Chapter 2

Seraphina's POV

Night fell with thunderous roars. I rode father's fastest warhorse through the Black Forest, rain blurring my vision.

Behind me came urgent hoofbeats—Lucian's pursuing guards! Their torches flickered in the darkness, drawing closer and closer.

"Catch her! Don't let her escape!" Rough shouts came from behind.

I desperately dug my heels into the horse's flanks, but the warhorse was exhausted. Ahead lay cliff precipices, behind lay pursuers—I was trapped.

Suddenly, lightning tore across the night sky. The warhorse reared in terror, and I couldn't hold the reins, tumbling hard from the saddle and rolling down the muddy slope.

"She fell! Go down and find her! Dead or alive, we need to see her!"

I crawled desperately toward the deeper ravine until the pursuers' voices gradually faded. Intense pain nearly made me lose consciousness, but strangely, I hadn't crashed into hard rocks—instead, I'd hit a smooth stone surface.

There were buildings here?

A faint blue light emanated from somewhere ahead. I struggled to stand and followed the light source forward. This was an ancient stone passage with mysterious runes carved into the walls.

To avoid the pursuers, I had no choice but to continue deeper.

Suddenly, long bell tolls rang out, one after another, until nine chimes.

Strange tolling... what was this place?

The bells guided me forward, the passage growing wider until I entered an enormous underground hall.

A circular hall built of black obsidian, so high I couldn't see the ceiling, with hundreds of massive candles casting flickering shadows. At the center stood a majestic throne, with a massive black dragon coiled beside it, its scales gleaming with dark gold.

A dozen young women in elaborate gowns stood at the edges, their faces written with terror.

On the throne sat a tall figure. Even in the dim candlelight, I could see he possessed breathtakingly dangerous beauty—deep purple eyes, a noble nose, thin lips. His features were perfectly sculpted, but the dangerous aura radiating from him sent chills down my spine.

My blood froze instantly.

Dear God, this was the Dragon Hall, those girls were candidates, and those bells meant... I had stumbled into the Selection Ceremony!

The Selection Ceremony of the Valdrainian Kingdom was surrounded by countless terrifying legends. Every spring equinox night, Dragon King Darius Valdrainian would summon the kingdom's most beautiful noble daughters for the ritual. But this was no romantic fairy tale—the black dragon Shadowfyre possessed the ability to sense hearts, and would tear apart any candidate harboring ill intentions, vanity, or malice. In the past ten years, not one woman had passed the dragon's test, and the black obsidian floor had long been stained with blood...

My legs began to weaken. No, this had to be a dream! How could I have stumbled into the palace's forbidden grounds?

I quickly hid behind a stone pillar, not daring to breathe too loudly.

"Begin." A low, cold voice came from the throne.

A tall, golden-haired girl—Elena Belmont, the Duke's daughter—walked gracefully toward the throne. The black dragon raised its massive head, amber eyes studying her.

"Your Majesty," Elena performed a perfect curtsy, "becoming your queen would be my greatest honor."

She continued forward, almost reaching the throne's steps.

The next second, the black dragon suddenly struck.

Massive claws flashed like lightning through the air, instantly tearing Elena to shreds. Blood splattered across the obsidian floor.

"AHHH—" The other candidates began screaming, some collapsing to the ground, others trying to flee but blocked by guards.

I pressed my hand tightly over my mouth, forcing myself not to make any sound. My stomach churned, nearly making me vomit.

This wasn't some romantic ceremony—this was a massacre! Pure slaughter!

The black dragon shook the blood from its claws, amber eyes searching the hall. It ignored the trembling noble women, looking directly toward...

My heart stopped beating.

It was staring straight at the pillar where I was hiding!

Oh God... no... please don't see me...

But the dragon had already begun taking heavy steps toward me. Each footfall shook the ground, its massive form casting terrifying shadows in the candlelight.

When the enormous head appeared around the pillar, I thought my life was over.

Those amber eyes stared at me intently, and I could even feel its scorching breath.

I waited for death to come.

Then something shocking happened that stunned everyone.

This ferocious beast that had just torn a girl to pieces gently nuzzled my hand with its nose, like an affectionate giant cat.

"Interesting." Darius's cold voice came from the throne. "My dragon has chosen a fugitive."

Every shocked gaze focused on me. I slowly emerged from behind the pillar, my legs trembling so badly I could barely stand.

"What is your name?" Those purple eyes studied me coldly.

"Seraphina... Seraphina Montrose..."

"Montrose." He repeated the name flatly. "Intriguing."

The black dragon returned to his side, but its amber eyes remained gently fixed on me.

Darius slowly rose from his throne, looking down at me from his height, his purple eyes showing no emotion whatsoever.

"It seems you are to be my new queen."

My world began to spin. Just hours ago I'd been fighting to escape one disgusting fiancé, and now I was to become the legendary tyrant's queen?