The Dragon Queen Selection Chapter 19

LIRA

The palace corridors were eerily quiet at night, the silver light of the moon filtering through the tall windows, casting long shadows along the marble floor. I crept through the halls in silence, my soft slippers barely making a sound. I had memorised the guards' rotations by heart, every turn, every pause. It was the only way to move undetected.

Tonight, my destination was the royal library.

When I reached the heavy oak doors, I paused for just a moment, letting myself breathe. Then I pushed them open. The scent of parchment and old ink wrapped around me like an old memory. My breath caught as I stepped inside.

Books. So many of them.

Shelves stretched from floor to ceiling, stuffed with volumes of every size and colour. A spiral staircase wound its way up to a second level, and moonlight spilled across the polished floor.

For a moment, I simply stood there, staring. The last time I saw so many books was in my father’s library, before they took it all from us. Just like they took everything else. The memory stung, and I swallowed hard, forcing the ache down.

This wasn’t a night for remembering. This was a night for finding answers.

I moved quickly along the shelves, scanning titles and sections, fingers brushing lightly over leather bindings and gilded lettering. Anything about court politics. The old council. Accusations of treason. I didn’t know what I was looking for exactly, but I knew I would recognize it when I saw it.

I was so focused I didn’t hear the soft footsteps behind me until a voice broke the silence.

“Looking for something?”

I spun around, heart hammering. A man stood in the doorway. Tall. Lean. His dark hair curled slightly at the ends, and his sharp blue eyes caught the moonlight in a way that reminded me, uncomfortably of Prince Cassian.

"I..." I hesitated for a breath, then smoothed the alarm from my face. "I didn’t realise anyone else would be here this late."

He stepped into the room with quiet ease, like someone who didn’t need to raise his voice to be noticed. He wasn’t dressed like the nobles or courtiers I’d met his clothes were simpler, but everything about him said he belonged.

“And I didn’t realise wandering the library at night was part of the dragon queen selection process,” he said, a faint smirk on his lips.

I forced myself to smile, casually. Light. “Books are far more interesting than gossip. I thought I’d spend the evening broadening my horizons.”

He raised an eyebrow, amused. “Broadening your horizons? An unusual pursuit for someone vying for the crown. Shouldn’t you be practising courtly smiles or learning how to pour tea without offending anyone?”

I tilted my head and gave him a challenging look. “And who are you to judge my choices?”

He laughed softly. “Evander Valemont. Prince Evander.”

My stomach dropped. I masked the flicker of surprise, dipping into a shallow curtsy. Of course. The other prince. The perfect one. The scholar. The one they said rarely smiled and always knew more than he let on.

“I see. Then I suppose I should call you Your Highness.”

He waved a hand, dismissive. “Please don’t. I’ve had enough formalities to last three lifetimes.” He looked at me more directly. “What’s your name?”

“Lady Lira Vale.”

He tilted his head thoughtfully. “The Vales... I’ve heard of your family. Lord Eaton Vale was a remarkable seer. A bit old-fashioned, but a good man.”

A good man. My chest ached. “Yes,” I said softly. “He is.”

“You must be quite remarkable to have been chosen for the selection. Do you share his gifts?”

I shrugged. “A little. I’m not nearly as accomplished.”

Evander stepped closer, his eyes scanning the shelves beside me. “So, Lady Lira of the Vale, what brings you here tonight? Surely not a desire for courtly poetry.”

A smile tugged at my lips before I could stop it. “Maybe I was looking for something more substantial. Dragons. Or scandal.”

He chuckled, a real, warm laugh that filled the quiet room. “Scandal? In this palace? You’ll need more than a library to find that.”

There was something oddly easy about speaking to him. But I didn’t let myself forget who he was. Or who I was.

“You seem... different from your brother,” I said carefully.

His smile faltered just slightly, and he leaned against the shelf beside me. “Cassian and I have always seen the world differently. He lives in the spotlight. I prefer the shadows.”

“And your sister?” I asked. “Is she like you? Or like him?”

His smile returned. “Aveline? She’s... unique. She adores art, music, and dragons most of all. She spends more time with them than she does with people. She loves her dragon Cairn. She practically lives in the Dragon's keep. You'd rarely see her around.”

I tucked that away, another thread. Another connection to follow. “It must be something. Growing up with dragons.”

“‘Fascinating’ isn’t the word I’d use,” he murmured. Then his gaze shifted, growing more focused. “You’re an interesting one, Lady Lira. You’re not like the others. And believe me, I’ve met a few.”

I felt my pulse quicken. “And what are the others like?”

“Ambitious. Ruthless. Desperate,” he said. “But you... You seem detached. Like this is all a game to you.”

I gave a small, controlled laugh. “Maybe I’m just good at hiding my nerves.”

“Or maybe you have other reasons for being here.” His eyes narrowed slightly. “I’m good at reading people.”

For a moment, I felt seen, seen and I hated it. I met his gaze anyway. “And maybe you’re overthinking.”

He studied me a beat longer, then his mouth curved into a smile. “Perhaps.”

He turned and walked toward the door. “Goodnight, Lady Lira,” he said over his shoulder, then disappeared into the hall.

I stood there in the silence, letting out a long breath. My heart was still racing. Evander Valemont was sharper than I expected. Too sharp. I’d have to be careful around him.

But... a part of me was almost glad I’d met him. Talking to him, bantering, even, had been the most refreshing thing to happen to me since I arrived at the palace.

No masks. No pretending to be someone I wasn’t.

Well... maybe just a little pretending.

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

The next morning...

Light streamed through the palace’s grand windows, soft and golden. I sat in a row of elegant chairs with the rest of the girls, feeling every muscle in my body tense with unease.

The royal steward stood before us, tall and severe, a scroll clutched in his hands like a weapon.

“Ladies,” he began, his voice crisp and cutting through the room like a blade, “the time has come to test your aptitude for queenship.”

I straightened in my seat, hands clasped tightly in my lap. Here it was. The first test.

“Her Majesty has devised a series of challenges,” he continued.

The words buzzed in my ears.

“The first test,” the steward said, pausing for dramatic effect, “is...."