The Dragon Queen Selection Chapter 102

LIRA 

The moment the door locked behind him, the air in the room changed.

It thickened. Tightened.

Like something unseen had wrapped itself around my throat and refused to let go.

Cassian stood across from me, his chest rising and falling too fast, his eyes burning into mine with something far more dangerous than anger.

Not just anger, confusion. 

"For once," he said, his voice low but strained, "just be honest with me."

My fingers tightened against the bedsheets. My heart pounded. This was it.

There was no more slipping past him. No more easy lies or distractions. He had seen too much, felt too much, and I...

I had pushed too far.

"What did you do, Lira?"

The question hung between us like a blade.

I swallowed. Lies would not work. I had to be careful now. With whatever truth I revealed.

"I..." My voice faltered slightly before I steadied it. "I didn't mean for any of this to happen."

His jaw clenched.

"That's not an answer."

"I helped it," I said finally.

The words fell out before I could dress them up any further.

Cassian didn't move.

Didn't blink.

Just stared at me.

"...You helped the dragon," he repeated slowly.

I nodded, forcing myself to meet his gaze.

"I didn't know what it was at first," I added quickly. "I thought...I thought I was imagining things. Hearing things."

His eyes narrowed.

"And yet you kept going back."

I hesitated.

"I was scared."

"Scared?" he echoed, incredulous. "And your solution to fear is to walk straight toward it?"

"It was calling me!" I snapped before I could stop myself.

The words echoed sharply in the room.

Cassian went still.

"...Calling you," he repeated, quieter now.

I nodded, my hands trembling slightly.

"Yes."

"How?"

"I don't know."

"Lira..."

"I don't know!" I insisted, more desperately now. "I just, I heard it. In my head. At first it was faint, and then it got stronger and stronger until I couldn't ignore it anymore."

He dragged a hand through his hair, pacing once before stopping again in front of me.

"And you thought it was a good idea to answer?"

"I didn't think it was anything!" I shot back. "I thought I was losing my mind!"

"And instead of telling me, you decided to handle it alone?"

My chest tightened.

"I didn't know who to trust."

His expression hardened.

"You could have trusted me."

I let out a hollow laugh.

"Could I?"

The words slipped out before I could stop them.

His eyes flashed.

"Yes."

"How?" I demanded. "You didn't even know the dragon was there."

That hit him.

I saw it.

A flicker of something, guilt, maybe, or anger redirected inward.

But it didn't last.

"You still should have told me," he said, his voice tightening. "I warned you to stay away from it."

"I tried."

"You tried?" he repeated, disbelief lacing his tone. "By doing the exact opposite?"

"It wouldn't stop calling me!" I snapped. "Do you understand that? It didn't stop. It got louder, stronger, I couldn't sleep, I couldn't think..." 

"And so you just... what?" he cut in sharply. "Walked down there and decided to help it escape?"

My throat tightened.

"I didn't know that's what I was doing."

"That's exactly what you did."

Silence fell again.

I looked away.

"I just gave it my blood," I said quietly.

Cassian stilled.

"...Your blood."

"Yes."

"For what purpose?"

"I don't know."

That was the closest thing to truth I could safely give him.

His eyes searched my face.

"You expect me to believe that?"

"I didn't know what it needed," I insisted. "It just, it told me to help, and I thought if I did, it would stop. That it would leave me alone."

"And did it?"

I hesitated.

"...Yes."

That part wasn't a lie.

His jaw tightened again.

"And that's all you did?" he pressed. "Just... gave it your blood?"

"Yes."

He stepped closer.

Too close.

"So you just happened to give it your blood and it broke centuries-old magic, and you had no idea what you were doing?"

My pulse spiked.

"I didn't!"

"Lira..." 

"I didn't!" I repeated, louder this time.

My head throbbed.

My body still felt weak, heavy.

"I'm tired," I said suddenly, my voice dropping. "I don't feel well, Cassian. I just woke up, I..."

He stared at me.

Long.

Hard.

Like he could peel the truth straight out of me if he tried hard enough.

"You're lying."

"I'm exhausted."

"I'm only trying to protect you."

That made me laugh.

A bitter, broken sound.

"Protect me?"

"Yes."

"From what?" I shot back. 

His expression darkened.

"From my the King and Queen."

That stopped me.

"They will not take this lightly," he continued, his voice low and serious now. "Do you understand what you've done?"

"I helped something that was trapped."

"You committed treason."

My head snapped up.

"How is it treason?" I demanded. "No one even knew the dragon was there!"

"They did," he said sharply.

I fired back. "So what difference does it make?"

"It's dangerous and now it's free."

"And that's a bad thing?" I asked, my voice trembling, not with fear, but something else entirely.

Something dangerous.

Something I had to bury quickly.

Cassian stared at me.

"Yes."

Silence fell again.

Then... 

A knock.

"Your Highness!"

Cassian's head turned toward the door.

I exhaled quietly. I was saved for now. 

He looked back at me, his expression still tight with frustration.

"Keep this between us. This isn't over," he said.

I didn't respond.

He unlocked the door and stepped out.

The moment it opened....

"Elora rushed in.

"Lira!"

She crossed the room quickly, her eyes wide with concern.

"What happened? I heard raised voices, are you alright?"

I forced a small, tired smile.

"I'm fine."

She frowned.

"That didn't sound like fine."

"It's nothing," I said. "He was just... asking questions."

"About what?"

"What happened to me."

I lied easily now. 

Elora sighed.

"I suppose that makes sense."

She sat beside me, studying my face.

"You look so pale."

She huffed softly.

"Well, the entire palace is in chaos right now, so you picked a terrible time to be ill."

I let out a quiet laugh.

"Apparently."

Her expression shifted slightly.

"Did you see it?"

My heart skipped.

"...See what?"

"The dragon."

I nodded slowly.

"I did."

Her eyes widened.

"From where?"

"The window."

"What did it look like?"

I hesitated for just a second.

"Red," I said softly. "Ruby red."

Elora blinked.

"Red?"

"Yes."

"That's... strange."

"How so?"

"New dragon sightings haven't happened in a hindered of years," she said, frowning. "And certainly not wild ones."

I stayed quiet.

She leaned closer.

"Do you think it means something?"

"Yes," I said before I could stop myself.

She froze.

"What?"

I shook my head quickly.

"I mean, I don't know. Maybe war? Or something else?"

Elora chewed her lip.

"Where did it even come from?"

I looked at her.

Then said quietly... 

"Under the palace."

She stared at me.

"...What?"

"I saw it," I said, keeping my tone calm. "It rose from beneath the palace."

"That's impossible."

"I know what I saw."

Elora shook her head slowly.

"That doesn't make any sense."

"None of this does."

She sighed.

"The castle is on lockdown now. No one is allowed in or out."

I nodded.

"That's probably for the best."

She reached for my hand again.

"Do you think we're in danger?"

I squeezed her hand gently.

"No."

"You're sure?"

"Yes."

Because I knew. Veyraxis wouldn't harm me. Wouldn't harm us.

Not yet.

Elora studied me for a moment longer before nodding slowly.

"...Alright."

We sat in silence after that.