Chapter 9 A Dream Again?

Chapter 9 A Dream Again?
Aurora’s POV

I woke up distressed.

My eyes and face felt swollen. My whole body felt heavy as though grief had settled into my bones.

I rubbed my eyes and fragments of what had happened in the last forty-eight hours flashed in my mind one after another.

Christian.

The cave.

Leaving him.

His face when I disappeared.

The strange dreamland.

Stella.

That mysterious woman in white.

Everything felt unreal.

I pulled the blanket closer and curled into myself.

I missed Maa.

If she were here, she would have helped me understand all this. She would have calmed my storming thoughts, made tea, stroked my hair and somehow made even impossible things feel survivable.

But then a thought struck me again.

Why had she sent me here?

Drake had always been my best friend, yes…

but Ira from the Golden Fairy Clan was my closest friend.

Then why here?

Why the Dragon Kingdom?

Something about it all felt… planned.

The shock, the weight, the responsibility of everything pressed down on me so hard I fell back on the bed and stared blankly at the ceiling.

And then my mind wandered back to those weird dreams I had been having lately.

First that beautiful mystic land.

Then Stella, the winged horse.

Then that mysterious lady who had appeared beside me last night.

Was it all a dream?

Or was something trying to tell me something?

I shut my eyes trying to piece it all together when a knock disturbed me.

Three lazy knocks.

I knew who it was.

“Come in,” I muttered weakly.

Drake pushed the door open.

He leaned against the frame with that irritatingly handsome grin.

Tall. Broad shoulders. Golden hair slightly messy.

A prince and a menace.

“Well well…” he drawled. “The crybaby lives.”

I glared weakly.

He came and sat beside me.

“How are you?”

“How do you think?” I whispered.

He looked at me for a moment, really looked.

Then for once the teasing left his face.

“I know,” he said softly.

Something in those two words nearly made me cry again.

He nudged me.

“You look terrible.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

I threw him a murderous glare.

He grinned.

“There. That’s the Aurora I know.”

I shook my head.

“Drake… everything is falling apart.”

He sighed.

“Maybe.”

Then his eyes held something unreadable.

“Or maybe things are only beginning.”

That confused me even more.

Before I could ask, he stood.

“Get ready.”

“For what?”

“My parents want to meet you.”

I blinked.

His parents?

Panic rose instantly.

I had been staying in their palace and had not even shown my face to thank them.

I sat up.

“Yes… I should meet them.”

He nodded.

“And preferably look less like you fought a war.”

I threw a pillow at him.

He laughed and left.

I got ready slowly.

I wore a cute pink one-piece dress ending just below my knees, white and pink checkerboard styled. I put a large white bow in my hair, applied some lip balm and tidied myself up.

Trying to look normal.

Trying to feel normal.

Drake came to escort me and we walked through long crystal corridors into the royal study.

The massive doors opened.

I stepped inside and bowed.

“Your Majesties.”

When I stood and looked up—

I froze.

The Dragon King…

looked so much like Maa.

My breath hitched.

My mouth parted.

No…

That couldn’t—

Yet the resemblance was undeniable.

And then I noticed the knowing smile on his lips.

“Have a seat, my child,” he said warmly.

Then winked.

“You’ll be needing it.”

I looked at Drake.

He simply nodded.

I sat slowly.

The Dragon King folded his hands before him.

“Let me introduce myself properly, Aurora.”

His golden eyes gleamed.

“I am Nicholas Albert Draconis.”

He paused.

Smirked.

“Your uncle.”

Everything inside me stopped.

“Un… uncle?”

“Yes.”

He gestured beside him.

“This is my mate Fiona Skye Claw.”

She smiled.

“Your aunt.”

Then he pointed at Drake.

“And this troublemaker…”

“Your cousin.”

Cousin?

Aunt?

Uncle?

What—

My mind spun.

Before I could even speak, Queen Fiona stood and pulled me into a hug.

A warm, motherly hug.

“Oh Nick stop shocking her,” she scolded. “Poor child has been through enough.”

I stared at them dumbfounded.

Then at Drake.

Who just shrugged and smirked.

Father and son were impossible.

Finally I looked at the king.

“What is going on?”

His expression turned serious.

Very serious.

“It is a long story.”

The room suddenly felt heavy.

“Your mother is my younger sister.”

My fingers gripped the chair.

“She is a dragon.”

I stared.

No.

No.

“But not an ordinary dragon,” he continued. “She was born with power beyond any in our bloodline. We kept her gifts hidden.”

His jaw tightened.

“One day she came to me terrified.”

“She was three months pregnant with you.”

My heart pounded.

“She said someone wanted her dead.”

I swallowed.

“She begged me not to search for her unless she came herself. She swore secrecy.”

His eyes darkened.

“And then she was taken.”

“Imprisoned by the Witch Queen.”

I shot up.

“Then how am I a witch?”

The room went silent.

Nicholas looked at me for a long time.

Then—

he smiled sadly.

“My child…”

“You are not a witch.”

I forgot to breathe.

What?

He continued quietly.

“That identity…”

“Was a spell.”

“A powerful concealment your mother cast over you before disappearing.”

I shook my head.

No.

That made no sense.

“But… my powers…”

“Magic can be borrowed, hidden, altered,” he said. “What you thought was witchcraft was part of the spell protecting your true nature.”

My pulse roared in my ears.

“Why?”

“To keep you safe from the Witch Queen.”

“To hide what you truly are.”

Tears burned my eyes.

All my life.

Everything I thought I was—

a lie?

Queen Fiona came near and held my hands.

“You were never alone, Aurora.”

“We watched from afar.”

“For your safety.”

I looked between them in disbelief.

Drake stepped closer.

“Surprise, cousin.”

I almost laughed through tears.

Almost.

Nicholas continued,

“We wanted to tell you sooner…”

“But enemies were watching.”

“Even now this must remain secret.”

I frowned.

“Secret?”

“Yes,” he said gravely.

“No one outside this room must know who you are.”

“Not yet.”

“Especially not the witches.”

“And perhaps…”

he paused carefully,

“not even Christian.”

That name made my chest ache.

I whispered—

“Why accept me now?”

Fiona cupped my face.

“Because you are family.”

Nicholas nodded.

“Because you belong here.”

Drake leaned on the table.

“And because someone has to tolerate you.”

I hit his arm.

He grinned.

For the first time in two days—

I smiled.

Through tears.

Through shock.

Through grief.

And yet…

questions still burned.

If I wasn’t a witch…

Then what was I?

And why had my mother hidden me from the whole world?

Nicholas seemed to read my thoughts.

He leaned forward.

“There is much more you must know.”

“About your mother.”

“About your father.”

And then—

his expression darkened.

“About why every kingdom would kill to possess what runs in your blood.”

A chill ran down my spine.

And suddenly—

I knew.

My life had not become simpler.

It had become far more dangerous.