Chapter 230

Chapter 230
Kael's POV

"You didn't know?" Lark's laugh was brittle. "The great dragon, so wise and ancient, yet blind to what was right before you. Yes, Kely from Solakus is Morgravia—the dark witch who serves the shadow god. And now she will finish what her master started."

Suddenly, my senses prickled with awareness. A powerful surge of dark magic emanated from somewhere outside the cave—a malevolent wave that made my draconic instincts roar with alarm. The sensation was like a physical blow, causing me to momentarily loosen my grip on Lark.

Lyrien. I recognized the unique signature of moon goddess energy being attacked by shadow magic. She's in mortal danger right now.

Lark noticed my momentary distraction and her smile widened with malicious delight. "Feel that?" she taunted, her voice dripping with satisfaction. "Your precious moon goddess is dying. Even if you save Lorcan, you'll be too late to save her. Morgravia has been planning this for months."

Rage flared within me, my eyes blazing with inner fire as my irises shifted completely to reptilian slits. The temperature around me rose several degrees as my draconic nature fought to emerge.

"You underestimate me, Lark," I growled, my voice deepening to an inhuman register that echoed off the stone walls.

In one fluid motion, I swung Lark around and hurled her bodily toward the center of the chamber—directly into her own trap. The moment she crossed the innermost circle of runes, the floor erupted with magical energy. The binding spell intended for me latched onto Lark instead, magical chains materializing around her limbs.

"NO!" Lark screamed, the horror of realization dawning on her face as she was suspended in mid-air by the magical chains. Her blonde hair whipped around her face as she struggled uselessly. "This can't be! This was meant for you!"

The energy-draining aspect of the spell activated immediately. I watched dispassionately as magical energy began flowing out of Lark's body in visible streams of light. Her skin rapidly wrinkled, her hair lost its luster, and her youthful beauty withered as the trap fed on her life force.

"Morgravia, you TRAITOR!" she shrieked as her body aged decades in seconds. "You promised me Lorcan's mate! YOU PROMISED ME!"

Her gaze fixed on me with pure hatred. "And you, dragon—you think you've won? Lyrien will die screaming! And I hope—" her voice cracked as the spell drained more of her vitality, "—I hope Morgravia betrays you too! I hope you watch your precious goddess die before your eyes!"

Her once beautiful face contorted with a mixture of pain, rage, and despair. "I should have been Luna! It was MY right! Mine!" The words came in labored gasps as the spell continued its work. "Tell Lorcan... tell him... I would have loved him better than that... pixie... ever could..."

"S-save me..." she finally gasped, her once beautiful face now gaunt and hollow, eyes sunken into their sockets. "Please... I was only following orders..."

I turned away from her without response, her pleas falling on deaf ears. With precise movements, I navigated around the trigger points in the floor as I approached Lorcan, my steps sure despite the urgency pounding through my veins.

"Your plan failed," I said simply, my voice carrying over Lark's weakening cries.

With careful control, I summoned a focused stream of dragon fire from my palm—not the roaring inferno I could produce in my true form, but a precise magical flame that burned through the magical chains binding Lorcan without triggering the surrounding traps. The chains hissed and melted away, releasing their captive.

Lorcan stirred weakly as the chains fell away. His eyes, though clouded with pain, focused on me with recognition. "Lyrien..." he managed to say, his voice barely above a whisper. "She's in danger..."

"I know," I replied grimly, quickly assessing his condition. The young wolf was severely weakened, his skin ashen and cold to the touch. The magical chains had drained much of his life force, leaving him barely able to lift his head. "Kely is actually a witch named Morgravia. She's targeting Lyrien right now."

Lorcan's eyes flashed with recognition at the name. "Morgravia... So that's her true name..."

Another pulse of dark magic hit my senses, stronger than before, making my decision clear. The malevolent energy outside was intensifying rapidly—Lyrien had minutes at most.

"Lorcan," I said firmly, helping him into a sitting position against the stone altar, "I need to get to Lyrien immediately. The dark magic I'm sensing... it's catastrophic."

Lorcan struggled to stand. "Take me with you," he insisted, his legs buckling beneath him. "She's my twin... I can help..."

I caught him before he hit the ground. "You can barely stand," I said, my voice gentler but resolute. "In your condition, you would only slow me down, and in battle, you'd be a liability—or worse, a hostage Morgravia could use against us."

Anger and frustration flashed across Lorcan's face, but I could see the understanding dawning in his eyes. Centuries of tactical decisions had taught me when sentiment must yield to strategy.

"I'll come back for you," I promised, carefully moving him to a small alcove near the chamber entrance, away from the active trap still draining Lark. "Stay here, conserve your strength. This position is safely outside the trap's influence."

Lorcan grasped my wrist with surprising strength. "Save her," he commanded, his eyes burning with intensity despite his weakness. "Whatever it takes."

I nodded once, then turned toward the exit. "The binding spell will hold Lark. She poses no threat to you now."

Without further hesitation, I sprinted through the tunnels, my body already beginning the partial transformation that would give me superhuman speed. My skin hardened into scales along my spine, muscles densifying as I accelerated toward the cave entrance.

The dark magic grew more potent with each step, fueling my urgency. As I burst from the cave into daylight, I saw unnatural storm clouds gathering over the clearing where I'd left Lyrien, crackling with malevolent energy.

I'm coming, Lyrien, I thought, my form blurring with speed as I raced toward the magical maelstrom. My ancient heart, which had witnessed millennia of strife, now pounded with a fear I hadn't felt in centuries. Hold on. Just hold on.