The Crown's Fire - Chapter 185

Chapter 185: Be Invisible
Katelina stirred in her bed and slowly opened her eyes. She stretched her arms and smiled, relieved to have finally had a good night’s sleep without any nightmares.

She looked beside her and saw the space empty. “I guess I was just hallucinating last night,” she murmured with a sigh. But it seemed that hallucination had helped her rest without worry, and for that, she was grateful.

She got up from bed feeling refreshed. But she frowned when she suddenly heard the flapping sound again from her balcony. Then she felt the morning breeze on her cheek. “What was that?” she murmured.

Still lost in thought while staring at her balcony, the door swung open, and Asura entered.

“Good morning, Your Majesty.”

Asura had an awkward smile as she asked, “How are you feeling? Did the potion work?”

“What potion is that?” Katelina inquired.

“Lady Cora handed it to me, saying to try it and add it to your tea. She said it’s effective for having a good rest without dreams. So I thought her potion would be better than mine since I can only make something that helps you sleep,” Asura explained.

Katelina nodded and said, “It did help. I didn’t have any bad dreams last night, and I slept straight through. I should ask Lady Cora about this potion.”

“Let’s get you ready to join the others for breakfast,” Asura suggested.

After breakfast, everyone preparing to attend the Global Summit readied themselves for another day of travel. Commander Cora approached Katelina with a magical pet cage where Aurum was kept. The cage was enclosed with just small holes, so you couldn’t see what was inside.

“Your Majesty, can we talk inside your carriage?” Cora asked. Katelina nodded and gestured for Cora to enter.

Inside the carriage, Cora handed her the cage and said, “After careful thought, I’ve decided to return Aurum to you. I’m sorry, but I don’t think I can be Aurum’s dragonrider.”

Katelina was surprised to hear this because having a dragon was a great opportunity. Most would even try to seal their dragons, especially those who wanted more power for themselves. “But Aurum chose you.”

At that moment, Aurum’s cage moved, and they heard the dragon’s soft growls. “I already talked to it this morning,” Cora murmured. She opened Aurum’s cage and cuddled the dragon. “Right, Aurum? I hope you understand me.”

Katelina watched as Cora gently handled Aurum. “I understand your concerns, Cora. But dragons are very discerning. If Aurum chose you, it saw something special in you. Are you sure about this?”

Cora sighed deeply, her eyes reflecting a mix of determination and doubt. “Yes, Your Majesty. I appreciate the honor, but I believe Aurum needs someone who is fully ready for the responsibility. I’m just not there yet.”

Katelina nodded thoughtfully. “Very well, Cora. I respect your decision. Thank you for being honest and for caring about Aurum’s well-being.”

Cora handed Aurum to Katelina, but the dragon suddenly disappeared. Katelina blinked rapidly, looking around the four corners of the carriage. They could hear the soft flapping of wings.

“Aurum?” she called.

“Aurum, is this how you sneak yourself out?!” Cora scolded. Right then, Aurum reappeared and perched itself on Cora’s shoulder.

“So you can be invisible if you want?” Katelina inquired. Aurum nodded. She hadn’t read about this particular ability of a golden dragon. “No wonder you’re so confident sneaking out compared to the rest,” she murmured.

“Are you showing off now so I won’t return you, huh?” Cora humorously remarked as she put Aurum back inside its cage.

Katelina chuckled. “I think it wants to persuade you to take it back.”

“But I’ve already decided to reject it,” Cora firmly stated.

Katelina sighed and nodded in understanding. “By the way, what is the potion you gave Asura? I want to thank you because it helped me sleep and rest well,” she said with a warm smile.

Cora smiled back. “It’s a special blend from our healers. It’s designed to promote restful sleep without inducing dreams, especially for those troubled by nightmares. I’m glad it helped.”

“It did, very much. Thank you, Cora,” Katelina said sincerely.

“You’re welcome, Your Majesty. I just want to make sure you’re well-rested for the journey and the summit,” Cora replied, her tone filled with genuine concern.

“Do you have more of it, Lady Cora? Or do they sell this kind of potion, perhaps?” Katelina inquired with a timid smile. She was planning to get more of that potion to ensure she wouldn’t encounter her past with Devon in her dreams.

Cora gulped and scratched her head. “What’s wrong?” Katelina asked, noting the hesitation on her face.

“To be honest, that potion comes from Queen Mother Dana. They don’t sell these since I heard the procedure for this kind of potion is very complicated. She only gave a few bottles out to King Ezekiel’s trusted peers,” Cora explained.

“Oh, and I used yours…” Katelina gasped.

“That is fine, Your Majesty. I don’t encounter bad dreams or problems with sleep anyway so that bottle had just been in my medical pouch for a long time,” Cora said reassuringly.

“I guess I got lucky that Asura mentioned my troubles with sleep to you,” Katelina replied with a grateful smile.

After a few more exchanges, Cora left, and Katelina stayed alone inside her carriage. She let Asura ride a horse on their journey, knowing her friend would prefer that. Besides, Asura would only keep urging her to rest or sleep, and she wanted some quiet time to think.

Katelina released a deep sigh, wondering if last night had only been a hallucination. King Ezekiel also had a golden dragon within him, so he might have snuck into her bedchamber. She remembered the flapping sound on her balcony.

“That can’t be…” she murmured. Why would King Ezekiel sneak into her bedchamber and cradle her to sleep? Her face reddened at the thought.

The journey continued smoothly, with only a brief stopover for lunch. Katelina yawned, feeling the pull of sleep she usually indulged in with a late afternoon nap, but she resisted, still haunted by the nightmare of Devon.

“I’m feeling sleepy again,” she murmured, finding the comfort of the carriage almost too inviting.

“Sleep and rest,” she suddenly heard that familiar deep, masculine voice. Katelina’s eyes widened because there was no one inside the tent with her.