The Dragon Queen Selection Chapter 110

CASSIAN 

I left Lira’s chambers with more questions than answers, and far more restraint than I thought I possessed.

 The door clicked shut behind me, but it did nothing to quiet the storm inside my head.

She hadn’t answered me.

Not really.

Not when I asked her to say it again.

Not when I touched her.

Not when I needed her to look at me and tell me that what we had, what we did, meant nothing.

Because I didn’t believe her.

I couldn’t.

And that was the problem.

I dragged a hand through my hair as I walked down the corridor, my steps sharp against the marble floors. Guards straightened as I passed, bowing their heads, but I barely acknowledged them.

All I could see was her. The way her lips had parted. The way her breath had caught. The way her bare skin looked under the dim light. 

“You’re losing your head,” I muttered under my breath.

And worse…

“You’re losing her.”

That thought hit harder than I expected.

I exhaled slowly, forcing my shoulders to relax, forcing my thoughts into order.

This wasn’t about feelings.

It couldn’t be.

Not now.

Not with everything happening.

And Lira, right in the center of it all, whether she understood it or not.

Or worse… whether she understood it too well.

I stopped walking.

That thought lingered.

“She knows more than she’s saying.”

I could feel it.

Every instinct I had screamed it at me.

But before I could follow that thread any further…

A familiar presence brushed against my senses.

Then turned toward the courtyard.

“Taheer,” I murmured.

And without another thought, I changed direction.

************************

The night air was cool when I stepped into the courtyard, the sky stretched wide above me, painted in deep blues and scattered stars.

And there he was.

Taheer stood at the far end of the courtyard, his massive form barely contained by the space. His dark scales gleamed faintly under the moonlight, his wings half-folded, his golden eyes already fixed on me.

“You took your time,” he rumbled.

I huffed a quiet breath.

“I was a little occupied.”

Taheer’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“With the girl.”

It wasn’t a question.

I didn’t answer. I didn’t need to.

That alone was answer enough.

Taheer shifted, lowering his great head slightly.

“You are distracted.”

“And you are very observant,” I shot back dryly.

His tail flicked once against the stone.

“This is not a time for distractions, Cassian.”

I stepped closer, folding my arms.

“Funny. I was just thinking the same thing.”

His gaze lingered on me, heavy and knowing.

“You smell of her.”

I froze for half a second. Then recovered. It was not unusual of him to have impeccable sense of smell. 

“That’s none of your concern.”

“It becomes my concern,” Taheer said slowly, “when it clouds your judgment.”

My jaw tightened.

“I am perfectly capable of separating…” 

“No,” he interrupted, his voice deepening, “you are not.”

Silence stretched between us.

Then I exhaled slowly.

“Say what you came to say, Taheer.”

He studied me for a moment longer before speaking.

“The dragons have returned.”

That pulled my attention immediately.

“All of them?”

“Yes.”

“Where?”

“They are at the Dragon’s Keep.”

Relief flickered through me.

“At least something is going right.”

“For now,” Taheer said.

I nodded slowly.

“They’ll strengthen our defenses and protect the kingdom.”

“They will watch,” Taheer corrected. “But they will not act unless necessary.”

I frowned slightly.

“You think Veyraxis won’t return?”

“I think,” he said carefully, “that she is not ready yet. It’s too soon.” 

I exhaled.

“Good.”

“For you,” Taheer added.

That made me pause.

“For me?”

His gaze sharpened.

“You are not her enemy yet. You should be relieved.” 

“Yet?” I repeated.

“Yes. Veyraxis is not completely unreasonable. The sins of your parents are not yours.” 

I ran a hand over my face.

“Everything seems to hinge on that word lately.”

Taheer didn’t respond.

Instead, he shifted slightly, his wings rustling softly.

“You told me about the girl,” he said.

I stiffened.

“Lira.”

“Yes.”

“She doesn’t know what she’s doing,” I said quickly. “She stumbled into it. The dragon called her. She responded. That’s all. Veyraxis used her.” 

Taheer didn’t look convinced.

“Is that really it?”

I frowned.

“What are you implying?”

“That you are choosing to believe the version of her that causes you the least pain.”

My chest tightened.

“That’s not…” 

“…true?” Taheer finished calmly.

I didn’t answer.

Because I wasn’t sure.

And I hated that.

“She lies,” I said instead. “Constantly. About everything. I can never get a straight answer from her.”

“And yet,” Taheer said, “you continue to seek her out. You continue to protect her.” 

I let out a sharp breath.

“That’s different.”

“How?”

I opened my mouth…

Then closed it again.

Because I didn’t have an answer.

Taheer watched me quietly.

“She is tied to something larger,” he said after a moment. “Something you do not yet understand.”

“I’m starting to realize that.”

“And yet you let her close to you.”

My gaze hardened.

“I’m watching her.”

“Is that what you call it?”

I didn’t respond.

Because we both knew that wasn’t entirely true.

There was a pause.

Then I spoke again, quieter this time.

“I don’t want to lose her.”

The words slipped out before I could stop them.

Taheer stilled.

“You may not have that choice.”

My chest tightened again.

“She chose my brother.”

“Yes.”

“But I don’t believe it. I don’t believe in whatever they have.” 

Taheer tilted his head slightly.

“Because?”

“Because she…” I stopped myself.

Because she looked at me like it meant something.

Because she didn’t say it again. She hesitated. 

I exhaled sharply.

“Because something doesn’t add up.”

Taheer didn’t argue.

He simply watched.

And for a moment, the courtyard was quiet again.

Then, he froze.

Completely.

Every muscle in his massive body went rigid.

I frowned immediately.

“Taheer?”

His head lifted slightly, nostrils flaring.

The air around us shifted.

Subtly.

But unmistakably.

“What is it?” I asked.

He didn’t answer right away.

Instead, his eyes narrowed, scanning the darkness beyond the palace walls.

Then slowly, he turned his head toward me.

And when he spoke, his voice was lower than I had ever heard it.

“…Cassian.”

Something cold slid down my spine.

“What?”

His gaze locked onto mine.

“I smell it.”

My pulse spiked.

“Smell what?”

“A dragon.”