Chapter 2Reborn:The Dragon Queen No More

The family attached immense importance to this alliance with the Dragon Prince.

Clara and I, along with several other female relatives, were moved directly into the dragons’ stronghold—the abyssal Keep of the Dragon’s Maw. We weren't allowed to leave, not even for a step. Every waking hour was dedicated to prepping Clara for her upcoming wedding.

I ran a finger over the dragon-crystal necklace Kail had sent over. My heart didn't even skip a beat.

It was beautiful, sure. But to me, it was nothing but a gilded death warrant.

In my past life, the treasures bestowed upon me were a hundred times more magnificent than this. Back then, every word I spoke and every gesture I made was obsessively emulated by women across the continent.

But no one saw the agony. Only I knew how much blood I had to vomit just to carry the child in my womb.

Before I could study the necklace further, Clara’s handmaiden burst into my quarters, breathless.

"Lady Lena, the future Dragon Queen commands your presence."

Commands me?

Shouldn't Clara be busy fitting her bridal gown right now? Why was she suddenly remembering her irrelevant younger sister?

Despite my doubts, she was now the prince’s officially recognized betrothed. I couldn't disobey.

The moment I reached Clara’s chambers, the doors swung open. Kail stepped out. His tunic was loosely undone, his face flushed with a triumphant grin.

I immediately lowered my head. He walked right past, not throwing me a single glance.

But the scent clinging to him was intensely familiar. It was ambergris—the heavy, musk-like pheromone the dragon race secreted only when aroused.

I knew instantly: Clara had already slept with him.

It was inevitable, really. Once the women of House Silvermoon come of age, the potent bloodline within us begins to stir restlessly. It craves a bond with a powerful mate to achieve balance. The moment we encounter a dominant male, our instincts draw us to them like a moth to a flame.

Inside the room, Clara was lounging back on the bed, a smug smile plastered across her face. She was draped in nothing but a sheer silk sheet that did little to hide the curves of her body.

The second she saw me walk in, her expression hardened.

"Kneel," she commanded casually.

I froze, remaining upright.

Seeing me static, she snapped. She bolted upright, grabbed a heavy silver candelabra from the nightstand, and hurled it straight at my face.

Crack.

"Are you deaf? I said kneel!" she shrieked, her voice shrill. "I am the future Dragon Queen! What are you? How dare you defy my orders?!"

Blood welled from the cut, blurring my vision. I forced down the white-hot rage building in my chest and dropped to my knees.

My compliance seemed to soothe her ego. She leaned back, exhaling a lazy breath.

"I brought you all to this castle for one reason: so you can watch me take everything that belongs to me, step by step. You better kill whatever pathetic little schemes you're cooking up in that head of yours. Keep your distance from the prince. Because if you don't..."

She paused. Her voice dropped to a sinister, freezing whisper.

"I will make sure the dragons know House Silvermoon has a restless second daughter. The nesting grounds are always looking for fresh meat to feed the hatchlings."

A cold shiver ran down my spine. I lifted my head, meeting her gaze dead-on.

"As you wish, Your Highness."

The sheer calmness in my eyes caught her off guard. Agitated by my lack of terror, she lunged out of bed, closed the distance, and violently grabbed a fistful of my hair.

"Lena, do you think I don't know? You’ve envied me since we were children. You’ve always wanted to steal what’s mine. But the throne belongs to me. You will sit in the dirt and watch."

I let out a slow sigh, raising a hand to steady my throbbing forehead as I stood up.

"Clara, I have never wanted to fight you for him. And I will never cross paths with the prince."

She let out a mocking laugh, entirely unconvinced. She dragged her finger down my face, her sharp nail tracing right over the fresh, bleeding cut. The sting was so sharp I nearly flinched.

"Did you really think a plain, pathetic thing like you could ever beat me? Even if you tried, you wouldn't stand a chance."

She leaned in, her eyes wild with ambition.

"I am going to make you watch. You will watch me sit on that throne. You will watch me give birth to the most powerful heir this realm has ever seen. You will watch the entire continent bow at my feet—and you, Lena, will be right there at the bottom, looking up at me."

I chose silence.

Sometimes, you choose not to fight simply because you prefer to stay alive.

Only a fool races toward their own execution.