Abandonada por su hermano y dejada a morir.

.

.

regresó con dragones y le robó el corazón.

The grand hall of the Silver Fang Kingdom was thick with fear and anticipation.

Hundreds of nobles and warriors stood in rigid silence as the massive iron doors groaned open.

Shadows stretched across the black marble floor like living things at the far end upon the obsidian throne.

Alpha King Varian sat with a crown that had once belonged to their father.

His face was pale, but his posture remained rigid with forced authority.

Then she entered.

Saraphene veil.

The princess, everyone believed had died 15 years ago, walked slowly into the hall.

Her dark hair fell like spilled ink down her back.

She wore armor pieced together from dragon scales and wolf bone, scarred and battleworn.

One of her arms was covered in shimmering obsidian scales that caught the torch light and a faint shadow of dragon wings flickered behind her like smoke.

She did not fully transform.

Not yet.

She stopped in the center of the hall.

Pain twisted deep in her chest as she looked at the brother who had ordered her death when she was only 8 years old.

The memory of that freezing night in the mountains.

The betrayal, the cold, the certainty that she would die alone surged through her like a blade.

For a moment, her hands trembled at her sides.

She wanted to scream.

She wanted to run, but she had not survived dragons and winter just to break.

Now, Varian rose from the throne, his voice sharp with disbelief and rage.

Impossible.

You died.

I saw the reports myself.

Saraphene’s lips curved into a cold, pained smile.

You left me to die in the snow, brother.

The dragons found me instead.

A stunned murmur swept through the court.

Some nobles stepped back in fear.

Others stared at her with dawning recognition.

The lost princess who had vanished the night their father was murdered.

From the shadows near the throne, a tall, broad-shouldered man in dark, scaled armor stepped forward.

The Dragon King.

His golden eyes locked onto Saraphene with an intensity that made the air feel heavier.

There was no warmth in his gaze, only a dangerous, conflicted pull.

He said nothing.

The high priestess moved quickly, her voice cutting through the tension.

This is a deception.

She is no princess.

She is a dragon witch sent to destroy us.

Guards seize her.

Several guards stepped forward.

But Thorne, an older man with silver streaked hair and sharp eyes, raised his hand calmly.

Careful, he said, his voice smooth and measured.

The court has not seen proof of anything yet.

Rushing to violence might make some wonder why we are so eager to silence a girl who claims royal blood.

His words were quiet, but they planted seeds of doubt among the nobles.

Several exchanged uneasy glances.

Saraphene felt her throat tighten.

The pain of standing here in the place where she had once been a child was almost unbearable.

She had spent 15 years believing she was alone.

Now she stood before the brother who had tried to kill her and the man who had secretly kept her alive.

She looked directly at Vyian.

I did not come here to beg for mercy, she said, her voice steady despite the storm inside her.

I came to take back what you stole.

Variian’s face twisted with fury.

You are no longer one of us.

You are corrupted a hybrid monster.

Saraphin felt the words cut deep, but she did not flinch.

Instead, she took one step forward.

The shadow behind her shifted and a single obsidian wing briefly manifested before vanishing again.

The court gasped.

The dragon king finally moved.

He stepped down from the dis, his golden eyes never leaving her.

There was tension in every line of his body fascination mixed with weariness, as if he both wanted to protect her and was fighting the urge to keep his distance.

You should not be here, he said, his voice low and rough, meant only for her ears.

Saraphene met his gaze with quiet defiance, even as her heart pounded.

And yet I am? The dragon king’s jaw tightened.

For a moment, something almost like pain flickered across his face.

He had kept her secret for years.

Now that secret stood in the center of the hall, challenging everything.

The court held its breath.

Whatever happened next, Saraphene knew there was no turning back.

The silence that followed Saraphene’s words was absolute.

She stood motionless in the center of the hall, the faint shadow of dragon wings still flickering behind her like smoke.

Her silver gray eyes remained locked on her brother, but inside her heart was a storm.

15 years of loneliness of surviving on frozen mountains with only dragons for company crashed over her.

The boy who had once played with her in these same halls had become the man who tried to kill her.

The pain was sharp, but she refused to let it show.

Variian’s face twisted with fury and fear.

Guards! he shouted.

Take this impostor away! Several guards stepped forward, but they hesitated.

Their eyes darted between Saraphene and the Dragon King, who still stood a few paces away, watching her with an unreadable intensity.

Thorne’s calm voice cut through the rising panic once more.

My lord, perhaps we should listen before we act.

The court deserves to hear the full story, or are you afraid of what she might say? His words were polite, but the challenge was clear.

Several nobles shifted uncomfortably, their loyalty wavering.

Saraphene felt a small spark of gratitude toward Thorne, but she did not look at him.

Instead, she took another step forward, her voice steady despite the ache in her chest.

I was 8 years old when you ordered my death, Varian.

You told the assassins to make it look like rogues.

You wanted the throne so badly that you were willing to murder your own sister.

her voice lowered.

But the dragons found me first.

They raised me.

They taught me what our father never had the chance to.

Whispers erupted across the hall.

Some nobles looked genuinely horrified.

Others glanced at Vyian with new suspicion.

The dragon king Kale finally spoke, his deep voice carrying through the chamber.

She speaks truth.

All eyes turned to him.

He stood tall and imposing, his golden eyes fixed on Saraphene with a complex mix of recognition, weariness, and something deeper, something that looked almost like regret.

I have known of her survival for years, he continued.

I ensured she was not found by those who wished her harm.

Saraphene’s gaze snapped to him.

Surprise and anger flashed across her face.

You knew, she said, her voice sharp.

All these years and you never once reached out.

Kale’s jaw tightened.

He took a step closer to her, his presence overwhelming.

I kept you alive, he said quietly for her ears alone.

That was all I could do without starting a war I was not ready to fight.

The tension between them crackled like lightning.

Saraphene could feel the pull dangerous, magnetic, and unwanted.

She hated how aware she was of him, how his golden eyes seemed to see straight through the walls she had built.

Varian laughed bitterly, though it sounded forced.

You expect us to believe this? A hybrid abomination raised by dragons, claiming the throne.

She is a threat to everything we are.

Saraphene turned back to her brother.

The pain in her chest sharpened into resolve.

I do not need you to believe me, she said.

I only need you to step down.

The hall erupted into chaos.

Shouts rang out.

Some nobles called for her rest.

Others demanded proof.

The dragon king stood like a pillar of stone beside her.

His presence a silent warning to anyone who dared approach.

Saraphene felt the weight of every eye upon her.

She had returned for justice, for the throne that was stolen from her bloodline.

But standing here facing the brother who had tried to kill her and the dragon king who had secretly protected her, she realized the path ahead would cost her more than she had anticipated.

Kale leaned slightly toward her, his voice low.

This will not end cleanly.

Saraphene met his gaze, her silver gray eyes burning.

I never expected it to.

The court was fracturing before her eyes, and the real battle had only just begun.

The court remained divided long after the initial chaos subsided.

Nobles whispered among themselves in tight clusters, their voices low but urgent.

Some openly stared at Saraphene with fear and awe, while others glanced toward Varian, already calculating which side offered more safety.

Saraphene stood her ground in the center of the hall, though her chest felt tight.

The weight of every gaze pressed down on her.

She had imagined this moment countless times during the long years with the dragons standing before her brother reclaiming what was stolen.

But the reality was colder, sharper.

The pain of seeing Varian on their father’s throne still burned deep inside her, and for a brief moment, her vision blurred with old memories of blood and snow.

She forced herself to breathe steadily.

Varian had retreated slightly, his face flushed with rage.

But he was not finished.

He pointed at her again.

She is no princess of this kingdom anymore.

She is a hybrid, half dragon, half wolf, an abomination that should never have been allowed to live.

If we let her stay, she will bring ruin upon us all.

A few nobles nodded in agreement, but many more remained silent.

Watching, Thorne stepped forward once more, his tone measured and almost reasonable.

My king, the court has heard many claims tonight.

Perhaps it would be wise to give the lady a chance to speak fully before we decide her fate.

After all, if she truly is the lost princess, then silencing her without proof would raise uncomfortable questions.

His words were calm, but they carried weight.

Several nobles shifted, clearly influenced.

Saraphin felt a flicker of gratitude toward Thorne, but she did not trust it fully.

Everyone here had their own motives.

The dragon king, Kale, had remained mostly silent since his earlier statement.

He stood a short distance from her, his golden eyes fixed on her face with an intensity that made her skin prickle.

There was something in his gaze that unsettled her deeply, not just recognition, but a complicated mix of protection and restraint.

He had helped her survive as a child.

Yet now he looked at her as though she were both a solution and a threat.

She met his eyes briefly.

The pull between them was dangerous.

She could feel it like an invisible thread tightening with every passing second.

She hated how aware she was of him, the way his presence seemed to steady the air around her, even as it made her heart beat faster.

Kale finally spoke again, his voice low but carrying across the hall.

Enough accusations for one night.

The princess will remain under my protection until the truth is known.

Variian’s face darkened.

You would side with this creature against your own ally.

Kale’s golden eyes turned cold as he looked at Vyian.

I side with truth.

And right now, Truth stands before us.

Saraphene felt her chest tighten again.

She had not expected his open support, and part of her resented it.

She did not want to owe him anything, not after 15 years of silence.

Yet another part of her, the part she tried to keep buried, felt the smallest flicker of relief that she was not entirely alone in this hall.

She stepped forward once more, her voice clear.

I do not need protection, she said, looking directly at Kale.

I need justice.

their eyes locked.

For a moment, the rest of the court faded away.

There was tension in the air between them, sharp, electric, and filled with unspoken history.

Kale’s expression shifted slightly.

Something like frustration and reluctant admiration flickering across his face.

You are still the same stubborn child I once knew, he murmured low enough that only she could hear.

Saraphene’s lips curved into a small bitter smile.

And you are still the man who watched from the shadows.

The moment stretched between them, heavy with everything they were not saying.

Varian’s voice broke the spell.

This is not over.

He growled.

The court will decide your fate tomorrow.

Until then, you are not welcome in this hall.

Saraphene did not argue.

She had already said what needed to be said for tonight.

As the guards began to clear the hall, she turned to leave.

But before she could take more than a few steps, Kale’s voice reached her again.

Sarafin.

She paused, but did not turn around.

Be careful, he said quietly.

Your brother is not the only one who wants you gone.

She did not reply.

She simply kept walking, her heart heavy and her mind racing.

The path ahead was becoming clearer, but also more dangerous.

And the dragon king was no longer just a shadow in her past.

He was here now.

And whatever happened next, their fates were already entangled.

The eastern wing of the palace felt both familiar and alien to Saraphene.

She had been given a suite of rooms that overlooked the snowcovered mountains where she had once nearly died.

The irony was not lost on her.

Servants moved quietly around her, bringing food and fresh clothes.

But she could feel their weary glances.

No one quite knew what to make of the hybrid princess who had returned with dragons at her back.

Saraphene stood on the balcony, the cold night wind tugging at her dark hair.

Below the palace ground stretched out like a frozen battlefield.

She wrapped her arms around herself, trying to steady the storm inside her chest.

Confronting Varian had taken more from her than she wanted to admit.

Seeing his face again had reopened wounds she thought had scarred over long ago.

A soft knock sounded at the door.

Come in, she said without turning.

The door opened and closed.

Heavy footsteps crossed the room.

She knew who it was before he spoke.

Cyle.

The dragon king stopped just inside the balcony doorway, his tall frame silhouetted against the warm light of the chamber.

His golden eyes studied her back for a long moment.

You should not be out here alone, he said.

Saraphene didn’t turn around.

I spent 15 years surviving worse than a cold night.

Kale stepped closer until he stood beside her at the railing.

The heat radiating from him cut through the winter air, but he kept a careful distance.

You did not need to reveal yourself so boldly tonight, he said quietly.

You could have waited.

Gathered strength first.

Saraphene finally looked at him.

Her silver gray eyes met his golden ones with quiet defiance.

I waited 15 years.

I will not wait any longer.

Kale’s jaw tightened.

He turned his gaze toward the distant mountains.

His expression unreadable.

I kept you alive all those years, he said.

I sent scouts.

I made sure the assassins never found you.

And yet you look at me as if I am the enemy.

Saraphene felt a sharp twist in her chest.

You watched from the shadows while my brother tried to kill me.

You never once reached out.

You let me believe I was completely alone.

Her voice grew quieter.

So yes, Kale, right now.

You feel very much like an enemy.

The dragon king was silent for a long moment.

When he spoke again, his voice was rough.

I had reasons.

The kingdom was unstable.

My own father was dying.

If I had revealed myself too soon, it would have started a war we could not win.

Saraphene turned to face him fully.

The wind whipped between them.

And yet here we are, she said, still on the edge of war.

Kale looked down at her.

For the first time, she saw something roar in his golden eyes.

Conflict, frustration, and a reluctant pull that mirrored her own.

You are not the frightened child I remember, he murmured.

And you are not the distant shadow I once imagined, she replied.

The air between them thickened.

Neither moved closer, but neither stepped away.

The tension was dangerous, a mixture of old pain, new attraction, and the knowledge that their fates were now inseparably linked.

Kale reached out slowly and brushed a strand of hair from her face.

His touch was surprisingly gentle.

his fingers warm against her cold skin.

Whatever happens tomorrow, he said.

I will not let Vyian touch you again.

Saraphene held his gaze, her heart beating hard.

I don’t need your protection, Kale.

His lips curved into a faint, dangerous smile.

Perhaps not, but you have it anyway.

He lingered for a moment longer, then stepped back.

The loss of his warmth left her colder than the night air.

Rest, he said.

Tomorrow will not be kind.

As he turned to leave, Saraphene spoke once more.

Coy, he paused at the door.

She looked at him over her shoulder, her voice soft, but firm.

Thank you for keeping me alive.

The dragon king did not reply.

He simply nodded once and disappeared into the shadows of the corridor.

Saraphene remained on the balcony long after he was gone.

The wind carrying the distant roar of dragons somewhere beyond the mountains.

The past and present were colliding, and she was no longer sure where her loyalty or her heart truly lay.

The grand hall was even more crowded than the night before.

Word of the confrontation had spread like wildfire through the palace.

Nobles, warriors, and priests filled every corner.

Their whispers creating a constant uneasy hum.

The air was thick with anticipation and fear.

Saraphene walked beside Kel, her steps measured and calm, despite the storm raging inside her.

She could feel every eye on her, some curious, some hostile, many simply afraid.

The hybrid princess who had returned from the dead.

Variian already stood at the center of the deis, flanked by the high priestess and several loyal lords.

His face was flushed with barely contained rage as Saraphene and Kale approached.

The hall fell into a heavy silence.

The high priestess stepped forward first, her voice ringing with righteous anger.

Dragon king, this woman is a danger to us all.

She carries dragon blood and claims our throne.

We have proof that she has been conspiring with enemy forces to overthrow the rightful king.

She gestured sharply and two guards dragged forward a battered man in chains.

Saraphene recognized him immediately, one of the scouts who had helped her when she first crossed back into the kingdom.

Variant smiled coldly.

This man has confessed.

He was sent by you to weaken our defenses and prepare for your dragon army to invade.

Saraphene felt a cold wave of anger wash over her.

She stepped forward, her voice clear and steady.

That man was helping refugees, not plotting invasion.

You tortured him to force a false confession.

The high priestess’s eyes gleamed with triumph.

See how quickly she defends her allies.

She is no princess.

She is a traitor who has returned with an army of monsters to burn our kingdom to the ground.

A murmur of fear spread through the nobles.

Saraphene felt the old pain rising again.

The memory of being abandoned, of nearly freezing to death in the mountains.

For a moment, her hands trembled.

She was tired of being painted as the villain in her own story.

Kyle moved slightly closer to her, his presence a silent anchor, but he did not speak yet.

He was watching, waiting to see how she would handle this.

Saraphene lifted her chin and looked directly at her brother.

You have always been good at rewriting history, Varian, she said.

Her voice carried across the hall, quiet but filled with steel.

You murdered our father.

You ordered my death when I was a child, and now you stand here pretending to be the victim while you try to kill me again.

Her words struck like a blade.

Several nobles gasped.

Some of the older lords who had served their father looked visibly shaken.

Variian’s face twisted with fury.

Lies! he shouted.

She is corrupted by dragon magic.

She will destroy everything our bloodline has built.

The high priestess raised her hands, chanting a quick spell.

A wave of orange light washed over Saraphene, attempting to force her into a full hybrid transformation in front of everyone.

Pain exploded through Saraphene’s body.

Scales rippled across one arm and part of her neck.

A single dragon wing partially manifested before she forced it back with sheer will.

She staggered but did not fall.

The court recoiled in a mixture of horror and awe.

Kyle moved instantly.

He stepped in front of her, his golden eyes blazing with cold fury as he faced the high priestess.

Enough, he growled.

You will not touch her again.

The tension in the hall reached a breaking point.

Saraphene steadied herself, breathing through the pain.

She stepped out from behind Kale and faced the entire court, her voice ringing with quiet power.

I did not choose to be hybrid.

I did not choose this power.

But I will not hide it anymore.

She looked at her brother.

You tried to kill me once, Vyian.

I survived.

Now I am here to take back what is mine.

Not through conquest, but through right.

She turned to the nobles.

I ask only for justice, not revenge.

The throne was never his to steal.

For a long moment, no one spoke.

Then Thorne’s voice rose from the side of the hall, calm and deliberate.

The princess speaks truth.

Many of us remember the night King Uldrich died.

Many of us suspected foul play.

Perhaps it is time the truth was brought into the light.

The hall erupted into chaos once more.

Kale remained at Saraphene’s side.

His presence a silent vow of protection.

But when she glanced at him, she saw the conflict in his golden eyes.

He wanted to shield her, yet he also respected her need to fight this battle herself.

The pull between them had grown stronger, more dangerous.

And as the court descended into shouting and accusations, Saraphene realized one undeniable truth.

There was no going back.

The war for the throne and for her heart had truly begun.

Chaos swallowed the grand hall.

Shouts echoed off the stone walls as nobles argued among themselves.

Some demanded Saraphene’s immediate execution, while others called for an official inquiry into Vyian’s ascension.

The divide was sharp and growing more dangerous by the second.

Saraphene stood motionless at the center of the storm, her heart pounding.

The partial shift earlier had left her arm aching, scales still faintly visible beneath her skin.

She could feel the eyes of the court like knives against her flesh.

Some looked at her with hope.

Most looked with fear.

Varyian seized the moment, his voice rising above the noise.

This hybrid creature brings nothing but destruction.

She returns with dragons at her back and dares to call herself our princess.

She is a threat to every wolf in this kingdom.

The high priestess stood beside him, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction.

She raised her hands and a wave of orange ritual light swept towards Saraphene again, attempting to force her full transformation.

Pain lanced through Saraphene’s body.

Her wings threatened to burst forth.

For a moment, she nearly lost control.

The old memories surged the cold mountain, the assassin’s blades, the certainty that she had been abandoned by her own blood.

She staggered.

Kale moved without hesitation.

He stepped in front of her, his tall frame blocking the priestess’s spell.

The orange light shattered against his back like glass.

He turned his head slightly, golden eyes meeting hers over his shoulder.

Breathe, he said, low enough for only her to hear.

I’ve got you, Saraphene clenched her jaw and forced the shift back down.

The pain receded, but the anger remained.

She stepped out from behind Kale, refusing to hide.

You want proof? she called out, her voice ringing through the hall.

Then I will give it to you, she raised her right hand.

A soft silver light glowed from her palm, mixed with threads of obsidian fire.

The light was not aggressive.

It was calm, controlled, and ancient.

I was left to die in the mountains when I was 8, she continued.

My own brother sent killers after me.

The dragons found me.

They raised me.

They taught me that power does not have to come from cruelty.

She looks directly at Vyian.

You stole this throne with blood and lies.

I have returned to take it back, not for revenge, but because our people deserve better than a king who murders children.

The hall fell into stunned silence.

Variian’s face had gone deathly pale.

For the first time, real fear showed in his eyes.

The dragon king Kale remained at her side.

His presence was a silent declaration.

He did not speak, but his golden eyes burned with quiet intensity as he watched her.

There was conflict in his gaze, but also undeniable respect and something warmer, more dangerous.

Thorne stepped forward from the side of the hall, his voice calm, but carrying.

The princess has spoken.

Now the court must choose.

Will we continue to follow a king who killed his own family? Or will we listen to the one who survived their betrayal? Several nobles dropped to one knee.

Then more.

Not all but enough to shift the balance visibly.

Tharian snarled and drew his sword.

This is treason.

Before he could advance, Kel moved.

In one fluid motion, he placed himself between Saraphene and her brother, his own blade half drawn.

Enough, Kale said, his voice low and lethal.

You will not touch her.

The tension between the three of them crackled like lightning.

Saraphene looked at Kale, her chest tight.

She had not asked for his protection.

Yet here he was, standing between her and death once again.

Part of her resented it, another part, quieter and more frightening, felt grateful.

Their eyes met in that single look.

Something passed between them.

A promise, a warning, and the beginning of something neither of them could stop.

The high priestess watched them with cold fury, already planning her next move.

The war for the throne had truly begun.

and Saraphene realized with a mixture of fear and reluctant warmth that she would not face it alone.

The days that followed were a blur of tension and fragile alliances.

Saraphene spent most of her time in the eastern wing or the training grounds, sharpening her skills and trying to steady her mind.

Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Varian’s face twisted with hatred, and Kyle’s stepping between them like a living shield.

The memory unsettled her more than she wanted to admit.

She did not trust the dragon king.

Not fully.

But she could not deny the pull between them, a dangerous magnetic force that grew stronger with every shared glance and quiet conversation.

One evening, as the sun dipped below the mountains, Kale found her on the balcony again, he approached silently, stopping a few feet away.

The wind tugged at his dark cloak, revealing the scaled armor beneath.

You’ve been avoiding me, he said.

Saraphene didn’t turn around.

I’ve been thinking about, she finally faced him.

The golden light of the setting sun caught in his eyes, making them burn like molten metal.

About how easily you stood between me and my brother, she said.

About why you would risk your own position for someone you barely know.

Kyle was quiet for a long moment.

When he spoke, his voice was low and rough.

I have known you longer than you realize.

Saraphene’s brow furrowed.

When you were a child, he continued.

I was there the night they took you to the mountains.

I followed the assassins.

I killed two of them before the dragons arrived.

I watched from the ridge as they found you.

His jaw tightened.

I wanted to take you then, but bringing you here would have meant war with Vienne.

A war my kingdom could not survive at the time.

Saraphene felt her throat tighten.

All those lonely years he had been watching.

Why didn’t you tell me sooner? She whispered.

Because telling you would have put you in more danger.

Kale stepped closer.

And because I did not know what you would become, the space between them felt smaller.

The tension that had been building since the ritual finally snapped.

Saraphene looked up at him, her silver gray eyes searching his face.

And what do you see now? she asked.

Kel lifted a hand and gently brushed his fingers along her jaw.

Careful of the faint scar there.

I see someone who survived hell and came back stronger, he said.

Someone who makes the fire inside me quiet and the rest of me burn.

The confession hung between them, raw and honest.

Saraphene’s breath caught.

She had spent so long building walls.

And now this man, this dangerous, complicated king, was tearing them down with nothing but truth and proximity.

She reached up and placed her hand on his chest right over his heart.

The steady beat beneath her palm grounded her.

I am still angry with you, she whispered.

I know, Kale replied, his voice low.

But I would rather have your anger than your absence.

For a moment, the world narrowed to just the two of them.

The wind, the mountains, the looming threat of Vyian and the temple, all of it faded.

Kyle leaned down slowly, giving her time to pull away.

She didn’t.

Their lips met in a kiss that was neither gentle nor rushed.

It was filled with years of unspoken longing, pain, and the fierce need to claim something real in a world built on betrayal.

Kale’s hand slid to the back of her neck.

Holding her close as the kiss deepened.

When they finally parted, both were breathing harder.

Saraphene rested her forehead against his chest.

This is dangerous, she murmured.

Kale’s arms tightened around her.

Everything worth having is.

In the distance, the shadow of dragons circled the mountains, a silent reminder that the real battle was only beginning.

But for tonight, in this quiet moment on the balcony, Saraphene allowed herself to feel something she had denied for 15 years.

hope.

The kiss lingered on Saraphene’s lips long after Kale had left her balcony.

She stood alone in the cold night air, fingers pressed against her mouth as if she could still feel the heat of him.

Her heart refused to slow.

For 15 years, she had survived on rage and solitude.

Now, in a matter of days, the dragon king had managed to crack the wall she had built so carefully.

She hated how much she wanted him to do it again.

The following morning, the palace was alive with uneasy energy.

Messengers moved quickly through the corridors.

Nobles gathered in small groups speaking in hushed tones.

The high priestess had not been seen since the confrontation, but her absence felt louder than her presence.

Saraphene found Kale in the war room, bent over maps with several of his most trusted commanders.

When she entered, the room fell quiet.

Kale looked up and for a moment the hardness in his expression softened.

Leave us, he ordered.

The commanders bowed and departed.

As soon as the door closed, KL crossed the room in three strides and pulled her into his arms.

The kiss was fiercer this time, hungry, almost desperate.

Saraphin melted into it for a few heartbeats before pushing him back gently.

We cannot keep doing this, she whispered against his lips.

Not while Vyian is still breathing on that throne.

Kel rested his forehead against hers.

Golden eyes closed.

I know, he said.

But every time I see you, the curse grows quieter.

And every time I leave you, it wakes again.

Saraphene pulled back enough to look at him properly.

Then we end this quickly.

Kyle studied her face.

There was pride in his eyes, but also worry.

Variian has called for a formal blood claim ceremony tomorrow night.

He intends to prove his right to the throne through ancient ritual combat.

If you challenge him, I will, Saraphene said without hesitation.

Kale’s jaw tightened.

He will not fight fairly.

The temple will ensure that.

Then I will not fight fairly either.

For a long moment, they simply looked at each other.

The pull between them had become undeniable.

A dangerous blend of desire, trust, and the knowledge that their futures were now bound together, for better or worse.

That night, Saraphene could not sleep.

She slipped out of her chambers and made her way to the ancient archives beneath the palace.

Thorne was waiting for her, as she had hoped.

He did not waste words.

Varian has made a deal with the high priestess, he said.

If he wins the blood claim, they will brand you a heretic and burn you at the flame altar.

If you win, they have a contingency.

Saraphene’s eyes hardened.

What contingency? Thorne hesitated.

Then spoke.

They will try to kill the dragon king during the chaos.

They believe he has grown too attached to you.

They would rather see the throne fall than lose their control over it.

Saraphene felt cold fury settle in her veins.

She had come back for justice.

Now she would fight for something more.

The next evening, the grand hall was transformed for the blood claim.

Torches burned with unnatural brightness.

The court stood in tense silence as Saraphene entered, wearing armor forged from dragon scales and wolf bone.

Her dark hair was braided back, revealing the faint scar along her jaw.

Varian waited in the center of the ritual circle, sword in hand.

Kale stood on the deis, his expression unreadable, but his golden eyes never left her.

As Saraphene stepped into the circle, she felt the weight of every choice she had made since returning.

The pain of abandonment, the loneliness of the mountains, the warmth of Kel’s touch.

She looked at her brother one last time.

This ends tonight, she said.

Varian snarled and attacked.

The fight was brutal and fast.

Variian was strong, but Saraphene was faster, more adaptive.

She moved with wolf grace and dragon fury.

When he landed a heavy blow against her side, she staggered, but did not fall.

Instead, she countered with a strike that drew blood.

The court watched in stunned silence.

In the final moment, as Vyarian raised his sword for a killing blow, Saraphene shifted partially, one dragon wing bursting forth as she spun and drove her blade through his shoulder, pinning him to the floor.

Varian screamed.

Saraphene stood over him, breathing hard, blood on her hands.

The hall erupted.

Kale stepped down from the deis and walked to her side.

He did not touch her, but his presence was a clear declaration.

The dragon king had chosen and the forgotten princess had reclaimed her throne.

The blade in Saraphene’s hand trembled only slightly as she stood over her brother.

Variian lay pinned to the marble floor, blood pooling beneath him.

His eyes were wide with shock and fury.

The sword through his shoulder had ended the duel, but not the war inside her heart.

The entire court held its breath.

Saraphene looked down at the man who had tried to murder her as a child.

For a moment, the pain of that freezing night flooded back the snow, the assassins, the certainty that her own blood had abandoned her.

Tears burned at the corners of her eyes.

But she refused to let them fall.

You took everything from me, she said, her voice low, but carrying through the silent hall.

my home, my family, my future.

And still, I will not become what you are.

She pulled the blade free.

Varian gasped in pain and clutched his shoulder, staring up at her in disbelief.

Saraphene turned to face the court.

Her dark hair was disheveled, her armor stained with blood, but she stood tall.

One obsidian wing remained partially manifested behind her, a symbol of everything she had become.

I am [clears throat] Saraphene Veil, she declared, her voice steady and powerful.

Daughter of King Uldrich, the throne is mine by blood and right.

I do not ask for your loyalty.

I demand justice.

One by one, nobles began to kneel.

First the older lords who remembered her father, then more until nearly the entire court was on its knees before her.

Kale stepped down from the deis and walked to her side.

He did not kneel.

Instead, he stood beside her as an equal.

His golden eyes filled with quiet pride and something deeper.

The high priestess stood frozen near the throne, her face a mask of hatred and defeat.

She opened her mouth to speak, but Thorne raised his hand.

The temple has interfered enough, he said calmly.

The court has spoken.

Saraphene looked at Kale, their eyes met, and in that moment, everything that had built between them, the tension, the protection, the unspoken longing finally broke free.

Kale reached out and took her blooded hand in his right there in front of the entire court.

He lifted it to his lips and kissed her knuckles, a public declaration louder than any words.

The hall erupted in a mixture of shock and reluctant acceptance.

Later that night, long after the court had been dismissed and Varian taken into custody.

Saraphene stood with Kale on the highest balcony overlooking the kingdom.

The moon hung full and bright above them.

You could have killed him, Kale said quietly.

I wanted to, Saraphene admitted, but I will not start my reign with my brother’s blood on my hands.

Not like he did, Kale turned to her.

He cuped her face gently, his thumb brushing across her cheek.

You are far stronger than I ever imagined, he murmured.

Saraphene leaned into his touch, her silver gray eyes meeting his golden ones.

And you, she whispered, are no longer just the shadow who watched over me.

Kale leaned down and kissed her slow, deep, and full of everything they had held back for so long.

When they parted, he rested his forehead against hers.

I have waited 15 years for you, he said.

I will wait as long as it takes for you to trust me completely.

Saraphene smiled softly, the first real smile she had allowed herself in years.

Then stay, she said, and we will face whatever comes next together.

Below them, the kingdom stretched out under the moonlight, fractured, but no longer dying.

The forgotten princess had returned.

The Dragon King had found his equal, and together they would rebuild what had been broken.

Derechos de autor: La obsesión del alfa