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“You know you’re always welcome to visit me, Zehemoth.” We’d been inseparable since he was born. I was young when he hatched, but I could recall the hazy memory. He grew much quicker than I did, and even when he couldn’t speak my language, we still played together. When he tried to blow out fire and it was just smoke, I would laugh for minutes. He grew bigger, and once he could speak, our friendship was forged like steel. “You’re my best friend.”

His eyes were terrifying to most, but whenever he looked at me, it was with such gentleness.I missed you,Sunieth.

“I missed you too.”

I hope you don’t leave again.

“I don’t think I’ll be going anywhere for a while.”

Because you’re afraid or because you don’t want to?

“I guess both? But I’m not sure what my purpose is now.”

You’re a daughter. A sister. A friend. You have a great purpose.

My eyes softened as I listened to him shower me with love. “I know, Zehemoth. But now, I’m not sure what to do with my life. I thought sailing the seas would be a great adventure, and it was. But because of the way it ended…I’m not sure I could ever go back.”

His dark eyes watched me without blinking, somewhat reminding me of Wrath in that sense.Trees stay in place when they have roots. Seeds spread because they have nothing to keep them in place. You act like a seed, when you’re a mighty oak with roots that go back generations.

“What does that mean?”

You have family and friends who love you, so I’m not sure what you’re looking for.

“I’m not looking for anything, Zehemoth.”

Then perhaps you’re running from something.

“What could I be running from?” I asked, trying to keep the offense out of my voice.

He stared at me for a while.Yourself.

“Myself?”

Your father didn’t expect you to rule because you’re the firstborn. He expected it because you’ve shown tremendous potential, ever since you were a child. The weight of that responsibility has suffocated you, so you decided to run from it.

My eyes dropped as I swallowed. “And why would I be suffocated by that?”

Because you fear you’ll never live up to your father’s legacy—the greatest king who’s ever ruled the Southern Isles.

I bowed my head because his words stung like salt in an open wound.

You survived the open sea when all others perished. Your strength and resilience go without question.

“That’s not the whole story…”

Then what is?

The God of the Underworld presented himself to me, haunted me, and then spared me rape and servitude. But I couldn’t tell anyone that, not even Zehemoth, not when it could get back to my father. “There was just a lot of luck involved.”

He blinked.You need a purpose. Let your destiny be your purpose. To be Queen of the Southern Isles, the Dragon Queen, the mightiest and fairest of them all.

“My mother is pretty mighty and fair.”

But she’s not the queen by blood. Only you have the blood of the Rothschilds in your veins.

“I told my father I wasn’t interested, and he accepted that. It’s done.”

Yes, he accepted it. But that doesn’t mean he wanted to.