The Crown's Fire - Chapter 22

Chapter 22: The Mark (1)
“Your Highness?” Tarah called out once more when the Prince didn’t answer her.

His nose against her skin and his warm breath tickled her, and made her feel foreign sensations burning inside, ones that she shouldn’t have!

“Your smell… It’s intoxicating. I can’t help but think if this damn dragon was referring to this scent,” he growled in annoyance.

Tarah’s face fell as she scorned, “Why don’t you let it take over for a while and confirm if it’s really me?”

Ezekiel backed his head up to look straight into her eyes. “I can’t let the dragon take over,” he firmly stated. “It will kill anyone who has the Dragonrider’s blood. You’re my Seer, and no, I will not let anyone dare lay a finger on you…”

Ezekiel finally released Tarah from his hold, allowing her to eventually breathe properly.

She composed herself and settled into a more convenient position, resuming to heal all of Ezekiel’s wounds using her mana, not minding how intently he was still looking at her. It wasn’t a problem. After all, she was currently consumed by her own thoughts while healing him.

‘Vulcan’s soul was obviously awakened, but seeing how Ezekiel’s body isn’t healing on its own, it seems that its full power hasn’t awakened yet,’ she mused. Still, Tarah knew enough to know that Vulcan would soon take over Ezekiel’s body.

“You must always bring me with you, especially whenever you’re engaged in the battlefield,” she firmly stated, avoiding eye contact as she finished her healing. “The dragon inside of you is bound to awaken soon.”

Frowning, Ezekiel asked, “What do you mean?”

Tarah looked straight into his eyes and replied, “I saw it emerging and taking over your body. You will soon shift into its dragon form, Your Highness.”

“When will that happen?” he directly asked.

“I saw it happening while you were on the battlefield against Helion’s army, under the glow of the moon’s waning crescent,” she stated.

Biting her inner cheeks, she watched as Ezekiel’s face darkened while he cursed under his breath. The moon’s waning crescent was just a few days ahead, and it was nearing closer by the hour.

There was a terse silence as Tarah waited for more questions from Ezekiel. However, she didn’t hear anything from him. It seemed that he was absorbed with his thoughts at the moment, so she took this time to move and grab one of the prince’s clean tunics. Going through the motions, she was about to put it on him when he suddenly snatched it away from her.

“I can manage,” he muttered with a frown, making Tarah want to massage his forehead to try and make him relax. “You don’t need to help me in taking off and putting on my clothes.”

Tarah couldn’t help raising her brows as she reminded him, “You told me that I’ll be your personal assistant, and I believe doing these things is part of that responsibility. Also, I heard that Seer Beirut also served His Majesty King Stephan like this.”

It was no big deal for her either since she was used to serving Devon like this for almost three years. She loathed it, but she had no choice but to do it anyway. In Ezekiel’s case, she was even willing to serve him in every way, knowing that he was a righteous man who deserved it. Not to mention how he was also the key to her and her brother’s freedom from Devon.

“But Seer Beirut is a male Seer, Tarah,” Ezekiel pointed out. “You’re a female Seer…”

Tarah simply blinked at him innocently even though she knew full well what he meant. “So?” she unknowingly voiced out.

Prince Ezekiel should get used to her presence being near him anyway. They were going to be inseparable moving forward once they began trying to reach their goals.

“You don’t need to help me with this kind of service,” Ezekiel firmly grunted with a stoic expression.

“As you wish then, Your Highness,” she shrugged with a smile, no longer pursuing the matter. “I’ll prepare you something to drink then.”

Turning around, she went ahead and prepared some hot tea for the two of them. She also needed one to calm herself, for she had to calm the inexplicable mixed emotions bubbling up inside her right now.

She knew she should be worried more about Ezekiel questioning her, especially about the mark on her back. And yet, her racing heart constantly reacted whenever she got too close to him. It was a foreign feeling, especially since it wasn’t caused by her fear of him… Instead, it was more like an overwhelming feeling that a seer like her shouldn’t feel at all.

He was already properly dressed and was currently sitting on the edge of his bed when Tarah handed him a cup of tea. “Please drink this… It will make you feel better,” she said.

Ezekiel nodded as he sipped on his tea. “What’s this?” he questioned as he took a sniff of the drink before taking another sip.

“Hot tea with honey and milk, Your Highness,” Tarah answered.

Standing up, Ezekiel walked towards her near the table until he was up close and intimidatingly near her. He then put the cup on the other side of the table, and her eyes widened when she felt his warm hand cupping her cheek, gently caressing it with his thumb.

‘What is he doing?!’ she inwardly burst.

Ezekiel leaned closer, and only then did she find her words.

“Your Highness, what are you doing?!” she breathed out as she felt him nudging his nose against her neck.

“The scent… This damn dragon is trying to subdue me right now. It’s because of your scent. I believe you’re a descendant of a dragonrider, Tarah,” he grunted, followed by a growl as if he was in pain. “You must see Lurio tomorrow and ask him more about it and how you can use it to help me control this damn dragon!”

“Your Highness, are you alright?” Tarah asked when he moved away from her a little.

“I am fine,” Ezekiel replied with a dark expression. Beads of sweat were forming on his forehead. “Go to your bed and sleep.”

Tarah quickly moved as she felt something weird with how Ezekiel bore his eyes onto her. He seemed angry for reasons she didn’t know, but she simply assumed that it was because he was struggling against Vulcan.

But before she could fully get away from him, she felt Ezekiel suddenly grip her wrist.

“Are you not going to tell me about the mark on your back?” he straightforwardly asked.

There was a pause when their eyes lingered on each other.

“Please forgive me, Your Highness, but I can’t tell you about it…” she quickly replied. That was the safest answer she could give him without lying.

He frowned and then wryly asked, “How do you expect me to trust you?”

“I am your fated Seer, your Highness…” she nonchalantly replied. “It’s my duty and responsibility to serve you and the kingdom.”

‘But that doesn’t mean you should trust me… Please don’t let your guard down around me.’

Tarah wanted to voice that last part out, but she couldn’t. Despite everything, above all else, her brother’s safety would always come first for her.