Bound To The Ice Dragon King
Chapter 142: Wait for me...

Chapter 142: Wait for me...

Deep in the middle of the night, Rhea dreamed of Draven again, just like the last time, he was sitting in front of her on the ground. He sat there accompanying her in silence. Rhea was in her vulnerable state, where she let herself cry and speak anything that came to mind out. She was even holding tightly to his hand and was complaining about her pain.

She hugged his hand to her burning chest, "Draven... it hurts so much, it’s tearing apart my bones, I feel like I’ll die from this pain."

Her words caused Draven’s eyebrows to furrow, but he didn’t respond, only staring at her. After a long moment of silence, where Rhea’s sobs filled the void, he finally spoke.

"Rheanna, do you regret meeting me and defying the laws of humanity?" He inquired softly.

Despite Rhea’s confused and cluttered mind, she didn’t hesitate to vigorously shake her head. "No, no regrets. I don’t regret breaking the laws or meeting you."

If Draven had posed this question months ago, when she still blindly believed in Azure and despised Draven, she would have confessed that he was her biggest regret. However, she now realized that knowing him was the best thing that had ever happened to her.

Although she didn’t have many pleasant memories with Draven, she didn’t regret encountering him and aiding him. Without him, she would still be living in darkness, believing the lies the fire controllers were feeding the people about outcasts. She would still idolize Azure and forever see all outcasts as monsters. Moreover, she wouldn’t have recognized the extent of her own kind’s hatred and mistreatment towards her, their treatment towards her in the past was no different from how an outcast would be treated...

Her only regret now was ever becoming acquainted with Azure and placing her trust in him in the past.

The corners of Draven’s mouth quirked up. He didn’t talk anymore and continued to silently keep her company until she fell back into a deep sleep.

Days passed by, and every morning Rhea’s punishment never stopped. Her body continued to grow weaker each day, she no longer had the strength to speak or cry. She almost looked like a living skeleton from how much she’d lost weight, her clothes looked all torn and covered in dried blood.

Every night, Delia would bring her food just like that night, however Rhea no longer had the strength to even eat again. She couldn’t sit up to see what was in the basket, she could only smell the food. At this point, even the aroma of the food made her feel like throwing up.

"Rhea, if you continue like this without eating, you will soon be beaten to death." Delia whispered from above.

Right. She wanted to die, Rhea thought. She didn’t want to live through this pain. What was the use of enduring the pain when there was no hope of escaping, and no hope of being saved by someone? She couldn’t save herself in this condition, enduring it and fighting death was only pointless without hope.

Rhea didn’t even look at the food, instead she closed her tired eyes and pretended like she hadn’t heard what her sister said.

"Rhea," Delia whispered, "Cal is still doing his best to beg the Emperor on your behalf. He has been kneeling outside the palace since last night, seeking an audience with the Emperor, but the Emperor has been ignoring him. Please eat something for his sake."

Upon hearing Delia’s words, Rhea’s lips curled into a faint smile.

Cal was attempting to plead for her with the Emperor, but she already knew that there was nothing he could do to change his mind. At this point, only Alina and Azure had the power to make the Emperor reconsider. However, Rhea would rather die than accept mercy from Azure or Alina.

Rhea closed her eyes and remained silent, refusing to respond to her sister.

Delia sighed as she observed Rhea, curled up in a ball and showing no interest in the food. With no other choice, she withdrew the basket of food but stayed looking down at her.

"Rhea, in the past... I used to be jealous of you whenever Cal favored you over us, and when we grew apart, I saw you as an enemy. I despised you so much because I believed you were trying to ruin my appearance to Cal, and I didn’t trust anything you said about some ghost trying to strangle me, because I believed you made up the story. All I thought was that you wanted Cal for yourself. But now, I realize how foolish I was to hate you. I allowed Zoorah to manipulate me into despising you, but I promise you, I will make things right. I will beg Father to speak with the Emperor, and we will help you escape this predicament. Just hold on and stay alive."

Rhea still didn’t reply, she laid there motionless with silent tears streaming down her cheeks. She no longer cared if she lived or die, because she knew none of them could help her out of this place. Furthermore, since Draven had not showed up here to try to save her, it only meant he hadn’t survived in that lava. It has been almost a week now, but there was no sign of him, perhaps...

Perhaps the Draven she saw in her dreams was actually a ghost, maybe he died in that lava and now his ghost came to visit her every night. If he was actually dead, then there was no point of fighting to stay alive. If she fought to survive, where would she return to?

It was hopeless...so hopeless. Without Draven, she realized she had nothing else to make her want to survive, she had taken his revange as hers and looked forward to it. Now that he was no more, then she no longer cared about living or dying. Her tears continued to stream out, her shoulders were shaking from her sobs.

Another three days passed, and Rhea’s punishment went on without mercy, even though she looked almost dead. Her flesh was already sticking to her bones, her silver hair sticky with blood, her skin looked so unhealthily pale, her eyes completely lifeless. She was alive, yet her soul was dead.

Rhea lacked any thoughts, as if she had exhausted all her tears. Suddenly, one night she made the decision to end her life by removing the core from her body. With a stone possessing a sharp edge, she prepared to plunge it into her chest, when she was startled by a cold sensation suddenly emanating from the stagnant core.

Such icy feeling only occurred when Draven attempted to communicate with her through their connection.

Rhea, who had let herself sink into grief and hopelessness, suddenly felt herself come alive with that cold feeling. It spread through her entire body easing up her burning flesh.

"Rheanna?" Draven’s voice resounded in her mind, but this time, she was certain it wasn’t a figment of her dreams. His voice was crystal clear, akin to when they communicated through their connection. However, his tone possessed an uncharacteristic tenderness, offering reassurance as he spoke.

"Rheanna, if you can hear me, please don’t give up," his voice echoed in her mind, "I will come get you soon, endure a little longer. Wait for me..."

Those words acted as a supportive hand and reinvigorated her spirit. She didn’t even realize when the stone slipped from her grasp.

"Draven?" She called out twice, but he had already severed the connection. She wanted to inquire about his whereabouts and well-being, but the connection had vanished. Nonetheless, she was relieved to know he was alive, and grateful for the chilly sensation within her. She collapsed back onto the ground and drifted back to sleep.

However, Rhea’s sleep didn’t last before she felt her chains being tugged upwards. She didn’t even bother to open her eyes and waited for the whip to descend on her. Nevertheless, this time, the whip hadn’t descended yet when one of Azure’s men came running into the execution center. He was urgently calling,

"Lord Azure!" His voice was filled with panic and anxiousness. Rhea couldn’t help but open her eyes at his panicked voice. Today, no one came to watch her get whipped, only Azure and the soldiers were around.

The man who ran in quickly bowed to Azure, "My Lord, there has been an unexpected attack on the entire human realm. Last night, the Dragon army passed through the borders, they rained ice on the towns close to the borders. The fire controllers are doing their best to stop them, but they are too much. We’ve lost a lot of people." He spoke in one breath, "Another message just came in right now that few of the Dragons are headed to the capital of Birhhan at this moment!"

Azure’s brows snapped together in displeasure. He muttered a few curses and ran his hands through his thick locks. Although, the Dragons had declared war, they hadn’t acted yet, and he hadn’t expected them to do so now.

The man continued to report, "Lady Credan is on her way back to the capital, she sent a letter saying she wants to hold a meeting immediately she arrives. And she wants you and the others in her residence before afternoon."

Alina had taken her lover away for a month now, nobody knew where she’d been, but now that she was coming back only meant it had something to do with the war.

Azure dropped the whip and turned to one of the men standing beside him, "Have Larry take over the punishment for today, and make sure Oriana supervises until I return. I may not be back today, so instruct them to handle everything in my absence."

The guard bowed and departed to carry out his instructions. Azure then shifted his attention to Rhea, but chose not to say anything to her before teleporting away.

Before long, Oriana arrived with Larry, a muscular man with long blonde hair. He effortlessly lifted the whip and began the punishment. However, as he saw Rhea’s torn skin, he hesitated. Oriana, who stood nearby, shouted, "Why are you hesitating? Just get on with it, you idiot!"

Oriana was already irritated that Rhea was still alive after more than a week. She was supposed to be dead, but the stubborn woman had managed to survive. Since Azure was away, Oriana planned to personally kill Rhea tonight, as it seemed the punishments were not effective enough in ending her life.