The Dragon Queen Selection Chapter 16

LIRA

Calista stiffened. “I happened to run into the prince. That is all.”

Her voice was clipped, defensive. The damage had been done.

Evadne tapped her nails on her goblet, smiling wider. “Let’s not get defensive, everyone. We’re just curious. It could’ve been Cassandra. Or Calista. Or even Elora.”

Poor Elora flushed deep red, trembling as she lifted her tea. “I—I would never!”

“Of course you wouldn’t,” Evadne said sweetly, her tone oozing with mockery. “But that’s what makes this so much fun. The guessing game is just so… entertaining.”

Lenora stood up suddenly, her chair scraping loudly against the floor. “This is indecent! We should not be speculating on such matters. We should not be gossiping like this!"

“For all we know, it’s just a rumour,” Lady Isla added, quiet but firm. “We don’t even know if it’s true.”

Vivienne rolled her eyes. “Oh, come off it, Lenora. You do realise that’s exactly what this competition is about, right? Winning the prince’s favour? Or are you under the impression he’s looking for a saint?”

I stayed quiet through it all, sitting at the far end of the table, keeping my expression still and unreadable.

They were cracking, all of them.

Cassandra, ever the picture of poise, had faltered. Even if she wasn’t the one sneaking out of his chambers, she wore the guilt like perfume, faint but clinging.

Calista’s composure had slipped; her usual confidence now laced with suspicion. Her eyes kept darting, calculating.

Amara was pretending she found it amusing, but she looked more restless than amused.

Even Lenora, with all her piety, was about two seconds from breaking under the pressure of the rumour.

If this was what they were like now, over whispers and shadows, what would they do when the stakes got higher?

The dining hall doors opened then, and the room fell dead silent.

Queen Seraphina entered, moving like she owned the world, her gaze sweeping across the room like a blade.

“I trust you’ve all had a pleasant morning,” she said, her voice cool and deliberate.

“Y-yes, Your Majesty,” Lenora replied immediately, bowing her head.

The Queen smiled, but it was all teeth. “Good. I expect nothing less. Remember, ladies, a future queen must conduct herself with dignity and restraint at all times.”

She didn’t say a word about the rumour, but she didn’t have to. Her warning landed anyway. The shift in the room was immediate. Posture straightened. Voices quieted. Faces masked.

But I knew it wouldn’t last.

As soon as she was gone, the whispers would start again.

I’d keep my head down, my ears open, and wait. Chaos made for good cover, and I had plans of my own.

I was going to sneak out again, this time, I wanted to find out the truth of what happened to my father.

...........................

PRINCE CASSIAN

I pushed open the door to my mother’s chambers with my usual confidence, but the moment I stepped inside, the air turned cold, frosted over by her glare. Queen Seraphina stood by the window, the morning sun turning the gold on her gown into molten light. She looked like a warrior in silk and threadbare patience.

“Close the door,” she said. No room for pleasantries. No warmth. Just command.

I did as she asked, sauntering in like I hadn’t a care in the world. “You summoned me, Mother? To what do I owe the honour?”

She turned to face me fully, her eyes sharp and unyielding. Even though she was my mother, our relationship was far from mother and son. She never raised any of us personally; I received more care in the hands of my nannies than I did with my own mother. “Don’t play coy with me, Cassian. I’ve heard the rumours.”

I raised a brow, trying to stay relaxed. “Rumours?” I leaned casually against a nearby table, folding my arms across my chest. “You mean the palace gossip that flares up every time I so much as sneeze? Fascinating how quickly lies spread around here.”

Her eyes could’ve carved me in two. “You think this is a joke? You’re the crown prince of Aurelia. You’re amid a Dragon Queen’s Selection, a centuries-old tradition to determine your future queen. This is not a game, Cassian. It is your duty.”

There it was. The word she always used when she wanted me to fall in line.

I let the smirk slip from my face. “And my duty doesn’t include answering intrusive questions about what happens behind the doors of my bedchamber. That part of my life is mine.”

She stepped forward, slow and deliberate. “Your personal life ceased to exist the moment you were born into this family. You are the future of this kingdom. You are the Crown. Now, I’ll ask you one last time, unless you want me to resort to... unpleasant methods, who is the girl?”

I met her stare and didn’t flinch. “Why does it matter? If I tell you her name, what then? Will you punish her? Have her removed? You don’t even know if she’s a contender or a palace maid. I’ve already agreed to participate in this ridiculous selection. Should I be judged for seeking one moment of privacy in a life that’s never been mine?”

Her voice was like a whip. “Yes. You will be judged. The court is already talking. The servants whispering. And it won’t be long before word spreads beyond these walls. Do you have any idea what that will do? The founding families will believe you’ve sabotaged the entire selection, that you’ve chosen your queen in secret while ruining the rest. These girls are already at each other’s throats. A scandal like this could destroy what little legitimacy remains.”

I laughed under my breath, but there was no humour in it. “Legitimacy? You mean the illusion of fairness you’re so desperate to preserve? Come on, Mother. This isn’t about love or even suitability, it’s a game of power. We both know that. So let me play it my way.”

Her voice dropped to a whisper laced with steel. “This is not a game, Cassian. And if you will not take it seriously... I will.”

I pushed off the table and straightened, my patience gone. “Then do whatever you must, I shall do my part."

I turned and walked out before she could say another word. I could feel her fury pressing against my back as I left, but I didn’t look back.

.................

The corridors of the palace whispered louder than any courtier.

I didn’t need confirmation. I knew Mother would dig until she found the answer herself. She always did; I just had to make sure I beat her to it.

It was nearly dusk when I overheard two maids whispering outside the gardens.

“…Lady Cassandra Evernight… the silk robe… left his chambers just before dawn…”

I didn’t stop walking, but something twisted in my gut. Of course, it would be Cassandra they suspected. She was bold. She was smart. And she knew exactly how to handle a room full of women and fools. If anyone found out about that night…

No. I wouldn’t let them.