Chapter 261

Chapter 261
Elenna's POV

I watched in awe as Aurelian, despite being poisoned, pushed himself upright. His eyes burned with determination. Every movement seemed to cost him tremendous effort, yet he refused to yield.

Solan, seeing Aurelian's unexpected recovery, quickly shifted back to his bear form. The massive brown creature stood on its hind legs, towering over most of the rebels surrounding us. But Aurelian in dragon form was still larger, more powerful, even in his weakened state.

The crowd of rebels, who had been jeering and shouting just moments ago, fell silent. I could feel their shock—none of them expected the Aurelian to continue fighting. Pride swelled in my chest. For my protection, Aurelian would push himself beyond any limit.

I remembered how, earlier, when Solan had turned toward me with that possessive gleam in his eyes, I'd already prepared myself to attack if necessary. I would rather die than become the submissive appendage he wanted. No matter what happened, I would fight for my freedom until my last breath.

Solan charged forward on all fours, his bear form moving with surprising speed for something so large. Despite seeing Aurelian's iron will, he remained confident in his advantage. The poison flowing through Aurelian's veins would surely tip the scales in his favor.

But Aurelian wasn't finished. With tremendous effort, he flapped his wings, lifting his massive dragon body into the air. It wasn't his usual graceful flight—I could see every wingbeat cost him. Then suddenly, he dropped down like a stone, crashing directly onto Solan with devastating force.

The impact sent dust and debris flying in all directions. When it cleared, Solan lay pinned beneath Aurelian, one of his legs bent at an unnatural angle. Broken, definitely broken.

Aurelian stood over him, looking down with a low growl that needed no translation. Submit.

For several tense seconds, Solan struggled, trying to break free. But eventually, he stopped fighting and lay flat on the ground, a clear sign of surrender.

Hope surged through me. If Aurelian could win... maybe we could end this brewing war here and now. Maybe there was a chance for peace, a chance for us to return to Draconia together.

I started to move forward, wanting to reach Aurelian, when a strong arm grabbed my shoulder, yanking me backward. Cold metal pressed against my throat—a knife, its edge sharp against my skin.

"Not another step," a voice hissed in my ear. I recognized the butler who served Millicent.

Across the arena, I saw Adrian being forced to his knees by several warriors, his arms twisted painfully behind his back. Aurelian roared in anger, starting to charge toward me, but froze when Millicent herself stepped forward, her hand raised.

"I wouldn't, if I were you," she called out, her voice carrying across the suddenly silent courtyard. "Slitting a human's throat isn't difficult."

Aurelian's massive dragon head swung between me and Adrian, clearly calculating his options. His wings spread wide, but he didn't move forward.

"Solan has proven as disappointing as ever," Millicent said with a sigh. "If you want something done right, you really must do it yourself."

Aurelian completely shifted back to human form to speak, and I could clearly see the poison's effects. His normally tanned skin had a sickly pallor, and his movements were heavy, as if his limbs weighed too much. But his eyes—those beautiful red eyes—were fixed on me with naked concern, though his face remained hard and cold.

I wasn't afraid for myself in that moment. Instead, I worried: What would happen if I died? My death might finally break him completely, turning him into the tyrant everyone claimed he was. All the progress he'd made, all the changes he planned for the kingdom—all would be lost in his rage and grief.

"Elenna," he called softly, his gaze briefly softening.

Millicent laughed, the sound harsh in the tense silence. "How touching. The Dragon King has feelings after all."

"What do you want?" Aurelian demanded, his voice steady despite his weakened state.

"Give up the throne," Millicent said simply. "Perhaps I'll let Elenna continue living. But you must forfeit your life."

Aurelian's lip curled. "So that was your plan all along. Use this rebellion to forcibly remove me from the throne so my father could reclaim the kingdom."

Millicent's face twisted with rage. "Your father Hadrian is dead. That coward came back seeking my support, and I killed him myself."

Gasps rippled through the gathered rebels. Even Aurelian looked shocked.

"I grew tired of living in the shadows as the Dragon King's second wife," Millicent continued, her voice hardening. "Your father was once a proud, powerful Dragon King. I killed him before the world saw what a coward he'd become."

The butler's grip tightened around me, the knife pressing more firmly against my throat. I lifted my chin, trying to create space between my skin and the blade.

Too late. I felt the cold sting as the metal sliced through my skin. Warm blood trickled down my neck.

Aurelian's eyes fixed on the crimson trail. He swallowed hard, his pupils contracting to thin slits.

"Make your choice," Millicent pressed. "Your crown or your concubine."

"She isn't just a member of my harem," Aurelian said, his voice steady and sure. "She is my fated mate."

Shocked murmurs swept through the crowd. Even the butler holding me stiffened slightly. Among dragons, a fated mate was sacred—a rare gift from the goddess. To attack a dragon's fated mate was a death sentence in all tribal territories.

I watched as rebels began looking at Millicent's actions in a new light. Many shifted uncomfortably, clearly reconsidering their allegiances.

Millicent's face hardened. "Kill her," she ordered the butler.

"No!" Aurelian fell to his knees, all pride forgotten. "Please."

The Dragon King, the most powerful being in the kingdom, was begging. For me.