The Lycan King's Forbidden Craving - Chapter 195: Chapter 195

SIX YEARS AGO
A roar of thunder struck the earth, creating a large, spine-like bone, with a fire zig-zag thread cladding at its end as it formed an intimidating structure.
Flesh upon flesh. Scale upon scale. Sharp, strong claws digging through the earth. Rows of jagged, strong fangs lined its massive jaw. A large pair of molten orange-red eyes, with threads of veins surrounding its slit-like sharp pupil.
A sharp, meaty tongue stretched out.
All of this happened in three seconds—just before Arianna Greystone could hit the floor.
Her tiny body landed safely on her dragon’s tongue.
In the next heartbeat, its magnificent, sharp wings spread wide. Its long tail, with a sharp edge, snaked behind it.
It flapped its wings, spreading the fire that had already been set due to the sudden manifestation, burning everything in its path.
Reaching the sky, it headed straight for the Dragon Realm.
When the Ouroboros saw the terrifying beast settle on the mountain, Drakora—skinny and critical—was brought to the scene by Zav.
They all stood at a safe distance, terrified in their frozen forms.
The dragon opened its mouth, letting Arianna’s frame roll out gently onto the floor.
Then it lifted its head to the sky and let out a powerful roar.
•••••••••
Present.
“So it brought her here?” Lylah couldn’t close her mouth.
“Yes,” Drakora replied, both of them staring at the formidable creature’s head in the shadows, protectively, beside the heartrobe that held Arianna.
“She’s alive?”
“Her heart still beats. The same magic that healed the land is what trapped her.”
Lylah gave her a confused look. “I don’t understand.”
“When I birthed Arianna… I lost something. My power. I didn’t realize it at first—not until I sent her away. The power of a goddess is what keeps the realm flourishing, but that power began to fade. Everything started to freeze and vanish as my strength weakened. I watched my people’s lives wither away day after day, and I thought the heavens had decided to let the dragon realm go extinct.”
She paused before continuing.
“Until I received a message from my faithful friend Selene, the Watcher of the Ouroboros. She swore to find a way to help us. She told me about Arianna—told me about her bond with the King of the Moon Realm. I began to wonder what the heavens were planning… Was it hope? Or destruction? I didn’t know. I only wished for my daughter to be safe—even if I never got to meet her. I just wanted her to be happy.”
She exhaled softly, her gaze locked on the still ice.
“But when the chaos in the Moon Realm happened, even though I lost my dear friend… it turned out to be a new beginning. The moment Arianna showed up in this realm, everything changed.”
“I began to heal—though only as a normal Ouroboros, not as a goddess. Our land began to flourish again. The curse vanished. And for the first time in decades, we are reproducing.”
Lylah’s brows furrowed. “So… if you no longer have your power, could it mean… your power was transferred to Arianna?”
She looked up at Drakora.
“That’s the only reasonable answer we can think of,” Drakora murmured. “Only the heavens know what kind of power she’ll awaken with.”
Lylah’s face was pale, struggling to process everything Drakora had just revealed.
Never in a million years had she thought she’d get to see a dragon.
And yet—here it was. Owned by her sister. Ready to burn her to ashes if she crossed the line.
How it got to this point, she’d figure out later. The main thing now was—
“You brought me here to find a way to untrap her?”
“You know her better than any of us. You might be the only one who can reach her,” Zav said.
“Reaching her means crossing that line… and just a moment ago, I almost turned into a pile of ashes,” Lylah muttered.
“The magic binding her is powerful. Divine, even and it won’t break through force. Only through memory… love… connection. Somewhere beneath all that raw, dormant power… she'll recognize you.”
Lylah paced in slow circles, her boots crunching softly against the crystalline floor at the mountain’s mouth.
“So… what do I do? Talk to her? Touch her? What if the beast burns me this time? And why is she even trapped in there?”
“She’s resting. Healing,” Drakora explained, her voice softer. “She’s well now, but refuses to break the crystal. Probably because of an illusion her heart created due to what she faced years ago. That’s why we needed someone who might reach her.”
“We’ve been trying for almost six years,” Zav added. “All efforts have been futile.”
Lylah frowned. “Almost six years?”
Zav paused his lips and gave Drakora a look, waiting for her to speak.
“What are you not telling me?” Lylah asked.
Drakora cleared her throat.
“Arianna was in a condition when she landed here. It lasted for a few months… before she embedded herself in the crystal.”
“She was carrying a child,” Lylah muttered, eyes slowing going wide.
Before Drakora could respond further, a tiny voice echoed from afar.
“Grandmother!!!”