en
d Wing. This was my Dragon Nest, the only place within the sprawling Richmond ducal estate where I felt entire
of dust on the mahogany furniture. On the far wall, the portrait of my
up, I dug my fingers into the edge of my jaw and peeled away
d with a pure, molten gold light-the undeniable mark of Dragon-God blood. I was Ayden Richmond,
tunic of a Dragonless commoner and p
e traitors within the dragon army who had orchestrated my
easure of dark wine into a Dragon Crystal cup.
he burning heat in my chest. I sent a focused men
carried the shaky, overwhelming relief o
udy, I comman
soft, rhythmic knocks sound
r," I
The moment she saw me, tears welled up in her eyes, but she quickl
"Sit. Tell me what has happene
nd awkward. She hesitated before speaking. "Mast
iages. The endless games of the nobility. Faking my death was supp
oice tight. "The bride is Miss Cassie Stein. Sh
ken merchants in the tavern. The woman who chose to marr
red in my chest. "Kile's fiancé
fe. How he tried to force Cassie into a lesser role. And how Cassie stood in the middle of the
Fascinating. Truly fascinating. This Cassie Stein is
sacrificed by her fading family. I had not
er, the thing is... Miss Stein arrived today. She is currently slee
my bed? I raised an
e amusing it became. A nominal wife and
My return remains an absolute secret. No one is to kn
of hesitation. Her loyalty to my late mother an
s the courtyard toward the faint candlelight flickering in the master bedroo
ter than to question me. She bowed a
y chest rumbled, restless and territorial, wary of the st
an entire noble house and c
ou had better n
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