Page 45

Weeks had passed since that dinner, and each day felt more suffocating than the last. Time slipped by, and with it, the air grew heavier.

Two weeks earlier, Myla’s mother had come to tailor my gown. Her hands moved slower than Amria’s, and I found comfort in the quiet hours we shared as she hummed softly, stitching each seam with care. There was peace in that silence, a rare, welcome break from everything waiting outside.

We didn’t speak of war. Or the wedding. Instead, Gailyn told me stories of Ravensla during Veravine’s reign.

“She was a legacy,” Gailyn said while finishing the hem, her needle sweeping delicate patterns into the fabric. “The Almera family ruled Ravensla from the moment the Serpent Academy was founded. It’s no wonder you’re an heir. Veravine had a sister, Coralyn.”

“Is she still alive?”

“I’m not sure,” she murmured. “She married a ruler from a distant land. A lord, I believe.”

“Was Veravine kind?” I asked quietly as she tightened the gown around my waist, measuring each curve with practiced precision .

Gailyn smiled faintly, her eyes going distant. “I knew Vera well. I spent years sewing for her. When she died… the land nearly crumbled. Scavengers overran the streets.”

“And then Victor took the throne?” I asked, my chest tightening.

Her gaze dropped to her trembling hands. Silence lingered before she answered. “It was between your mother and Victor. But the realm was desperate. The drought had left them hopeless, and Victor had water powers. They wanted him.”

I shifted. “Veravine was bonded to the Gemini dragons, wasn’t she?”

“She was,” Gailyn said. “When she died, Demetria nearly collapsed. The Serpent ruler of shadows severed his bond after her death.”

“He severed his bond with Ciaran?”

“They found the egg together. Every century a dragon root can choose a new bloodline. But something changed when Vera and Theodore found that egg together.”

“They were split between flame and shadow,” I murmured.

“Some called it a curse. Gemini dragons are only meant for one rider. But Vera and Theo… they were true friends.”

“What was Myla like when she was little?” I asked. “How did you meet her father?”

Gailyn stared out the stained-glass window.

“I was chosen to carry his child. Mostly because I needed gold. And I wanted to be a mother.” She twisted the thread between her fingers, slow and deliberate.

“He never had another child after Myla. Thought she’d claim his title.

But another heir rose while she was still a teenager—just before he died. ”

I hesitated, then asked the question that had been pressing on my mind. “Why did he choose a Summer-blood?”

She let out a dry laugh. “Two decades ago, there was a rumor of offerings. Said mixed blood made heirs stronger. It was a lie spread by powerful Serpents hoping to protect their own lineages. When it backfired, Myla’s father wanted nothing to do with her.”

Something broke inside me. “She never knew. She named her griffin after him. Haziel.”

“I never wanted her to,” she said softly. “If only he’d seen her ice… she writes when she can.”

“She’s lucky to have you. And she was the strongest ice-wielder in our class.”

Gailyn’s lips tugged into a quiet smile. “It’s me who’s lucky. And between us, I never believed any of those rumors.”

A knock interrupted us. Before I could respond, the door creaked open, and Damien stepped in. He ran a hand through his dark hair, adjusting his tie like he was holding something in.

“You’ve been in here for three hours. The wedding is in four days. We need to rehearse.”

I stepped down from the stool with a scoff. “Get out before I burn your face.”

“One rehearsal,” he said, holding up his hands in mock surrender. “Please.”

I met Gailyn’s gaze, and a silent understanding passed between us.

“My dress isn’t finished.”

“You wasted days hiring a seamstress when I already had one of Veravine’s gowns picked out for you. You’re lucky my father didn’t auction them off.”

“I won’t stain her legacy with my misery,” I said. “And if this really is our wedding, I deserve a choice.”

That word our made something flicker in him. A smile, almost. He nodded twice. “Meet me in the courtyard in five minutes.” Then he closed the door behind him.

I let out a loud sigh .

Gailyn touched my hand. “Gods, he’s needy.” Her eyes widened. “Forgive me, it’s been decades since I’ve had to act proper in an elite estate.”

I glanced at the gown, hemmed just past my shins. “No need to be proper.” I lifted one knee and twirled. “And the gown? Perfect length for running.”