The Crown's Fire - Chapter 171

Chapter 171: Still Confused
Ezekiel didn’t waste any time and quickly called Lurio to transport him back to Zion. Unlike the first time, Lurio transported him directly to the entrance gate of the royal estate castle. The security was tight, but the soldiers immediately recognized him. After all, he still wore his crown and regal coat bearing the insignia of the King of Ebodia.

“Your Majesty,” they all courteously bowed the moment they recognized him.

“You can all rise. Please escort me directly to your Queen Regent,” he instructed. Two royal guards approached him. “Sire, please follow me,” one of the guards said.

Ezekiel followed, and like yesterday, those he passed by bowed down to him and expressed their thanks. It felt good to see how they were now living carefree lives, similar to how they did before becoming Devon’s captives.

His face darkened as he saw the familiar face of Luis approaching him. “Your Majesty, this is a sudden visit!” Luis exclaimed with a curt bow.

Ezekiel sniffed the air around and his gloomy face instantly brightened, knowing Katelina was nearby. He looked at Luis and commented, “I have something important to discuss with your Queen Regent. I heard you are all having a hard time clearing the south part of your kingdom.”

“That, we—”

“You don’t need to escort me to her. Go back to your post and focus on your tasks at hand,” he commanded before turning around and following Katelina’s scent.

Ezekiel’s steps quickened as he neared her location. His heart pounded with a mix of anticipation and longing.

[How can you see her empty-handed?] Khal yawned. Ezekiel was so excited to see her that he forgot to bring anything for her. [Why just remind me now?] he complained to Khal, but his dragon spirit simply yawned again.

His lips stretched wide seeing Katelina in the familiar garden. He moved and approached her as quietly as he could, but her senses were just too sharp.

“I see you’re having another surprise visit again, Your Majesty,” she muttered without looking back at him, continuing with her painting.

“I have free time and, besides, I’m missing you badly. Can I just abduct you?” Ezekiel stated directly, as that was what he truly felt. He wanted to just abduct her and bring her back to his palace.

Katelina shrugged and this time turned around to look him directly in the eyes. “You’re making me uncomfortable. Stop showing yourself unannounced like this,” she firmly stated, scolding him in fact.

Ezekiel took a deep breath, trying to soften his approach. “I apologize for the unannounced visits, Katelina. I just can’t stay away. Every moment apart feels like an eternity.”

Katelina raised an eyebrow. “You speak as if we’ve known each other for a lifetime, yet my memories of you are… clouded.”

Stepping towards her closer, he murmured, “Your mind doesn’t remember me, but your heart and body will. Give me a chance to remind you of what we shared.”

He was almost close, but Katelina chanted something, making Ezekiel’s body freeze.

“This…” he gasped in disbelief.

[She used a draconic spell to stop you. But it won’t last long, of course, since you’re not a pure dragon. But you can easily resist draconic spells with your divine inner core,] Khal commented.

Ezekiel tested his mobility and found the paralysis already starting to wane. [You’re right, Khal. This spell’s grip is already weakening.] He then stared at Katelina who was observing him closely.

Furrowing his brows, he inquired, “You remember the draconic language?”

Katelina’s face paled. She had cast the spell out of impulse because this king seemed unstoppable, and they were outside in the open where many eyes were watching. But she was also curious if it would affect Ezekiel, who had a dragon spirit inside him.

She inwardly cursed before she explained calmly, “I’ve been studying from our old archives, and I was curious if it would work on you since you’re connected to a dragon. I guess it did…”

“Only a dragonrider can effectively cast the spell. I guess you still have it in you since you’re a descendant of dragonriders. If you want to learn more, then come with me. I have the Ancient Book of the Dragons,” Ezekiel commented.

She snapped her brows and blurted, “But that’s originally ours.”

“That’s true. I will return it to you then since you’re the rightful owner,” Ezekiel hummed.

He moved again, and she mumbled, “I guess the spell won’t last long on you.”

“Yes, since I have divine blood so I can easily repress it,” he said with his roguish smile, and just like that her heart would thump so hard against her chest.

Katelina took a deep breath to calm the erratic beating of her heart. He was moving closer again, prompting her to step back while she firmly said, “Please be careful with your actions, especially when we’re out in the open like this. All eyes are on us, and I don’t want to cause any scandal. Stop visiting here like this as well. You can bring the Ancient Book of Dragons during the Global Summit.”

Katelina felt her heart constrict as Ezekiel’s expression shifted from intense longing to a resigned sadness. His deep sigh and the way he clarified his question made her chest tighten even more.

“Do you mean you don’t want to see me anymore until the Global Summit?” His stare was so intense that she couldn’t look away.

“I… I d-don’t mean it like that, just that—” she stammered, struggling with her words as she saw the sadness in his eyes. Her emotions were in turmoil, and the fact that she couldn’t remember him made everything more confusing.

“Do you want to see me?” he asked directly, his voice filled with an almost desperate need for her answer.

She released a heavy sigh and firmly stated, “I’m still confused, and I need space. A lot has been going on right now, and I want to prioritize what matters most, so please… don’t distract me.”

Ezekiel’s face became stern, and a terse silence followed before he spoke. “Alright, I will give you the space that you want, Katelina. I will not seek you out, even if I’m dying to. I will see you at the Global Summit.”

She gulped, seeing the flicker of pain in his eyes as he turned to leave. Everything was just too much for her at this point. The weight of her responsibilities, the confusion of her emotions, and the pressure of her role as Queen Regent were all pressing down on her.

As Ezekiel walked away, Katelina stood there, trying to steady her racing heart and calm her mind. She knew she needed to focus on her duties and make sense of her feelings before she could face him again.