Chapter 258

Chapter 258
Elenna's POV

A fight to the death between Aurelian and Solan, with me as the prize? My stomach twisted into knots as I watched Aurelian's reaction through the dim torchlight.

His eyes narrowed, the golden glow intensifying as he turned his full attention to Millicent. The temperature in the dungeon corridor rose noticeably, a physical manifestation of his rising anger.

"You have no authority to propose such a challenge," Aurelian said, his voice dangerously calm. "What gives you the right?"

Millicent's lips curved into a smug smile. "Because with Elenna as the reward, Solan will accept without hesitation. It's the perfect chance to finish things before the civil war begins." Her eyes flickered to me, full of contempt. "Isn't that right, my dear?"

I stepped forward, fury replacing my fear. "Is this your grand plan? Use me as bait to lure two powerful men into killing each other so you can take control of the kingdom?"

"Clever girl." Millicent tapped her fingers against the wall for support as she straightened herself. "Though not entirely accurate. I simply want what's best for the realm."

"By pitting the king against just a single rebel leader?" Adrian's voice dripped with disdain.

"You underestimate Solan," Millicent warned, turning her attention back to Aurelian. "He may be a lovesick fool, but he's been preparing for war. He has grown stronger by the day."

Aurelian's jaw tightened. "I don't fear him."

"Don't you?" Millicent's eyes gleamed with malice. "Perhaps you're afraid he'll defeat you. The mighty Dragon King, brought low by a bear with a broken heart."

"Enough." Aurelian's voice echoed off the stone walls. "If I were to consider this... challenge, I would have conditions."

My heart sank. He couldn't seriously be considering this.

"Elenna, Adrian, and Doria must be allowed to leave safely," Aurelian continued. "Only then will I face Solan."

"No!" I grabbed his arm, feeling the heat radiating from his skin. "I'm not leaving you."

His eyes met mine, softening slightly. "Elenna—"

"I won't leave," I repeated firmly.

"He fears Solan will take you the moment his back is turned," Millicent observed, her voice laced with amusement. "And he's right to worry."

"Solan's obsession with you has reached terrifying levels," Doria said from behind the bars of her cell. "I've seen it firsthand."

Adrian nodded grimly. "He would sacrifice his entire rebellion for you, Elenna. That kind of fixation is dangerous."

I felt sick. The man I'd once agreed to marry, the gentle bear who had courted me with poetry and flowers, had transformed into something twisted and possessive.

"That's not love," I whispered, more to myself than anyone else. "I'm just a trophy to him."

"Precisely why you must be present for the challenge," Millicent insisted. "You are the prize, after all."

Aurelian growled, the sound vibrating through the dungeon. "She is not a prize to be won."

"Yet here we are," Millicent replied smoothly. "Do we have an agreement?"

"If Elenna stays, we stay too," Doria declared, surprising me with her boldness. "I won't leave her side."

Adrian nodded. "Nor will I."

Aurelian's expression darkened. "I won't allow you to be placed in more danger," he said to me, his voice strained. "This is between Solan and me."

I took his face in my hands, forcing him to look at me. "You are my mate, my chosen partner. Whatever comes, we face it together. I won't be separated from you again."

I could see the conflict in his eyes, the protective instinct warring with respect for my choice. In that moment, I loved him even more for struggling with it.

"I'll watch her back," Doria promised. "Even if I'm not a fighter, I'll protect her with my life if needed."

"Doria..." I whispered, touched by her loyalty.

Aurelian looked between us, then at Adrian, who gave a slight nod. Finally, he turned back to Millicent.

"Very well," he said firmly.

"You're certain?" Millicent asked, eyebrows raised. "Once this begins, there's no turning back."

"I've been ready to face Solan for a long time," Aurelian replied, his voice hardening with resolve.

With that decided, we followed Millicent and her warriors up from the dungeon. As we climbed the stone stairs, my mind drifted to Solan. How had the man I once knew transformed into someone who would sacrifice everything for obsession? Had my rejection pushed him toward this path? Or had this darkness always lurked beneath his gentle exterior?

Kyra was his true mate. She was the one he should have fought for, not me.

We emerged onto the fortress rooftop, an open space bathed in moonlight. And there, standing tall against the night sky, was Solan.

I barely recognized him. Gone was the gentle-faced man I'd once agreed to marry. This Solan was broader, more muscular, his formerly flowing hair now cropped close to his skull in a military cut. New scars marked his face and hands, telling stories of battles I knew nothing about. He looked like a warrior now, hardened by conflict and ambition.

Solan's eyes narrowed as they landed Millicent. "Call off your dogs, old woman," he sneered.

Then his gaze shifted to Aurelian. "Have you come to surrender, Dragon King?"

Millicent merely tapped her cane against the stone floor. "We have a proposition for you, Solan. A challenge."

Solan's face twisted with impatience. "Why would I accept any..." His words trailed off as his gaze fell on me, his expression transforming completely.

"Elenna," he breathed, my name on his lips sounding like both a prayer and a possession.

The look in his eyes sent chills down my spine. There was something unhinged in that gaze—not love for a person, but the obsession of someone fixated on a prize. A hunger that seemed to consume every rational part of him.

Millicent stepped forward, her voice carrying across the open space. "This challenge concerns the future of the kingdom," she announced, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction. "And it also concerns Elenna."