The Crown's Fire - Chapter 186

Chapter 186: Mind Link
Ezekiel had recently mastered Khal’s ability to become invisible, a unique trait of his dragon that was difficult to facilitate. He was still a work in progress, especially when manifesting and using dragon powers in his human form.

He had spent the night cuddling Katelina in his arms, waking up before dawn to ensure she didn’t have any nightmares. Khal had told him that his close presence might help her rest without worry, as they were twin flames, destined to be each other’s comfort.

Knowing that Katelina wouldn’t allow him to stay with her in her current state, he resorted to using his ability to become invisible. He smiled as he watched her sleep peacefully, quickly turning invisible when she stirred and woke up.

He stayed a while longer, ensuring she was fully awake and getting ready for the day, before shifting into his dragon form and leaving to check on his convoy. However, he changed his plan, hovering over Katelina’s convoy and flying through the sky to watch over their journey.

Ezekiel’s frustration led him to a nearby inn during their stopover for lunch. “This won’t do!” he mumbled, landing and shifting back into his human form. He donned a cloak with its hood up to cover his face, then entered the inn discreetly. He ordered food, ate quickly in silence, and then found a secluded corner where he turned invisible. Quietly, he made his way to Katelina’s carriage and entered it.

The guards stationed outside were puzzled when they saw the door open seemingly on its own. One of the royal guards peeked inside and muttered, “That’s strange, why did it open?” He checked the door, opening and closing it to see if it was damaged.

“What’s wrong?” the coachman asked.

The guard explained how the door had mysteriously opened. The coachman peeked inside and, seeing no one, said, “Maybe you just didn’t close it properly a while ago when Her Majesty went out.” The two guards simply scratched their heads in confusion.

Meanwhile, Ezekiel remained silent, waiting for Katelina to return to the carriage.

[This is fun,] he mumbled to Khal.

[Wait till you make a mistake and she finds out about it. You’ll be doomed. What you’re doing now is creepy,] Khal scolded.

Ezekiel ignored his dragon’s warning. He couldn’t resist using his ability to his advantage. He missed Katelina so much that not seeing her felt like his world was in chaos.

As he waited, he couldn’t help but reflect on the lengths he was willing to go to protect her. He knew it was a delicate situation—balancing his deep longing to be near her with the need to respect her boundaries and privacy. But the sight of her peaceful face last night, the comfort of knowing she was safe, made it all worth it.

Ezekiel was jolted from his stupor by a growl. He noticed a small cage placed on the makeshift bed at the back of the carriage.

[A golden dragon!] Khal burst out in his mind.

He moved to open the cage. Ezekiel smiled and gently grabbed the dragon, looking it in the eyes. [Who are you?] demanded the small dragon inside.

[You must be Aurum. Cora told me about you. I’m King Ezekiel of Ebodia,] he introduced himself.

[Oh right, Cora mentioned she’s from Ebodia. Wait, you also have a golden dragon inside you!] Aurum exclaimed.

[Yes, and his name is Khal. He’s the ancient dragon king. You’ve probably heard of Vulcan. Vulcan’s dragon spirit is in me, and I named it Khal.]

[Do you want to form a dragon mind link with me? I can teach you what you need to know since we’re from the same race of dragons,] Khal suddenly offered. Ezekiel allowed Khal to communicate with Aurum directly.

Ezekiel quickly cast a hallucinogenic spell inside the carriage to ensure the guards outside wouldn’t notice anything suspicious. Aurum agreed to the mind link with Khal and Ezekiel, so Ezekiel immediately performed the mind link ritual by joining a drop of their blood and chanting the corresponding draconic spells.

With the successful dragon mind linking, Ezekiel could communicate directly with Aurum even without looking through its eyes. Not all dragons could perform the dragon mind link successfully, but Khal, being an ancient dragon, accomplished it with ease. After the mind link was completed, Ezekiel gently returned Aurum to the cage.

[Why are you here in Her Majesty’s carriage?] Aurum inquired through the mind link.

[Because I’ll be your Queen Regent’s husband-to-be,] Ezekiel answered plainly.

[But what you’re doing now is sneaking! You’re even in your invisible form!] Aurum pointed out.

[How about you just behave there, little Aurum?] Ezekiel mumbled.

[Nothing comes free. You should at least bribe me to do that,] Aurum snorted.

Khal burst out in a fit of laughter, while Ezekiel simply frowned.

[Aren’t you too cunning already for your age? I heard you just recently hatched!]

[Hmph, I will definitely inform our Queen Regent that there’s an intruder inside her carriage!] Aurum threatened.

Raising an eyebrow, Ezekiel questioned, [Fine, I’ll bribe you. What do you want?]

[Lady Cora rejected me. I chose her to be my dragonrider, but she returned me, saying she was not ready for it. You’re her king and she’s under your command. If you order her to take me back, she will absolutely follow,] Aurum pointed out.

[I see. Sure, I will do that, but only after I see you behave and perform well,] Ezekiel said with a grin.

Eventually, Katelina approached the carriage, her steps light and her demeanor relaxed from a restful sleep. She entered the carriage, unaware of his presence inside.

As the journey resumed, Ezekiel remained seated in front of Katelina, congratulating himself inwardly for his self-control. Despite his strong urge, he resisted touching her.

After some time, Katelina yawned, but it was clear she was trying to stay awake. He even heard her chanting a spell to keep herself alert. Moments passed, and she continued yawning, murmuring, “I’m feeling sleepy again.”

“Sleep and rest,” he unknowingly voiced out. Katelina’s eyes widened as she looked around.

“Who’s there?” she whispered, her voice tinged with fear. “Is this another hallucination?” she added, a deep frown forming on her face.