00:00When dragon-born ladies had cornered me in the kitchens, they laughed, tore my sleeves, and called me a barren
00:06human leech.
00:07Then a broken dragon rose from his wheeled chair. Lucian Dravenmore stood between us, half crippled, but still terrifying.
00:14I was born with a blood scent that could make dragon lords lose control. Pure breeding blood, the rarest kind
00:20in 300 years.
00:21At my mating ceremony, I crawled past the sacred gold offerings and grabbed Crown Prince Caelan between his pants.
00:29This little whore could be a clingy breeder in the future.
00:34He was wrong. Caelan and I became enemies. For ten years, I watched his dragon eyes learn to hate my
00:40scent.
00:40On my 18th birthday feast, the king called me before the throne.
00:45Freya, choose any dragon lord in Valeria. I will grant him to you.
00:49Before I could answer, Caelan's voice cut across the hall.
00:52I would rather be torn apart by wild dragon knees than mate her.
00:57Something inside me broke. Good. Then make him choke on it.
01:01Then I will leave his fate to the gods. Pay for the price, Crown Prince Caelan.
01:05I thought he didn't mean it. Our betrothal ceremony was beautiful, but Caelan never gave me a glance.
01:12Your scent makes me sick.
01:14Years passed. I gave him no air. The court stopped bowing.
01:18Dragonborn ladies spat in my food, ripped my gowns, and called me a barren human leech.
01:23Caelan only smiled. Then I heard him say it.
01:26She forced this marriage. She deserves karma. No one should pity her.
01:31One week later, he threw me into the velvet quarter.
01:34A useless breeder belongs in a pleasure house.
01:38I died there, bloody and left like rotten meat. His figure was the last thing I saw. He never looked
01:43back.
01:43Then lights split open. I woke on cold marble, gasping. I was reborn at my mating ceremony.
01:50Freya, choose any dragon lord in Valeria. I will grant him to you.
01:55The royal citadel. The feast. I would not risk my life on Caelan again. I took a deep breath.
02:01Your majesty. I respect the crown prince as someone I grew up with. Like a brother. I never wanted him.
02:08Not as a man. Not as a husband.
02:11My heart only belongs to dragon crook Lufician Dravenmore. If I couldn't marry him, I'd go finish myself.
02:16The court exploded. I had refused Valeria's golden prince and chosen his uncle. The cursed black silver dragon. The most
02:24fierce dragon who destroyed wild dragonkins for 200 years.
02:27Lufician Dravenmore fell coma since year ago on the northern war front. Hurt by an unseen blade with curse. The
02:34healers said he would never wake. I knew they were wrong.
02:37In my last life, Lufician woke during my third year in hellish marriage. When dragonborn ladies had cornered me in
02:43the kitchens, they laughed, tore my sleeves, and called me a barren human leech.
02:48Then a broken dragon rose from his wheeled chair. Lufician Dravenmore stood between us. Half crippled, but still terrifying. Back
02:56to now.
02:57Little one. Marrying Lucian would waste your gift. Choose another lord. Someone who can speak to you.
03:02I kept my forehead against the marble floor. Your majesty, I swore before the old gods. It is Lufician Dravenmore
03:09or no one.
03:09I hit my forehead on the floor. Once and once again. The court went quiet. Only left the sound of
03:15my bones crack. Queen Marianne smiled like she had been handed a gift.
03:19If the human girl wants a sleeping dragon, let her have him.
03:23So be it. Your bloodline is gone. Lucian cannot answer for himself. My queen will arrange the wedding for you
03:30two.
03:30I rose my bloody forehead and crumbling stood up. I am humbled beyond speech.
03:36I did not look at Caelan. I only felt his gold fire burning behind me. Let him burn. I would
03:42never choose him again.
03:43Lucian is way better than Caelan. Last life, though he's still weak, he's nice to me. I'll save him this
03:48time.
03:49We'll claw our way out of this shithole. Together.
03:51For three days, I slept like someone freed from a cage.
03:56Then came the knock at Ashbourne Hall.
03:59The queen commands your presence at the royal citadel tonight.
04:02My blood went cold.
04:04At dusk, Madam Corvin led me through the royal corridors.
04:08Dragonflowers scented the stone.
04:10Then she stopped and bowed.
04:12Your highness, crown prince.
04:14I lifted my head.
04:16It's Caelan.
04:16Caelan stepped into the lamplight.
04:18He looked exactly like a future king.
04:20Proud and untouchable.
04:21Beautiful in the cruel Valorian way.
04:24Your highness.
04:25He looked me over from crown to shoes, as if searching for the girl who used to chase him through
04:29these halls.
04:29That's all?
04:30In my last life, I knew his every habit.
04:33I baked honey cakes for him.
04:34I waited outside Crown Tower just to hand them over.
04:37He always tossed them to the palace drakes.
04:39Stop this pathetic chase, Freya.
04:42You are marrying my uncle now.
04:43Try to have some dignity.
04:45You disgust me.
04:46I am not chasing anyone.
04:48I was only telling the truth to your king father.
04:50I do not love you.
04:52Then you wandered into the royal family's private wing by accident?
04:55The queen summoned me.
04:56Ask Madam Corvin.
04:57His gold fire flared.
04:58So it was true.
04:59I had not come for him.
05:01My uncle is a corpse with a title.
05:03You may be a widow before your wedding bed even cools.
05:06Then I will be the happiest widow in Valoria.
05:10His pupils narrowed, then went black.
05:13Queen Marianne heard me out in silence.
05:15And before I had even finished my audience with her,
05:18my wedding to Lucien Dravenmore was set for one week later.
05:22Dravenmore's black silver banners stretched across the road as Gareth Thorne bowed before me.
05:27Lady Ashborough, Darrenmore receives you with honor.
05:31In my last life, Crown Tower never gave me this much respect.
05:34Some nobles called it widowhood with a title.
05:37I ignored them.
05:38Dravenmore had already given me more honor than Crown Tower ever did.
05:41When I reached Dravenmore keep, Gareth Thorne led me straight to the bridal chamber.
05:46Lucien Dravenmore lay on the bed, pale and silent.
05:49But even unconscious, he did not look weak.
05:51His sharp features, silver black hair and quiet dragon pressure,
05:54made him seem less like a dying man and more like a sleeping dragon.
05:57My lady, I prepared another room for you.
05:59I looked at Lucien, my heart steady despite the tension.
06:02No.
06:03He is my husband now.
06:05I'll stay here.
06:06The room went silent.
06:07After they left, I sat beside him.
06:09The air itself seemed to hold its breath.
06:11I leaned closer, feeling the subtle warmth of his body beneath the thin sheets.
06:15You're asleep anyway, so this doesn't count.
06:18I lowered my head and kissed him.
06:20His lips were warm.
06:21For a heartbeat, nothing happened.
06:22Then the air broke open.
06:24Dark pressure slammed through the room.
06:26Black, silver scales erupted along his neck.
06:29Windows cracked.
06:30His hand shot up and caught my throat.
06:31Not gentle, not soft.
06:33Dragon fire exploded from his body, scorching the ceiling and bed frame.
06:36I gasped, gripping his wrist.
06:38Lucien.
06:39His fingers burned against my skin, yet he didn't push me away.
06:44Lucien.
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