Married To The Last Ice Dragon-Chapter 242: A permanent portal

Swiftly, Katherine opened a portal, and they stepped through it, reappearing at Leimpia, back at the mountain’s base.

However, as soon as they emerged, the portal unleashed a sudden surge of energy, transforming into a brilliant, sprawling white light that pierced the sky.

"What in the world...?" River trailed off, awestruck.

"A permanent gateway to the realm," Katherine explained, beaming with pride.

The brilliant light danced in their eyes, and Sage smiled, captivated by Cyrus’s gaze, filled with wonder and adoration, as if beholding a long-lost treasure. She could feel his relief... his admiration...

"Shall we head back to the mansion?" he asked, his hand wrapping gently around hers.

The group’s focus then shifted to the starry night sky.

Sage’s eyes dilated in shock, her heart skipping a painful beat. "W-what’s happening?" she stammered, her voice trembling.

Cyrus quickly pulled her close, his arms wrapping around her in a comforting hold. "Calm down, Sage," he whispered softly.

The others turned to them, their eyes filled with a deep realization.

"Time passes differently in the realm," Katherine said, her tone measured but her expression revealing her anxiety.

"A full day has passed," Sage whispered, her words taut with tension, her grip on Cyrus’s hand tightening as it was her only source of comfort.

As fear consumed her entirely, even Cyrus’s warm embrace failed to soothe her. Meanwhile, Cyrus’s own fear was escalating, though he skillfully concealed it from the others. Sage, however, was sensitive to his emotions and felt them vividly.

She had resolved one issue by ensuring the mages’ rightful homecoming, but the dangers posed by the Statkus mages and ice gods still lingered.

"Cyrus," Sage whispered, her voice heavy with worry.

"I think it’s best if we head back to the castle," River suggested, his voice calm and reassuring, as he felt the tension escalate.

Katherine sighed deeply, then raised her glowing hands, and in an instant, they all disappeared, reappearing in the mansion’s main room, where Anghel sat beside a sleeping Tamara.

Unfazed by the group’s sudden arrival, Anghel’s eyes met Arthur’s, and just as he was about to speak, the ice god’s finger silenced him, his eyes flicking towards the sleeping Tamara, and Arthur’s words were stifled.

Meanwhile, Cyrus pulled away from Sage and exited the room without a word.

River sighed, kissed Katherine on the forehead and rushed after his friend.

"You have returned." Anghel suddenly smiled at Sage who frowned deeply.

"Were you anticipating my return as a corpse?" she asked, her breathing heavy as she made her way to the cushion closest to the crackling fire.

Katherine sighed and joined Sage on the cushion, both women clearly exhausted. "We have mere hours left. 24, to be exact. What’s our next move?" She asked, her voice laced with frustration, as she ran her fingers through her hair.

Arthur’s worried gaze lingered on the pair before he departed the room without a word.

Anghel stood up, gently settling Tamara onto the cushion before joining the mages, sitting between them with a deep sigh.

"Within the next 24 hours, my brothers will descend upon us, Cyrus will hunt you down, and the Statkus mages will add to the mayhem. Pandemonium awaits," he summarized, his tone eerily cheerful, as if he were sharing a joke.

Katherine and Sage remained silent, their exhaustion evident in their lack of response to Anghel’s warning. They preserved their strength, knowing that futile arguments would only drain their energy.

Anghel sighed, his expression somber. "You must reach the Statkus portal," he urged, but Sage’s frown indicated her priorities lay elsewhere.

"I’ll help Cyrus first," she said, to which Anghel replied, his tone grave,

"There’s nothing you can do to save him."

Sage stood up, her grunt betraying her exhaustion, and glared at Anghel. "I refuse to accept that. I’ll cling to any hope, no matter how slim, and try to force Cyrus to shift into his dragon form,"

She really wanted to give up on that action but she only had 24 hours left. She had no other options left.

Anghel stared at her in disbelief. "Wouldn’t destroying the Statkus portal be a more effective strategy?"

Sage held her breath. She turned to Katherine, who awaited her orders, and commanded, "Take the others to Querencia, I will return to Videnia alone."

Katherine rose up. "Yes, my queen." And she vanished from sight.

"What do you hope to accomplish in Videnia?" Anghel stood up, a deep frown on his face. "Do you want to get yourself killed?"

Sage glared at him. "Do I look like I am available for this? One of the ice gods, your brother, has already arrived in Videnia."

"Alistair." Anghel’s face darkened. "Returning to that place is suicide."

"The same is true for visiting the Statkus portal. I would like to save Cyrus first." Sage snapped at him and stormed away.

However, a loud scream brought her to a halt.

Her eyes widened as Florin and Penelope rushed in carrying an unconscious Victor. He was covered in blood, with several daggers stuck in his chest.

Sage froze.

Penelope was crying.

Florin was visibly perplexed, indicating that whatever happened had come as a surprise.

"Set him down." Anghel approached them, and they obeyed immediately.

Gripping one of the daggers, he knelt down and let out a deep, helpless cry. "He is dead."

Sage swallowed tightly, her eyes welling with tears. Victor was dead?! "How did this happen!?"

"We were ambushed by Statkus mages on the mountains. Victor told us that he would hold them off and that we should leave. But..." Penelope choked and placed her hand against her chest.

"Are there any injured?" Sage had to ask.

Penelope sniffed, wiping away tears with her bloodied hands. "Freya... She..."

Sage hurried out of the main room and into the grand hall, where the mages who had been searching for her had gathered. Though battered and bruised, they were otherwise unharmed.

As they spotted her, they lowered their heads in a show of respect and relief. "Your Majesty, you’re safe!"

Sage forced a smile. "Join the other mages with Katherine. It’s time to go home,"

The mages were stunned, but Sage didn’t wait for their response, hurrying towards the direction where she hoped to find Freya and Darren.

But hearing Freya scream out in pain at the distance, she halted her steps. "No... I..."

Then she clenched her fists, shaking her head. "I have to destroy that portal. Right now."