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I pull out my skirts and dip into a curtsey, wishing we’d had time to stop at the seamstress and get my new clothes on the way out of town. He’s never going to take me seriously in this. To him, I’m plain, likely nothing more than a servant who waits onhim hand and foot. At least the clothes Loric had fitted would’ve looked more presentable.
"May I present Calamity Morningstar, the last fury, daughter of Megara the Flame Keeper and Asmodeus Morningstar," Brenn says before rising. I follow his lead, standing up straight and feigning confidence.
King Everand's gaze lingers on me, his expression unreadable. This is it–the moment that will determine my fate, and possibly the future of an entire kingdom. Yet, the only thing I can think about is how his eyes look at me, making me wish they belonged to someone else.
Brenn changed my last name, which I suppose given the circumstances and recent knowledge, should’ve been changed, but it doesn’t make this any easier. Not when both Loric and Asmo are so far away. Not when I might never see either of them again.
A shiver runs down my spine, as if the ghost King Everand sees is standing right behind me. He swallows hard, his eyes never leaving mine. "You... You remind me of her..." he trails off, leaving a heavy silence hanging between us.
My heart races, curiosity gnawing at my insides as I wonder what he plans to do with that knowledge. The anticipation swirls through my mind like a storm, and I can't help but feel vulnerable under his scrutiny.
King Everand's gaze finally tears away from mine, landing on Brenn with a mixture of confusion and disbelief. "Megara sacrificed herself years ago. We were told of her death. How could her daughter be standing here? And she was a fury, dragons don’t mate with demons. Our queen would’ve never dared to take one as a mate.”
"Well, she did, under the Solarian king’s demand," Brenn says, his voice steady despite the tension in the room, and he gives awry smile, "Calamity is her daughter and grew up in the Solarian dungeon due to her being of dragon heritage."
I glance down at the white kitten nestled in the makeshift sling across my chest. Its yellow eyes stare back at me, silently offering support. My fingers brush against its soft fur, seeking comfort in its warmth and its little paws wrap around it.
"Is this true?" King Everand asks, turning his attention back to me. His cold eyes narrow, studying me as if trying to see past my outer shell to the truth within.
"Yes." I hold his gaze. "My mother survived in the dungeons for years, though not without sacrifice. She raised me there along with Asmodeus Morningstar, the dungeon master."
“But are you certain you’re hers biologically? Not just some stray she took in?”
“Some stray…”My dragon flares up beneath my skin, her anger boiling my blood.
“Yes,” I grit, incapable of hiding the snip in my tone. “I’m sure.”
“You know she is, just by looking at her. She's the spitting image of the queen,” Brenn adds and the king’s eyes slide to him, narrowing further into lethal slits.
Brenn dips his head, lacing his fingers behind him. “My apologies.”
"What are you here for, then? Your mother’s crown? To visit?" His words are clipped despite the touch of sadness that laces his voice.
"To learn," I say, fighting the urge to look away. "I wanted to see the world my mother spoke of, to learn how to shift. It’s not safe for me in Solaria due to my dragon heritage, and I might not be in any of the other lower realms either, due to my father’s. He’s the King of Hell Hold’s son and they didn’t part on great terms. So, I suppose I’m here for refuge, too.”
"Refuge, then," King Everand echoes, his eyes flicking from me to Brenn, and back again. "You must understand that I will not vacate this throne on a whim. Your heritage can’t be proven until you’ve shifted, that your dragon can wield hellfire. Even then, the dragon lord, along with those in this kingdom might not welcome a queen who knows nothing about our kind, especially one that’s a halfbreed.”
"Believe me," I say with a bitter smile. "I have no interest in ruling a kingdom I know nothing about."
The king seems to mull over this information for a moment, his eyes flicking between Brenn and me. I stand tall, refusing to let my fear show, even though my heart is hammering into my ribs.
Brenn’s eyes are on me in a split second, but he seems to calm after a moment. He’s smart enough to realize there’s no other way I could’ve answered that question that wouldn’t have ended with us freefalling to the world below. Had I claimed to be interested in Meg’s crown, the king would’ve felt threatened. Had I claimed to not be interested in the crown, I’d be relinquishing my right to it. Saying I’m not interested in ruling a kingdom I know nothing about is a gray area. I know plenty about this kingdom, and I might not be up to speed on their cultures or how to be a dragon, but I know about this kingdom and its history.
King Everand doesn’t know that though. An almost sinister smile pulls across his face.
“Then, let me be the first to welcome you to Lythanar," he says solemnly, extending a hand in a gesture of goodwill.
"Thank you, Your Majesty," I reply, taking his hand and feeling the weight of my decision settle on my shoulders.
A softmeowspills into the air, drawing the king's gaze downward. He notices not only the white kitten cradled in amakeshift sling but also the bite mark marring my neck. His eyebrows rise, curiosity unmistakable.
“You’re mated…” he trails off, an air of disapproval clinging to him as he looks at Brenn, his eyes dropping to the mechanical hinge at his knee. A snarl lifts his lip. “To this?”
Heat flashes within me, anger coursing through my so fast white-hot rage could spill from my mouth. How dare he… I open my mouth to answer, but Brenn cuts me off, sporting a cocky smirk that would rival even the most self-assured nobles.
"Your Majesty, our relationship is not what's important here," Brenn says, stepping closer to me. "What matters is that Calamity learns about her heritage and potential. We humbly request permission to stay at the castle during this time."
“What the fuck is he doing?”
