The Crown's Fire - Chapter 24

Chapter 24: You’re Trouble
The next day, Tarah woke up early. She met with wizard Lurio as soon as she was ready, heeding to what Prince Ezekiel had instructed her.

“Prince Ezekiel informed me last night about his suspicions of you being a descendant of a dragonrider. If that’s the case, everything would make sense,” Lurio started as he gestured for her to sit on the chair. “The heavens truly are the ones in control, sending someone like you in our midst just when Prince Ezekiel is struggling with his control over the dragon.”

“He only started having symptoms when we started making camp here. We just hid it from everyone,” Lurio added.

“It was by chance that I saw dragon scales appearing and disappearing on his hand. It’s for that reason that he opened up to me. I still can’t believe that he managed to survive, especially when it’s the Dragon King Vulcan’s soul that was merged into his body all this time.”

Tarah remained quiet as she listened. If her guess was correct, then she might be able to find out how Vulcan managed to get to Queen Dana and the unborn Ezekiel at the time of the sealing once she met the former and touched her.

Clearing her thoughts, she watched as Lurio grabbed a chest and set it down on the table. Opening it, he fished out what seemed to be a journal of some sort. It was in the same style and color as what she had hidden inside Seer Beirut’s chest.

“My dear friend, Beirut, gave me this chest. I guess he had all his journals sent to the people he trusted,” he stated with a solemn voice. “All his visions and dreams are written in this journal. The one in your possession is more of a guide on how to use your ability and interpret the meanings of vague dreams.”

Tarah could see how down his expression became upon recalling his friend.

“I’m sorry for your loss,” she murmured.

Lurio simply smiled with a curt nod before picking up another journal and handing it over to her.

“This is for you. It has a powerful protective spell cast on it, so you can hide it well even if you always bring it with you,” he explained. “I’m not sure why Beirut asked to put a powerful spell into a blank journal, but I guess he has his reasons. He told me to give it to you and assure you that you can write everything in it without worries. Now, give me your hand…”

Tarah did as she was told, flinching when she felt a small pinprick stab into her finger. A drop of her blood then fell on the journal, making it glow for a little while.

“No one will be able to read what’s written in it now except you and those who bear the blood of Queen Dana,” Lurio explained.

Tarah bit her inner cheek. She had longed to have a journal where she could write everything she wanted, including her visions and dreams, but she was scared of doing so, knowing that Devon could easily grab and read it.

“Can a demon break the spell you placed on it?” she curiously asked.

“No. Queen Dana personally cast the protective spell in it using her celestial blood,” Lurio reassured her. “You have nothing to worry about.”

She simply nodded in understanding. Seeing her acknowledgment, Lurio offered her a cup of tea and said, “I heard you’re from Zion. It was the kingdom where those with the dragonriders’ blood were born, so Prince Ezekiel’s assumptions could be valid. It’s also the reason why your kingdom was chosen by the heavens to be the keeper of the mystical book of Ancient Dragons.”

Tarah didn’t know how to respond, so she only listened further. She was self-aware about her limited knowledge about such things, for only the chosen Priests on the Holy Mountain of Zion had access to all the details about Dragonriders and dragons.

“A long time ago, the dragons waged a murderous war on the Dragonriders, led by Vulcan. Only your kingdom had the details of the Dragonriders buried. I heard that they got rid of everything, in fear of further dragon attacks,” he added. “Only the Priests in Zion’s kingdom knew the truth and every single detail about the event…”

Tarah’s body trembled at the thought of having to go back to Devon’s castle in order to see and talk to one of the priests there. After all, this was the only way she could know if she was truly a descendant of the dragonriders.

“However, we don’t know if there are still Zion Priests after Devon’s conquest.” Lurio sighed with drooped shoulders.

‘I need to go back and meet the priests,’ she mused.

She must find a way to see the Priests deep within Devon’s dungeons. After thinking about it for a bit, an idea easily came to her. The moment her conversation with wizard Lurio ended, Tarah went back to Ezekiel’s tent.

Upon entering, she was welcomed with the sight of Ezekiel’s bare upper back, making her gasp. She subconsciously walked towards him and touched them—the dragon scales that had taken over his back.

Ezekiel groaned at her touch.

“I’m sorry…” Tarah whispered as he abruptly turned to face her. She gave him a timid smile and quickly moved to pick up his clothes, saying, “I’ll help you put on your armor.”

She ignored how his face had dimmed. Thankfully, she was getting used to his sulking mood already.

“Didn’t I make myself clear last night?” he grunted.

“You did, but putting on your armor needs assistance,” Tarah reasoned as she started putting on his upper garments. “Haven’t you dismissed all your servants because you didn’t want them to see the dragon scales on your body? So let me be the one to help you with simple things like this…”

Ezekiel didn’t bother responding, and she was glad to not hear any more of his complaints. As she helped him with a smile, she couldn’t help but feel conscious of his eyes that were keenly observing her.

She couldn’t help but compare what she was feeling now with what she was feeling whenever it was Devon staring at her… Devon’s gaze had always made her feel nothing but disgust. But she didn’t feel the same way with Ezekiel.

Tarah wasn’t naive. She could see the tension in Prince Ezekiel’s eyes whenever he looked at her. He desired her, but the way he looked at her was markedly different from how Devon and other men stared at her. Desire was evident in his eyes, but there was no malice in his gaze.

“You’re trouble…” he mumbled with a darkened expression.