The Dragon Queen Selection Chapter 112

CASSIAN 

I did not knock.

But tonight, I forced myself to stop just outside Lira’s door, my hand hovering midair, my instincts warring against discipline.

Taheer had felt the dragon and I had rushed inside the palace to investigate. My first guess was of course, none other than Lira. 

I turned to the guard stationed outside her chambers. He straightened immediately, fist to chest.

“Your highness.”

“Report,” I said quietly.

The guard hesitated only a second. “Nothing unusual, Your Highness. Lady Lira attended her lessons. Returned at the proper hour. She seems well.” 

I narrowed my eyes. “And?”

“And… she sent a letter home, your highness.”

My jaw tightened.

“A letter,” I repeated.

“Yes, my prince. It has already been dispatched. She wanted it back home quickly.” 

“Already?” My tone sharpened. There was nothing in the letter that suggested that sort of urgency, unless I had missed something important. But her constant letters and her sending another letter barely a day after receiving the letter was suspicious. 

The guard shifted uneasily. “Yes, my prince. As per routine…” 

“Next time,” I cut in coldly, “you bring it to me first.”

“Yes, my prince.”

I exhaled slowly, trying to rein in the rising tension in my chest.

Too late now.

But not entirely useless.

“What did it say?” I asked.

“I do not know, my prince. It was sealed.”

Of course it was.

Lira wasn’t careless.

She was many things, reckless, infuriating, impossible, but never careless.

I glanced at the door.

“How long has she been inside?”

“Not long, my prince. She returned only moments ago.”

Moments.

So she was inside.

Alone.

My fingers curled slightly.

“Knock,” I ordered.

The guard obeyed immediately.

Three firm knocks echoed against the wood.

Silence followed.

Too long.

My eyes darkened.

“Again.”

The guard knocked harder this time.

“Lady Lira?”

Another pause.

Longer.

My pulse slowed, not with calm, but with focus.

She was there.

I could feel it.

And she was stalling. She nervously called back, saying she was in the middle of something. But I grew impatient. 

I asked the guard to knock again. 

The door finally creaked open.

Lira stood in the doorway, breath just slightly uneven, hair not quite settled, as though she had rushed.

Her eyes flicked from the guard to me.

And for the briefest moment… 

Fear.

Then it was gone.

Replaced with that same careful composure she always wore around me now.

“Your highness,” she said softly. “Is something wrong?”

I didn’t answer.

I stepped forward.

She moved instinctively, trying to block me, 

Too slow.

I brushed past her into the room.

“Cassian…” she started, lowering her voice urgently. “You can’t just…” 

“I can,” I said flatly.

The door shut behind me with a dull thud.

Silence settled between us.

I let my gaze sweep the room slowly.

Bed.

Fireplace.

Writing desk.

Windows.

Nothing out of place.

Nothing obvious.

And yet…. 

My instincts screamed.

Something was here.

“Why did you take so long to answer?” I asked without looking at her.

“I was resting,” she replied smoothly.

I glanced over my shoulder.

She stood near the door, arms folded loosely, expression calm.

“You sound tired,” I said.

“I am. We just finished our lessons.” 

I stepped further into the room.

Closer to the bed.

Closer to the faintest… scent.

My fingers flexed.

“What were you doing before I arrived?” I asked.

“Nothing,” she said.

Another lie.

I turned to face her fully now.

“Nothing?” I repeated.

Her chin lifted slightly.

“Yes.”

I held her gaze, she didn’t balk. 

“I heard you sent a letter back home,” I said.

“Yes.”

“To whom?”

“My grandfather.”

“What did it say?”

She tilted her head slightly.

“Must I report every word I write to my family?”

My jaw tightened.

“Yes you must. You’re under watch.”

“I’m not a prisoner.”

“You aren’t,” I said quietly.

“Then perhaps you should decide what you want me to be,” she shot back softly. “Because I’m growing tired of being treated like one.”

Silence stretched.

I stepped closer.

She didn’t move this time.

Didn’t retreat.

Just watched me. She looked so defiant. So angry at me. Her dark hair was coming undone from her braid, her cheeks flushed. 

“You’re hiding something,” I said.

Her lips parted slightly.

Then… 

A small, almost amused smile.

“You always think that.”

“Because you always are hiding something.”

Her smile didn’t falter.

“Maybe you just don’t like not knowing everything.”

“That’s not it.”

“No?” she asked quietly.

“No.”

I leaned in slightly.

“Something is here isn’t it? ,” I murmured.

Her breath hitched, barely.

But I heard it.

I saw it.

“There’s nothing here,” she said.

I stepped past her again, scanning the room once more. I would have to turn the room upside down to find it. But there was no reasonable reason for me to do that. 

I turned back to her slowly.

“If I find out you’re lying to me again…” 

“You always assume I am,” she cut in softly.

“Because you are.”

Her expression hardened.

“Then why ask?”

That stopped me, I studied her face.

Trying to read what she wouldn’t say.

Trying to understand what she wouldn’t give.

But she had locked herself behind walls I couldn’t break through.

Not anymore.

“Cassian,” she said quietly now, stepping closer.

Lowering her voice.

“We shouldn’t be seen together like this. You know what people will say.”

I didn’t move.

“You didn’t seem concerned about that last night.” 

Her gaze flickered.

“Things are different.”

“Yes,” I said coldly. “They are.”

A pause.

Then softer… 

“Please leave.”

The word hit harder than it should have. She didn’t sound angry, she just sounded tired. 

I searched her face one last time. Looking for anything. Anything at all.

But she gave me nothing.

“Fine,” I said finally.

I stepped toward the door.

Paused.

Then glanced back.

“If you’re lying to me…” 

“I’m not,” she said quickly.

Too quickly.

I held her gaze.

Then nodded once.

And left.

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

The moment the door shut behind me, my chest tightened.

She was lying. Of course she was lying.

I just didn’t know what she was lying about. 

I started down the corridor, jaw clenched.

Then,  his voice.

Taheer.

Cassian.

I stilled.

“What is it?” I murmured under my breath.

I am certain now, he said.

A pause.

There is a dragon inside the palace.

My heart slammed against my ribs.

“That’s impossible,” I muttered.

Not impossible, Taheer replied. Just hidden.

I turned slowly, glancing back toward Lira’s door.

No.

No…

“A huge dragon like Veyraxis would not go unnoticed. Someone must have seen her fly in,” I said.

Exactly.

Silence stretched.

Then Taheer spoke again.

Which means… it is not Veyraxis.

A chill slid down my spine.

My mind snapped to one place.

The vault.

The egg.

My breath stilled.

“…No,” I whispered.

Yes, Taheer said.

My pulse began to race.

“If the egg hatched…” 

Then it is here.

My gaze hardened.

“Find it,” I said under my breath.

I turned sharply toward the corridor.

Summoning two of my most trusted guards with a flick of my hand.

They appeared within moments.

“Your highness .”

“You will search the palace,” I said quietly.

“Discreetly.”

They exchanged a glance.

“For what, my prince?”

I stepped closer.

Lowered my voice.

“A dragon hatchling.”

Their expressions shifted instantly.

“Understood.”

“No one else is to know,” I added. “Not the council. Not the King or Queen.”

“Not even Prince Evander?”

“Nobody.”