The Crown's Fire - Chapter 66

Chapter 66: Life and Death Bond
“The dragon’s spirit,” Tarah breathed, her voice barely above a whisper. She couldn’t quite believe that she had successfully connected directly with the dragon spirit, bypassing both Vulcan’s soul and Ezekiel’s. This bond had been on her mind ever since she absorbed the magical scrolls, kept as a last resort should the need arise.

Taking this risk was a calculated decision, prompted by Queen Dana’s plan to expel Vulcan’s soul from Ezekiel’s body. If Queen Dana succeeded, it would drastically alter the course of events Tarah had foreseen. Ezekiel would lose the power of the dragon, and the opportunity for Devon’s demise at his hand would be compromised.

What she had done was a gamble and a risk, but Tarah felt relieved that she had managed to successfully connect with the dragon spirit directly, without Ezekiel and Vulcan’s knowledge.

‘Those two are busy fighting for dominance over Ezekiel’s body,’ she thought, ‘so no wonder I succeeded in contacting Ezekiel’s spirit.’

“Why do you want to perform a life-and-death bond, dragonrider?” the dragon spirit asked again, its voice calm.

The life-and-death bond was a very complicated type of bond that neither a dragon nor its rider would want to have. Tarah had learned of the life-and-death bond from the scroll, a technique never before attempted by any of the previous dragonriders in history. It was because the bond would elevate the dragon bond into a deeper connection, intertwining their lives in such a way that if one died, the other would follow suit.

But Tarah was not following the norm. What she was attempting to do was bind the dragon spirit directly into Ezekiel’s body, soul, and spirit.

Tarah’s voice echoed in the deafening silence as she addressed the ancient dragon spirit. “I can see how you’ve grown fond of the host you are using right now. I can also see how you are merging well with the prince’s own spirit with ease. I have this intuition that you prefer to follow Prince Ezekiel’s soul instead of Vulcan’s soul.”

As the words hung in the air, Tarah pressed on. “Prince Ezekiel has divine blood and energy flowing through him—a celestial connection like yours to the heavens. Vulcan’s soul must be destroyed, but that doesn’t mean you should be destroyed with it. So why not stay in the Prince’s body?”

The dragon spirit remained silent, its presence looming large in the darkness. Tarah sensed its scrutiny, its ancient wisdom weighing her words carefully.

“You do not answer my question, dragonrider. Why do you want to perform the life and death bond?” the dragon spirit demanded, its voice rumbling through Tarah’s mind.

Tarah drew a deep breath, gathering her resolve. “Because I want to save my brother,” she replied, her voice steady and earnest. With conviction, she channeled her visions to the dragon spirit, offering glimpses of Ezekiel’s future and how he would wield the dragon’s power for the greater good.

“You will need to sacrifice something in return dragonrider,” the dragon spirit informed. “You’re performing a bond that should be between the dragonrider and the dragon. Yet you’re not binding yourself but rather this man to the dragon spirit. The heavens will not allow such a deviation from the natural order without consequences.”

Without hesitation, Tarah met the dragon spirit’s gaze with unwavering determination. “I am willing to bear all the consequences for my actions,” she declared firmly.

“Very well then,” the dragon spirit conceded, its voice resonating with an ominous tone. “I will allow you to perform the binding, but be prepared to face the consequences from the heavens once Vulcan’s soul is expelled from this body and my spirit fully emerges into this man’s body.”

Tarah wasted no time, aware that someone might enter the Prince’s tent at any moment. She began the binding ritual, ensuring utmost confidentiality between Ezekiel’s spirit and the dragon spirit, careful not to disturb the ongoing struggle for dominance between the two souls inhabiting the body.

Though the process was swift, it drained her of nearly all her inner energy. As she completed the ritual, Tarah coughed up blood, her strength depleted. “It’s done,” she whispered with a faint smile before closing her eyes. When she reopened them, she was back to her senses.

Ezekiel’s body still glowed faintly before her, and Tarah wiped the blood from her lips. She gazed at Ezekiel’s face, whispering, “I’m truly sorry.” Her desperation to save her brother led her to manipulate the fate of the man before her.

Yet, amidst her guilt, she found solace in the belief that her actions would contribute to Ezekiel’s future as a powerful and successful ruler, uniting all kingdoms.

As the glow faded from Ezekiel’s body, Tarah released a heavy sigh. She reached for her journal and began documenting everything that had transpired. Ezekiel needed to be informed of what she had done. However, as she started to detail her conversation with the dragon spirit, she hesitated.

“Should I also include the consequences I may face from the heavens?” Tarah murmured, furrowing her brow. “He should be aware that I will face punishment, at least then he’ll understand the gravity of my actions,” she reasoned aloud. Somehow, she felt Ezekiel wouldn’t harbor as much resentment toward her if he knew she would be punished by the heavens.

Tarah’s shoulders slumped as she pondered what form her punishment might take. What consequences had the dragon spirit hinted at? She didn’t dare ask, knowing it was beyond the dragon spirit’s knowledge, because it was something determined by the will of the heavens. Those consequences would only reveal themselves when the time came.

The dragon spirit mentioned that she had to sacrifice something… But what could it be? One thing Tarah was certain of: the heavens wouldn’t take her life, otherwise, the dragon spirit would have made that clear. No, the implication was punishment of some sort.

“I need to inform Asura and Luis about this so they can look after Levi if I face severe punishment from the heavens,” Tarah muttered to herself.

“As long as Levi remains safe and can live a normal life, I don’t care what happens to me,” Tarah muttered. She no longer lived for herself, feeling as though she had died the day Devon killed her parents and claimed her as his possession. Levi was her sole reason for continuing to fight, keeping her anchored to life and hopeful for a better future ahead.