Chapter 9

DIANA

The silence of Volkar at night was almost suffocating.

I stared up at the canopy of the bed, my eyes wide awake. I had slept through the entire day to make up for the grueling journey from the central palace, but now, my body was restless.

I didn't know if I was restless because I wasn't sleepy anymore or because of the strange pull that had been tugging at my chest since my family and I arrived at the dragon kingdom.

I closed my eyes, trying to force myself back to sleep, but the image from my dream flashed in my mind again.

In the dream, I had been standing in a storm of snow, but I wasn't cold. A man had stepped out of the fog and stretched out his frosted hand to caress my cheek.

I should have frozen at his touch. I should have screamed, but it didn't feel cold at all. Instead I felt a comforting heat spread through my skin.

I had woken up immediately, touching my cheek and weirdly, it felt warm.

Sighing, I pushed the covers off my body.

“Creator,” I muttered under my breath.

Maybe this palace was finally driving me insane.

The fire near the wall had burned low, covering the room in low shadows. Through the open doorway leading to the adjoining chamber, I could see Sarah and Mina asleep under their blankets.

My bare feet touched the cold floor as I wrapped a shawl around my shoulders before pushing the doors.

The two warriors stationed outside immediately straightened.

"You are supposed to be sleeping, Your Highness. The fortress is dangerous at night." one of the warriors said as he looked at my bare feet, then back up at my pale face.

I forced a smile on my lips, though my hands trembled at my sides.

"Thank you," I whispered. "I know. But I am restless, and I just need some fresh air."

The warrior stared at me for a long minute, but maybe because I was their Commander's wife, he slowly stepped back and bowed his head. Nobody said anything else.

I walked past them to the hallway which was lit only by flickering torches and the moonlight spilling through the windows.

The pull in my chest grew stronger with every step I took. I didn't have a destination in mind. I didn't even know where the corridors led.

I simply walked where my legs led me, guided entirely by the invisible thread pulling at my heart.

I turned down a staircase, then I started hearing a distant sound of rushing water. I followed the sound and landed at a view that stole the breath right out of my lungs.

A glowing crystal clear waterfall. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.

Fascinated, I slowly walked towards it and knelt down at the edge of the pool. Then I touched the surface with my fingertips. The water was warm.

For the first time since leaving Oakhaven, I felt at peace.

"Did I not explicitly warn you not to wander through Volkar alone at night?" A deep voice cut through the sound of the rushing water, shattering the silence.

I froze.

I knew that voice, but it didn’t sound like the cold prince who had dismissed me from his study hours ago. It was deeper than before, like two voices were speaking at once.

“Who allowed you out of your chambers?”

I quickly rose to my feet and I spun around, checking to see where he was. "Your Highness?" I called out.

The ground around the pool was empty.

"Look up, human."

I did and saw him standing on the rooftop behind me. I couldn’t see his face from this distance, only the terrifying outline of him watching me from above.

Then he jumped and I gasped.

A second later, he landed on the ground far away from me and immediately, a few rocks around him turned to ice.

When I saw his face clearly, my heart skipped. His eyes were red. Not flashing red, pure red.

Instinct screamed at me to run, but as I stared into those horrifying eyes, all I felt was that same pull in my chest.

“Why are you out here?” he demanded in that strange voice.

"I-I needed fresh air." I managed to say.

Draven stood still, staring at me with those inhuman eyes. The intensity of his gaze sent a shiver straight down my spine.

Without breaking eye contact, I took a step towards him.

He stiffened like he had been struck by lightning. The red in his eyes darkened even more.

“What are you doing?” he asked, the exact moment I took another step but I continued.

“Stop!” he hissed in panic.

I stopped immediately, confused by his reaction. That was when I realized I had just lost control of myself. It was as if whatever came upon me snapped, but I still wasn’t afraid of him.

Draven seemed to realize it too as a strange expression crossed his face.

“Do you not fear for your life, girl? Do you have any idea what stands before you right now? I could end you where you stand!”

Looking straight into the eyes of the realm's most feared creature, I felt a wave of certainty wash over me.

“You cannot kill me, Your Highness.”