en

mbers was kicked open withou

he ceremonial gown crafted for her upcoming royal engagement feast-a celebration that was supposed to have been mine. T

n my mother's worn leather journal, cataloging the neurotoxic and restorative properties of high-al

ce was a sharper slap

s the room, her clawed hand shot out, snatching the leather journal

ing the book against the baseboard. "A No-Dragon should learn how to b

I retrieved the book and gently brushed the dust fro

y fed her twis

larbone. "A gift delivered from Prince Krishna himself," she purred, her voice dripping with vanity.

ing down until her breath felt

ly. "He said you were a bore. A cold, defective No-Dragon whose very touch felt like handlin

eather journal, setti

ed with venomous frustration. Needing a heavier blade to d

makes sense," Deena said, flicking her golden curls. "You're

air inside the room tu

nger toward my chest. "A worthless parasite without a single drop of dragon blood! The moment Father took my mother, your mother was thrown into the freezing courty

ell into a dead, s

w her next breath, my arm m

around her throat w

Her back slammed against the heavy stone wall with a

, wet wheeze as her hands frantically clawed at my wrist. But my grip was for

y eyes locking onto hers with a

nolds," I

, and colder than the froz

an parade your stolen jewels. You can pl

tly, feeling the violent tre

d an inch closer, each word slicing like a razor blade across her skin, "...I swea

unhinged danger. She realized with terrifying certainty t

simply

down her cheeks. The two handmaidens dropped the velvet cases in horror,

onds, letting the cold terror sink deep

silk and jewels, clutching her bruised throat, gas

ually smoothing out t

chilling smile

one of the open cases scattered across the rug, and

n of moon-lily oil and crushed pearl that she religiously appli

for vengeance f

then, right before her terrified, tear-fi

my room," I

nees, clawing at the doorway before stumbling out into the corridor, her