The Dragon Bride | ✔️

Chapter Twenty-Two

Kora's POV

The sun glares through the vines of the previously darkened cave, blinding me as I blink back my weariness, trying to prop myself up on one elbow. Koniel lays a few metres away, his wound covered with more leaves. I walk over to it, and see that's it quite swollen now, but it seems a little better, I suppose? I'm no physician, and certainly no healer, so I can't be sure. But he's breathing more normally and the deep frown on his face has dissolved.

"Rin..." he whispers suddenly, his face darkening and his brows furrowing in pain. The frown is back on his face.

"Koniel?" I say, confused.

He stirrs, and as he opens his eyes and adjusts to the lighting, I can see tears in his eyes. "Where are we? Wh- What happened?"

"A cave. You passed out after the Crimsons attack,"

He gets up, wincing in pain as the leaves begin to fall off his stomach. "What's all this?"

I feel my cheeks flush in embarrassment. "I kind of sucked the poison from your wound. Those are leaves to soak up the blood, but it doesn't seem to be bleeding anymore,"

"How did you..." he trails away, shaking his head. "Nevermind. Thank you, Kora. I will not forget this,"

I nod, but still feel uncomfortable. He tries to get up, but the pain seems to be too much. In a moment like this, I can't help but wish Synn was here to tell me what to do about this. He's more organised, more strategic, more put-together than I am. Surely he'd know.

Despite these thoughts, I quickly get up and help Koniel to his feet. Normally, I would allow him to rest for a while, but we don't have the luxury of time.

"We need to head back to the palace as soon as possible," I tell him.

"No," he says, "We need to eat first. The palace is a long walk from here, and we'd never make it back with an empty stomach."

It's then I allow myself to acknowledge the gnawing feeling of hunger in my stomach. I suppose he has a point. "Fine," I reply, "But only for a bit."

It doesn't take me long to find a dragonfruit tree. Dragonfruits don't typically grow on trees, but here in Ignatia, you find them everywhere. It's practically the national fruit. Koniel somehow knows how to catch fish, and so he cooks them too, by the lake.

"How did you make that fire?" I question, handing him a handful of dragonfruit.

He shrugs, "It's amazing what you can learn in training,"

I nod, "That reminds me. How did you become a Royal Guard?"

Koniel tenses up. "Oh. We are all orphans. Raised in a special Royal Academy to be weapons for His Majesty the King. After being trained, we were all positioned to fight-"

"Your opponents?" I urge.

"No," Koniel says, "Each other. We were all tasked with killing each other. Whoever was the last orphan standing had to swear an oath to the King – no marriage, no children, no properties. Basically no personal life of our own. Royal Guards are not people. We are the King's weapons,"

Speechless, I stare at Koniel, who now lays out the fish and fruit on a huge leaf as a plate. Aurelia must've done this too, hadn't she?

"If you're not allowed marriages," I question, "then who's Rin?"

Koniel freezes, his face darkening once again. Dread fills his eyes as he begins to chew his food slowly and gingerly.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry-"