The Crown's Fire - Chapter 159

Chapter 159: Dragon Eggs
“The rebuilding of the temple is almost complete,” Katelina murmured as they entered. Despite the darkness outside, the temple was well-lit.

“Your Majesty,” greeted Priest Mauro.

“How is Priest Saul?” Katelina inquired. Priest Saul, the head of their temple, had been in critical condition since his rescue from Helion’s dungeon.

“Still unconscious, Your Majesty. It’s just a matter of time until he breathes his last breath,” Mauro informed solemnly.

“I understand… We-”

Katelina paused as some disciples approached, urgency in their voices. “Your Grace, you must come and see the burnt offering altar. Something is glowing from it.”

Katelina and Asura exchanged a glance, both sensing the significance of the moment. ‘Could this be why she wanted me to come to the temple today?’ Katelina wondered as she followed Priest Saul to the altar.

“What are those?” she gasped when she saw eggs, each the size of half her arm, floating above the altar in various colors.

“Oh Heavens! Those are dragon eggs!” Priest Saul exclaimed.

“That’s quite a lot, ten—no, twelve eggs?!” Asura gasped.

“What should we do? Should we grab them, Your Grace?” one of the disciples asked, eager but hesitant.

Mauro’s body trembled, and his voice shook as he replied, “No, you’ll get burned! Only a dragon rider can handle active eggs like these. They’re glowing, which means they’re alive inside the shells. But how is this possible? Our ancestors buried these eggs here because the dragons inside were dormant and dead.”

Turning to Katelina with wide eyes, Asura suddenly exclaimed, “Your Majesty! I remember now!”

“What is it?” Katelina asked, her curiosity piqued.

“The last time we were here… You absorbed this kind of lights, along with somewhat like a scroll, before grabbing a journal and handing it to me, telling me to give the journal to Devon,” Asura explained hastily.

Mauro’s eyes widened as he stared at Katelina. “Her Majesty absorbed the dragon scrolls?!” he burst out incredulously.

“Yes, I clearly remembered the thing she absorbed looked like a scroll, but I don’t know if it’s the dragon scroll you mentioned,” Asura answered with a blink.

“Your Majesty, you could be a descendant of a dragon rider, but no one can confirm this except Priest Saul,” Mauro commented.

“But Priest Saul is unconscious, and you even mentioned earlier that he’s close to death,” Asura pointed out.

Katelina gazed at the eggs, feeling an inexplicable pull towards them, as if some unseen force was drawing her closer. She found herself walking towards them, her hand reaching out instinctively to touch one of the eggs.

“Your Majesty!” Mauro called out in alarm, moving to stop her, but it was too late. Katelina’s hand made contact with the egg, and in an instant, the glowing of the egg disappeared.

“This… Her Majesty is truly a descendant of a dragonrider!” Mauro exclaimed, falling to his knees. The other priests and disciples followed suit.

Katelina looked at the egg she wrapped in her arms, feeling a mixture of confusion and wonder. She didn’t understand what was happening or why they were reacting this way. All she knew was that she wanted to keep the egg safe.

“Where should we put the egg?” she asked, her voice tinged with uncertainty. She simply wanted to ensure the safety of the eggs, regardless of the mysteries surrounding her newfound connection to them.

“Get the draconian caches!” Mauro immediately instructed. “Take the eggs from Her Majesty and be careful in holding them. It’s now safe since a dragon rider has pacified them with their touch. But remember, don’t hold them for more than a minute, or you’ll get burned,” he warned.

One of the priests carefully took the egg from Katelina and placed it in the cache. Katelina then touched another egg, and the glowing aura surrounding it vanished. She smiled as she cradled it in her arms.

“You look like you’re harvesting dragon eggs, Your Majesty,” Asura commented with a chuckle, lightening the tension in the temple. “How does it feel?” she asked.

“Well, it’s nothing new for you, Asura, being curious about everything,” Katelina replied. “It feels warm. I can sense a connection with these eggs, but I can’t quite explain it,” she added as she passed the egg to another priest.

She repeated the process with the remaining eggs, and those who witnessed it could only gasp and part their lips in astonishment. Dragons had been believed to be extinct for over a millennium, and this event brought a new sense of hope to the people of Zion. Having dragons and a dragon rider who could control them was seen as a great boon and a source of security for their kingdom in all aspects.

“These should be kept a secret for now,” Katelina firmly stated as soon as they were finished.

“We understand, Your Majesty. I will ensure that everyone who witnessed this event keeps it confidential until further instructions,” Mauro responded with a nod.

“We are still in the process of rebuilding our kingdom, and our security remains uncertain. We cannot risk letting our enemies, who are still at large, discover that we are harboring active dragon eggs waiting to hatch at any moment. The consequences could be dire,” Katelina emphasized firmly.

She was well aware of the significance of dragons and their connection to their kingdom, although the details were not fully explained in their textbooks. As the princess of the kingdom, she had a deeper understanding.

“You must keep the eggs close to you, Your Majesty. The temple is too far away. These eggs must stay close, especially when they are about to hatch,” Mauro advised.

“Should she keep them inside her bedchamber?” Asura inquired, raising an eyebrow. Mauro simply nodded with a firm “Yes.”

“How will she know if they are about to hatch?” Asura pondered.

“I don’t know, but the dragon will sense it, since she’s the one who touched and pacified them,” Mauro explained.

Katelina released a heavy sigh and instructed, “Alright, have them secretly taken inside my bedchamber.”

Asura turned to Levi and asked, “What about Levi? Does that mean he’s a dragon rider too?”