Chapter 121: Chapter 121

JONEA

The living room at Daran's house felt different that afternoon. Normally, the place was all about silence and the cold stillness of stone walls. But today, the air was thick with tension.

I sat on one of the big couches facing the long table, while Daran took his usual seat at the head, his expression unreadable, cold, and calculating. Next to me, Arabel started speaking, diving straight into what seemed to be the main issue.

"We've already explained this to Daran," she began firmly, though I could hear a slight tremor in her voice. "Two dragonlings have been stolen from the land of the Blue Dragons. The Mountain Dragon was supposed to come here too, but he's busy searching for the missing young ones. So, I'm here on his behalf."

Two dragonlings? Stolen? How was this the first I was hearing about it? And wasn’t it supposed to be Aland coming here? After all, he was acknowledged as the leader of the Blue Dragons not long ago.

Arabel's tone softened as she placed a small stone on the table. It resembled a dragon's tear pendant but glowed a fiery red. “The thief left this behind,” she said.

Eve leaned forward, her curiosity evident. “What exactly is that?”

“This is a magical stone Miller managed to create,” Arabel explained, glancing briefly at my twin. “It allows its user to teleport, much like what you can do, Daran.”

I turned to Miller, who had been silent this whole time. He added, in his usual deadpan tone, “Apparently, the thief stole this stone from my place. And unfortunately, the only one who knew about its power and how to access my territory is... Aland.”

Anger flared up inside me. “You just said Aland isn’t the thief. Now you’re accusing him?” I snapped.

Miller’s expression remained calm. “I’m not accusing him. I’m just stating the facts. He knew about the stone. Whether he’s involved or not, we can’t ignore that two dragonlings disappeared on his watch as their leader. Now he’s missing too. The Mountain Dragon is trying to track them, but it’s my fault for not securing the stone better.”

“Miller—” Arabel cut in, clearly not liking the way Miller was blaming himself.

“Calm down,” Daran said in his usual icy tone. “I get it wasn’t intentional. The question is, why should we help you find Aland and the stolen dragonlings?”

Arabel quickly answered, “Because you’re familiar with the land of the Blue Dragons. And because you know Aland.” She glanced at me, her eyes pleading like I could somehow sway Daran’s decision.

Daran didn’t reply immediately. His sharp gaze shifted to Miller, suspicion evident. “Why are shadow hunters involved in dragon affairs, anyway?”

Miller held his ground, meeting Daran’s glare. “I have a pact with the Mountain Dragon. He trusted me to help maintain balance between the dragons and the other races, even before Aland was found.”

I interrupted, my curiosity piqued. “With the Mountain Dragon?”

Miller nodded. “And now, I’m asking for your help, Daran Carver. Will you help us bring the dragonlings back to their homeland?”

The room seemed to freeze, the tension hanging heavier than before. Daran’s dislike for complicated matters, especially those involving dragons, was no secret.

“Daran,” I said softly, almost pleading, “They need our help.”

He shook his head firmly. “No.”

“Why not?” I demanded, my frustration bubbling over.

Daran fixed me with a sharp look, his voice low but commanding. “Do you remember how fragile your body is?”

I stared at him, my eyes stinging with unshed tears.

“Daran, have you already forgotten?” My voice trembled. “How suffocating it felt back then? We might not have any obligation here, but unlike us, these dragons didn’t leave their home by choice. I don’t want those dragonlings to suffer like we did—used and betrayed.”

For a moment, Daran’s cold gaze softened. But it was brief. He looked away, deep in thought, as I held my breath. The room was silent except for the sound of our breathing.

Finally, Daran lifted his head. “Fine,” he said quietly but firmly. “I’ll help.”

Eve let out a relieved smile, though it quickly faded as her expression turned serious again. “You’ve changed a little, haven’t you, Daran?” she murmured, just loud enough for me to hear.

Daran dismissed her observation, cutting straight to business. “So, do you have any leads?”

We exchanged uncertain glances. For a few seconds, no one spoke, as if hoping someone else would magically produce a brilliant idea.

Miller eventually sighed. “We don’t know where Aland is or why he’s missing. The Mountain Dragon has tried reaching the dragonlings, but there’s no connection. Maybe they’re unconscious.”

I sat quietly, trying to piece everything together. Aland, the dependable leader, disappearing with two dragonlings—it didn’t feel like a coincidence. The thoughts swirling in my head slipped out of my mouth before I could stop them.

“I think Aland’s in Blue Sapphire.”

Every head turned toward me. Arabel raised an eyebrow. “Why do you think that?” she asked seriously, like she expected a logical answer.

I hesitated, feeling a bit overwhelmed under their scrutiny. “I... I don’t know. It’s just a feeling,” I admitted softly. It wasn’t a satisfying answer, but it was all I had. Then I added, “But for the missing dragonlings... I might know where to start looking.”

The room went still again, everyone’s eyes on me, waiting. Even Daran, ever the skeptic, seemed curious.

“How?” they all asked at once, their voices filled with anticipation.

I turned to Daran, bracing myself for what I was about to ask. He wouldn’t like it, but it was our best shot.

“I need your phone,” I said finally.

Daran frowned, clearly annoyed. “Who are you planning to call? And why does it have to be my phone?”

I took a deep breath, knowing my answer wouldn’t sit well with him. “Because I think you still have his number. Arman, the auctioneer,” I replied, keeping my tone as calm as I could.

The silence that followed was deafening. I knew the name brought back a lot of memories for Daran. But this was the only path I could see forward.