Married To The Dragon Prince Against My Will-Chapter 210: SAVING HER GIRL

It had been days where nothing moved and nothing changed. No one had seen Prince Ashen. No one has been able to see the king. And the worst part was that Queen Sephora refused to tell a single soul what exactly was wrong with him.

The palace felt like it was breathing through a wound, Adam was acting as the king in the king’s absence.

Lumina remained in the same state she had been in since her imprisonment. Haggard paled as she sat in the center of her dim cell as if she had been carved out of stone, her head slightly bowed, her hair falling forward like a curtain.

She looked like she was meditating, but Stella knew it was exhaustion wrapped inside pain.

Stella herself was tired beyond words, but she hid it because she feared Lumina would worry. She had not slept properly in days, but she pushed through the fog. Her lady needed her more than she needed sleep.

Just when the silence felt like it would stretch forever, the iron door creaked open. Footsteps entered the prison yard and an announcement cut through the air like a blade.

"The High Queen of Drakonis is here."

Lumina’s eyes opened at once. Stella rushed to her side. She adjusted Lumina’s robe, helped her steady her breath, and moved toward the bars.

"Your Highness," Stella said as she dipped her head. She had no choice because disrespecting Queen Sephora was a death wish.

Sephora tilted her head and smiled in a way that held no warmth. "How are you enjoying your cell room?"

Stella stared at her as if she had lost her mind. "Where is my husband?" she asked, ignoring her question. Sephora’s smile faltered. "I see you have not learnt your lesson."

Lumina tried to stand. Stella immediately grabbed her arm to help her and guided her forward.

"My lesson?" Lumina whispered. "Is it the lesson of being framed or the lesson of watching you destroy the king and realm you claim to respect?"

A sharp crack echoed through the cell. Sephora’s hand had struck Lumina across the face so quickly that Stella gasped.

"How dare you speak that way to me?" Sephora’s eyes glowed with fury. "This peasant still has not been taught properly."

Lumina staggered, but Stella caught her before she fell. "How could you hurt my lady?" Stella demanded.

Sephora’s laughter rang coldly giving Stella a shocking glare. "The audacity you have gained because of my foolish son is impressive. You dare to raise your voice at me without fear of my crown."

Sephora lifted her hand. "Take her."

Stella froze. Her eyes widened as guards stepped forward, their armor clanking. "Your Highness," she whispered in panic. "Please."

"What do you think you are doing?" Lumina stepped forward, but her legs trembled. "Do not touch her."

"Kill her," Sephora commanded.

Lumina’s eyes flew open. "No. Do not harm her. You made a promise to my father before you tied me to your son. You promised me protection."

The guards ignoring her plea dashed inside and seized Stella anyway. She cried out as they yanked her toward the corridor.

"My lady!" Stella reached back, desperate, grasping Lumina’s hand.

"Take her away," Sephora said.

"Do not touch her," Lumina cried, dragging herself forward, but she stumbled. A guard shoved her back and stepped on her hand. She cried out, pain racing up her arm.

Stella glanced back at her lady and she lost it at that moment. "Do not hurt my lady," Stella screamed.

Everything happened so fast that the guards did not understand what they were seeing.

One moment, Stella was being pulled away by another; a guard flew backward as if a giant force had slammed into him.

Stella landed on her feet, and the air behind her rippled like heat.

"You," one of the guards whispered as others stepped forward. "What are you?"

Stella’s claws elongated, sharp, and deadly. A dark shape like a wolf with glowing pale eyes rose behind her. Shadows curled around her hands like smoke.

Her Shadowborn form has awakened, "No!" Lumina cried out big. It was too late. Everyone currently here has seen the kind of creature Stella is.

Sephora stiffened. "Yo... you?"

Stella’s voice came out darkened by power. "You can do anything to me, but do not touch my lady."

She grabbed Lumina and pulled her protectively behind her.

"Kill here!" Sephora yelled after she finally got her voice.

Guards rushed forward, spears raised, but Stella moved with speed. She ducked under the first spear, seized the guard by the jaw, and snapped his neck with effortless precision.

Two more swung blades at her. Shadows curled around her arms, coating them in black fire. She slammed her palm into the first one’s chest and the Shadowfire consumed his armor in seconds. His scream echoed as he collapsed.

Stella turned, her eyes now glowing with the same eerie light as the wolf behind her.

The flames swirled around her feet as she leaped, kicking a guard so hard he hit the stone wall and crumpled. Another tried to stab her from behind, but the shadow wolf snapped its jaws. The soldier’s body flew backward as if struck by an invisible beast.

The remaining guards hesitated, trembling.

Lumina could only stand speechless, "Stella," she whispered.

Stella did not answer. Her voice was no longer fully human when she spoke again. "Stand down or burn."

The guards charged anyway, but Stella moved through them with a storm of black fire. She caught one by the arm, twisted until the bone cracked, and threw him into another.

She slashed her claws across another guard’s throat. Blood sprayed the stone floor.

One by one they fell, some burnt while others choked.. When the final guard hit the ground, the cell was filled with smoke from the Shadowfire Stella stood panting, her body trembling with exertion, flames dimming slowly.

Queen Sephora was backed against the wall, her eyes wide with horror.

"You," she whispered. "You are an abomination."

Stella’s eyes turned toward her, still glowing.

"How dare you Lumina bring a creature like this into Drakonis’ Realm. Shadowborn blood is cursed. You should not exist."

Stella stood among the fallen guards, her claws shrinking back into trembling fingers.

Smoke drifted from the stones where Shadowfire had burned through armor and bone. Shame pressed into her chest until she could barely breathe. She had revealed herself. She had killed, and worst of all, she had disgraced the only person who had ever protected her.

Lumina moved immediately, directing her girl smell and stood in front of Stella as if her small frame could shield her from the wrath of the world.

Stella lowered her head with guilt, the only reason she still lived in the four realms was because of this woman.

Years ago, when every realm declared the Shadowborn bloodline a curse, when others tried to kill her, Lumina had not turned away. Instead she tended her wounds and gave her a home.

Now Stella felt nothing but regret. Her lady had always helped her control the darkness so it would never rise, so she would never expose her true nature but today she failed.

She had brought shame not only upon herself but on the woman who had shielded her with everything in her heart.

Lumina raised a protective arm as Queen Sephora approached. "You cannot hurt her," she said calmly. "I brought her into this realm. If punishment must fall, let it fall on me."

Sephora scoffed. "You foolish girl. You do not negotiate with me."

"And I said you cannot hurt her," Lumina answered, a bit louder this time.

Sephora opened her mouth to mock her, but no sound came. Lumina’s command had frozen her voice. The queen’s eyes widened in disbelief.

"You want to lay a finger on her?" Lumina continued. "I am not offering a deal. I am telling you what will not happen."

Sephora burst into wild laughter. "Why would I listen to you? Do you believe you have power over me?"

Lumina laughed as well, "I saved you," she said.

"When you fell ill, when your body slipped toward death, I placed a soul bead inside you. If you refuse to listen to me now, I will remove it, and you will slip back into your coma within minutes."

The queen staggered backward. Her face was drained of color. "What?"

Lumina tilted her head. "Did no one tell you I was the one who saved you? Do you think I would give you life without securing my future? Oh queen, you underestimate me."

Sephora stared at her as if seeing her for the first time. Fear lapped across her features. "You," she whispered. "You dare threaten me with my own life."

Lumina did not answer and panic grabbed Sephora’s spine. She turned fast toward the open door, the door slammed shut before Lumina could move.

"Find my husband if you want to live!" Lumina screamed having no choice but she did not wait with the thought that Lumina might change her mind and rip the soul bead from her chest before she reached safety.