CHAPTER 177: BLADE

Ariston

Drakkar shifted slightly on the bed beside me and reached into the inside of his coat. For a moment, I thought he was grabbing a handkerchief, or maybe a flask—something simple. But what he pulled out gleamed dimly in the candlelight.

A small blade.

Its edge was curved like a fang, the handle wrapped in leather so dark it was nearly black. The metal of the blade shimmered with a hue I couldn’t quite place—something between silver and opal, like it didn’t belong in this world.

He held it out to me.

I stared at it, then at him. "What is this?"

Drakkar’s eyes narrowed faintly as he looked down at the blade. "No one knows about it," he said, quiet but steady. "But that blade is made from my birth scale."

!!!

My breath caught.

"You—" I blinked, eyes shooting back to the weapon in my hand. "You mean... your birth scale? As in the one that is extracted from your heart?" I had heard about it from the Princess. Draegon had given her his birth scale right after they got married.

As a symbol of loyalty and that he would never betray her. But his was still in it’s raw form.

He nodded once. "Yes."

I didn’t touch it. Not yet. Just stared at it like it was a live thing.

"But—" I hesitated, frowning, "isn’t a dragon’s birth scale... the one way to kill them?"

Drakkar’s lips curved into a humorless smile. "Exactly."

The weight of the blade suddenly felt heavier even though I hadn’t picked it up.

"Why would you give me this?" I asked, voice sharp now, heart twisting at the implication.

He didn’t flinch. "Because I trust you."

I stared at him.

"This blade is the only thing that can truly kill me," he continued. "It’s a part of me. You asked once why I never fear getting too close to you. This is why." He nodded toward the blade. "If the day ever comes when you doubt me, when you think I’m not who I say I am... then you’ll have this. Your hand will be the one to end it. No one else."

My heart trembled at his words

My throat tightened. "Drakkar..."

"I’m not Rael," he said before I could spiral deeper. "And I’m not going to leave."

The words hit harder than they should have. Like some forgotten part of me had been holding its breath for years, waiting for something like this. Something real.

Drakkar

"If you want some kind of proof," I said, voice low, "proof that my feelings for you will never change, and that I want you in my life—then I want you to have this."

Ariston’s eyes flicked from the blade to my face, dark and unreadable. "Are you stupid?"

I blinked. "Excuse me?"

"Why would you get your birth scale morphed into a blade?"

"Well," I paused, "I thought no one would be able to tell it’s my birth scale if it’s in that form."

He shook his head at me, "You really are stupid."

"Well pardon me," I replied

He stared at the blade like it might bite him. "Why would you give me something like that? I could stab you with it right now."

I gave a faint smirk, despite the heat that bloomed uncomfortably in my chest. "You could," I said, "or maybe you’ll be pleased enough with it that you keep it safe and give me a kiss."

The smirk barely had time to settle on my lips before he raised the blade.

Fast. Sharp. Real.

My heart skipped—this is fine—and I didn’t summon my dragon scales over my skin. Didn’t put up a defense. I just closed my eyes and winced, jaw tight, bracing for the blow. It wouldn’t be much. Just a moment of pain, and maybe—

Nothing.

The steel never touched me.

Instead... warmth. I felt something very warm.

I felt his hand, calloused and steady yet soft, cup my cheek gently.

Then lips. Soft and cautious. Slowly they pressed onto mine.

For a second, I thought I imagined it. But then his breath passed over my mouth, and it was real. Every inch of it was real.

My eyes flew open and I looked at him.

He was still close, the smallest smile tugging at the corners of his lips. I could still feel his warm breath on my lips, he hadn’t moved away from me. His hand still on my cheek, his thumb softly rubbing my skin

"Thank you," he said quietly.

The blade now rested in his lap, untouched. But the way he looked at me—it hit deeper than anything else tonight.

I couldn’t breathe for a second. My heart flipped like a coin tossed in the air because this was the softest Ariston had ever been.

I had never seen this side to him

And I felt like I would just stop existing

Not because I was afraid, but because for once... he let me in.

***

Draegon

My eyes darted across the page.

And then I found the line.

My heart dropped like a stone.

"The Queen has been taken to the Muriel Forest. Both the kidnapper... and the true mastermind... are waiting. Along with an abyss ritual site."

Silence fell heavy in the room.

"Muriel..." I repeated under my breath, my voice low.

Vesper stepped closer. "Is that...?"

"A dense maze-like place," I said, still staring at the letter. "People don’t willingly set foot in it. Since many people who can’t fly end up getting lost and die there." I sighed, "Plus, it’s in the outskirts of the country, far from here."

I clenched the letter in my fist.

Draken looked to me, eyes sharp. "Your orders?"

My blood was boiling, but my voice came out calm. Cold.

"I’ll head there myself"

Vesper opened his mouth like he wanted to protest—likely to remind me I hadn’t rested, hadn’t eaten—but one look shut him up.

"I’m bringing her back," I said, turning toward the window.

The clouds outside hadn’t moved.

"We’ll go with you." Draken said and Vesper agreed.