CHAPTER 4

By the seventh day of travel, I had stopped trying to guess what waited for me in the Dragon Kingdom. Every assumption I made seemed to be wrong. The monsters I expected had behaved with honor. The conquered lands I expected to find had remained untouched and the hatred I expected to witness had never appeared. Yet none of those surprises eased the fear sitting inside my chest. Because no matter how peaceful the journey had been, it still ended the same way. I was being delivered to the Dragon King. As the morning sun climbed over the horizon, the road began winding through a mountain range unlike anything I had ever seen. Massive peaks pierced the clouds while waterfalls cascaded down rocky cliffs and ancient stone bridges connected towering sections of the mountains. The landscape felt almost unreal and I sat beside the carriage window and stared in silent amazement. Then I saw it. Dragonspire Fortress. The sight stole my breath. The stronghold had been carved directly into the mountains themselves. Gigantic towers rose from the stone like extensions of the cliffs and enormous walls wrapped around the fortress in layers of black and silver stone. Bridges stretched across impossible distances while banners bearing dragon insignias fluttered in the wind. The fortress dwarfed every castle I had ever seen. Even the royal palace in my father's capital suddenly felt small by comparison. For several moments, I could do nothing except stare. The structure should have appeared threatening. Instead, it was magnificent but terrifying and beautiful at the same time. Movement above caught my attention. I looked toward the sky. Dragons. Dozens of them. Some rested upon rocky cliffs overlooking the fortress while others glided through the air alongside dragon riders. Golden dragons. Silver dragons. Black dragons. Their scales glittered beneath the sunlight while enormous wings carried them effortlessly across the mountains. The sight should have filled me with fear. Instead, I felt something else. Wonder. I had spent my entire life hearing stories about these creatures, yet seeing them in their natural home felt completely different. They looked less like monsters and more like living legends. The carriage continued forward and as we approached the fortress gates, soldiers lined the entrance so I braced myself. This was the moment I expected reality to return. This was the moment I expected insults and hostility. Instead, every soldier bowed respectfully. "Princess Seraphina." The captain said. His tone carried professionalism rather than contempt and I blinked in surprise. The massive gates opened and our escort entered Dragonspire. The confusion that had followed me throughout the journey only deepened. The interior of the fortress felt more like a city than a castle. People filled the streets. Merchants sold goods from colorful stalls. Children ran through courtyards laughing. Artisans worked openly in workshops. Life thrived everywhere. Nobody pointed at me or shouted insults. Nobody treated me like an enemy princess responsible for a devastating war. Several people looked curious. A few whispered but most simply continued with their day. I found myself gripping the edge of my seat. Nothing made sense anymore. Had they not lost family members in the war? Did they not hate humans? The questions remained unanswered as the carriage climbed toward the upper levels of the fortress. Eventually it stopped before an elegant stone residence overlooking the mountains. The building was smaller than a palace wing but larger than most noble estates. A woman waited at the entrance. She appeared only a few years older than me and sunlight reflected from copper-colored hair braided over one shoulder. Warm amber eyes met mine as I stepped from the carriage and she smiled. The expression seemed genuine. "Princess Seraphina." She said as I hesitated. "Yes?" I asked and she offered a graceful bow. "My name is Lyra Sunfire, and I have been assigned as your attendant." She said. I stared at her suspiciously. She looked kind enough and that alone made me suspicious. "You are my attendant?" I asked. "I am." She said. "Why?" I asked. The question slipped out before I could stop it. To my surprise, Lyra laughed softly. "Because someone has to help you survive your first week at Dragonspire." She said. Despite myself, I almost smiled. Almost. "I expected someone less friendly." I said. "I expected you to say that." She said. The answer caught me off guard. Lyra gestured toward the residence. "Come inside." She said and I followed cautiously. The rooms were elegant without being overly extravagant. Large windows overlooked the mountains and dragon-themed artwork decorated the walls. A fire crackled in a stone hearth. The place felt surprisingly welcoming. As Lyra showed me around, I found myself relaxing slightly. Only slightly. "This will be your residence until the wedding." She explained. The reminder tightened my chest immediately. The wedding. The reason I was here. The reason I had lost my home. Lyra's expression softened. Perhaps she noticed the change in my face. "Today will be difficult." She said. That might have been the understatement of the century. "Why?" I asked and she hesitated. "The court knows you arrived." She said. A knot formed in my stomach. Of course they did. By afternoon, I understood exactly what Lyra meant. Dragon nobles filled one of the fortress's grand halls while servants moved quietly between groups carrying refreshments. The moment I entered, conversation slowed and dozens of eyes settled on me. Some curious, some calculating and some openly hostile. So I kept my head high. Years spent navigating the human royal court had prepared me for this. If they expected fear, they would be disappointed. A tall nobleman studied me openly before whispering something to the woman beside him. Another noble frowned as though my presence personally offended him. Others merely watched. Waiting and judging. I recognized the behavior immediately. Courts were the same everywhere. Different kingdoms. Different species. Same politics. Lyra remained beside me while introductions occurred. Most remained polite but a few barely disguised their dislike. Then the atmosphere shifted and people began stepping aside. Whispers spread through the room as a woman entered. Even I had to admit she was stunning. Long dark hair flowed down her back like silk. Her gown shimmered with silver embroidery and confidence radiated from every movement. The room seemed to adjust around her. Everyone noticed and everyone watched as Lyra's smile disappeared. Interesting. The beautiful woman approached directly. Her pale blue eyes swept over me. Not a friendly glance. An evaluation. A judgment and a dismissal before she finally stopped before us. "Princess Seraphina." She said. The words sounded pleasant enough. The tone did not and I inclined my head politely. "Lady..." I started. "Vivienne Veyra." She said. The name drew immediate recognition from several nearby nobles. Important, then. Very important. Vivienne continued examining me. For a moment, neither of us spoke. Then a faint smile touched her lips. "You look different than I expected." She said. The comment sounded harmless. It wasn't. "I hope that is not disappointing." I said. A flicker of irritation crossed her face. Good. "Not at all. I simply expected someone whose kingdom lost a war to appear more... humbled." She replied smoothly. Several nobles nearby suddenly became very interested in their drinks and I smiled politely. "I expected dragon nobles to possess better manners." I said. A few people choked on suppressed laughter and Vivienne's eyes narrowed slightly. Score one for me. "Humans are known for their bravery." She said as her smile sharpened. "Sometimes more bravery than wisdom." She added and I folded my hands calmly. "Fortunately, wisdom often arrives when people spend time learning about one another." I said. The irritation in her expression deepened and I almost enjoyed it. Almost. For several minutes, she continued making subtle comments about humans. Our short lives. Our mistakes. Our kingdoms. I answered every remark with polite calm and the more composed I remained, the more frustrated she became. Finally, Vivienne sighed dramatically. "You truly don't understand, do you?" She snapped and the question made me pause. "Understand what?" I asked. For the first time, genuine amusement appeared in her eyes. Not kindness. Amusement. The dangerous kind and she stepped closer. "You think this is difficult." She said as a chill crept down my spine and the room had become very quiet. "You have not met him yet." She smiled. The confidence I had fought to maintain faltered slightly and she noticed. Of course she noticed and her smile widened. "Enjoy your courage while it lasts." She said and the room suddenly felt colder. "What do you mean?" I asked as Vivienne turned toward the exit so her voice drifted back over her shoulder. "The Dragon King returns tomorrow." She said as she walked away leaving silence behind and questions. Leaving me standing in the middle of a room full of nobles whose expressions suddenly seemed far more complicated than before. My pulse quickened. Tomorrow. After days of travel. After endless rumors. After countless warnings. Tomorrow, I would finally meet Draven.