heard the strain in his voice.

"I have school, dad. Can't it wait till Saturday?" 

"I pay a lot for that department of yours, I think they can spare you for a day."

She couldn't understand why he sounded so urgent. She couldn't tell him about the excavation since he was so opposed to anything like that. He would probably order a team of security to follow her around if she did, that is if he didn't lock her up first.

"Unless you plan to pay for my grades, Dad which I don't think you will…I can't come home."

She waited and over the phone, she could almost hear his frustration. He may not be the most caring father but she knew he was an honest man to a fault and he would not want to ask her to miss a day of school. She could play on that quality to get the chance for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

After a breath, he sighed. "Fine, can you come home on Saturday then?" 

"Is it very important, Dad?" She asked now feeling slightly guilty. Usually, when she couldn't come home he didn't push. She was used to that kind of awkward relationship with her father but this time something about his invitation caught her off guard. What was it to him? Was he dying and wanted her to be by his deathbed? 

But Edgar Dragenar was not a weak man. After all, she had just seen him on television cutting the ribbons of a new hospital on the East Side of Sunny Island. There was no way he was sick and dying.

"It is important. Very important," he added after a breath. Edgar was thinking of how to break the news of her betrothal to her. This wasn't something to say over the phone. He needed to look into her eyes when he told her.

Mother help him.

She might never talk to him again if he suddenly told her about her supposed betrothal to Jaerys of Styrax. 

What's more? To suddenly mention that name would cause her to ask questions. Why do I have to marry him? Why does he want me? What do you mean dragons?!

For years he told her dragons weren't real. She used to have an obsession with them as a child, imagining herself as a princess captured by dragons, waiting for a prince to come save her. When she grew older she wanted to be a dragon tamer, it was then he made the decision to quench her belief about their existence. How would he begin to explain their existence? How would he tell her about her birth and blood without looking like a fool? As far as he knew she didn't trust him and realizing that all her life he lied to her, she would trust him even less and hate him more.

"Do you think you can come home this weekend?" he asked again knowing there was no way around it.

For the sake of peace, he would join their house with that of Styrax and he would tie her down and force her to it if he had to. 

"Fine. Maybe I can. I'll come around in the evening with Eric."

That seemed to satisfy Edgar. "Good, you do that."

She was about to drop the phone off her ear when she heard him speak again.

"Take care of yourself, Sarah."

Now she was curious. He was far more caring than usual. It pleased her and scared her at the same time. What was she to do with the emotions that were long buried? As she dropped the phone on the couch she remembered herself as a kid always calling for his attention. He barely smiled at her whenever he walked out of the door of their palatial home to his office or even when he came back. She would show him her class projects, works she was very much proud of and he would grunt and leave. Her classmates used to say she was very lucky to have him as a father.  He was rich and famous after all. Yet Samantha was the only person who showed her familial love of any kind, that was why she was so attached to her sister. 

She stared at the phone for a long moment. Take care of yourself, Sarah.

Hmmmm.

She planned to do just that this Friday during the excavation. Now would Ace be there?

She couldn't stop thinking about him, especially since their last encounter. She could still feel the surge of emotions that racked her body that day in her kitchen. He wanted to kiss her, she could see it in his eyes that he had wanted to and she had wanted very badly for him to kiss her. What was wrong with her anyway? One encounter with him and she was getting restless to see him again.

She always prided herself as a sensible girl – except that one time at the party when she almost got molested. After boarding school most of the other girls had gotten boyfriends – well they had been boy-crazy even in school but she wasn't. Sure she was curious once in a while but never to the point of being crazy. But this guy – Ace… He promised he was going to call or text. Well, he hadn't and she was kind of mad.

If he would be in the excavation team maybe they could talk then. 

She was looking forward to it.

And so was he. Ace sat in his apartment, his phone in his hand wondering if he should call. What would he say to her? So far he was observing her. Was she a threat? Was she dangerous? She was his mate but could she be trusted? He wished he could deny her as his mate but only she could deny him. It was the law of dragons. If she decided she didn't want him she could reject him and he would be mateless for life. 

Did he want her to accept him?

He scoffed scathingly at the question. If he were in her shoes he would reject himself as mate, after all, he had an assignment to bring her in for his father. He should focus on that instead.

Yes, he should. And on Friday he would take her and bring her Attor.