The Dragon King's Heart

Lizette fell back, she had never seen Dante like this. Putting the pieces of clues together, she realized who Laina was and how much she meant to Dante. Lizette clutched her hand close to her heart. 

She was jealous of this person named 'Laina'. Dante seemed to be so enchanted by her. She was certain she was the one who made the vials for Dante's recovery. That was something she could never compare or live up to. 

There aren't many out there who would be willing to drain their own blood to make a potion that would sustain or prolong their lover's life. And to have drained this much blood and gone through so much effort to concoct the potion above all else. 

That must be what true love was like. 

She was impressed, speechless by Laina's devotion to Dante. 

Faced with Dante's wrath, Marius knew he had no other choice but to spill the truth. He carefully recounted what happened, including his mother's interference. Upon hearing that Laina was threatened, he could see the anger that burned in Dante's eyes. 

But he overexerted himself. The Dragon Emperor clenched his jaw as he fought back the pain as best he could. He walked out into the bedroom and laid back in bed. He was still in recovery after all. 

"Repeat what she asked you to tell me," Dante ordered as he placed his arm over his eyes, trying to concentrate. 

She said, Tell him I'll see him soon, and that she's sorry."

Remembering what Laina gave him before he left, he retrieved them from his spatial storage and handed them to Dante. Lizette looked on in shock. To the untrained eye, it did not look like much. It was just a pile of shiny gemstones. 

As soon as Dante saw it, something in his mind clicked. He looked up at Marius slowly, listening to him recount the scene where Laina handed these to him. These bright red gemstones and crystals all had an affinity with fire and heat. 

They could help alleviate the symptoms caused by the Love Curse and help him heal from his wounds. If they resonated with Laina, it would resonate with him too. 

"I'll see you soon. And I'm sorry."

Those were the words Laina wanted Marius to relay to him. As Dante widened his eyes, he realized what it all meant. But before he could say anything, he looked down at his hands. The effects of the Love curse continued to spread.

He tried to open his mouth to speak, but he entered a coughing fit. He tried to take breaths in between but it did not work. Then, he began to cough up blood. Lizette quickly brought him a towel, her hand was shaking. 

"I have to go to her," he muttered beneath his breath. 

"To her? To Laina?" Marius asked in shock, "Dante you can't!" 

"I have to. There's no other way," he said solemnly, "She can't come here. Not anymore." 

Dante wanted to get out of bed at once. But the moment he did, he fell to the ground. Lizette went to help him up. She did not know what to say so she kept silent. At the same time, the doors to Dante's room burst open. 

Cecilia entered with her entourage. She was over the moon to see that her son was awake and looking much better than before. But she was shocked to see him getting out of bed. 

"Dante, you need to get back in bed. You need rest you-" she had been worried sick about him and wanted to reach out to him but he swiped her hand away. 

"Don't touch me," he said coldly before glaring at everyone else who was in the room. 

"Leave, all of you. Only the Empress Dowager and Marius can remain," he ordered. 

Lizette left along with the rest of Cecilia's entourage. No one dared to defy the orders of the Dragon Emperor. As the doors closed, silence fell in the room. Dante sat upright on the bed. Cecilia already noticed the chest on the bedside table. 

"Dante, you-" 

"I know you went to Gaeia," Dante spoke before she could say anything else. 

Cecilia gulped, knowing what that meant. She glanced over to Marius, knowing full well he was the one who told Dante about it. 

"I did," she said as she crossed her arms, "I did it for you."

"You were going to make her my blood bag, weren't you."

The former empress clenched her jaw, "I will do anything to save your life. Even if ..."

He finished his mother's sentence for her, "Even if she were to die."

"She's doing it to herself anyways. So why not give her a little push?" 

"Do you hate her that much?" Dante roared in anger. 

He clenched his jaw as he felt pain reverberating through his body. Though he was doing better, he was still recuperating. 

He must not over-exert himself. 

"She took you away from me! My son! She has poisoned your mind, Dante. You two aren't meant for one another. She's just using you!"

Every sentence she spoke of Laina was like a dagger through Dante's heart. He would never allow anyone to talk about Laina like that. Not even his own mother. He wanted to defend Laina fiercely. 

But he could not risk his health either. Every second he gained was in exchange of a second of Laina's life. He could not waste it. He cannot risk what she had given him. 

"You're wrong. Your choices led you to lose me. It has nothing to do with Laina. I will not have anyone but her," he declared with determination. 

Dante struggled to get out of bed once more. Marius came to his aid at once. He knew what Dante wanted to do and he was not about to stop him. But Cecilia blocked them. 

"Where do you think you're going?" she said as she physically stood in their way, "You're going to look for her?"

"Move aside, mother," Dante said respectfully, holding back all the anger he had brewing within him. 

He had no time to waste. 

Cecilia shook her head with tears in her eyes. She could not allow her son to go, knowing he could get himself killed. 

"You left me with no other choice," Cecilia sighed as she cast a spell of her own.