sie

Elder Council chamber. Same room, same peop

. My hair was pinned back flawlessly. There was no tra

rry up and read my lines. Journey offered me a look of deep sympathy,

le, his face stern. "Cassie Stein. A d

a helpless Dragonless girl. I had no family, no backi

gan's gaze directly, and spoke in

ed into a dead, s

inger at me, his face flushing red. "Are you insan

essive aura of a high-ranking Dragon-born filled t

r, my voice unwavering. "It is true I have no other optio

a lesser consort to the Golden branch. However, to preserve the dignity of both our families, I

ry into House Richmond? Marry who? My fat

Richmond," I cut him off,

the room like

ared at me, her eyes wide with shock,

urple. "Ayden is dead! Has your grief ro

rrying you and living as a disgrace," I

rack echoed off the stone walls, but the pure rage in

en's unfulfilled marriage. I, Cassie Stein, may be Dragonless, but my family was once a recognized vassal of the king

oked sicker. They had designed this entire trap to crush me under their b

themselves. It was a loss of face for the Golden branch, yes, but it

eyes were complex, unreadable. "We will

ght then.

ce behind me was absolute. I could only imagine t

s of the capital. Everyone was whispering about the mad Cas

kindly arranged. I would rather walk back alone. At least when I w

ky, pubs and blacksmiths were crowded together, and the air was mixed with the smell of cheap ale and coal ash

e table near the corner, wearing a rough linen coat, and his dark hood was so low that it almost covered h

ting the table and talking about my marriage.

man seemed to

out to pass the window, I sa

dn't

re shocked, sneering, or watching this.

d on, leaving the pub a

l raven arrived from House Rich

celain in his room. Journey, for the first t

eavy parchment sealed with the impo

my way. The first step of