“I’ll wait outside.” He stepped aside, clearing the way to our quarters so we could pass, but my mate asked for him to join us.
The Elevated Warriors remained outside with Willow,while Kingston,Asher, the Truth Teller,Imogen, and I convened inside the room.
“I wasn’t able to reclaim Azazel,” Braxton admitted to Aelia immediately. “I tried my best, but Raithian’s hold on him is far too strong.”
Confusion spread over her features. “My king, I regret to admit that I am uncertain of what you mean.”
Her confusion gripped us all with that statement. “You told Braxton he would need four Dragons to face Raithian in battle,” I reminded.
“You meant Azazel, right?” my mate asked, understanding finally chasing away the Truth Teller’s puzzlement.
“Apologies, my king, but I am afraid I cannot help you. You see, the truths shared through me by theSky Godsare only meant for me to give, not to keep. Once they are heard by those meant to receive them…”
“You can’t remember them anymore,” Asher finished for her, and she nodded with regret.
“They are not my truths, and as such, I cannot hold on to them.” Her attention returned to Braxton. “But I can tell you this, Dragon King. The Dragons you need will be revealed to you when you need them. Not before, not after.”
Turning around, she began to exit the room, as though that was the last thing she had to say. Her steps abruptly halted before she crossed the threshold, and when her white gaze met ours again, her irises glowed.
“Prepare for war… It is knocking at your door.” The light receded from her gaze after the last word left her, and Aelia blinked, glancing towards Asher. “You may show me to my new quarters now, Son.”
As she disappeared into the hallway, Asher held Braxton’s shoulder in support. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.” Then walked out after her.
The burden of responsibility visibly fell over my mate, his chest widening with a steeling breath while he processed the eerie warning. Without remark, he headed to the bathroom.
Imogen, Kingston, and I exchanged a stern glance, processing the seriousness of the Truth Teller’s forewarning.
When Braxton returned, the leather bag that held the Dragon Crown was in his grasp, and Kingston silently stepped out of the room to get the sword, anticipating his king’s need.
I hated to admit it, but stress gripped my being instantly. The nerve-wracking memory of how his encounters with that thing had gone filled me with hesitation. That crown had tortured him the last time he wore it. Not the crown per se, which made it all the more frightening. His ancestors had done that to him.
“Braxton,” I began, but the firm shake of his head stopped me.
“I have to try again. I need to see if I can still connect to the crystals now that the ring is gone.”
Nodding, I steeled myself to be there for him, hearing Kingston re-enter the room. I extended a hand to him, silently asking him for the sword, then stepped closer to my mate. As I handed it over, my hands covered his, silently pleading with him to be careful.
Once his fingers curled around it, the crystals along the blade ignited, the same way his eyes did. However, his muscles didn’t seem to spasm from the onslaught of magic like they originally had.
“How does it feel?” I asked, stepping even closer.
“Mild,” he admitted, seeming troubled by it. “I think it is because I’m not wearing the ring… the current is definitely there but not as compelling as it was before.”
His words didn’t calm me much as I’d like, but I took the bag from him, throwing it aside once the crown was in my hold. Braxton slid the sword inside the scabbard on his hip, the crystal pieces remaining connected to him even after he let it go and opened both hands before me.
Please protect him…I prayed to the Celestials. I wasn’t sure I was strong enough to witness Braxton get captured by the crown’s power once more. Nevertheless, I placed it in his palms and stepped back, seeing the two crystals within the eye sockets immediately begin to glow.
Braxton fought its power, muscles tightening along his arms, but it didn’t resemble the effort it took him to get control the first time. His assessment was correct. The missing ring was affecting the connection. Unfortunately, we didn’t know whether that was a good or bad thing yet.
His arms slowly lifted it to his face, but once he put it on and the bands closed around the back of his head of their own will, everything changed. Every inch of my mate’s body went eerily still, veins protruding against his neck, and announcing the attack had begun. The more he tried to fight back, the more the tension rose in him, his form beginning to shake.
Forced breaths snuck through gritted teeth, the pressure increasing while my mate strained himself, trying to take control. Fear clawed my being when I witnessed thin trails of blood flow from his ears, pooling along his wide shoulders.
The screams were back.
I was about to shout at him to please stop when his hands snapped towards the horns of the crown. His Dragon strength took over the next second, bulking his arms and causing grey scales to partially cover his skin—just like it had when he nearly punched the life out of Lachlan. A splintered roar burst from his mouth, and he wrenched it off his head, sending it flying towards the floor.
Kingston was forced to jump out of the way when it crashed over the stone, then bounced towards the dresser, impaling itself to its side.
