The Crown's Fire - Chapter 286

Chapter 286: Chosen Dragonrider
Katelina watched as Levi gently cradled the newborn red dragon in his arms, stroking its back. His voice was soft as he murmured, “Soon, you’ll need to choose a dragonrider—someone who’ll care for you and be your partner. I’m sure you’ll find the perfect one soon enough.”

“We should head to the training grounds,” Katelina reminded him. She took the baby dragon from Levi’s arms, cradling it herself as they began walking toward the training grounds.

As they passed through the corridors, people greeted them, their eyes widening in awe at the sight of the new dragon. At first, the Ebodians had been wary of the dragons, but over the past few days, their apprehension faded. The people had seen how friendly and gentle the dragons were, far from the terrifying creatures they once feared.

Ezekiel had made it clear to all that the dragons under their care were tame and posed no threat unless provoked. Any harm directed at them would be met with their natural instinct to defend themselves, but as long as they were treated with respect, they were a peaceful presence in the kingdom.

“You’ll be happy to see the other dragons like you,” Katelina hummed softly as they continued their walk. “For now, we won’t give you a name. Your chosen dragonrider should do that.”

They soon arrived at the private training grounds, an expansive clearing within the Jade Palace reserved for the dragons and their riders. The moment they stepped inside, the other dragons, already trained and much larger, let out welcoming sounds upon seeing the red dragon in their Queen’s arms.

[Ah, why is it a male dragon again? I hope the next ones are female!] Onyx grumbled through their bond. Katelina chuckled, gently setting the baby red dragon down, allowing it to mingle and communicate with the other dragons.

She watched as the five older dragons, now towering and twice the size of a horse, hovered around the baby, purring and sniffing it curiously as it chirped in excitement.

[Why are you so concerned about another male dragon? I thought you and Snow were getting along just fine,] Katelina teased, recalling how Levi had mentioned that Onyx had been trying to court Jade, Luis’s dragon, without much success, and now seemed fixated on Snow.

[Don’t tell me Snow rejected you too?] she prodded playfully.

[No, but she’s too lazy to interact with me! Look at her now!] Onyx sulked like a child.

Katelina turned in the direction Onyx indicated and, sure enough, Snow was lounging under the shade of an oak tree, completely disinterested after greeting the baby dragon. Asura was beside Snow, stroking the dragon’s back while it napped peacefully.

Katelina stifled a laugh. [It looks like you’ll have to be patient, Onyx. Maybe Snow just needs some time.]

Onyx didn’t respond, but she heard his soft sigh. It still fascinated her how they could communicate so seamlessly with their dragons, but she was grateful for it. The bond between dragon and rider was essential, and she could see how much the dragons trusted their riders.

As she watched the training session unfold, Katelina noticed that Master Kasper was absent today, leaving the riders to practice without their main instructor. Wizard Lurio was assisting by casting protective spells, ensuring that even if the dragons’ movements became too abrupt or they tumbled mid-air, the riders would remain unharmed.

Katelina observed the riders as they practiced their maneuvers. Some handled the high-speed dives and aerial rolls with grace, while others—like Luis—struggled. She winced sympathetically as Luis stumbled off Jade after a particularly wild roll, looking pale and nauseous.

“You must improve your dragon-riding skills, Lord Luis,” Lurio reminded him, his tone stern but encouraging. “You can’t afford to lose control mid-flight, especially in combat situations.”

Luis groaned, rubbing his stomach. “I understand, but Jade’s movements churn my insides. It’s like I’m on a never-ending ride through the sky.”

Katelina couldn’t help but smile at Luis’s predicament but tried to maintain her composure. “You’ll need to build your stamina, Luis. We have to be prepared for battle, especially since our enemies also have dragons. We might outnumber them, but we can’t let that make us complacent.”

Luis swallowed nervously, still pale but determined. “Yes, Your Majesty. I’ll practice harder and make sure I stay connected with Jade, no matter how she flies.”

“Thank you for your dedication,” Katelina said warmly. “For today, that’s enough. Since Master Kasper isn’t here, you should return to Zion with Jade and continue training there. Come back when you feel confident riding her through any maneuver—even the rollovers.”

Luis nodded, grateful for the reprieve. “I’ll do my best, Your Majesty,” he promised before bidding her farewell.

Katelina watched as Luis mounted Jade, and with a powerful flap of the dragon’s wings, they took off, heading back toward the Kingdom of Zion. She smiled, proud of the progress everyone was making, but she knew the real challenges were yet to come. She remembered everything vividly. Every detail, every vision she’d had in the past, was crystal clear now.

The Forbidden Forest, where the souls of dragons had been locked away for centuries, was at the center of it all. She had seen the forest in her dreams, how the barrier would crack, unleashing the destructive dragon souls within. No one could stop it—not the wizards, not the warriors—unless someone as powerful as her mother-in-law, Queen Dana, a fallen angel, intervened.

Queen Dana had once given up her immortality, sacrificing her celestial powers to protect everyone from it. Katelina knew that unless another fallen angel arose, willing to make the same sacrifice, there would be no way to contain the chaos. The destructive souls would roam free, laying waste to everything in their path.

Katelina held the baby red dragon close as it purred contentedly in her arms, enjoying her warmth. It yawned lazily, and she chuckled. “Don’t tell me you’re going to be another sleepyhead like Snow?” she teased gently.

The baby dragon giggled, but then its tiny ears and nose twitched. Suddenly, it wriggled out of her arms, making her blink in surprise. “Where are you going?” she muttered, standing up to follow as the little dragon trotted ahead.

Levi, who had been watching from above on Ember’s back, quickly instructed his dragon to land. As soon as he touched down, he rushed over to Katelina’s side. “I’ll come with you, sister!”

Levi glanced at the red dragon, noticing its determined movements. “He’s sensing his chosen dragonrider,” he explained as they followed the dragon’s tiny but purposeful steps. Despite its small size, the dragon quickened its pace, and Katelina and Levi kept up easily with long strides.

Katelina’s brow furrowed when the dragon led them straight to her garden. “This…” she murmured, watching intently as the red dragon continued, finally stopping in front of Floria.

Floria’s eyes widened in surprise. “Oh, another dragon hatched! How wonderful!”

But before the baby dragon could get too close to Floria, Katelina quickly scooped it back up, her instincts flaring with a mix of caution and protectiveness. The dragon, however, wriggled out of her hold again, determinedly smelling the air around Floria.

Floria took a step back, her expression shifting to one of worry. “Your Majesty, what’s going on? Why is it acting like this?”