DRAGONA

Aurelia

My suite was immaculate, every detail arranged to reflect the expectations placed on me. Tall windows framed the late afternoon light, turning the ivory silk drapes almost translucent. The carved bed, the polished floors, the quiet hush, it all felt too perfect, too deliberate.

Fresh from the shower, I moved to the vanity, gathering my damp hair into a loose twist. For a moment, I watched my reflection: composed, detached, exactly as I was meant to appear.

A soft knock broke the stillness.

"Your Highness?" one of the maids called softly from behind the door. "May I come in?"

"Come in, Avantika," I answered.

She stepped just inside, hands folded. "Dinner has been served in the Great Hall."

"I'll be there soon."

The palace hallways stretched before me, silent except for my footsteps on the thick carpet. The scent of jasmine hung faintly in the air, mingling with the chill of stone walls.

In the great hall, the long table was already set. Candles flickered along its length, lighting the ancient tapestries that told stories of dragons and kings.

Aric sat near the center, hair still mussed from training. He glanced up and offered a tight smile.

I slid into the chair beside him just as my mother entered, her presence as precise and cold as always.

"How was your training today, Aurelia?" she asked, her voice composed.

"It went well," I said. "I practiced fire control."

"Good." She nodded. "You must keep improving."

She turned to Aric. "And you? Any progress?"

He looked down at his plate. "Still working on it."

She didn't sigh, but her silence said enough.

I cleared my throat, trying to change the subject. "Will Father be joining us?"

"He has council matters," she replied. "Perhaps later."

My gaze dropped to my hands. For a moment, I let myself hope she might ask about something else, anything not tied to power and expectations.

Instead, she folded her hands neatly and said, "The High Council has confirmed the dates for the Convergence Trials. Two months from now. You will be expected to compete."

My stomach clenched. Of course she expected it. Everyone did.

Beside me, Aric went very still. His breath sounded uneven. He would never be allowed to set foot on that field if he couldn't manifest.

I tried to meet his eyes, but he kept his gaze fixed on his plate.

Dinner continued in heavy quiet. The candles flickered, the shadows stretched, and no one spoke of anything that mattered.

All I wanted was for my mother to look at me without seeing a legacy. But that was the one thing she would never do