The Dragon Queen Selection Chapter 92

LIRA

The question struck like a blade.

I looked down at the floor.

“…No.”

My voice sounded smaller than I intended.

“I don’t regret it.”

That part was true. I had known what I was doing.

But the next words slipped out before I could stop them.

“The only thing I regret…”

My throat tightened.

“…is hurting him.”

Veryraxis watched me quietly.

“You care for the prince.”

I shook my head quickly.

“No.”

But the lie sounded weak even to my own ears.

The dragon said nothing more.

Eventually I dressed again, my hands still trembling slightly.

When I turned to leave, Veryraxis spoke once more.

“You have changed the course of fate tonight, Lira.”

I didn’t know if that was a blessing or a warning.

By the time I reached my room, the sky outside the windows had begun to lighten.

I closed the door softly behind me.

And then the strength holding me together finally shattered.

My knees gave out.

I collapsed onto the floor.

A sob tore out of my chest before I could stop it.

My hands shook as I stared down at them.

They were still stained with blood.

My blood. Cassian’s blood.

Tears blurred my vision.

“What have I done?” I whispered.

The memory of his face flashed through my mind.

The way he had looked at me. The way he had touched me.

Like I mattered.

Like I wasn’t just some pawn in a revenge I barely understood anymore.

I curled my fingers into fists.

“I had to,” I whispered desperately.

My father’s face rose in my mind.

The day we learnt of his death. We weren't even allowed to bury him.

The crown had taken everything from us.

“This is for you,” I said through tears.

But my voice shook.

Because another thought whispered through the darkness of my mind.

Was it?

Or had I simply been too desperate? Had I let the dragon use me?

Desperate enough to use someone who had never truly harmed me.

I pressed my bloodied hands against my face.

“Gods…”

The tears came harder now.

“What if I’ve gone too far?”

Cassian’s voice echoed faintly in my memory.

His warmth. His touch. And the way he had said my name.

My chest ached.

Because somewhere deep inside me, a terrible truth was forming.

This was never supposed to be complicated.

It was supposed to be revenge. It was supposed to be simple.

But now....

Now Cassian was tangled in everything.

And I didn’t know if I could untangle him from my heart.

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

My hands still smelled like him. Even after the tears stopped.

Even after the trembling faded and exhaustion left me hollow, the scent lingered faintly on my skin.

Cassian.

I stared at my hands for a long time before forcing myself to move.

“Stop it,” I muttered quietly.

This wasn’t the time for weakness.

If I was going to survive this palace, I had to erase every trace of last night.

Every trace of him.

I rose slowly and crossed to the basin. The water was cold, but I plunged my hands into it anyway, scrubbing my skin until it turned red. I washed my arms, my neck, my shoulders, everywhere he had touched.

Everywhere I could still feel him.

The cloth dragged roughly across my skin as I scrubbed harder.

“Gone,” I whispered. “Just wash it away.”

But some things wouldn’t wash away. The ache between my thighs. The memory of his voice against my ear.

I squeezed my eyes shut and forced myself to focus on something else.

The cut.

I looked down at my stomach.

The cut I had made during the spell was small but deep enough that blood had soaked the bandage I’d wrapped around it earlier.

“Wonderful,” I muttered.

I grabbed the small kit the palace healers had given the girls at the start of the Selection and sat on the edge of the bed.

Peeling away the cloth made me hiss.

The cut burned.

“Stupid,” I whispered to myself.

But it had worked.

Veryraxis was free.

That thought steadied me.

I cleaned the wound carefully, biting down on the inside of my cheek as the salve stung.

“This is for Father,” I murmured.

The words sounded hollow.

Still, I wrapped the bandage tightly around my waist and pulled my shift down over it.

Just as I stood to dress...

A knock sounded at the door.

My heart jumped violently.

For one terrible moment, I thought....

Cassian.

Or worse.

Evander.

I forced my voice to remain steady.

“Yes?”

“Lady Lira?”

A guard.

Relief washed through me.

I opened the door a crack.

The guard bowed slightly, holding out a small wrapped parcel.

“A delivery for you, my lady.”

I frowned.

“From whom?”

He hesitated.

“Prince Cassian.”

My stomach dropped.

I took the package quickly before anyone else could see it.

“Thank you.”

The door shut the moment the guard left.

For a long moment, I simply stared at the small bundle in my hands.

“What are you doing?” I whispered.

Slowly, I unwrapped it.

Inside was a small glass vial filled with a dark liquid.

And a folded note.

My fingers trembled slightly as I opened it.

The handwriting was unmistakable. It was Cassian's.

Drink this.

—C

I blinked.

“That’s it?”

I turned the vial toward the light. Recognition dawned slowly. My breath caught.

A pregnancy tonic. My face flushed hot. Of course.

He had thought of that. Of everything. For a moment I just stood there, staring at the bottle.

Then I uncorked it and drank it immediately.

The liquid was bitter and burned slightly as it slid down my throat.

I coughed once, grimacing.

“Disgusting.”

But necessary. When the vial was empty, I walked to the furnace in the corner of the room and dropped the bottle into the flames.

The glass cracked softly as the heat consumed it.

Gone.

Just like last night needed to be.

I dressed quickly after that, choosing one of the simpler gowns required for morning lessons.

My hands were steadier now.

My face calm.

If anyone looked at me, they would see nothing unusual.

Just another girl in the Selection.

Just another hopeful bride.

Not a traitor.

Not a liar.

Not a girl who had just helped free an ancient dragon.

By the time I reached the dining hall, the other girls were already gathered.

The room buzzed with quiet chatter and clinking silverware.

I spotted Elora immediately and slipped into the seat beside her.

She smiled when she saw me.

“There you are.”

“Good morning.”

“You look tired,” she said, studying me.

“I didn’t sleep well.”

“That makes two of us.”

I reached for a piece of bread.

“Why?”

She groaned softly.

“These lessons are killing me.”

I laughed lightly.

“What happened this time?”

“The history tutor made us memorize thirty years of trade agreements.”

“That sounds thrilling.”

“Thrilling enough that I nearly fell asleep and embarrassed myself in front of the royal advisor.”

I smiled faintly.

Across the table, two other girls joined the conversation.

“I swear they’re trying to bore us to death,” Amara said.

“Truly,” Vivienne agreed. “If I have to hear one more lecture about proper court etiquette...”

“I’ll scream,” Elora finished.

We all laughed.

But the laughter felt distant to me. Like I was watching the moment instead of living it.

“I have something important to tell you later,” I murmured quietly to Elora.

Her brows lifted.

“Important?”

“Yes.”

She leaned closer.

“Should I be worried?”

“Maybe.”

That earned a curious look.

“Well now you’ve made me nervous.”

I forced a smile.

“After lessons.”