Chapter 120: Chapter 120

JONEA

It felt like I was drowning in an endless dream—dark, suffocating, and filled with confusing shadows. I was standing in the middle of nothingness when suddenly, a figure appeared—Aland. But something wasn’t right.

His face was the same, but the aura was off. His eyes pierced through me with a chilling intensity that made my skin crawl. He reached out, trying to grab my hand.

“Jonea, come with me,” he said softly, but it felt like a trap.

“Aland? Is that really you?” I asked, my voice trembling.

He smiled, but it wasn’t his smile. I stepped back, trying to get away, but the space around me seemed to shrink. His cold hand gripped my arm, sending shivers down my spine.

“Don’t be afraid. I just want you to stay with me. Forever.”

I struggled, pulling my arm with all my strength, but his grip tightened. My chest felt heavy, my breath shallow.

“No! Let me go!”

Somehow, I broke free, but my body felt like it was falling into an endless void. When I opened my eyes, I was back in my room, drenched in cold sweat. My breaths came in sharp, frantic gasps like I’d just escaped something invisible.

“Jonea, are you okay?”

I turned to see Owen sitting beside my bed, his face etched with concern, though his voice was as calm as ever.

“I... I don’t know,” I croaked. “Was I dreaming?”

“Looks like it. You seemed terrified,” he said, placing a hand on my forehead to check my temperature. “Nightmare?”

I nodded weakly, trying to steady my breathing. “Owen… how long have I been asleep?”

“Two days,” he replied, casually, as if announcing the weather.

“Two days?!” I nearly shouted.

“Yeah. You couldn’t wake up after my uncle... 'punished' you in his bed.”

I froze at his words, my face heating up—not from embarrassment, but from anger.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Owen shrugged. “He lost control. But I think he regrets it now. He’s been punishing himself in his study the whole time you were out. I was worried about you, so I stayed here.”

I shuddered, recalling the nightmare. Without thinking, I reached out and hugged Owen tightly.

“Hey, hey... it’s okay. I’m here,” he said, patting my back gently.

The sound of the door opening made us both turn. Standing in the doorway was Arabel, her face lighting up with relief.

“Finally, you’re awake!” she exclaimed cheerfully.

“Arabel? You’re here too?” I asked, confused.

“Of course. Let me call everyone,” she said, already heading out of the room.

I glanced at Owen, raising an eyebrow. “Everyone? Who does she mean?”

Owen’s face turned serious. “Something big happened. Worse than your nightmare.”

I didn’t have time to ask more as Owen stood up and walked toward the wardrobe. He pulled out some clothes.

“Put these on. Quickly!”

“What?” I asked, baffled.

He turned around, holding the clothes out to me. “I’ll help you change.”

I immediately crossed my arms over my chest, my face burning. “No way! I can do it myself!”

Owen rolled his eyes, clearly annoyed. “Don’t be ridiculous! I’m not my uncle,” he said, tossing the clothes at me.

I scowled but said nothing, grabbing the clothes. I knew he was just trying to help, but my emotions were too jumbled to appreciate it.

Once I finished changing, I stepped out of the room cautiously. The air outside felt heavy, like something was about to explode. When I reached the living room, I froze at the sight of an unusual gathering—so many people were there.

Eve and Miller were among them. Their faces were serious, but Miller gave me a faint smile, trying to reassure me. It didn’t work.

“What’s going on? Why is everyone here?”

Daran, standing at the center, stepped forward. His gaze was softer than usual as he approached me.

“Are you okay?” he asked, his voice low and full of concern.

I lowered my head, unable to meet his eyes. The memory of that night was still fresh. My body felt weak, almost helpless, as if reliving the humiliation of being at his mercy.

“Why is everyone gathered here? And…” I glanced at Eve. “How are you even here?”

Eve—or Evangelista—smiled, but this time, it was different. There was something familiar about her expression, something from a past I couldn’t quite grasp.

Daran spoke before I could ask further. “Because the spell clouding your memories has been lifted, you can finally see her clearly. She’s Evangelista, who’s been disguising herself to watch over and protect you.”

I stared at Eve, confused, trying to piece everything together. Evangelista? The woman who once gave me the black bone dagger?

“Why didn’t you tell me earlier?” I asked, my voice wavering between anger and confusion.

“There were things you couldn’t know yet, Jonea,” Eve said gently. “Our main goal was to keep you safe. I could only protect you from the shadows.”

I shook my head, trying to process the fragments of information swirling in my mind. “But… why now? What’s happening? And why is Miller here?”

Miller, who had been silent, stepped closer. “Because something big is going on, Jonea. Something that involves all of us.”

Daran took over, his tone firm. “There’s a threat far greater than red dragons or petty clan conflicts. Something is moving in the shadows, and it’s targeting you.”

My heart pounded. “What do you mean?”

Daran took a deep breath before answering. “Aland.”

The name hit me like a slap. I remembered my nightmare—or was it more than that? I shivered, wrapping my arms around myself for comfort.

“We’ve received reports of someone with Aland’s face and identity moving out there,” Daran continued. “But we know it’s not him. It’s someone—or something—posing as him. He… stole one of the blue dragons.”

My knees buckled, but Miller caught me before I could fall.

“Stay calm, Jonea. We’re here for you,” he said softly.

“But why Aland? Why would he steal a blue dragon?”

Eve stepped forward, placing a hand on my shoulder. “It hasn’t been confirmed. Like Daran said, it might not even be Aland. Just someone using his face to steal one of the blue dragons.”

I wanted to ask more, but the words made my mind spiral further into chaos. I turned to Daran, desperate for clarity.

“Do you know what they want with the dragon?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper.

Daran shook his head. “Not yet. But we won’t let them get to you. The Red Moon is approaching, and this might be connected to you.”

“Is that why everyone’s here?”

“Yes,” Daran replied. “We need to plan how to protect you and uncover the mastermind behind all this.”

I took a deep breath, trying to summon strength. “So, what do we do now?”

Eve and Daran exchanged glances before Daran answered. “We stay vigilant. And you need to be ready for whatever’s coming.”

His words filled me with more dread than reassurance. But I knew he was right. If someone was targeting me, I couldn’t keep hiding behind everyone else’s protection.

“I’ll do whatever it takes,” I said finally, even though my heart was full of doubt.

Miller gave me a small, encouraging smile, patting my shoulder. “I’m sure it’s not Aland.”