Bound To The Ice Dragon King
Chapter 221: Sacrifices

Chapter 221: Sacrifices

Rhea’s footsteps echoed in the crisp evening air as she hurriedly left their house, the thick snow muffling each step she took. Following Draven’s footprint in the snow, she strained to catch up. The cold wind hit her face as she ran toward the frozen forest, her breath visible in the icy night.

As she closed in, Rhea could hear his footsteps growing fainter, and panic gripped her. She was panting heavily. In her current condition, she wasn’t supposed to be running like this, but then how could she stand back when something wasn’t right with Draven?

Rhea increased her pace as she caught a glimpse of his figure, she couldn’t see his face, but she sensed him avoiding her. The more she increased her pace, the more he also increased his pace. He really was avoiding her, a painful realization of the distance growing between them.

Rhea was suddenly fueled by anger and concern. She thought of the trials they’d faced together in life, like walking through a volcanic hell. They had both gone through hell on Earth. But today, he was eluding her and making her run this much. Frustration boiled within her.

With a commanding voice, she shouted, "Stop right there, El-Dezeus! If you dare take another step forward, find another bed to sleep on tonight!" The threat hung in the frozen air, and Draven immediately halted in his tracks.

A satisfied smile crossed Rhea’s face as she ordered, "Turn around and walk back to me."

If there was one thing she knew about the man she’d married, he wouldn’t be able to sleep without holding her to sleep or being intimate with her. He was like a hungry beast that never had enough in bed.

Draven hesitated before complying, his reluctance evident as he walked slowly back to her.

Shock flashed through Rhea as she noticed the changes in him. His once blue eyes were now a deep, unsettling red, and sharp fangs peeked out from the sides of his mouth. She approached him in wonderment, her hand reaching up to trace the outline of his fangs. His breath hitched at her touch.

In a soft, bewildered tone, Rhea asked, "What happened to you, Draven?"

Draven attempted to reassure Rhea, his voice strained, "I’m fine. Just a minor... hiccup" Before he could finish speaking, he clenched his jaw, suppressing a cry of pain.

Rhea noticed a faint red light emanated from his chest, crawling up to his face, leaving a burned mark on his right cheek. It looked like the light was burning him internally, but then he suppressed his pains by clenching his jaw. And a painful realization suddenly dawned on Rhea as she watched him; he didn’t want her to see his pain...

Seeing his struggles to hide it from her, Rhea chose to ignore his pain, pretending not to notice to make him feel better. She smiled and playfully widened his eyes with her fingers, claiming, "I just want a good look at those cute red eyes of yours." Giggling, she ran her fingers along the tips of his fangs.

Draven managed a smile, thinking Rhea didn’t notice how much the serpent core was affecting him. The more she didn’t know, the better it was. He saw as she was enjoying the playful moment of admiring his eyes and fangs. He then asked, "Do you like my new look?"

Rhea, masking her true feelings, nodded and smiled, replying, "Yes, I like it."

She glanced into the unfamiliar red eyes that looked down at her, and asked, "Will they stay red forever?"

Draven assured her, "No, just temporary. After my battle with Erebus, I’ll remove the core and everything will be back to normal." He caressed her cheek tenderly, "I am just trying to get used to the changes in my body, in a few months before Erebus shows up, I will have gotten used to the core and get the hang of its powers."

Rhea nodded, refraining herself from asking about his pain or why he was running away from her. If Draven would be satisfied knowing she didn’t know anything about that thing in his body, then she would let him think so, she wouldn’t disappoint him by breaking his bubbles. She would pretend not to notice anything.

After a pause, Draven spoke again, "Go back home. I will come back later after I am done here. I need more time to practice in a quiet place."

As Draven turned to leave, Rhea swiftly wrapped her arms around his waist from behind. He stiffened, "What are you doing?" He asked softly.

Tears welled in Rhea’s eyes as she shook her head, saying, "Nothing. I just felt like hugging you." Despite the unspoken concerns lingering in her mind, she held onto him, silently yearning for a life where they wouldn’t have to worry or fear about what the future held in store for them.

Draven placed his hands against hers on his waist. Rhea noticed how even his body temperature had changed, his hands felt hot against her cold once. He ran his fingers along her wrists. After a moment of silently embracing him, Draven finally patted her hands and urged, "Release me, my love. I must practice more. Go home."

However, when Rhea didn’t release her grip, Draven gently untangled her arms from around his waist. He couldn’t face her directly due to his pain, so he muttered, "I’ll leave first," before hurriedly walking away into the forest.

Rhea stood motionless, watching him retreat. Without exchanging any further words, she swiftly turned and made her way back. Instead of returning to their residence, she headed straight to the palace.

Rhea strode confidently through the palace corridors, the guards paying her little attention. As she reached the throne chamber, the imposing doors swung open effortlessly, revealing the grandeur within. The guards stationed near the entrance remained stoic, their gazes fixed ahead.

King Henry stood before his wife’s huge portrait in the throne hall, his back turned to the entrance. Before Rhea could utter a word, he spoke with a deep resonance, "I knew you would come."

Rhea was taken aback by his words. The King seemed to be anticipating her visit. And knowing that, Rhea wasted no time and asked directly, "You have fought Erebus in the past, what are the chances of Draven’s victory against him with the serpent’s core?"

The king, still gazing at his wife’s portrait, replied coldly, "None."

Rhea felt a chill run down her spine, her expectations shattered.

"Why, then, did you let Draven risk his life to get the serpent core if his chances were none?" she questioned, her voice revealing her frustration.

King Henry remained motionless for a moment before slowly turning to look at her. His eyes, stern and unwavering, met hers, and he spoke with a gravity that matched the weight of the revelation, "I wouldn’t have suggested him to take the serpent core if he wasn’t so insistent in not taking his."

King Henry’s voice softened as he continued, "You must have also seen how powerful Erebus is the day he took you. Once he sets on doing something, he wouldn’t give up until he got that thing."

Rhea stayed silent for a moment before she inquired, "What would be the outcome if Draven fails to defeat Erebus?"

"If Draven is unsuccessful in defeating him, then the world will crumble under the powers of Erebus. None of us possess the abilities to fight him; only Draven has that power. However, without his core, he stands no chance of winning this battle."

Rhea’s hopes were shattered. The fate of the world rested on Draven’s success, and if he failed, everything would fall apart.

"Rheanna," King Henry addressed her gently, "I know it may seem inconsiderate of me to mention this, considering your pregnancy. But I apologize, in this situation, your husband will need his core to save the world."

Rhea was taken aback that the king was aware of her pregnancy. But then it was only natural that he would notice, considering his late wife had been pregnant several times. Only Draven didn’t know of the pregnancy aura. Nevermind, she understood King Henry’s meaning even without him explicitly stating it. She knew what she had to do. She had to sacrifice her own life and the life of her child to save the world.

"May I have some more time to think about it?" she asked softly.

King Henry nodded. They were not in a rush; they still had a few months before Erebus would return.

Rhea trudged wearily back to their house, her worst fear suddenly becoming a reality. Deep down, she had known that this seemingly perfect life couldn’t last. She had sensed that something would ultimately strip away everything they had strived so hard to have, and now it had arrived. The blissful home they had created for themselves was destined for ruin, just as she had feared.

A heavy feeling settled in Rhea’s heart, her eyes welled up with tears, and a lump formed in her throat, making it difficult to swallow. She walked into their room, closed the door behind her, and sadly surveyed the surroundings. Her tear-filled gaze landed on the large portrait hanging in the room. Draven had surprised her with it the day before her birthday, capturing a moment from their wedding day.

In the portrait, Draven had his arm around her waist, while she looked up at him with a smile. Rhea hadn’t even known that someone was capturing their image until he presented it to her that night.

"Oh my goodness!" Rhea had exclaimed when she first laid eyes on the portrait.

"Do you like it?" Draven had asked, holding it up for her to see.

"I love it! I always wanted a portrait of myself in the Villden mansion, but my family never included me when they had theirs done. It’s beautiful!" she had exclaimed, and her husband had smiled, saying, "From now on, you won’t have to worry about being left out. In the future, we’ll have even more portraits, perhaps not just of you and me, but with our little ones."

As Rhea remembered the day, she smiled bitterly and pressed a hand to her stomach. Yeah, their child. If only they had no burden and her lifeline wasn’t hanging with the core, they would have been preparing to celebrate her pregnancy. But now...

"We have to sacrifice our life for the world..." She smiled down at her flat stomach.

"Who are you talking to?"

Rhea swirled around at the voice of Draven.