Chapter 122: Chapter 122

JONEA

"Arman?" Daran repeated the name in a low tone, as if double-checking he'd heard me right. His eyes narrowed, looking at me like I’d just broken some unspoken rule.

I swallowed hard, doing my best not to flinch under his gaze. "Yes," I said firmly. "He might know something about the missing dragonlings. If anyone’s bold enough to trade something that valuable, he’s bound to have at least heard whispers about it."

Eve looked like she wanted to say something, but she let out a long sigh instead. Arabel gazed at Daran hopefully, while Miller just seemed worried.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Daran finally asked, his tone heavy with doubt.

"I don’t know," I admitted honestly. "But we don’t have many options. We need to start somewhere, and this feels like the most logical place."

Daran sighed deeply, clearly displeased with the situation. But after a moment, he pulled his phone out of his pocket and placed it on the table in front of us. "Fine," he said.

I dialed the number saved in Daran’s contacts, ignoring the nervous flutter in my stomach. When the call connected, a cold, raspy voice answered on the other end.

"Ah, the Lycan King? It’s been ages since you last called me—ever since you bought that girl..." Arman said cheerfully.

I cut him off before the others could hear. "Unfortunately for you, it’s me—the girl!" I shot back bluntly. "I need your help."

There was a long pause, followed by a surprised, short laugh. "Jonea? I’m shocked you’re still alive. So, why should I help you? Unless, of course, it’s a profitable venture."

"Because I know you care about your profits," I replied sharply. "And I’m sure this information could bring you a big one."

Arman chuckled again, this time sounding more intrigued. "You know how to talk, don’t you? So, what do you need from me?"

I explained the situation as quickly as I could without giving away too many details. When I finished, Arman was quiet for a moment before responding.

"I can’t say for sure about the two dragonlings, but I’ve heard rumors of a big upcoming auction. Rare items, magical creatures—it could include them," he said speculatively.

My heart raced. "Where’s this auction being held?" I asked quickly.

"I don’t know the exact location yet. But I can dig up the information for you—for a price, of course," he said, his tone smug.

I gritted my teeth, frustrated but cornered. "How much?" I finally asked.

"We’ll discuss that later," he said. "I’ll call you when I have something."

Before I could respond, he hung up. I set Daran’s phone back on the table, trying to steady myself.

"What did he say?" Arabel asked, clearly impatient.

"He’s heard rumors of a big auction," I explained. "But he doesn’t know the exact location yet. He’ll look into it for us."

"And how much is he asking for this ‘help’?" Daran asked sharply.

I shook my head. "He hasn’t said yet. But we need to be prepared to pay a steep price."

Eve sighed, clearly unhappy with the situation. "We’re really playing with fire here," she muttered.

"But we don’t have another choice," I countered, trying to convince them—and myself. "If we want to find Aland and the dragonlings, we have to take the risk."

Daran stared at me for a long moment before finally nodding slowly. "Alright," he said. "But if things get too dangerous, I won’t hesitate to pull us out."

I could only hope this decision would bring us closer to answers—and not deeper into trouble.

*

The day we’d been waiting for finally arrived. With everything planned out, Daran, Owen, Arabel, Miller, Eve, and I headed toward the hidden auction house on the outskirts of the city. The place was infamous, a haven for mages and traders dealing in forbidden goods. I’d been uneasy since we left home, but I did my best to mask it so I wouldn’t drag the others down.

Arman was already waiting for us outside the auction house’s massive doors. He wore a black suit with gold-rimmed glasses, looking far more polished than the last time I’d seen him. He smiled warmly when he spotted me.

"Jonea, you’ve changed so much," he said, extending a hand. "I almost didn’t recognize you."

"Thanks, Arman. And I really appreciate your help today," I replied, shaking his hand firmly.

Arman glanced at our group, raising an eyebrow. "But I have to say, bringing creatures like them here is a huge risk. You’ll need to be careful. This auction has strict rules."

"We know," Daran said flatly. "And we’re not using magic—we’re just disguising ourselves."

Satisfied after inspecting our attire, Arman nodded. Miller, Arabel, and the lycans wore long, hooded robes that concealed their faces. The usual magical aura around them was suppressed by small enchanted stones Arabel had provided.

Once everything was in order, Arman led us through a rarely used side door. We moved down dark corridors until we reached the main auction hall, a vast room bathed in dim light. The murmur of voices hit me like a wave. People from all walks of life had gathered here, most of them mages in extravagant outfits with greedy expressions. In one corner, a group of red dragons in human form observed the proceedings with sharp eyes.

My stomach churned at the sight. Here, living beings were treated as merchandise. I glanced at Daran walking beside me. His jaw was set tight, and I could tell he hated this place as much as I did.

As we settled into seats near the back, Arman handed us a brochure of the day’s auction items. My hands trembled as I flipped through it. The first page showed two caged dragonlings. One had sapphire-like shimmering scales, while the other was darker, tinged with purple.

"They’re really here," I whispered, feeling my chest tighten.

Arabel nodded, her expression tense. "That’s them. The missing dragonlings."

The auction started with a few smaller items that didn’t really catch our attention. But as soon as the dragonlings were brought out, the whole atmosphere shifted. Everyone in the room seemed mesmerized by their beauty. The glass cage holding them was lifted onto the stage, lit with a blue glow that made their scales shimmer.

“Ladies and gentlemen, this is the highlight of today’s event,” the auctioneer announced, his voice booming. “Two genuine blue dragonlings from the Dragon Lands! The bidding starts at five million gold coins!”

Offers started flying in from all corners of the room. Rich sorcerers and red dragon warlocks were practically competing to outbid each other. I couldn’t believe how quickly the numbers shot up. Within minutes, the price had already hit thirty million gold coins.

“I can’t believe they’re being treated like this,” I muttered, gripping the edge of my dress. My body shook, torn between anger and fear.

Daran, sitting beside me, leaned closer and whispered in a low, cold voice, “Stay calm, Jonea. We need to find a way to get them out of here.”

I nodded slightly, but my eyes stayed locked on the dragonlings. Something felt off. Their movements were too stiff, and their eyes were blank. That wasn’t normal behavior for dragons, not even young ones. They should’ve been fighting back or at least showing fear. But they just sat there, lifeless, like puppets.

“Something’s wrong,” I finally whispered. “Do you see that? They look anxious but almost... unable to react.”

Owen, sitting on my other side, narrowed his eyes at them. “I can feel it. There’s some dark magic surrounding them.”

Arabel and Miller exchanged uneasy glances. “Maybe they’ve been put under a control spell,” Arabel suggested.

As we whispered, the bidding escalated even further. The latest offer hit fifty million gold coins, and the tension in the room grew thick. Suddenly, one of the dragonlings started to move. Its small body trembled violently, and its blank blue eyes turned a glowing, blood-red.

“That’s not a good sign,” Daran said in a low but cautious tone.

Before anyone could react, the dragonling let out a deafening roar that shook the entire hall. The glass cage containing it cracked and then shattered into pieces. The dragonling leapt into the air, its body rapidly growing larger. In moments, it no longer looked like a dragon, but a dark, twisted monster with tattered wings and elongated claws.

Chaos erupted. People screamed and scattered, desperate to escape. But the monster didn’t let them off easily. It lashed out, destroying tables and chairs with a single swipe of its tail.

I turned to the second dragonling still in its cage. Its violet eyes began to glow—just like the first one.

“We have to stop them before this gets any worse,” Daran said, rising to his feet.

“But how?” I asked, my voice trembling with desperation.