The Crown's Fire - Chapter 234

Chapter 234: The Destruction
It was another morning for Katelina and Ezekiel. This time, she went outside to feel the morning breeze. She could tell winter was approaching because of the cold air fanning across her face.

The sun was already up, but the weather was perfect… not too cold, not too hot. She smiled when she felt Ezekiel’s arms snake around her waist, his chin resting on her shoulder.

“I feel stuffy. Can we explore the forest today instead?” she murmured with a pout.

They hadn’t done much yesterday besides making love, and that had continued through the night. Not that she was complaining, but she feared she couldn’t keep up with her husband’s unstoppable stamina when it came to making love.

Ezekiel turned her to face him and mischievously asked, “Do you want to ride me?”

Katelina’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Seriously?! Aren’t you tired of doing it with me over and over?” she burst out.

Ezekiel chuckled, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “I could never get tired of you,” he said softly. “But that’s not what I meant, Kate. I mean you ride me as a dragon rider and me as a dragon. I’ll fly you around like before.”

Katelina’s face blushed, and Ezekiel grinned while caressing her cheek. She loved it whenever he cupped her cheek; it felt so familiar and comforting.

“So, what do you say? Let’s fly?” he asked.

“But I’m scared of heights. I still can’t believe that I managed to ride you before,” she muttered. The thought of riding the dragon into the sky already made her nervous. She could still feel the same fear she had when she fell off the Zion mountain cliff and hung onto a tree for dear life.

Ezekiel’s expression softened. “I understand, Kate. But I’ll be with you the whole time. You can trust me.”

Katelina took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart. “Alright, let’s do it. Just promise you won’t let me fall.”

Ezekiel smiled warmly. “I promise, Kate. I’ll keep you safe.”

Katelina nodded, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. She hadn’t seen Ezekiel in his dragon form before, at least not in a way she could remember. The thought of seeing him transform into Khal’s dragon form filled her with anticipation. She was sure he would look majestic.

“Alright, I’m ready,” she said, trying to steady her voice.

Ezekiel stepped back and began his transformation. His body glowed with a mystical light as scales replaced skin, and his form grew larger and more powerful. Golden majestic wings unfurled from his back, and his body elongated into a fierce, yet beautiful dragon visage.

Katelina watched in awe as the transformation completed. Ezekiel, now in his dragon form, looked every bit as magnificent as she had imagined. His golden scales shimmered in the sunlight, and his eyes still held the same warmth and love she knew.

He lowered himself to the ground, making it easy for her to climb onto his back. [Ready, Kate?] he asked through their bond, his voice deeper but still comforting.

Katelina took a deep breath and approached him, her heart pounding. “Yes, I’m ready,” she said, climbing onto his back and holding on tightly.

With a powerful beat of his wings, Ezekiel lifted off the ground, soaring into the sky. Katelina held on firmly, feeling her body tremble and tense up.

[Relax, Kate. Just feel the air. I’ll fly slowly. Focus on the surroundings below and how magnificent the view is from above. You managed to overcome your fear of heights before, so I’m sure you’ll do the same now…] Ezekiel encouraged her through their telepathic link.

Katelina took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. She glanced down and saw the landscape unfolding beneath them, the forest a patchwork of greens and browns, rivers glinting like silver threads in the sunlight. The beauty of the scene began to distract her from her fear.

[You’re right,] she thought back to him. [It’s so beautiful up here.]

Ezekiel’s reassuring presence and the breathtaking view slowly eased her tension. She started to relax, letting the exhilaration of the flight replace her initial fear.

[There you go,] Ezekiel said warmly. [Enjoy the ride.]

As they flew, Katelina’s confidence grew. She even found herself laughing with delight as they dipped and soared, Ezekiel’s powerful wings carrying them effortlessly through the sky. For the first time, she truly appreciated the incredible experience of flying with him.

They glided gracefully over the landscape, with Ezekiel adjusting his flight to keep it gentle and steady for Katelina.

She marveled at the panoramic view below, the lush forests stretching out like a quilt, the winding rivers and lakes shimmering in the sunlight. From this vantage point, everything seemed serene and distant.

Ezekiel’s telepathic voice broke through her thoughts. [How are you feeling, Kate?]

Katelina smiled, feeling more relaxed than she had in a long time. [I’m… I’m actually enjoying this, Ezekiel. It’s incredible.]

He chuckled softly. [I knew you would. Flying is in your blood, after all.]

They flew on in comfortable silence for a while, Katelina soaking in the experience. She felt a deep connection with Ezekiel as his dragonrider.

[Levi and the others will experience this once their dragons grow,] Katelina commented wistfully, thinking of her brother and the future dragon riders.

[Do you want to see him? We can ask Lurio to create a portal so you can check on him,] Ezekiel offered.

[Yes, let’s do that later once he finishes his lessons,] Katelina replied with a smile. [I’ll also introduce you to the other dragons… Onyx, Jade, and Ember. We have more eggs too, still unhatched,] she excitedly informed Ezekiel, whom she now fully trusted.

[They will grow fast, Kate,] Ezekiel reminded her gently. [We can’t hide their existence for much longer.]

Katelina shrugged, feeling a mix of excitement and apprehension. She had a responsibility to make sure that these dragons would be fully tamed.

[Hmm, I can feel your emotions, my queen. How about we remove those worries away, since we’ll be together solving each other’s worries from now on,] Ezekiel encouraged, his voice gentle yet reassuring.

[Don’t forget, you’re bound and soon to marry the most powerful king!] he boasted playfully, making Katelina chuckle.

[So arrogant!] she teased him, loving the ease and openness of their relationship where they could express themselves freely.

She could hear Ezekiel’s laughter through their bond. They had been flying for some time, but Katelina felt so good with the air brushing against her skin that she lost track of time. When they returned, she watched Ezekiel transform back into his human form—and he was naked!

“Don’t you transform with clothes on?” she complained, quickly looking away.

Ezekiel chortled. “I do. But I thought it would be nice if I shifted without clothes on in front of you.”

Katelina was speechless, as she often was with Ezekiel’s shamelessness and antics. She couldn’t help but smile, though, feeling a warmth that had nothing to do with the sun.

“You’re impossible,” she muttered, trying to hide her amusement.

Ezekiel walked up to her and gently lifted her chin, forcing her to meet his eyes. “And you love it,” he said with a playful smirk.

Katelina rolled her eyes but couldn’t deny the truth. “Maybe I do,” she conceded, feeling her heart swell with affection.

She gently pushed him and instructed, “Get dressed, will you?” She had a feeling they would end up stuck inside the tent again if she didn’t push Ezekiel away. She had a lot to do before seeing Levi. She needed to write down important spells that Levi and Luis should learn as dragon riders.

Ezekiel chuckled and reluctantly released her. “Alright, alright. I’ll get dressed.” He quickly found his clothes and put them on, his playful grin never fading.

Katelina gathered parchment and quill. She focused on writing the spells carefully, knowing how crucial they would be for Levi and Luis’s training. Each spell needed to be precise, powerful, and tailored to their unique bond with their dragons.

******

Meanwhile at the Kingdom of Zion

Levi was having his usual lessons for the day when a sudden vision engulfed him. His eyes widened as he looked around. There were fires everywhere, and he could hear screams as people ran for their lives.

He looked up and saw a fire-breathing dragon, a black one. “Onyx,” Levi gasped in horror. A man in a hooded cloak was riding Onyx, but Levi didn’t recognize him.

“This can’t be!” Levi burst out, tears streaming down his face.

“Your Majesty! Are you alright? What’s going on? Can you hear me?”

Levi blinked several times and rubbed his eyes. His worried tutor was standing right in front of him.

“Your Majesty, what is wrong? Why are you crying? Are you in pain?” the tutor asked, his voice filled with concern.

“Master, I’m feeling rather unwell. Can we pause for a while? I need to see Chancellor Luis immediately. Can you please call for him?” Levi said, trying to steady his voice.

The tutor nodded quickly. “Of course, Your Majesty. I’ll summon Chancellor Luis at once.”

Levi sat down, trying to calm his racing heart. The vision had felt so real. He couldn’t shake the image of Onyx and the destruction he had seen.

A few minutes later, Chancellor Luis arrived, his expression serious. “Levi, what’s wrong? Your tutor said you were very distressed.”

Levi took a deep breath and explained the vision he had seen, describing the fire, the screams, Onyx, and the hooded man.

Luis listened carefully, his brow furrowing. “This is troubling, Levi. Visions like this are not to be taken lightly.”

“Onyx… It’s clearly Onyx. We can’t let that man have Onyx!” Levi burst, his voice trembling.