Chapter 107 Healing the Mating Bond
Elara's POV
The Eternal King’s magic erupted toward us like a tidal wave of darkness, heavy and suffocating.
I raised every ounce of power I possessed, layering silver ice barriers, crystal shields, and frantic protection spells over one another, barely stopping to breathe as I cast them.
His attack shattered through everything as if my defenses were nothing more than fragile glass.
“Elara!” Drakon roared. He shifted into dragon form mid-motion, claws closing around me as he launched us into the sky. The dark magic struck the ground where I had been standing, detonating in a violent explosion that carved a crater fifty feet deep.
“We can’t fight him!” I screamed over the rush of wind. “He’s too powerful!”
“Then we run!” Drakon banked sharply and flew toward the castle at full speed. Behind us, the Eternal King’s laughter rolled across the ruined landscape, deep and mocking.
“RUN ALL YOU WANT! I’LL FIND YOU! I HAVE ETERNITY!”
We crashed through the upper entrance and into the throne room. Drakon shifted back to human form, both of us stumbling as we landed, lungs burning, hearts racing.
“What is he?” Drakon demanded, staring at the destruction outside. “How can one person have that much power?”
“He’s not one person anymore,” Faye said as she rushed in, her face pale and drawn. “I felt his magical signature. He’s absorbed dozens of powerful beings over centuries. He’s a walking collection of stolen lives and abilities.”
“Can we beat him?” I asked quietly.
“I don’t know,” Faye admitted, her honesty chilling. “If we had time to prepare, gather allies, create specialized defenses, maybe. But he’s not giving us time.”
The ground trembled beneath our feet. Through the shattered windows, we saw the Eternal King walking toward the castle as if on a leisurely stroll. Each step cracked reality itself.
“Everyone evacuate!” Thorne shouted. “Get civilians to the underground shelters!”
But through my crystal connection, I felt the truth settle in my bones. “It won’t work,” I whispered. “His magic is already seeping into the earth.”
I turned to Drakon, urgency tightening my chest. “We need to talk. Privately. Now.”
He looked confused, but he nodded. We retreated to our chambers as the castle descended into frantic preparation.
“What’s wrong?” he asked once the door closed.
“Everything,” I said, sinking onto the bed. “This enemy is too strong. We’re going to die, Drakon. Maybe today. Maybe tomorrow. But soon.”
“We’ve survived worse...”
“No, we haven’t,” I cut in, tears spilling over. “The Void Emperor was imprisoned. Morgana was unhinged. This man is fully in control. He’ll destroy us all.”
Drakon sat beside me and took my hands. “Then what do you want to do?”
“Talk,” I said. “Really talk. If we’re going to die, you need to know that our mating bond may be healed, but I still feel the scars. From my lies. From the execution. From everything we did to each other.”
He flinched. “I feel them too.”
“Do you still resent me?” I asked softly. “Do you ever wish you’d married the real Princess Celestia?”
“Never,” he said instantly, pulling me close. “I was hurt, yes. Devastated. But I don’t resent you. You were protecting your sister. I understand that now.”
“But you don’t trust me completely,” I said. “I can feel it.”
He was quiet for a long moment, then nodded. “Part of me keeps waiting for another secret. Another betrayal.”
“I don’t blame you,” I said. “I broke your trust.”
“Do you trust me?” he asked. “After I sentenced you to death?”
I swallowed. “Sometimes I’m afraid. When you’re angry, I remember the block.”
Silence stretched between us.
“We’re broken,” he whispered.
“No,” I said firmly. “We’re healing. Healing is messy and slow, but it’s happening.”
“How do we fix it?”
“One day at a time. We choose honesty. We choose each other.”
“I choose you,” he said.
“I choose you too.”
The mating bond pulsed between us, scarred but stronger for the truth.
An explosion shook the castle.
“For now,” I said, standing. “Promise we keep talking.”
“Promise.”
We returned to chaos. The Eternal King stood within the shattered gates, guards falling before him.
“BRING ME THE GIRL WITH THE CRYSTAL!” he roared.
“He wants me,” I said.
“You’re not going,” Drakon snapped.
“We face him together,” I replied.
Together, we stepped forward.
“You killed your grandson,” I said coldly.
“He was weak,” the Eternal King replied. “Like this world.”
“Why?” Drakon demanded.
“Because I can.”
Darkness slammed into us. We fought back, but we were losing.
Then the ground erupted.
Lily emerged with dozens of young mages. “You forgot about the children!”
Chaotic magic struck him from every side.
Drakon and I poured everything into one final attack. He screamed, then vanished.
“He retreated,” Faye said.
A message crystal flared. “Seven days,” Thorne announced. “He’ll return with an army.”
Seven days.
“Then we prepare,” I said.
But the crystal in my chest pulsed with warning.
Something worse was coming.