Reborn to Marry the World-Ending Phoenix Chapter 04
Draven’s POV
“What?”
The message stone slipped from my hand, shattering on the floor.
“The queen is dead.” Theron’s voice shook. “Blood loss… the healers couldn’t-”
My mind went blank. I bolted from the birthing chamber.
“Draven!” Seraphina called after me. “Where are you-”
I didn’t stop.
Corridors, stairs, courtyards–I ran like a madman toward the Dragonfire Inferno.
The iron door stood open, reeking of blood.
I burst inside. Everything stopped.
Elara lay in a pool of blood, both hands clutching her belly. Her face was ghost–white, blood crusted at her mouth, those bright eyes half–open and empty now.
“No… no…”
I stumbled forward and dropped beside her. “Elara! Wake up!”
I scooped her up. She was terrifyingly light, covered in brutal wounds.
“GET A HEALER!” I roared. “NOW!”
“Your Majesty…” Theron crept in, trembling. “She’s gone…”
I grabbed him by the throat. “How? HOW DID SHE DIE?”
His face turned purple. “Lady Lyra… the queen tried to run… got caught… my lady whipped her… kicked her stomach… forced another dose down her throat…”
“Another dose?”
“Double… the bleeding wouldn’t stop…” He gasped. ” We tried but-”
I threw him down. He crashed hard.
“Where’s that BITCH?”
“Ran… soon as she heard you were coming back…”
“FIND HER! I don’t care if you have to burn down the whole damn kingdom!”
Theron scrambled out.
I pulled Elara close again. Her dress was shredded, fresh wounds everywhere. She must’ve been in so much pain, so scared… and I wasn’t there.
“I’m sorry… God, I’m so sorry…” I buried my face in her cold hair, breaking down completely.
I moved Elara to our bedchamber, laid her on the bed.
we’d shared. Every day I changed her clothes, brushed her hair, pretended she was just sleeping.
The room started to smell, but I didn’t care. I wouldn‘ t leave her in that hell.
“Draven…” The door opened. Seraphina walked in with the baby. “You have to let her go. This isn’t-”
I held Elara’s stiff hand, didn’t turn.
“The kingdom needs you.” She stepped closer. “And Kael’s son needs-”
“Get out.”
“What?”
“Take your kid and get out of this room.” I turned, looked at her coldly. “We’re done.”
Seraphina went white. “But… I thought… after everything…”
“There was nothing.” I cut her off. “I took care of you because of Kael. Now his ‘son‘ is born. We’re even.”
“Then what was this year? You gave me the queen’s palace, had healers watching me around the clock…” Her voice broke.
“That was my debt to Kael.” I stepped toward her. “If it weren’t for his bloodline, I wouldn’t have looked twice at you.”
Tears spilled down her face. “Then why? Why did you treat Elara like that if you loved her?”
“Because I HATED her!” I exploded, a year of pain finally erupting. “Because everyone said she got Kael KILLED!”
It all came flooding back–that battle a year ago. Kael ambushed, sending three distress calls. But I’d passed out after drinking tea Elara brought, missed every signal. By the time I woke up, Kael was dead.
The whole royal family decided she’d drugged it, tried to climb into my bed and trap me with a pregnancy. For a year, I tortured her with that hate.
“So
you tortured her?” Seraphina’s voice turned sharp. “Ignored her, humiliated her, treated her worse than the servants? Draven, if you really hated her, why not just kill her yourself?”
I froze.
Why didn’t I?
“You can’t admit it, can you?” She wiped her tears, laughing bitterly. “You loved her. The moment you met her. But you loved Kael more, loved your precious family honor more. So you picked the easy answer–blame the outsider.”
Every word cut deep.
“YOUR coldness killed her!” She screamed. “YOUR coldness told everyone they could do whatever they
wanted to her! Why did Lyra dare? Because she KNEW you didn’t care!”
“GET OUT!” I roared. “GET THE HELL OUT!”
Seraphina ran, baby crying in her arms.
I collapsed by the bed, pressed my forehead to Elara’s frozen hand.
“She’s right… I killed you…” I choked out. “If I’d just trusted you… if I’d been kind…”
But it was too late for regrets.
She’d never hear them.
Late night. I couldn’t sleep anymore. I wandered the palace halls, looking for some kind of peace.
Hushed voices came from the royal garden.
“Are you INSANE coming here now?” Seraphina’s voice.
I stayed in the shadows, watched her argue with some man in guard armor.
“Draven’s lost his mind,” the man grabbed her wrist.” Perfect time to finish the job.” Job?
“What job? I don’t know what you-” Seraphina tried pulling away.
“CUT THE ACT!” The man sneered. “Kael’s route that night–YOU told me. Remember?” He laughed. “Just to fool around with me, you gave up his whole plan.”
Lightning struck through me.
Kael’s death… SERAPHINA?
“I… I thought you just wanted his schedule…” She sobbed. “I didn’t know they’d–you said you loved me..
“Who cares what you knew?” He grinned. “Kael’s dead. And guess what? Shadowclaw Empire loves your work. Keep helping us destroy Ashwing, you’ll get everything you want.”
Shadowclaw Empire… our enemies.
“But Draven’s not stupid…“.
The man laughed. “He’s an IDIOT. Protected our
bastard kid and killed his own wife and baby doing it.”
The world tilted.
I protected the enemy’s bastard. Killed my wife.
Killed our child.
Rage erupted like lava.
I charged, fist crashing into his face.
“YOU BASTARD!”
He went down hard, blood spraying from his nose.
“Draven…” Seraphina stared at me, terrified. “How much did you-”
“All of it.” I advanced, hatred burning. “You killed Kael. That baby’s this spy’s bastard.”
“I can explain-” She dropped to her knees.
I grabbed her hair, smashed my fist into her face.
Again. Again. “Explain selling out my brother? Explain MURDERING my wife?”
“Draven! PLEASE!” She begged through blood and broken teeth.
I yanked out my message stone. “All guards to the royal garden NOW!”
Theron arrived fast with his men.
“Your Majesty?”
“Tie them both up. Throw them in the lava pool.” My voice was ice. “Let them burn. Slowly.”