The Crown's Fire - Chapter 71

Chapter 71: Sworn Brothers
“Son!”

Ezekiel smiled as soon as he saw his mother rushing toward him. She smiled at him before enveloping him in a tight embrace.

“Mother,” Ezekiel murmured, returning the hug with equal warmth. It had been too long since he last held her like this, and he cherished the moment as much as he could. “I’m truly sorry for keeping you all in the dark about my situation.”

His mother pulled back slightly, her expression a mix of relief and reproach. “Your father will be furious once he learns of this, but thankfully, everything is well now,” she chided gently, pushing him away slightly. “Do you realize the amount of worry you put us through? No matter the circumstances, you mustn’t shoulder your burdens alone. We are your family, and we’ll always have each other’s backs.”

Ezekiel nodded earnestly, understanding the gravity of his mother’s words. However, her stern gaze softened as she continued, “I’ll be deeply disappointed if something like this happens again.”

Ezekiel chuckled with a mischievous glint in his eye. “Ah, mother, please don’t make me promise. You know me too well,” he teased, offering a playful wink. “But to ease your worries, I’ll do my best to avoid causing trouble like this in the future.”

His mother sighed, a faint smile playing on her lips. “You… Anyway, how are you feeling now?” she inquired, scanning their surroundings before adding, “And where is Tarah?”

“She excused herself to practice some spells,” Ezekiel replied.

“She’s certainly dedicated then,” Queen Dana nodded thoughtfully. “I’ve heard she’s striving to perfect the teleportation spell. Being from Zion, she likely comes from a family of mages, given her aptitude for learning. And with the dragonrider bloodline running through her veins, she possesses quite the formidable combination of potential skills and abilities.”

Ezekiel remained silent, feeling his mother squeeze his hand gently before delivering the news. “I was unable to expel Vulcan’s soul from your body,” she admitted solemnly.

He let out a heavy sigh, his expression weighed down with resignation. “It’s likely because its spirit has been merging with mine. Expelling it now would be difficult,” he explained. “I’m not entirely sure how things unfolded within me, but I do feel more powerful than before, Mother. Vulcan’s soul remains dormant for now, but I know the dragon is merely biding its time, waiting for another opportunity to seize control.”

Despite everything, Ezekiel couldn’t shake the thought that the dragon might attempt to exploit his vulnerabilities once again, particularly his deep desire for Tarah. This time, however, he felt more confident, especially after having learned from his past mistakes. He was determined to ensure that Vulcan’s soul would be the one expelled from his body once and for all.

“We’ll proceed with the expulsion once its spirit has fully merged with mine,” Ezekiel informed her. “It might be difficult to predict how long that will take, but I’ll be able to sense once it’s complete.”

Queen Dana furrowed her brow, her concern evident. “That’s rather unusual… I’ve never heard of a dragon’s spirit choosing to merge with its host’s spirit instead of remaining with its soul. It seems unnatural, unless…”

She trailed off, her thoughts drifting to a troubling possibility.

“Unless what, Mother?” Ezekiel asked, his brow furrowing with concern.

“Unless a ritual has been performed, but you’re… Only Tarah and I remained with you, Son,” Queen Dana responded, her voice tinged with worry. “And why would she undertake such a drastic ritual without informing me beforehand? What if something were to go wrong and-”

“Mother…” Ezekiel gently interrupted, placing a comforting hand on her arm. “Let’s not speculate for now. I’ll speak with Tarah about this matter later, so please try not to worry too much. I’ll handle it with the utmost care, alright? You look rather pale, and I’m aware of how hard you’ve been working lately.”

He gave her a reassuring smile as he added, “Why don’t you return to your tent to rest some more? I’ll need to see Atlas and Elijah as well anyway. They deserve to know what’s been happening with me lately.”

Queen Dana took a deep breath before letting out a breath of resignation as she nodded. “I understand. Those two have been deeply concerned about you as well,” she agreed. “I’ll inform the servants outside to attend to your needs for now. I’ll have them call for Atlas and Elijah as well. In the meantime, I’ll go ahead and rest…”

The queen then left, and before long, Elijah burst into the tent while being followed closely by Atlas.

“Your Highness!” Elijah cried out, rushing forward to envelop Ezekiel in a tight embrace. “Oh, you’re finally awake! We’ve all been so worried! How could you disappear for days like that?”

Ezekiel squirmed in Elijah’s grasp, a hint of amusement in his voice. “I can’t breathe, Elijah! Let me go! You’re clinging onto me like a lovesick maiden!”

“Can you blame me? You’re like a brother to me, and I’ve missed you terribly, your Highness!” Elijah retorted with a snort, finally releasing Ezekiel from the embrace. “This is the first time that we also missed to celebrate your birthday. Instead of enjoying drinks together, you ended up missing and making us worry to death!”

Ezekiel winced as he let off a sheepish smile. Indeed, it had been his thirtieth birthday the day he inadvertently shifted into Vulcan’s dragon form.

Shaking his head, he clicked his tongue in reproach at Elijah. “Who would dare celebrate a birthday during these times of war, huh?” he chided.

Atlas, ever composed, interrupted and greeted the prince with a formal bow. “Welcome back, your Highness.”

Ezekiel rolled his eyes, casting a playful jab at Elijah. “Can’t you be more dignified like Atlas here?”

Elijah shot Atlas a sideways glance before bursting into laughter. “Nah! I’d rather be myself than some boring nobleman like him!” he exclaimed with a grin.

“You!” Atlas exclaimed, his hand poised to swat Elijah’s head, but the man swiftly evaded the blow.

Before things could escalate, Ezekiel intervened by stepping onto a nearby chair. “You two, save your banter for later and take a seat. I have important matters to discuss with you,” he commanded firmly.

As soon as the two sat in front of him, Ezekiel let out a deep sigh, steeling himself for what he was about to reveal. “I trust you two. And as my sworn brothers, I believe you deserve to know what’s truly going on with me…”

He paused as he gathered his thoughts, his gaze steady as he met the expectant looks of the two men before him. “The dragon is within me,” he began, his voice grave. “Vulcan’s soul resides in my body.”