𝚁𝚘𝚕𝚕 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙳𝚒𝚌𝚎: 𝚀𝚞𝚎𝚜𝚝 𝙵𝚘𝚛 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙴𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚛𝚘𝚌𝚔

🅡🅗🅨🅢 🅐🅚🅐 🅤🅝🅔🅧🅟🅔🅒🅣🅔🅓 2.0

22. Rhys a.k.a Unexpected 2.0

『 Sunoo's POV 』

"Always been one for a dramatic entrance, Rhys," Drayce muttered, rolling his eyes as the so-called Rhys shifted into his human form.

We're doomed. And I don't even know if that's obvious to everyone else.

"I suppose what I should do is turn all of you in to Cadmodeus, get you all killed, leave Drayce here safe with the stone, and let Enya die," Rhys mused, his tone casual-too casual.

"No!" Drayce and Jini shouted in unison.

Rhys tilted his head, amusement flickering in his eyes.

"What do you mean, 'Enya gets killed'?" Drayce demanded, worry written all over his face.

"Oh, Cadmodeus is probably going to strip her of the immortality she received and execute her for treason-considering she handed the stone over to you," Rhys explained, twirling a flickering flame between his fingers. Does this guy have ADHD?

"You're not going to let that happen, right?" Jini asked, her voice sharp with urgency.

"Well, she did go against royal orders. Doesn't she deserve it?" Rhys countered, raising an eyebrow.

"No! Enya's the sweetest person ever. She deserves happiness and freedom," Jini shot back fiercely, while Drayce stood there, looking utterly defeated.

Rhys exhaled through his nose. "Well then, it's a good thing I'm turning a blind eye."

The room fell into stunned silence.

Edlynne, Huening Kai, Drayce, the ten of us-hell, even Ni-ki, who was still in dragon form-gaped at him. And let me tell you, seeing a confused expression on a giant dragon's face? Weird. Really weird.

"What?" Drayce was the first to break the silence.

"Yes, all of you can go. I'll hold the fort-literally," Rhys said, waving a dismissive hand.

"Am I hearing this right?" Jiwoo muttered beside me.

"I'm just as confused as you are," I whispered back.

"But before that, Drayce, please tell them why you need to go with them," Rhys said.

Drayce glared at him.

"Or should I tell them how Enya plus the ten of you die if you don't?" Rhys added, and for the first time, I saw past the smug, unbothered expression. Behind that laid-back demeanor was someone who had seen tragedies, lived through centuries, and wielded power effortlessly. He was sly, terrifyingly powerful, and his voice was deeper than Ni-ki's-which was saying something. He was exactly the kind of character book lovers would obsess over.

Drayce finally spoke. "That stone is my life force. Cadmodeus made sure I could never leave by binding all dragons to my protection and tying my life to the stone. I physically cannot survive without it."

He turned to Ni-ki. "Take the stone to the other side of the room. See what happens."

Ni-ki hesitated but obeyed, shifting into his human form as he carried the stone across the massive chamber.

The moment he reached the far end, Drayce let out a strangled gasp, his body convulsing. His form flickered like dust being blown away, writhing in agony.

"Ni-ki, stop!" I screamed.

Ni-ki turned just in time to see Drayce's deteriorating state. He sprinted back, pressing the stone into Drayce's hands.