The Devil's Betrothed-Chapter 665: Dragon Form

"That’s a difficult and long story to talk about, but just know that I was punished for something which revoked my right to be called the Queen of this kingdom."

"Punished? Who can dare punish the mate of the King?" Oriana asked, astonished.

Ember chuckled, not minding her words. "Who else but the King himself?"

"The King, your husband—I mean, your mate—punished you?" Oriana asked, even more surprised.

Ember nodded. "And I am happy that he did. I do not wish to be the queen of this kingdom and attract unnecessary attention and trouble. I like my peaceful life as his mate. You have just arrived, and I do not want to overwhelm you with long stories, but you will soon know what happened that I was punished by the King, my mate."

Oriana understood Ember didn’t wish to talk about it yet, so she didn’t press further. She continued, "They talked about the marking ceremony. How exactly does it happen? I have read about it in books, but since you have gone through it already..." She hesitated, "Do they really bite you on the neck?" She subconsciously rubbed the side of her neck, as if she could feel the pain of the bite.

Ember nodded, "They do bite for real."

"Doesn’t it hurt?"

"It sure does, hurts so much that I went unconscious right away and woke two days after," Ember answered. "In that single moment of surprise, I felt like my soul was being sucked out and I could not stand it anymore."

Oriana felt a shiver run down her spine. "How did you prepare yourself for it? Weren’t you nervous?"

"I didn’t even get the chance to prepare for it as I was not aware that Draven was going to mark me. I was not even aware of what marking or being a mate of a Divine beast meant. It happened all of a sudden, while my sole priority back then was simply survival."

"You were not aware?" Oriana asked, surprise evident in her voice.

Ember nodded. "Not just me, but no one in this kingdom expected that their king would mark a human female out of the blue," Ember narrated briefly how it all happened with her and how she became Draven’s mate.

"That’s... That’s like a story in the fairy tale books," Oriana spoke, feeling amazed by her story.

"True. I still can’t believe that I ended up here from that dead mountain and that there is someone who truly cherishes me, my mate."

Ember observed Oriana’s nervous demeanor and chuckled, "I am not trying to scare you. If you are his mate, you will be able to bear it. Though painful, you will find real bliss in it. Once the bond is formed, you will feel a connection like no other. It’s worth it."

Oriana’s gaze stopped at the right side of Ember’s beautiful and slender neck, where a tattoo of a crimson blossom surrounding an image of a black dragon was visible.

"Is this the marking of the bond?" Oriana asked.

Ember nodded. "Isn’t it beautiful?"

"It certainly is," Oriana replied with a hint of amusement.

Ember explained, "After he marked me and I survived the marking, that crimson blossom formed on the place where he bit me. Later, when we consummated the bond, the image of the black dragon appeared, signifying our bond was complete."

Oriana felt excited thinking about what kind of mark she would have—maybe a certain color blossom with a gold dragon? It would be a beautiful piece of art.

"What kind of mark does Seren have?" Oriana asked.

"You might like to see it yourself. I must tell you, it’s beautiful just like her," Ember replied.

"I can’t wait to see it."

Just then, Arlan and Yorian approached them, along with Draven, whose gaze was fixed on his mate, smiling and talking with Oriana.

Draven moved to Ember’s side, pulling her closer with his hand around her waist, making it clear to the other beasts that she was his mate.

Arlan did the same with Oriana, keeping her close by his side.

Yorian sighed at their possessive behavior. "I understand your beast instincts, but you both should trust each other and know that each is devoted solely to their own mate, and the same goes for your females."

Neither Draven nor Arlan commented, preferring to keep their mates close in the presence of another beast.

Arlan turned to Oriana. "I have to leave with Yorian for some work."

"Where are you going?" she asked.

"I have to build a place for us. We can’t stay in another beast’s home."

"Will it take time?"

"It might. Drayce’s mother will accompany you in the guest residence."

"Alright," Oriana agreed, though she looked slightly apprehensive.

Just then, a loud roar of a Dragon echoed through the air, causing the entire surrounding to vibrate as if a natural calamity was imminent. Oriana immediately clung to Arlan, unsure of what was happening, while the others looked up at the sky calmly, as if this were an ordinary occurrence.

Oriana looked up and her eyes widened in awe as she watched a huge red Dragon soaring in the sky. The power it exuded and its commanding presence were overwhelming and thrilling.

"That’s Drayce," Arlan said, noting Oriana’s astonishment. "The red Dragon you see is him."

"K-King Drayce?" Oriana whispered, still mesmerized by the sight. "I have never something this magnificent before."

"That red Dragon truly can’t stop showing off in front of his mate," Yorian sighed. "I hope Queen Seren can keep up with his enthusiasm."

"Why are you sighing at my son?" Evanthe interjected as she arrived. "After so long, Erebus can be free without Drayce suppressing him. Let him enjoy himself and show off in front of his mate. As long as it makes him happy."

"What can I say?" Yorian replied, glancing at Oriana and Arlan. "We can only prepare for another Dragon to soon show off in front of his mate."

Oriana understood the meaning and looked up at Arlan with excitement. "I can’t wait to see your Dragon form."

"Soon," he assured her.