Chapter 151 Awake At Last

Chapter 151 Awake At Last
LYRIANNE

I become aware of my surroundings before I open my eyes. I'm still lying on something hard, but it's cool to the touch now and not as hot as the cave had been. 

Slowly, I muster the strength to open my eyes and look around. I'm beyond shocked to see that I'm lying right in front of a bonfire. I don't know if it's because I can't feel my body, but I don't feel the heat of the fire. In fact, it feels like the fire is cold. 

Which wouldn't make any sense.

I look around tentatively, nothing that I'm alone, and I sit up, ignoring the way my whole body seems to be cracking.  

"Ah," a voice on the other side of the cave says. "You're finally awake! I was beginning to wonder when your spirit would make an appearance again!"

It's the old woman. I see her walk toward me and my breath catches in my throat slightly, but nothing is threatening about her. Her smile is tender and the look in her eyes is soft. 

I drag my tongue along my parched lips before asking in a hoarse voice, "How long was I out for?"

"Oh, about three days," she answers. My heart immediately skips a beat. "But your spirit is completely transformed now. Do you feel the difference?"

As soon as she asks this question, I feel something stir inside of me and I realize that she's right. I can definitely feel a change. I can't tell exactly what it is, but I know for a fact that there's a difference. 

Anyway, that's not what I should be focusing on, because three days is a long time, and I have to find out how Lorcan is. 

"My mate," I begin as I sit up. My head spins so quickly that the words die on my tongue, and it takes me a while to get used to the feeling. "How is he? Is he awake? Where is he?"

The old woman makes a sound at the back of her throat and I realize that she's laughing at me. "Don't let your intended hear you talk this way. He's not going to like it. Dragons can be possessive, too."

I force myself to stand, ignoring the way it feels like my whole body will fall over in a moment. Clutching my forehead, I ask, "Please, just tell me where he is. I just need to see him and make sure he's alright."

The old woman, who's grinding some kind of herb with a pestle and mortar, cuts me a look out of the corner of her eye, then tells me, "You can find him in the medical wing. It's not too far away from here. Just walk deeper into the cave and you're going to see him. Go on."

I start walking further into the darkness, looking back at her with every step I take. She doesn't glance at me once after giving me the instructions, and before I know it, I find myself on a well-lit path that leads me to an even bigger cave. 

Dragon warriors are walking around, and none of them spare me a single glance. It could be because I'm partially hidden by the shadows, so I stick to them. I look around frantically for any sign of where Lorcan might be, but there's way more room beyond the shadows, so he could be anywhere. 

I find Zorah before I find him. Or rather, she finds me. 

I'm walking past a sitting area when she whispers my name loudly and stands up before rushing toward me. The sight of her face makes me feel terrible because I completely forgot about her during all this. 

We clasp hands as soon as she's standing right in front of me and she tells me, "Lyria, I was so worried about you! I knew you were unconscious in the entry room, but I wasn't allowed to see you. They wouldn't let me leave this place."

"The caves have names? Do you know where Lorcan is?"

She makes a face that lets me know she does, then says, "He's been causing trouble, Lyria. He can't seem to understand that we're not in Eron and here, nobody gives a shit that he's a Delacourt. Look, I don't blame him, but he's taking it overboard. He's always screaming for you."

I let out a breath of relief because I thought she had bad news for me. "At least he's alive. Goddess, I was imagining the worst. Do you know where he is?"

"Yeah, I can take you there, but it's heavily monitored. Did you speak to the king yet? Or the prince?"

"No, I haven't seen anyone. Right now, my priority is seeing Lorcan."

Zorah and I head to where he is. My heart skips a beat every time the king or his son crosses my mind. Now that I'm awake, I can't help but think about the promise I made to save Lorcan's life, and I have no idea what happens now. 

Well, I do have an idea, but it's not something I'm looking forward to. 

Pain centers in my chest and spreads to every inch of me, but I push it to the back of my mind. I'll think about it later, after I make sure that Lorcan will be okay. 

I can't believe my father put me in this situation. I trusted him and he didn't even give me a heads-up about anything. What now? How can I marry a dragon prince to save Eron when I have a mate?

The disappointment hurts. It really does. 

Lorcan's in a completely different cave, but at least it's more isolated. Zorah grabs my arm and tells me, "I don't think you'll be able to see him because the door is always locked, but you'll be able to talk to him. Just be careful, alright?"

I don't ask her what she means by that. I hurry to the room he's in, heart slamming against my ribs mercilessly because I'm terrified of not finding him. I stop directly in front of the door. Thankfully, there isn't anyone around. 

Then, I knock tentatively and say his name. "Lorcan?"

I hear something from inside, and then his voice reaches my ears and my heart just melts. "Lyria? Baby, are you alright?"

Tears prick my eyes, but I fight back my tears. "I'm alright. I just woke up and I knew I had to come find you. How are you? The last time I saw you..."

"I think I might have a scar, but I'm alright," he claims urgently. "I'm alive. I was worried about you."

"I'm alright for now."

"Have you spoken to the king? We have to get the hell out of here. They can't force you to marry that guy. I'm not going to let that happen."

I feel a pinch in my heart at his words. "Lorcan, we have to stay calm about this. I made them a promise to save your life and we're in their territory now—"

"Fuck that!" he rages. "Fuck all of Eron, if that's the case! You can't marry that dragon, Lyria. What did your father even get you into?"

Before I can answer him, someone approaches me from behind and I see that it's the king who's surrounded by warriors. I step away from the door, ignoring the knot forming in my throat. 

"We've been looking all over for you, Lyrianne Swanson," he claims. "I was beginning to worry that you ran away. You have duties to fulfill. I hope you haven't forgotten."

Lorcan starts yelling on the other side of the door, telling the king to stay the hell away from me. The king rolls his eyes, makes a face, and says, "You have to admire them, don't you? They're truly magnificently brave creatures. Brave and stupid. Come, Lyrianne Swanson."

I have no choice but to follow him and the warriors, but my heart breaks with every step I take away from Lorcan. 

I don't know where this will all go.