Chapter 1

Lyra's POV

The setting sun spreads a golden light over the Dragon Kingdom, bathing the castle in warmth. Standing before the mirror, I adjusted the ceremonial robes draped over my body, the gold and red fabric catching the light with every movement. My reflection stared back at me—a young woman with fiery hair, a crown of dragon bones resting on the table beside me, and a knot of nerves tightening in my chest.

I took a deep breath, my fingers brushing through my hair. This was the day I’d trained for my entire life—the day I would become Queen of the Dragon Kingdom. But the weight of responsibility pressed hard on my shoulders, and something deeper, something I couldn’t explain, gnawed at the edges of my mind.

“Lyra, it’s time,” Elira’s voice came from the doorway, breaking through my thoughts.

I turned to see her standing there, my trusted advisor, her expression a mixture of pride and unease. Her gaze flickered to the crown before meeting mine. “Your father is waiting in the hall.”

“I know,” I said, my voice steadier than I felt. “Let’s go.”

As we walked through the grand hallway, the sounds of laughter and chatter from the nobles filled the air. Their excitement should have reassured me, but a strange unease lingered. My dreams of a shadowy man, his face blurred but his presence unforgettable, had been haunting me. I couldn’t shake the feeling that something—or someone—was waiting for me beyond the coronation.

“Lyra,” Elira said softly, her brow furrowed. “Are you alright?”

I hesitated. “I’m fine. Just... a lot on my mind.”

Her hand brushed my arm briefly. “You’re ready for this. Your people need you.”

I nodded, but her words did little to calm the storm inside me.

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The cold wind bit at my face as I approached the edge of the Dragon Kingdom. The small group of guards stationed there stood stiffly, their armor gleaming under the moonlight. I barely registered them; my mind was on the pull in my chest, the feeling that something was waiting for me beyond the horizon.

“Princess, everything is prepared for your ceremonial flight over the boundary,” one of the guards said. “It’s a show of strength and unity.”

I nodded absently, my eyes scanning the forest ahead. Then I saw him.

He stood at the edge of the shadows, his pale face illuminated by the moonlight. My breath caught. His sharp features, dark hair, and piercing gaze felt like something out of my dreams. No, it was him—the man from my dreams.

“Who are you?” I demanded, my voice steadier than the racing of my heart.

The man stepped forward, his movements graceful but deliberate. “I’m the one you’ve forgotten,” he said softly, his voice low and filled with sorrow. “The one you were never supposed to forget.”

A shiver ran down my spine. His words made no sense, yet they struck a chord deep within me. “I don’t know you.”

“You do,” he insisted, taking another step closer. “Lyra, you know me.”

“Stay back!” one of my guards ordered, stepping between us.

Before I could process what was happening, a scream tore through the air. Vampires emerged from the shadows, their fangs gleaming in the moonlight as they charged. Chaos erupted.

“Lyra, get back!” the guard shouted.

But before I could move, the man—Kaelen—was at my side. His arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me against him as he turned to face the attackers. His fangs flashed, his movements a blur as he fought off the vampires with inhuman strength.

“Stay behind me,” he growled, his voice rough and commanding.

I should have been afraid. Instead, I felt a strange, inexplicable sense of safety as his heart pounded against my back. The way he fought, the fierce determination in his movements, made it clear he wasn’t here to harm me.

The battle felt endless, but eventually, the attackers retreated into the shadows. Silence fell over the border, broken only by the sound of my ragged breathing.

Kaelen released me, his intense gaze locking onto mine. “You don’t remember me, but I’ve never forgotten you.”

I stared at him, my mind spinning. “Why did you save me?”

His lips curved into a faint, bittersweet smile. “Because you’re the only one who’s ever mattered. You always have been.”

Before I could respond, a cry echoed through the air, chilling me to the bone.

“You’re not safe here,” Kaelen said urgently. “We have to go. Now.”

He took my hand, his touch sending a jolt through me, and led me into the shadows. My heart raced as questions swirled in my mind. Who was this vampire? Why did I feel like I knew him? And why did every instinct scream that he was the key to everything?

As we disappeared into the darkness, I knew one thing for certain, nothing would ever be the same.

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As I walked through the castle gates, the weight of the crown I was about to wear felt heavier with every step. The voices of the court faded behind me, and all I could focus on was the knot of unease that had settled in my chest since I had left the border. Something about today felt… wrong. Like an invisible storm was brewing just beyond my reach.

Suddenly, a strange shift in the air stopped me in my tracks. The sky, which had been overcast since my arrival, grew darker. A low rumble echoed across the land, not like the distant thunder of a storm, but a deep, unnatural growl—one that seemed to come from the very earth itself. The temperature dropped abruptly, and I felt a shiver run down my spine. It was as though the world was holding its breath, waiting for something to break.

I stood frozen, my heart pounding in my chest as the first raindrops began to fall. They were soft at first, but quickly turned into a torrential downpour, flooding the courtyard with water that seemed to rise faster than natural. The usual sounds of life around the castle vanished, and an eerie stillness took over, leaving me alone in a vast, empty space.

I stumbled forward, my legs trembling, but the ground beneath me felt wrong. It shifted as if it were alive, and a chilling sense of danger began to creep up my spine. The dragon statue at the entrance, which had always been still and solid, flickered in the dim light, its stone eyes glinting unnaturally. I took a hesitant step back, my pulse quickening.

Then, as the rain intensified, a sharp crack of thunder tore through the sky. But it wasn’t the thunder that made me stop. It was the voice. Deep, commanding, echoing from within the very walls of the castle.

“Princess Lyra, you need to come inside. Now.”

I whirled around, expecting to see someone, but no one was there. The courtyard was empty—silent. I turned my gaze back to the sky. The wind howled through the air, and the trees around the castle seemed to tremble.

The voice came again, louder now. “The time has come, Lyra.”

The words weren’t just spoken. They reverberated through the air itself, each syllable heavy with an ancient power I couldn’t comprehend. A sudden cold gripped me, and my breath caught in my throat. It felt as though the earth itself had spoken, and it was not pleased.

I took a step backward, my heart racing. The raindrops ceased in an instant, as if they’d never fallen. The storm vanished as quickly as it had appeared, but the weight in the air remained. I stood there, trembling, my mind spinning. What had just happened? What had I just heard?

And deep inside, something stirred, something familiar, though I couldn’t place it. I wasn’t alone in this. Whoever—or whatever—had spoken, I was meant to listen.

But listen to what? And why now?

The world seemed to hold its breath, waiting for the answer to reveal itself. The castle was no longer the place of refuge it had once been. It was as though everything had changed, and I had just walked into the eye of a storm I didn’t yet understand.