Elara POV
I woke up choking.
Someone threw cold water in my face. I gasped and sputtered, my whole body jerking awake. My head pounded where it had hit the library floor. Everything hurt.
"Get up," a rough voice directed.
I blinked through the water dripping into my eyes. The head maid—Mistress Crone—stood over me with an empty bucket. Her face looked like she'd bitten into a lemon.
"You overslept, you lazy girl. The Dragon King's messenger comes in one hour, and Princess Seraphina's chambers still need fresh flowers. Move!"
I scrambled to my feet, confused. The library. The guard. Seraphina's bad plan. But nobody dragged me to a prison. Nobody mentioned what I'd overheard.
Maybe the guard hadn't heard the conversation? Maybe he just found me sleeping where I shouldn't be and knocked me out for breaking rules?
Or maybe they were waiting.
My hands trembled as I followed Mistress Crone through the palace rooms. Servants rushed everywhere, polishing and cleaning and organizing. Everyone looked terrified.
"What's happening?" I whispered to another maid.
"You haven't heard?" She looked at me like I was stupid. "The Dragon King of the North sent a letter three days ago. He wants a peace bride, or he'll burn our kingdom to ash. They say he eats people. They say he bathes in blood." She shuddered. "Poor Princess Seraphina."
My stomach twisted. This was real. The Dragon King was coming for a bride, and Seraphina was going to send me instead.
I needed to warn someone. But who would believe a child over a princess? And if I tried, they'd kill Mama.
I was stuck.
I spent the morning arranging white roses in Seraphina's room, my mind running. Maybe I could run? Take Mama and escape into the countryside? But we had no money. No food. Winter was coming. We'd freeze or starve.
Maybe I could tell the king? But he'd never even looked at me. I was his shame. His mistake. He wouldn't believe me over his beautiful golden daughter.
Maybe I could just... accept it? Go north, meet the Dragon King, and pray he killed me quickly?
"Elara!"
I jumped, dropping a rose. Mama burst into the room, her face pale.
"They're here," she whispered. "The Dragon King's message. The whole court is meeting in the throne room. King Blackwell just called Princess Seraphina. "
This was it. This was when they'd make the arrangement public.
"Mama, I need to tell you something—"
"Later, sweetheart. I have to get back to the cooks." She squeezed my hand. "Everything will be fine. The princess will go north, and life will return to normal."
She rushed away before I could stop her.
Normal. Nothing would ever be normal again.
I knew I shouldn't, but I couldn't help myself. I had to see. Had to know what the Dragon King's message looked like. Had to understand what was coming for me.
The throne room buzzed with nervous energy. I slipped in through the servants' door and hid behind a thick curtain near the back. From here, I could see everything without being seen.
King Blackwell sat on his chair, looking older than I'd ever seen him. Queen Adelaide stood beside him, wringing her hands. And there— Princess Seraphina stood in the center of the room, wearing a dress that probably cost more than Mama made in ten years. She looked beautiful. Terrified, but right.
The huge doors opened.
A woman walked in, and the entire room went silent.
She wasn't human.
She was tall—taller than any man—with skin that shimmered like silver scales. Her eyes glowed orange, and when she smiled, her teeth were too sharp.
"Greetings from Dragon King Cadmus Vael, ruler of the North," she said. Her voice echoed weirdly, like two people speaking at once. "I am Lyra Moonshadow, his counselor. I bring his message."
She held up a scroll sealed with black wax.
King Blackwell's hands shook as he broke the seal. He read silently, and with each line, his face got paler.
Finally, he looked up. "The Dragon King wants a bride within seven days. A princess of royal blood, to seal the peace between our countries. If we refuse..." He swallowed hard. "He will consider it an act of war."
The court exploded in frightened whispers.
"Silence!" the queen shouted. Then, more kindly, "Seraphina, my darling. Come here."
Seraphina walked forward like she was going to her execution. Her hands clenched into fists.
"You are our only daughter," King Blackwell said heavily. "Our only princess. The contract is clear. It must be you."
For a long moment, Seraphina said nothing. The entire room held its breath.
Then she screamed.
"No! I won't marry a monster! I won't go to that evil land! Father, please!" Tears streamed down her face. "Don't make me do this! Please!"
She fell to her knees, sobbing. It was the show of a lifetime. I'd seen her practice fake tears a hundred times in her mirror.
The queen rushed to comfort her. "There must be another way—"
"There is no other way," Lyra Moonshadow interrupted coldly. "The Dragon King wants a royal bride. Princess Seraphina is your only princess." Her sparkling eyes swept the room. "Unless you have another daughter hidden somewhere?"
My blood turned to ice.
Did she know about me?
But King Blackwell shook his head quickly. "No. Seraphina is our only natural child."
Legitimate. The word hurt like always.
Seraphina looked up, and through her tears, I saw her smile. Just for a second. Just enough.
Then she wiped her eyes and stood. "Father," she said, voice shaking beautifully. "If it will save our country... I'll go. I'll marry the Dragon King."
The court gasped. The queen sobbed.
"My brave girl," King Blackwell breathed.
Liar, I thought viciously. You're all liars. " The Dragon King will arrive in seven days to receive his bride," Lyra announced. "Be ready, Princess. We don't accept delays in the North."
She turned and walked out, her footsteps echoing.
The moment the doors closed, Seraphina's tears stopped. She straightened, smoothed her dress, and walked toward her rooms.
She passed right by my screen.
I held my breath, hoping she wouldn't see me.
But she paused. Looked directly at where I was hidden. And smiled.
That night, I couldn't sleep. I kept seeing that smile. Kept hearing Lyra's voice: Unless you have another daughter hidden somewhere?
What if someone told them about me? What if they changed the plan?
Around midnight, I heard voices again.
Seraphina's rooms were right above the servants' quarters. The walls were thin. If I stood on my bed and pressed my ear to the ceiling, I could hear everything.
I shouldn't listen. I should cover my ears and pretend I didn't know anything.
But I had to know. Had to understand how much time I had left.
I climbed onto my bed quietly, so I wouldn't wake Mama in the next room. "—arrives in seven days," Duke Ashford was saying. "When do we make the switch?"
"The night before," Seraphina answered. "We'll drug her, dress her, and put her in the carriage before dawn. By the time anyone realizes what happened, she'll be halfway to the North."
"And if she tells them the truth?"
Seraphina laughed. "Who would believe a child over a princess? Besides, I saw how Lyra looked at the court today. Dragons can smell lies. If Elara tries to lie about being me, they'll probably kill her on the spot for the insult."
"Perfect. And the mother?"
"Already arranged. Tomorrow night, guards will take Isolde to the old jail tower. If the bastard tries anything, we'll know. And Isolde dies. " No.
No, no, no—
"Six more days," Ashford said. "Then we're free."
Their footsteps moved away. A door closed.
I stood frozen on my bed, ears ringing.
Six days. I had six days before they took Mama. Before they sent me to die.
I had to do something. Had to save her. Had to—
The door to my room crashed open.
Four guards stood in the hallway.
"Elara Ashton," the captain said. "By order of Princess Seraphina, you're coming with us."