ROYAL DARKNESS (MASKED)(18+)

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

My eyes fixated on her, tracing a path from top to bottom, and then back up again, leaving me with a visibly shocked expression. The weight of her words was difficult to process, and I struggled to make sense of it all. It was unfathomable. Not only was I a member of the most powerful Vedan clan known to mankind, but I was also the reincarnated queen of the Empyrean Vedan.

"I... I don't understand," I stammered, desperately searching for words to justify my overwhelming confusion. The information she had just revealed was simply too much to absorb, and I found myself struggling to grasp it all.

"Don't burden yourself with too many thoughts right now, your majesty," Zephyra interjected, her voice a reassuring presence amidst my disbelief. "I understand better than anyone else just how overwhelming this revelation can be." I continued to stare at her, unable to fully comprehend the enormity of what she had just disclosed.

"How is any of this even possible?" I exclaimed, unable to contain my astonishment. "You've dropped such a heavy bombshell on me, and yet you expect me not to dwell on it? How on earth did I become the queen of Vedans? And what caused my demise? If I truly possess the immense power you claim, then why can't I feel it coursing through me?" My barrage of questions poured out, as I yearned for clarity and understanding.

Zephyra took a deep breath before responding, her voice filled with regret. "I apologize, your majesty, but there are certain questions I cannot answer. It would be best if the dragon king himself provides you with the answers you seek. He alone possesses the knowledge you desire."

With a heavy sigh escaping my lips, I quickened my pace, leaving Zephyra and the royal guards struggling to keep up. As the pieces of the puzzle began to fit together, I understood why the dragon king had intervened on my behalf, unbeknownst to my father. If the claims about my power and role as the queen of Vedans were true, then it was evident that I held immense value to the dragon king. The weight of this realization overwhelmed me, and I couldn't help but wonder what other shocking revelations awaited me in this bewildering journey.

KIRA'S POV

I soaked myself in the cool river water, letting my thoughts sink deep into reflection. One action weighed heavily on my mind—rejecting the king. Uncertainty filled me as I thought about the possible consequences and how the king might react to this later. But amidst the unease, a glimmer of pride reminded me that I had achieved something extraordinary.

Yearning for a break from my inner troubles, my mind briefly returned to the recent events in the kingdom of Konica, just a few days before I arrived in Drakonia with the queen.

I vividly recalled the moment when General Roderick, who claimed to be my father, sank to his knees that fateful day. His words echoed in my mind:

"I realize I haven't been the best father, and I made an unforgivable mistake by leaving you behind. But I did it out of concern for your well-being. Your mother never wanted you, and I was left to care for you. I couldn't protect you in a kingdom that despises your kind. As a general, I faced a choice between my people and you. I couldn't bring myself to harm you, so I had to let you go."

"But you made your decision, didn't you?" I interjected, cutting him off before he could finish his sentence. "You made your decision, so why are you now begging for my forgiveness on your knees? I am not your daughter anymore. I stopped being your daughter the day you abandoned me to die," I retorted, bitterness lacing my words.

"I swear to you, it was never my intention to heartlessly abandon you that day," he pleaded. "I had no choice but to do what I did."

"What will the king of Konica think when he sees his esteemed general kneeling before a Vedan?" I asked, my voice dripping with disdain. He raised his head, meeting my gaze, while I sported a smug expression. "Forget that you ever had a daughter, General Roderick. To you, she is dead, and you are dead to her," I declared as I turned away, denying him any further chance to explain himself.