The Crown's Fire - Chapter 247

Chapter 247: Moving On
Ezekiel traveled back to the place where he was supposed to go last night before feeling Katelina’s whirlwind of emotions. It was the cave where he intended to destroy the dragon egg, having learned from the witch’s memories that it was supposed to hatch that night after a successful ritual.

He landed outside the cave, shifted into his human form, and walked inside. He knew he might already be too late, but he clung to a glimmer of hope. When he reached the spot where the egg was supposed to be, he let out a heavy sigh.

[It hatched already. A black dragon,] Khal commented, observing the metallic shell fragments scattered around.

Ezekiel growled, looking around. The place reeked of dark magic, and an unsettling presence lingered in the area.

“It could be the man Levi saw in his vision, the one in the hooded black cloak,” Ezekiel muttered, his teeth gritted in frustration. He needed to find that man, but there was no trace of him in the witch’s memories. That man was the man riding the black dragon in Levi’s vision.

Shifting back to his dragon form, he took off, his thoughts consumed by Katelina. The memory of her pushing him away that morning, mistaking him for Devon, gnawed at his heart. He had asked Wizard Lurio to bring Elen, the best healer for psychological struggles, hoping she could help Katelina.

Since last night, he had struggled to contain his emotions, fearing that Katelina would feel his pain and fury. Her mistaking him for Devon was a deep wound, one that he couldn’t easily heal.

Late in the afternoon, he arrived back at the camp and immediately sought out Elen.

“Your Majesty,” Elen greeted him with a bow.

“How is she?” he asked, his voice tense.

“It will take time,” Elen replied with a sigh. “Her memories are still slowly coming back, and it’s more serious than we initially thought.”

“Tell me everything,” Ezekiel instructed, his teeth clenched.

Elen took a deep breath and detailed the memories Katelina had recalled. Ezekiel’s expression darkened as she spoke.

“She experienced daily sexual harassment. Devon treated her like a puppet, doing everything short of fully consuming her virginity. That’s why she pushed you this morning and saw Devon instead. This will likely happen again as more memories return.”

Ezekiel clenched his jaw, tears of rage and sorrow filling his eyes.

“She needs time to heal. It would be best if you refrain from intimate gestures until she initiates them, Your Highness,” Elen advised.

Ezekiel nodded, understanding the situation well. “Thank you, Elen. Keep me informed. I’ll follow your guidance to help her heal as quickly as possible.”

He left Elen, feeling weak and struggling to breathe. He walked to a secluded area, clutching his chest as he cried. The emotions he had tried to suppress overwhelmed him.

[Kiel,] Katelina’s voice came through the bond. He inwardly cursed, knowing she could feel his turmoil.

[I’m here, Katelina. I just needed a moment,] he replied, trying to mask his pain.

[I’m sorry for this morning. I didn’t mean to hurt you,] she said, her voice filled with remorse.

[It’s not your fault. We’ll get through this together,] Ezekiel assured her, though his heart ached with the effort to keep his emotions in check.

[I heard you’re back at camp. Where are you? I want to see you,] Katelina asked.

[I’m at the place where I brought you before,] Ezekiel answered.

He quickly composed himself, wiping away his tears, knowing she was coming to find him. Soon, he heard her footsteps.

“Kiel,” Katelina called, approaching with a sweet smile. She carried a basket as she neared him.

“I brought you some refreshments and snacks,” she said, sitting beside him at the makeshift table and chairs.

“Did you find the egg?” she asked, her eyes searching his face.

Ezekiel took a deep breath. “I was too late, Kate. It hatched. A black dragon emerged, and it seems Levi’s vision will come to pass.”

Katelina nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. “We’ll need to train Onyx and the others soon. It looks like an inevitable danger is approaching. I’ve told Levi to inform me of any future visions.”

“Kiel, please be patient with me a bit more. I’ll try my best to overcome this soon,” Katelina suddenly said, her voice soft but determined.

Ezekiel took her hand and gently squeezed it. “Take your time, Kate. Just remember, I’m here, and I will do everything in my power to protect you. I love you,” he murmured.

Moved by his words, Katelina pounced on him, and they embraced each other tightly, finding comfort and strength in their closeness.

******

At the Kingdom of Ebodia

Atlas was finally back, and he couldn’t believe how much had transpired in his short absence, most of it bad news.

“This is the man Tessa described, and Minister Greg has been handling the search since you were away. I had to stay here to contain the situation and ensure no more false rumors spread,” Elijah explained.

“Something is wrong. There’s a loophole somewhere,” Atlas assessed, his eyes narrowing.

“What do you mean?” Elijah asked, fidgeting slightly.

Atlas stared at him with a frown. “You’re not telling me everything, Elijah.”

He knew his friend well. Elijah had been avoiding his eyes, which meant he was either hiding something or lying.

“Spill it out, Elijah, or I will conduct a thorough investigation myself!” he demanded.

Elijah scratched his head and sighed. “Fine. I’ll tell you everything.”

Atlas listened intently. “Greta has been framed for something she didn’t commit. Indeed, she didn’t like the idea of our king and the king regent getting married, but that doesn’t mean she spread this rumor. She was simply investigating, and something went wrong along the way…” Elijah firmly stated.

“I will talk to Greta myself, and you… I don’t want you getting involved in this matter! I can’t believe you’re mixing your emotions with your duty!” Atlas hissed. Minister Greta should have been imprisoned until further progress in the investigation, but Elijah had let her roam and even continued investigating.

“Trust me on this, Atlas, she’s innocent,” Elijah pushed.

“Let the king be the judge of that. For now, Minister Greta will be stripped of any involvement in this investigation since she’s technically still a suspect until proven innocent. The least I can do for her is house arrest!” Atlas stated firmly.

“Fine, do as you see fit,” Elijah responded with a heavy sigh.

“Should I report this to our king, or will you do it yourself?” Atlas asked.

Elijah looked at him, resigned. “I will do it.”

Atlas and Elijah continued their discussion, hashing out the details and strategies for handling the delicate situation. Elijah left the meeting room with heavy footsteps, his mind weighed down with concern for Greta. The investigation had stalled, and the boy who had claimed Minister Greta handed him the dissemination vellums had mysteriously vanished.

All they had was a sketch of the man Tessa described, the only lead that could potentially clear Greta’s name. Elijah cursed under his breath, frustration gnawing at him as he made his way to Greta’s bedchamber. He knocked firmly.

“Elijah,” Greta gasped as she opened the door. “We need to talk in private,” Elijah said.

Greta opened the door wider, gesturing for him to come inside.

“Atlas will put you under house arrest. Officially, it will be a leave of absence for illness. You’ll need to inform the inner court about your ‘sickness.’ This is the only way to keep your name out of the investigation until you’re proven innocent and our king returns to make a final decision,” Elijah explained, his shoulders slumping.

“I’m innocent. I didn’t start or spread that rumor! I confess that deep inside I want that rumor to spread, but that doesn’t mean I did it!” Greta blurted out. “Someone is framing me!”

Elijah looked at her, his expression softening. “I believe you, Greta. But we need to play this smart. If you go on leave and stay out of the spotlight, it buys us time to find the real culprit.”

Greta clenched her fists, her eyes brimming with frustration and anger. “What about the boy? He’s the key to proving my innocence!”

Elijah sighed. “He’s missing. We’re doing everything we can to find him, but until then, we have to rely on this sketch of the man Tessa described. He’s our only lead.”

Greta nodded, taking a deep breath to steady herself. “Alright. I’ll do as you say. But please, Elijah, find the truth. I can’t bear the thought of being accused of something I didn’t do.”

Elijah placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “We will, Greta. I promise you, we will find the truth and clear your name.”

Greta gave a small, determined nod. “Thank you, Elijah.”

Elijah smiled at Greta, raising his hand to gently touch her cheek. “Don’t forget our deal. You promised you’d try to move on from your unrequited feelings for the king. I will stay and wait for you until you learn to like me or decide that you can never return my feelings.”

Greta’s face reddened, and she pursed her lips. Elijah had noticed these adorable expressions from her more frequently lately. She used to hiss and glare at him, but now she always blushed at his advances.

He gently pinched her nose and leaned in to whisper in her ear, “Don’t worry too much. I will protect you well.”

Greta’s blush deepened and Elijah could only hope for the possibility of her moving on and finding new feelings within her heart for him.