Bound To The Ice Dragon King
Chapter 80: Who are you?

Chapter 80: Who are you?

In the span of two days, Rhea and Draven remained confined in The Den Of Pleasure as they couldn’t go back to release the dragons after they’d alerted Alina. During this time, Rhea noticed a change in Draven’s behavior towards her, but she chose not to let it bother her since she preferred his avoidance. However, on the second night, Aria sent the antidote to Rhea.

Rhea was filled with excitement as she eagerly anticipated taking the antidote. She longed to be free from her uncontrollable feelings for Draven, as the potion not only caused desire but also strange emotions towards him. She couldn’t wait to eliminate every single one of those feelings. Even if she’d give her heart to someone, it would be Azure. It wasn’t like Draven had any interest in her anyway; she just didn’t want to feel anything for that cold-hearted dragon again.

Rhea’s only plan was to assist Draven in reclaiming his dragon form, then ask him for a divorce, so they could go their separate ways. Afterward, she could freely return to the Villden mansion and continue being the disgraceful daughter of the Villden household, while she would go back to admiring Azure, just as she did before. However...

Why did the thought of parting ways with Draven and going back to such life not sit well with her anymore? Rhea pondered, but swiftly dismissed these thoughts and consumed the antidote. The coldness of the liquid coursed through her veins. Yet, she wasn’t certain if it had worked or not.

"I can only determine its effectiveness by looking at that dragon," she whispered to herself. However, she hadn’t seen Draven all day; she had even inquired with the other women in the building, but none of them had seen him either. Furthermore, it was already late at night, where could he have gone to? Didn’t he know to get back after seeing the sky turn dark?

"If he finds himself in trouble, it is not my responsibility to help him out again." she declared and climbed into bed. Nevertheless, her heart felt uneasy. She sat back up again,"Why would he venture out without informing me? This man is so irrational!"

Rhea waited for his return until midnight, however she could no longer keep her eyes open and ended up falling asleep in an uncomfortable position. The next time she opened her eyes, it was already morning and yet, Draven wasn’t in the room. She didn’t have time to think when she heard a knock on the door.

Rhea quickly strode to the door and found Aria’s maid who informed her, "Miss, madame Aria is asking for you in her room."

"Okay, I’ll be there in a moment," she said, rushing back inside to wash her face and mouth before heading to Aria’s room. Just as she was about to leave, she bumped into Draven, who had just returned from wherever he had been the whole of yesterday. She was about to ask him where he had been, but stopped when she saw his condition. His complexion looked pale and unhealthy, and he had dark circles under his eyes as if he hadn’t slept at all. She couldn’t help but notice his worn-out coat, which was nothing like the expensive one he wore as Jurian. He had even lost weight...

Rhea felt her heart tighten in her chest. How could a king be reduced to this state? However, despite all of this, he still looked handsome to her. Rhea was about to speak again when she caught a glimpse of his eyes flickering from blue to black. It happened so quickly that she almost thought she imagined it. But because she had been staring at his eyes for a while, her face slowly began to blush. She immediately looked away and clenched her teeth.

"Why hasn’t this stupid potion worn off even after I took the antidote..."

Draven heard her words, his tired eyes rested briefly on her flushed face, but he looked away with no reaction and asked, "Where are you going to?" His voice sounded low and tired.

Rhea wanted to ask what was wrong with him, but decided not to, and instead avoided his gaze while saying, "Are you still worried that I’ll leave you behind? If I wanted to leave, I’d have left yesterday when you disappeared to who knows where," she said, then added, "I was about to go and meet Aria, but you came back right on time, let’s go together to save me the trouble of repeating the conversation to you later."

Draven nodded before following behind Rhea to head to Aria’s room.

Aria, who was reading through another report smiled immediately she saw the pair enter her room. She then waved a parchment to Rhea, "I have another news about Alina!"

Hearing that, Rhea turned to look at Draven to see if he’d react at the mention of Alina, but his expression was placid with no emotion. She then asked Aria, "What’s the news about her?"

"Alina’s lover had a heart attack after he tried to take his own life but was saved by Alina. His heart condition has worsened for some reasons these days, where he even struggles to breathe."

Rhea’s eyes widened, "Is he going to die?"

"No, fortunately Alina won’t even let him die, she has been trying her best to save him. However, his condition is beyond her powers to cure, almost all the royal doctors were sent to attend to him, but yet there’s no improvement, so Alina took him away to a place no one knows. Currently, she’s out of the capital city with Enzo."

Hearing this part of the news, Rhea’s expression brightened up, "This is a great opportunity. With Alina out of the city, we can make another plan to get into the building, right?"

Aria lightly chuckled, "Of course."

Rhea was going to speak, but Draven cut in, "With Alina’s absence, will the elixirs still be produced in the building?"

"Yes, it can’t stop, because many nobles have paid in advance. But Lord Edmund will be the one to be in charge in her absence."

Draven nodded his head in understanding. Since the elixirs were still being produced, then his dragon powers would still be in that building. He could tell why Alina kept a close eyes on that establishment herself, she had been alarmed of his return, and knew he was after all the things she took away from him decades ago. She must have known through the seal he broke in the border town, thus she kept a close watch. However, this time, since it had something to do with that man, she didn’t hesitate to leave.

Without her, taking his powers wouldn’t be that hard. Furthermore, he knew exactly where she kept it in the building. If he took away his dragon powers, there’d be no other ways for humans to make those elixirs again.

With that thought, Draven exchanged glance with Rhea, who offered him a nod as if she understood exactly what he was thinking. It was strange how they both had a tacit understanding of each other at times. However, he could no longer delay in getting back his complete form, his corrupted heart had surprisingly acted up after the day Rhea transferred her aura to his body, it was like her energy had awaken his corrupted heart again.

Last night, he hadn’t been around because of that, he didn’t want to go savage in the presence of people, thus he left the building and spent the night wandering around like a lost soul until he found an animal and fed on its blood to suppress the pain caused from the corruption.

If he continued on like this without his complete form and a corrupted heart, it would only be a matter of months before he’d turn savage. Only Rhea’s blood could suppress his corruption faster than anything, but...

Draven dismissed the thought for now and focused on their current situation of getting back his powers.

Rhea spoke, "Since we can’t use the help of the ghosts to distract the guards, Aria, do you have another way for us to step in tonight?"

Aria smiled, "Worry not, my friend. Your Aria got you covered, I have made some arrangements for you two." She said before pulling out two passing cards containing the Emperor’s seal on them from her dress pockets.

Rhea’s eyes widened in astonishment. These cards weren’t easily obtained, only few officials in Birhhan had this passing card, and with it, one could enter any restricted establishment in the capital. "Aria, you...you are amazing!"

Aria wiggled her eyebrows at Rhea’s comment, "That I am. Take the cards, and show it to anyone who stops you from entering the building. You can even enter in broad daylight without any worry. But make sure to avoid Lord Edmund as much as possible."

Rhea eagerly took the cards from Aria, "Oh Heavens, why wasn’t I born a male? Aria, when the day comes that I magically transform into a man, I will arrive in a grand carriage to ask for your hand in marriage!" Rhea declared dramatically, causing Draven to glance at her with a raised brow. But he wasn’t expecting to witness her embracing the cards with a joyful expression like that of a child. She appeared incredibly content, with a wide smile on her face revealing her front bunny teeth.

Before he could look away from Rhea, she shoved one of the cards into his hand and warned, "Make sure not to lose it, hold on to it tight."

Really...did she think he was as childish as she was?

Rhea turned to Aria and sincerely said, "Thank you soo much, Aria. This will help us a lot. We will take our leave now to go and prepare."

They couldn’t waste anymore time now that Alina was out of the city. Furthermore, she hadn’t eaten yet nor taken her bath. With that thought, Rhea hurriedly hopped out of the room like a child eager to open a present. Draven was about to follow her when he heard Aria’s voice from behind.

"Your majesty,"

Draven froze on the spot, he hadn’t heard anyone address him with such a title for over decades. He turned slowly towards Aria, his face contorted in a deep frown of suspicion, and asked, "Who are you?"