Page 36 of Dragon King's Cursed Mate

“Look inside of you. All of the answers are within you. You have to seek them.”

Sleep overtook him again and when he woke, he found himself lying in his cot. He sat up and rubbed his eyes. “The curse is getting stronger, and it’s taking over quickly.”

He thought of Varik’s warning. Maybe Seraphina was wrong. She could have been sent to cause his madness so that he never regained his throne.

“That’s stupid. Don’t let your doubts destroy you,” Dain growled at himself. “She is part of my soul, and she will help me find the right path.”

15

Seraphina

The ruins were alive with the hum of everyone going about their daily chores. People were chatting and laughing while getting their work done. The children were attending their lessons, learning the basics, plus other important content that would help them achieve their future dreams. One instructor was showing students how to weave tapestries and blankets, while another was teaching cooking skills.

Feeling restless, Seraphina wandered out into the forest and sat in the clearing. A small rabbit approached her and stared at her as though trying to figure out what she was doing in his territory.

“I’m sorry I don’t have any food to share, my friend,” she said softly.

She thought that it was amazing that humans hated each other, were greedy, raged war on each other, and committed atrocities against each other, but nature and the other animals continued living their everyday lives, oblivious of the violence. No other animal besides humans killed each other for joy. Theywould fight over territory, food, and mates, but that was a matter of survival.

“If only we all could have the peace and goodness I see in this rabbit.”

The animal apparently was either bored with Seraphina’s company or satisfied that she didn’t mean any harm because it disappeared in the brush.

Seraphina crossed her legs and put her hands on her knees, palms up. She closed her eyes and focused on walking the path with her animal friends. The golden rays of the sun warmed her, and the tree leaves rustled in the breeze. Birds sang, and she could hear the soothing creek waters rushing over the rocks. The sweet fragrance of wildflowers and pine mingled with her visions.

She soon found herself in a realm where there was no time or space, where she asked questions and sometimes received answers.

“Do I need to distance myself from Dain to stop the curse? I can find another place to hide from Malakar.”

“No,” whispered the breeze. “You need to be there for him and the people. Once the storm passes, all will be clear.”

“What is the storm? When will it come?”

“You will recognize the storm when it comes. It will come in due time. Dain will have to face the test. If he breaks, all will be lost. If he survives, he will eventually be king and peace will be restored.”

“I’ve had the vision that he will regain his throne,” Seraphina said.

“He will—but in what condition? You will help him. Have faith.”

The wind was gone and she returned to the real world. She growled in the back of her throat. There were never any answers when she needed them most—only more questions.

Although she was told she should stay, lingering doubts nagged her. “If I do leave, the curse might fade. On the other hand, an abrupt severing of our souls could cause him even more harm.”

“Ugh. This sucks.”

She giggled. People would be shocked to hear her say such a thing. They expected her to always speak in eloquent prose and half of them thought she always spoke in rhymes.

When she returned, Valon was waiting for her. “I need to speak with you.”

“Okay. I’m listening.”

“Your presence is having a negative effect on Dain. You’re darkening his soul. During the battle, he lost complete control and almost killed an innocent boy.”

Seraphina bit her lip and sighed.

“I’ll help you leave and find a safe place, where Malakar cannot reach you. You can’t tell Dain where you are because he’ll seek you out.”

“I know you’re worried about Dain and so am I. I wish it was that easy, but there are several things we don’t know. First, the darkness he’s experiencing isn’t just about the curse. It’s from ancient magic. Second, we have no idea how the curse works. There are things that we don’t know.”

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