Dragon King's Harem Chapter 435. Special Wedding Gift II

Dragon King's Harem Chapter 435. Special Wedding Gift II

I turned to Al, who had been standing silently beside me, watching the entire exchange with barely contained amusement.

"See?" Al murmured, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "You are getting better at this."

I huffed, crossing my arms. "I don’t play games."

Al grinned. "Then why does it look like you just won one?"

I chuckled, shaking my head. "Because I always do."

Jyne let out a slow breath, rubbing her arms. "I don’t know what’s worse. The cold or the tension."

Sela adjusted her gloves, her eyes unreadable. "They’re testing us. That much is obvious."

"They’re stalling," I corrected. "They don’t want us to meet the queen before the wedding ceremony." I glanced toward the palace once more.

Now, it was just a waiting game.

And I hated waiting.

The cold gnawed at my patience as the minutes stretched, the snow-covered ground crunching softly beneath the shifting feet of my soldiers. The Snow Elf warriors stood rigid, their hands resting lightly on their weapons, their gazes flickering between us like we were some kind of wild beasts that might snap at any moment.

The palace gates finally groaned open again, the sound carrying through the icy air like a slow, dragging breath.

And there she was.

Queen Maria of the Snow Elves.

She moved with the grace of royalty, her long silver gown trailing behind her like liquid moonlight against the frozen earth. Her pale hair, long and unbound, shimmered like spun frost.

But I saw through it.

The longing. The desperation hidden beneath the formality. The flicker of hope buried beneath years of obligation and suffering.

Curtis walked beside her, his hand resting lightly on hers. It was a gesture that was meant to show unity, strength—possession. He was careful, measured, his shoulders squared with his title. His expression was unreadable, but there was tension in his grip. A subtle clench of his jaw as his gaze flickered toward me.

He knew.

Of course, he knew.

His brother, the former king, had known Maria harbored feelings for me. And now, Curtis—his replacement—was standing beside her, holding the same woman, acting as if everything was perfectly in place.

I almost felt bad for him.

Almost.

Captain Vaelis was there too, standing a little too close, his posture stiff, his eyes sharp. He wasn’t here as a mere escort—he was guarding them. Guarding her. The perfect excuse, really. For the Queen’s protection, he’d say. Maybe even throw in something about her still mourning her late husband.

Not that I cared.

None of it mattered.

The moment Maria’s eyes met mine, a silent conversation passed between us. She stopped, standing just a few feet away, and inclined her head ever so slightly. "Your Majesty, King Argod of the Dragon Tribe," she greeted, her voice smooth, formal, betraying nothing.

I smirked. "Your Majesty, Queen Maria of the Snow Elves."

Curtis’s grip on her hand tightened slightly. Just a fraction.

Maria’s expression didn’t change, but I caught the way her lashes flickered, the way her lips parted just a little before she composed herself again. "It is an honor to receive you in our kingdom," she continued, her tone perfectly practiced.

"Honor, huh?" I mused, my voice low. "Could have fooled me with all the guards."

Curtis finally spoke, his voice measured but firm. "We take security very seriously in our kingdom. Especially with the Queen’s upcoming wedding."

"Of course," I said smoothly, tilting my head. "Wouldn’t want any interruptions before the big day."

Maria’s grip on his hand didn’t tighten the way he did. She let it rest there, unmoving, detached. Her fingers weren’t curled around his. They weren’t holding him back.

She was simply allowing it.

Curtis turned slightly, his gaze sharpening. "I understand you have a wedding gift to present."

"That’s right," I replied, letting my smirk widen. "And I insist that both you and your bride see it together."

There was a pause. A small one. A slight hitch in the rhythm of the conversation.

Curtis’s diplomatic mask barely faltered. "A thoughtful gesture," he said, though I could tell the words were calculated.

Captain Vaelis shifted. "For security reasons, we must—"

"You must do nothing," I interrupted smoothly, turning my gaze toward him. "Your Queen is standing right here. Let her decide if she wants to see it."

Curtis’s jaw tightened. Vaelis’s grip on his sword hilt twitched.

Maria lifted her chin ever so slightly. "If Curtis wants to see it, then I, too, will accompany him," she said, her voice still calm, still neutral, but there was an edge to it now.

Curtis exhaled slowly, his control slipping just a fraction before he nodded. "Then we shall see this gift."

I smirked. "Very well."

Without breaking my gaze from the Queen, I gestured to Al. He stepped forward, bowing slightly toward Maria, his usual grin toned down but still present. "I'm sure you will like this," he said, his voice light, almost teasing. "But please promise me one thing—don’t harm it. It’s still under my spell."

Curtis’s eyes narrowed slightly, his grip tightening around Maria’s wrist, a subtle motion, but enough for me to notice. His body was already tense, the authority mixed with the gnawing edge of uncertainty. He didn’t trust me. He especially didn’t trust Al.

Al stepped back slightly, reaching for his magic stash. It was the same one he’d used before to help free Viperax’s prisoners, though this time, it had been enhanced—Sela had worked on it, refining the enchantments, making it stronger, more stable.

It could only hold one creature at a time, and whatever was inside had to remain in a deep slumber. The magic wouldn’t hold if it were awake.

The moment Al opened the stash, the temperature around us dropped.

A slow, heavy mist curled out from the opening, the air thick with a sudden chill that sent an involuntary shiver through the gathered elves. The magic pulsed faintly, threads of icy-blue energy coiling and shifting as the enchantment unraveled.

And then— The Ice Drake emerged.

Even asleep, it was massive.