ROYAL DARKNESS (MASKED)(18+)

CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE

I took a deep breath, standing before the imposing door of the dragon king's chamber, with Corvus perched gracefully on my shoulders. As Corvus cast a fleeting glance behind, I noticed a pair of maids bowing respectfully, patiently waiting for my entrance into the king's quarters. As customary, I found myself once again in a revealing night dress hidden under a big robe. I couldn't shake the thought as to why these revealing dresses were consistently given to me whenever I was to see the king.

After several moments of pondering my choices, I drew in another deep breath before gently pushing open the door to the king's chamber. Stepping inside, the maids swiftly closed the  door behind me. Now, through Corvus's eyes, I could fully perceive my surroundings. The room appeared just as I had imagined during my previous visits—a touch of darkness covered the space, with a faint glow coming from the fireplace to softly light up the room.

The room stretched impressively, its walls decorated with striking dragon statues. Dominating the space was a huge bed, covered with carefully crafted dragon motifs, casting an enchanting aura throughout the chamber's subdued lighting. As Corvus curiously surveyed the surroundings, I followed suit, his eyes tracing the room's vastness.

Eventually, his eyes landed on the dragon king himself, seated regally in a distant chair, a little far from our position. The shadows in the room and the significant distance hid his face, making it difficult to see his features in the surroundings.

"I think we need to discuss something," I said after a brief pause. "Can you guarantee my crow's safety once he sees you?"

Corvus left my shoulder, landing on the floor. "I don't have a reason to trust you, but I'll assume the best. Just make sure my crow stays safe."

As always, the dragon king remained frustratingly silent as I impatiently ran my fingers through my hair. After a few minutes of his unsettling stare fixed on me, he finally stood up. His massive form emerged from the shadows, becoming visible in the distance as he started moving closer.

Corvus retreated slowly, clearly intimidated by the towering figure approaching us. Though his face remained unseen, a strange energy hung in the air, prompting me to take a cautious step back.

His face was soon lit up by the only light source in the room, causing my mouth to involuntarily gape open. The person I had felt  the previous night seemed less impressive compared to what I saw through Corvus's eyes.

He possessed the looks of a Greek deity – jet-black hair cascading down his shoulders, captivating obsidian eyes that radiated intensity, and a physique that emanated both strength and flawlessness. I found myself utterly entranced by his physical perfection, a feeling also shared by Corvus, who fixed his eyes on the  figure before us, showcasing the man's remarkable features. Though his scary presence remained, his incredibly handsome physique was impossible to ignore, even if it did little to diminish his intimidating aura.

"How much longer you planning to stare?" he snapped, a frigid expression etched onto his face as his deep voice reverberated across the room. Nervously, I gulped and nudged Corvus with my foot, prompting him to tear his eyes away from the dragon king. Corvus shifted his gaze and dipped his head slightly, obscuring my view of the king's features.

"Your bird's alive," he stated, prompting Corvus to glance at him once more, giving me a clearer view of his face.

"Beautiful," I blurted out without consideration. It wasn't what I had intended to say, but my enchantment rendered me thoughtless.

"I suppose you're still as entranced by me as you were all those years ago," he sneered, malice tainting his tone.

My brows knitted, a perplexed look crossing my features. "What do you mean?"