Zareth paced restlessly in his chamber, the weight of his discovery pressing heavily
on him. The bond between him and Elira was no longer just emotional—it was
intertwined with something far deeper. His heart ached with a sharp, sudden pain,
as though something had happened to her. The connection they shared was
undeniable, and with the recent revelation that she now possessed power, he knew
it could only mean one thing.
He turned to Roderic, his most trusted minister, who stood quietly at his side.
Zareth's voice was low, his concern unmistakable. "Something has happened to her.
I felt it. I don't know what, but I need to understand."
Roderic met his gaze, his expression grave. "The bond you share with Elira is
stronger than even you realize, Your Majesty. It's not just emotional. There's power
at play here—something that has awakened within her."
Zareth's brow furrowed, his mind racing. "What do you mean?"
Roderic took a deep breath before continuing. "It is said that when a girl has been
with a Dragon King, and the bond between them is sealed… she gains a small
measure of power. It's not much, but it's significant. The flame in her hand… that is
her power now. It is a gift from you. A way for her to protect herself, and… your
child."
Zareth's heart skipped a beat. His mind reeled at the implications. "Are you saying
that Elira has power now… because of me?"
Roderic nodded solemnly. "Yes, Your Majesty. The flame she manifested was a sign
of that power. It is not a full gift yet, but it is something. Once she carries your child,
her powers will grow. The flames will become stronger."
Zareth stood frozen, the weight of Roderic's words sinking in. Elira, his Elira, now
had power. He had always suspected there was something special about her, but
this? This was beyond anything he had expected. A surge of protectiveness filled
him, followed by an unexpected wave of pride.
His chest tightened as the connection between them deepened. "She has power…
because of me," he murmured, a smile tugging at his lips. He would do anything to
protect her, to keep her safe.
But there was no time to waste.
His thoughts turned to the Wolf Kingdom. The time had come to act. He turned
sharply toward Roderic, his expression hardening.
"Prepare the army," he ordered, his voice cold with resolve. "We attack the Wolf
Kingdom now. I will not let anyone harm what is mine."
Elira collapsed suddenly, her body giving out as she fell to the cold stone floor. Her
vision blurred, and her breath came in shallow gasps. Her body felt foreign to her—
unsteady, heavy, as though something was pulling her under.
The guards and attendants rushed to her side, panicked. "What's happening to
her?" one of them cried out.
An elderly woman, the royal doctor who had served the kingdom for years, pushed
her way through the crowd. Her gnarled hands touched Elira's wrist, feeling for a
pulse, and her eyes widened in shock as she felt the rapid, irregular beat.
"No… this isn't possible," the old woman muttered, her voice trembling with fear.
She pulled away from Elira, her face pale as she turned to the others, her voice
shaking with disbelief. "She's pregnant."
A stunned silence fell over the room. The words echoed in Kaelion's ears like a death
knell. His world tilted, his mind struggling to comprehend what he had just heard.
Pregnant? Elira? But with whom? He could feel a storm brewing inside him, the rage
building as his hands clenched into fists.
"Who did this to her?" Kaelion's voice was cold, fury seeping through every syllable.
"Who has dared to touch her?"
The old woman hesitated, fear flashing across her face. "We don't know, Your
Highness. But—"
"Dragon King," one of the attendants whispered, fear creeping into their voice. "It
must be the Dragon King. He has taken her from us."
Kaelion's eyes darkened with an intense, barely-contained anger. His fists shook at
his sides as his friend, the one who had been by his side through everything, leaned
in close and spoke.
"You need to act, Kaelion," his friend said, his voice a low hiss. "The Dragon King
has poisoned her mind, made her think she belongs to him. This pregnancy… it's his
doing. You need to make her yours again. And punish the Dragon King for spoiling
her."
Kaelion's anger flared at the suggestion, his mind clouded with rage and betrayal.
"Yes… yes, I will punish him," he muttered under his breath. "But first, I will deal
with her."
The old woman hesitated, her hands trembling as she tried to calm the situation.
"We can't—"
"Get out of my way!" Kaelion roared, his fury consuming him. He strode forward
and grabbed Elira by the hair, yanking her roughly into an upright position. She
gasped in pain, her body still weak from the collapse. She blinked, her vision blurry
as she looked up at him, her heart pounding in fear.
"Tell me the truth, Elira," Kaelion growled, his voice cold and harsh. "Who did this
to you? Why are you carrying a child?"
Tears filled Elira's eyes, her body shaking as she tried to hold herself upright. She
collapsed to her knees, her voice trembling as she pleaded, "Please, Kaelion, let me
go. Please… I can't bear this."
Her hands reached up, pressing against his chest in an attempt to push him away.
But Kaelion was relentless. He pulled her by the hair again, his grip like iron. "You
will not escape from this. You will tell me everything, or I'll make you."
The old woman stood frozen, her hands shaking as she watched the scene unfold.
"Your Highness, please. The baby… it might not survive if we do this. She's too
weak."
Kaelion's eyes blazed with fury, the words of his friend ringing in his ears. His mind
was clouded, consumed by anger, as he turned to the old woman. "Do it. Take the
child from her. Now."
Elira's heart shattered at the coldness in his voice. "No! Please, don't!" she cried,
falling to her knees at his feet, her tears flooding her face. "Please, I beg you—don't
do this. I can't lose this child… not like this."
The old woman hesitated, her eyes filled with pity as she looked at Elira. But Kaelion
was insistent, his rage blind to everything but his desire to control her.
But then, something unimaginable happened.
As Kaelion tugged at her hair once more, Elira's body shook with a sudden, intense
energy. Her hand burst into flames, the fire erupting like a wild beast unleashed. It
consumed her arm and spread, winding around her body in a fiery spiral. Her eyes
turned a deep molten gold, the flames flickering in her irises.
The room was filled with heat, the air thick with the fire that poured from her. Her
golden eyes locked onto Kaelion's, and in that moment, she saw a flicker of fear in
his eyes.
"Stop!" Kaelion stumbled back, his voice strained as the intensity of the flames
surrounded her.
Elira stood, her body trembling but filled with power. Her hair, now ablaze with the
same golden fire, flowed wildly around her, as she slowly took a step forward, her
eyes still burning with fury.
"You think you can control me?" she spat, her voice raw with pain and defiance.
"You think you can take everything from me?"
Kaelion stared at her, stunned, unable to speak. The fire that surrounded her was
unlike anything he had ever seen.
"You're wrong, Kaelion. I am not yours to command," Elira whispered, her voice
trembling with a mix of fury and resolve. "And this power… it is not yours to take."