The Crown's Fire - Chapter 49

Chapter 49: Bug
Thanks to his alertness, Ezekiel immediately caught Tarah’s falling body from the sky before quickly flying back to the cave they had been in before. Touching down softly, he gently put her on the ground before inwardly cursing at himself for being unable to shift back into his human form to at least make things comfortable for her.

Working with what he had, he did his best to assess her body, and he sighed in relief upon confirming that she was mostly fine.

‘She’s probably just too exhausted,’ Ezekiel thought to himself as he sat in his dragon form near her. Tarah was still human, after all, so it was natural for her to easily get exhausted. She was also sleep-deprived lately due to constantly staying by his side, so it was no wonder then that this happened.

‘She should be waking up soon though,’ he told himself as he stared at her sleeping form.

Soon enough, she stirred, and this made him move as he extended his head down to the ground near her.

“Oh,” Tarah gasped. She then moved away, and only then did Ezekiel realize how near his face was to her at the moment.

[It’s me. I’m sorry,] he explained as he quickly moved his head back. [I just wanted to make sure you’re alright.]

Hearing his explanation, Tarah let out a soft chuckle as she stood up and approached his head. “I’m fine, just a little bit exhausted. I hadn’t been sleeping lately, so I guess I passed out,” she said in her soothing voice. She then raised her hand and gently patted and caressed his head. “You did great today, Your Highness” she praised with a wide smile on her face.

Feeling Tarah’s gentle touch, Ezekiel felt like his heart would burst out from his chest with how happy he was at that moment. He let out a soft hum, and he could only wonder what he must look like at the moment as he grinned before her.

“Oh, look at you. So roguish and cheeky with that happy look on your face,” Tarah told him. “How come you can smile like this in your dragon form but not in your true human form?”

He frowned at her question. ‘Am I not smiling?’

As if hearing his thoughts, Tarah teased him. “Yes, I haven’t seen you smile. You’re always frowning and in a grumpy mood most of the time,” she explained. “Now, however, I understand why you always seem so wary around me. It was because you saw me as your doom.”

Ezekiel let out a sigh, and right then, he heard Tarah’s grumbling stomach.

[You’re starving! Let me get you something to eat!] he said before quickly turning to get out of the cave.

“Wait!” Tarah hastily yelled, stopping him from leaving.

[Why?] Ezekiel asked her.

“The draconite stones are glowing,” she remarked while staring at his head. “I believe it will be easier for you to get one now,”

Closing her eyes, Tarah moved her arms and hands, copying what she saw the dragonriders did in her vision. It was only fortunate that Vulcan’s previous dragonrider had done what she was about to do now before. Once more, she spoke the draconic language before opening her eyes. Soon after, a liquid-like string got pulled out of one of the golden draconic stones towards her.

Tarah smiled at her success as she moved her hand to grab it. But before she could, the liquid-like string quickly got sucked back into the stone on Vulcan’s head.

She blinked at how fast it all happened.

“The draconic stone,” she murmured. Did she make a mistake in how she used the draconic language and spell?

[Hah! Do you think I’ll let you have one of my draconic stones that easily?!] Vulcan’s angry voice roared in her head.

“Oh, right…” Tarah gasped in realization. She forgot that she would only be able to extract a draconic stone after gaining the dragon’s consent. Did that mean that it was only Vulcan who could give away the stone?

[Your Highness, can you take control until I secure a draconic stone?] she asked Ezekiel.

[I… I don’t know what’s happening, but Vulcan can take control with ease whenever the draconic stone is being pulled out,] Ezekiel informed. [Don’t ask me why I know. I just… know.]

Tarah furrowed her brows at such an admission. Still, there was no use questioning things for now.

[How about you replenish your energy first? Eat and rest some more?] Ezekiel added as a suggestion. [We can try again afterwards.]

Tarah’s shoulders slumped. He was probably right. “I’ll be going out to get a meal then,” she commented.

[You stay here. I’ll do it,] he insisted. [Just ready a fire for yourself.]

She nodded in agreement, and she promptly readied the fire while the dragon left her on her own. It was then that she recalled seeing some edible fruits not far from the entrance of the cave. As such, she walked out to get some. It was very dark out, but she managed to pick out some wild plums in her efforts.

However, Tarah failed to notice a small and deadly bug crawling on the stems of her fruits falling on her clothes.

Unaware of what happened, she hummed to herself while eating some of her plums on her way back to the cave. At the same time, Ezekiel was quick to finish his task as he came back not soon after she returned. He brought some rabbits with him, and she promptly started preparing them for roasting.

[By the way, why would Mineah need the draconite stone?] Ezekiel asked just as she started roasting the meat.

“I’m not sure, but I saw her in one of my visions. She will save you and her husband, King Nikolai,” Tarah explained while mindlessly eating more of the wild plums she found. “The vision was unclear, but I have this feeling that giving her this draconite stone would help. You see, Vulcan’s draconite can treat and absorb the deadliest poisons, and it also gives the power of invisibility to its owner.”

She casually ate some more while talking. She was truly starving for some reason, and she was exhausted as well. She yawned and then she heard Ezekiel chuckle. As such, she turned to him with a raised brow.

[You look adorable when you yawn like that,] Ezekiel teased.

Tarah blushed at the compliment. She couldn’t believe how cheeky he had become while he was in Vulcan’s dragon form. He just made her heart skip a beat again without much effort.

Before things could progress further, Tarah quickly changed the topic. “It’s cooked,” she hastily stated. “Let’s eat.”

Taking the half-cooked meat off the fire, she started eating while also giving some of it to the dragon as well. She then focused on eating, and it was then that she suddenly felt something bite her arm.

“Ouch!” Tarah grunted.

[What’s wrong?] Ezekiel asked, quickly moving his head towards her.

She raised her arm and said, “Something bit me.”

Tarah moved a bit closer to the fire to see her bite, and her eyes widened as she grabbed the small bug that was still on her skin…

“A poisonous bug…”