Chapter 498: Dinner With The Emperor

Then the enormous silhouette behind the steam began to change.

Its colossal outline folded inward, the sheer mass of the creature compressing upon itself as the shape of its head receded into the mist.

The enormous horns disappeared with it, followed by the portions of its body that had been barely visible through the veil.

The darkness continued contracting, reshaping itself until the outline standing behind the steam was no longer that of an impossibly enormous dragon.

It was humanoid.

Yvnil remained on one knee, her head bowed as her body trembled.

Slow and heavy footsteps sounded from within the mist as a figure emerged through the rising steam.

The Dragon Emperor stepped into view.

Even in his humanoid form, there was nothing remotely ordinary about him.

He was immensely tall at over 7ft, and his bare upper body was built so densely with an imposing musculature.

His skin was charcoal black, stretched tightly across the hard contours of his chest and abdomen, with subtle undertones of dark crimson becoming visible wherever the cavern’s light passed across him.

More striking were the formations growing directly from his body.

Gold-edged ridges of hardened scale and bone emerged from the flesh along his upper arms and shoulders, rising into jagged spikes that swept upward and backward across both sides of his frame.

It was a natural mantle of armor his body had grown for itself, each formation rooted seamlessly into muscle and flesh.

Long ivory hair spilled wildly down his back, broken throughout by irregular streaks of black. It framed a crown of enormous branching horns that rose from his head like golden antlers, their numerous points spreading outward above him in a display that appeared almost regal.

But it was his eyes that Yvnil couldn’t bring herself to meet.

They were narrow and ember-red, glowing faintly as he approached.

The Dragon Emperor wore no elaborate royal attire. A broad black sash encircled his waist above dark trousers, crossed by a crimson wrap that fell along one side of his body. A heavy golden belt secured everything in place, its center dominated by a carved circular buckle.

He continued forward until he stood directly before Yvnil, staring down at her.

His expression carried an unmistakable disgust, accompanied by the faintest curl of disdain at the corner of his mouth.

“Stand.” The Emperor’s voice traveled through the cavern with unquestionable authority.

Yvnil slowly rose to her feet. Her body was still trembling, and even after standing, she kept her head lowered, unwilling to meet the Emperor’s gaze.

Without warning, his hand flashed across her face.

PAH!

The back of his hand struck Yvnil across the right cheek with enough force to whip her head to the side.

She stumbled several steps before catching herself. And for a moment, Yvnil remained stunned.

Then she hurriedly regained her footing and returned to her original position before him, lowering her head once again.

Reddish imprints of fingers had already appeared across her cheek where the Emperor’s hand had struck her.

He regarded her coldly. “You will take her back. Clean her and dress her properly.”

His glowing red eyes moved toward Irene’s unconscious body.

“Then bring her before me as a bride should be brought before her husband.”

Yvnil immediately bowed her head deeper “Yes, Emperor.”

She wasted no time in turning and quickly made her way out of the cavern, the floating slab of stone carrying Irene following closely behind her.

–

A while later…

Within another section of the Dragon Emperor’s palace, a large dining table had been prepared.

The surrounding chamber still possessed much of the natural appearance of the cavern’s interior.

Crystalline formations protruded from several points along the rock, bathing the chamber in a warm glow.

Yet within that ancient cavern, an almost luxurious dining arrangement had been established.

An assortment of dishes covered the long table, many containing large portions of roasted meat and different delicacies prepared specifically for dragons.

The Dragon Emperor sat on one end of the table, while Irene sat on the other end of the table.

She looked considerably different from the woman Yvnil had dragged out of the dungeon earlier.

Her tangled red hair had been washed and carefully arranged, falling neatly around her shoulders and down her back.

The dirt and grime accumulated from her imprisonment had been scrubbed from her skin, and she had been dressed in elegant clothing befitting royalty, accompanied by a subtle application of makeup.

It made her look more dignified than she had at any point during the last decade.

But nothing could completely conceal what those years had done to her.

The exhaustion was still there, lingering under her eyes and in the paleness of her face.

Irene was quiet. Her restraints were gone but that freedom was almost meaningless.

Sitting across from her was the strongest being among dragonkind, and perhaps one of the most powerful creatures still walking the world.

And Irene still had someone she cared about. So she made no attempt to resist or flee.

The Emperor, meanwhile, ate with little concern for the refinement of their surroundings.

He tore portions of meat apart with his hands and consumed them ravenously, moving from one dish to another.

But his movements slowed when he noticed Irene’s untouched food.

“Does the food displease you, Irlen?”

Irlen — It was how Irene’s name was pronounced in the dragon tongue.

But she gave no answer.

Her face wasn’t turned toward the Emperor. It was somewhere upon the food arranged before her, but she didn’t truly seem to be looking at it.

Her eyes were distant.

Several seconds passed without a reply from her which gradually made the Emperor’s expression hardened.

Then he slammed his palm against the table.

BANG!

The impact shook the entire arrangement as he swept his arm across the table, knocking the dishes before him away.

Plates and food scattered across the stone floor, several pieces of tableware shattering on impact.

Irene didn’t flinch either. She remained exactly where she was, staring down at the untouched meal before her.

The Dragon Emperor’s ember-red eyes narrowed. “When I ask you a question, I demand an answer from you.”

His voice had become dangerously low.

“Have you still not understood that after spending more than a decade in my dungeon?”