The Dragon Queen Selection Chapter 111

LIRA 

I shut the door behind me the moment Cassian left, and the sound echoed far too loudly in the silence of my room.

For a moment, I just stood there.

Trying to hold myself together. Then it broke.

A sharp, shuddering breath tore out of me, and I pressed my hand against my mouth, but it didn’t help. The tears came anyway, hot, relentless, humiliating.

“What are you doing?” I whispered to myself, my voice cracking. “What are you doing, Lira?”

I staggered back until my legs hit the edge of the bed and sank onto it, my hands trembling in my lap.

Cassian’s touch still lingered on my skin.

And the way he held me. 

Gods.

I squeezed my eyes shut.

“I said it meant nothing,” I whispered hoarsely. “I said it meant nothing.”

But it had.

That was the problem.

That was always the problem.

I dragged in a shaky breath and forced myself to move, reaching for the letter on the floor, the one that had caused all of this.

My brother’s letter.

My fingers hesitated on it a little before I  unfolded the parchment.

As I read between the lies carefully, the tears on my face dried into something colder.

Something sharper.

Something far more dangerous.

My stomach dropped.

“No…” I breathed.

My brother’s words were hurried, urgent, almost frantic.

Norwyn had agreed.

Not just agreed, they had already begun to move.

Spies were already being planted in the palace with the intel I had provided. 

Norwyn troops would arrive soon pretending to be in the palace for a diplomatic meeting. 

My heart began to pound violently in my chest.

“He’s gone too far…” I whispered.

This wasn’t what we planned.

“Madness,” I said aloud, my voice hollow.

I shot to my feet, pacing the room.

“I should have written back,” I muttered. “I should have stopped this.”

I hadn’t.

And now it was happening.

I ran a hand through my hair, my thoughts spiraling.

“If they’re discovered…” I whispered.

They would be executed. Every last one of them.

And if I was tied to it… 

I exhaled sharply.

“No.”

I grabbed fresh parchment and ink with shaking hands.

“I can still fix this.”

My pen moved quickly, the words spilling out in a rush.

Stop. The palace is unstable. There has been a dragon sighting. Security is heightened. Any attempt now will fail. Wait for my signal.

I paused.

My hand hovered.

A different thought crept in.

A quieter one.

More dangerous.

You’re doing this for him.

My grip tightened.

“I’m doing this because it’s stupid,” I muttered under my breath.

But the lie tasted bitter.

Because somewhere deep down… 

I knew.

Cassian.

I was protecting him. I was buying useless time. 

I swallowed hard and forced myself to finish the letter.

Do nothing until you hear from me again.

I sealed it quickly, as if delaying would make me change my mind.

Because it might.

Because I didn’t know which side I was truly on anymore.

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

The rest of the day passed in a blur of forced normalcy. Lessons resumed as though the world hadn’t nearly fallen apart.

As though a dragon hadn’t escaped.

As though I hadn’t just betrayed everyone, again.

We were gathered in one of the study halls, long tables lined with scrolls and books.

“Our focus today,” one of the instructors said, pacing slowly before us, “will be governance under crisis.”

A few of the girls groaned softly.

“Fitting,” Vivienne murmured beside me. “Considering the palace is practically unraveling.”

I forced a faint smile.

“I think they’re pretending it isn’t.”

“They always do,” she replied dryly.

At the far end of the table, Amara leaned forward, clearly uninterested.

“If the red dragon attacks us,” she said bluntly, “none of this will matter. Will we still have to sit through lessons after the attack?” 

“Discipline, Lady Amara,” the instructor snapped.

“It’s a fair point,” Evadne added with a shrug. “What exactly are we being prepared for? Tea parties or survival? And how do we protect ourselves from a dragon? Offer it tea?”

A few girls laughed nervously.

“Enough,” the instructor said firmly. “You will learn to rule and not panic.”

I stared down at my parchment, pretending to take notes.

Rule.

The word felt distant.

Unreal.

Because I wasn’t here to rule.

I was here to destroy.

Wasn’t I?

My thoughts drifted again.

To Cassian.

To his expression when I lied.

To the way he had asked me to say it again.

My chest tightened.

“Lira?”

I blinked, looking up.

Elora was watching me, her brow furrowed.

“You’re not even writing anything,” she whispered.

I glanced down.

My page was blank.

“I’m thinking,” I said quickly.

“Dangerous habit,” she teased softly.

I managed a small smile.

“Tell me about it.”

She studied me for a moment longer, then leaned closer.

“You’re quieter than usual. Are you okay?” 

“I’m just tired,” I said.

It wasn’t a lie. Just not the whole truth.

Elora nodded slowly, though I could tell she didn’t fully believe me.

“Don’t disappear again,” she murmured.

My stomach twisted.

“I won’t.”

Another lie.

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

By the time lessons ended, I felt mentally exhausted.

Like I was carrying too many secrets and they were beginning to crush me under their weight.

I walked back to my chambers slowly, the corridors quieter now.

The guard stationed outside my door straightened when he saw me.

“Lady Lira.”

I nodded stiffly.

“Thank you.”

He stepped aside, allowing me in.

The moment the door closed behind me, I exhaled deeply.

Alone again, or so I thought.

I took a few steps into the room, then froze.

Something shifted on the bed.

Small.

White.

Familiar.

My breath caught.

“No way…”

I rushed forward.

And there she was.

Curled up in the center of my bed like she belonged there.

Luna.

Her tiny body gleamed faintly in the dim light, her scales almost glowing. Her tail flicked lazily as she lifted her head and blinked at me.

Then, 

She chirped.

A soft, happy sound.

“Luna!” I gasped.

I ran to her without thinking, dropping to my knees by the bed and pulling her gently into my arms.

She was warm.

Alive.

Real.

“Oh, gods, I missed you,” I whispered, holding her close.

She nuzzled into me, her tiny claws catching lightly on my sleeve as she made another soft sound.

“What are you doing here?” I murmured, brushing my fingers along her smooth scales. “You’re supposed to be with your mother Veyraxis…”

At the mention of her name, Luna tilted her head slightly, as if listening.

Then she licked my cheek.

I laughed softly despite everything.

“You shouldn’t be here,” I said gently. “If anyone sees you…” 

A sharp knock cut through my words.

My entire body went rigid.

The knock came again.

Louder this time.

“Lady Lira?”

The guard’s voice.

Male.

My heart began to race.

Luna shifted in my arms, letting out a soft, questioning chirp.

“Shh,” I whispered urgently.

My eyes darted around the room.

Think.

Think!

Another knock.

“Lady Lira, are you inside?”

I swallowed hard.

“Yes, I’m in the middle of something,” I called, forcing my voice to sound steady.

My grip tightened around Luna.

I looked down at her.

Then at the door.

Then back at her.

If I opened that door… 

Everything could fall apart.

Another knock.

“Lady Lira?”