Sophia gulped. This hurt. It wasn’t merely business. It hadn’t been from the beginning, but now it had become more personal.
“It wasn’t the Dragon Elite,” Sophia began in a low voice.
“That’s your rebuttal?” Bianca began in a shrill voice. “We have to suffer under the rule that you so unjustly put us under, and your reply to this savage behavior is to deny it?”
Sophia ground her teeth together and tried to collect herself. “It’s true, though. What’s been done is wrong, and I’m doing everything I can to stop it, but it wasn’t a product of the Dragon Elite. What’s happened was done by demon dragonriders.”
“Ms. Beaufont,” Lorenzo Rosario began in a condescending tone. “You campaigned against that politician Nevin Goosemen and stated that the demon dragons weren’t a problem. Now you’re telling the Council that they’re the reason we’re all suffering and have to watch our backs?”
“Nevin Goosemen was wrong,” Sophia argued. “He wanted all dragons gone. Demon dragons aren’t the problem. It’s simply that under the current rule, they’ve gotten a little out of hand. It all happened so fast. We’re doing everything we can to remedy it, but you have to understand that the Dragon Elite have been out of practice for quite some time and—”
“Out of practice,” Haro Takahashi interrupted. “That’s your excuse? You’re going to fall back on the fact that your society got to sit on their hands for a few centuries for why they can’t handle their very own?”
Sophia could hardly breathe through the anger. “It’s not an excuse. It’s that we need time to figure the situation out. Other than Lunis and me, there haven’t been new dragons in centuries. It’s taking time to relearn the conduct that demon dragons take. There’s a lot to consider.”
“I say we go to war.” Marty Martinez, the newest appointed Councilor, sat back in his seat and crossed his arms over his chest. “That will show these new dragonriders who’s in charge and not to mess with us.”
“You aren’t in charge,” Sophia argued through clenched teeth. “The Dragon Elite are, and we’re going to do things our way.”
“If you’re in charge, why are these Rogue Riders pillaging our magicians and taking advantage of mortals?” Bianca asked.
“Because we have to figure out their weaknesses and go after them.” Sophia suddenly found her confidence. “We can’t force our rule. That never works. We need to find the advantage and capitalize on it, or they’ll win because they don’t fight fair. Go up against a giant, and you’ll get stomped, but sneak up on them, and you can take them out using their Achilles heel.”
The entire council went silent. Clark’s eyes shone brightly for the first time since Sophia stepped forward, showing his confidence.
“What she’s saying makes sense,” Raina Ludwig finally said in a low voice.
Clark nodded. “These Rogue Riders aren’t right in the head. They’re dangerous. They’re untested and full of adrenaline, having newly come into their power. They’ll get knocked down, but doing so takes stealth and strategy, something that Rider Beaufont has.”
Sophia wanted to smile, both from the praise and the title that Clark rarely used on her, usually calling her Soph. Although her brother rarely spoke up for her at these Council meetings, doing so right then was what meant the most.
“Then we all agree that the Dragon Elite need to remedy this problem and fast?” Bianca pushed.
“I think,” Hester began in a thoughtful voice, “we need to show support to the Dragon Elite, who I contend has a difficult task to undertake. I remember only recently when we were under fire because we had dissension from the inside and looked like a horribly dysfunctional group. Maybe we as a Council have been too harsh to judge the dragonriders, not recalling when we were in their shoes.”
Sophia wanted to smile at the healer who was being so kind but instead, she remained stoic and strong.
“I think you’re right,” Haro stated, his voice even. “We remind our community of magicians and other magical races to remain vigilant. Put out a warning to them, stating that it isn’t the Dragon Elite they should fear. And state that a solution is on the way.”
Raina leaned forward. “That’s where the Dragon Elite comes in. We can only try and change the thoughts of the magical community for so long. If you don’t fix this problem with the Rogue Riders quickly, then soon, they will all fear you. They’ll lose hope in dragonriders, whether deemed good or bad.”
Sophia nodded with determination and tried to remain confident although the pressure was crippling. “Don’t worry. The Dragon Elite will make things safe once more. It’s our only goal at this point.”
Chapter Ninety
“Okay, the winner gets to play Clark, which means the winner gets to win twice,” Liv held up an air hockey puck and brandished it in the air.
Clark sighed and rolled his eyes. “I’m great at this game. Besides, didn’t you hear what the Council said about our most important priority?”
“I heard,” Liv sang and threw the puck down as cool air blasted up through the tiny holes of the playing table in the adult arcade of Dave and Busters. “You have to take breaks, or you’ll break if you know what I mean.”
“Soph promised the Council that making things safe from the Rogue Riders was the Dragon Elite’s only goal,” Clark argued while sipping his water. “Now it’s not an hour later, and we’re playing foosball at an arcade for overage kids.”
Sophia sent the puck back at Liv with ease and blocked her goal as she laughed.
Liv fired it right back and shook her head. “Should I correct your brother, or will you?”
Sophia hit the puck without hardly looking and glanced over her shoulder at Clark. “It’s called air hockey.”
“He’s obviously so good at it since he knows the name and all,” Liv gushed and sipped her rum and diet coke as she hit the puck.
“It’s only a stupid game,” Clark argued. “I think that if Sophia said she’s going to make this top priority, then she should. What if one of the Councilors saw us in here?”
Liv stopped the puck with her handle. Tensed. Suddenly looked around. “Oh. My. Gods. I think I see Lorenzo Rosario over there playing skee ball! No, wait, is that Bianca winning a ton of tickets at the slot machines! No, no, no, it’s Marty coming over from the pinball machines. We’re toast, guys!”
Sophia couldn’t help but laugh as Liv volleyed the puck back at her.
“Fine,” Clark acquiesced. “So that’s unlikely, but still, Sophia is supposed to be working.”
Liv clapped her handle down on the puck once more to pause the game. “As someone who works nonstop while endangering her life for the magical and nonmagical community, I’m going to inform you, sweet and naive Clark, that it can’t be done twenty-four-seven. The girl needs a break. I watched her in the Chamber of the Tree, and she looked like she was about to twist Lorenzo’s head off, which I’m not sure I would have stopped.” Liv glanced up at her sister. “What happened right before you came to the House of Fourteen?”