Page 23 of The Cursed Queen

I tried to stay awake, not wanting to waste this moment with him. But the sex sucked all the energy out of me, and I couldn't find any to keep my eyes open. Andriel held me in his arms until I drifted.

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A dragon's anguished roar, the rattling of chains, and the whistling of the wind...

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When I awoke the next morning, my covers were over me, and I was alone. For a moment, I thought I dreamt the whole thing, but when I sat up and felt sore between my legs, I knew it wasn't. Also, the fact I was naked under the covers was another indicator.

I couldn't believe I had sex. I made love with a dragon shifter. My mate. Delight washed over me as fell back into bed,using my sheet to cover my face to hide my embarrassment. I squealed gleefully. Last night was the best night of my life. I felt rejuvenated. But then I winced as I felt a searing pain along my core. I winced and doubled over, feeling as if something was clawing at my insides. I was about to call for help, but it vanished as quickly as it came. No pain, no tightness, nothing.

"That was strange," I said in a strained voice.

Maybe Andriel fucked me a little too hard. I snorted at that. If that was what sex with your fated mate felt like, I'd endure the pain a million times over.

When the reality of today hit me, the smile on my face dimmed. It was morning. That meant it was my birthday. The time for action was now. Before Vivienne knocked on my door, I pushed myself out of bed and put on my nightgown before letting her in.

She walked in with breakfast like always, but the usual smile she'd often greeted me with was absent. "Good morning, princess. I have your breakfast here."

Damn, I knew this was my doing. I should leave it alone, but I didn't want to leave her like this.

"Viv, I'm sorry," I said somberly. "I shouldn't have talked to you like that. You're more than just my chambermaid. You've been more of a mother to me than the queen, and deserve more respect than I gave you. I hope you can forgive me."

My words seemed to have done the job of cheering her up. "Of course I can. And I'm sorry for sticking my nose into your personal affairs. I only ask because I'm worried about you. You seem different these past few days. Your mind is all over the place. You're walking with purpose like you're plotting something."

I winced at her words. Clearly, I wasn't doing a good job of masking my emotions around her. I wasn't worried about Mother, seeing as she never paid attention to me. So I doubtshe suspected anything, but Vivienne was more perceptive. She knew me better than Mother, so of course she'd notice how different I'd been acting.

"Vivienne, I—"

"You don't have to explain anything." Vivienne cut in. "Just remember what I told you. Whatever you decide to do, you have my support."

I wouldn't push her. Whether she knew the specifics of what I was planning to do, it didn't matter. She would be at my corner.

"Thank you," I said instead.

"You're welcome. Now, let's get you dressed for your big day."

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"You look beautiful, Sera," Vivienne complimented, stepping away from the mirror to allow me to inspect my appearance. It was a velvet green gown with gold trimmings and belle sleeves. The top half of my hair was braided to the back and styled to look like a crown. My father's pendant hung around my neck, the jewel in the center sparkling in the sunlight.

I took a deep breath, nervous about what would happen today, but I passed it off as birthday jitters.

"Are you ready, Princess?" Vivienne asked.

"I am." I nodded.

The two guards Mother sent to retrieve me arrived moments later, escorting me through the halls and out of the castle. A horse-drawn carriage awaited me by the front entrance. One guard opened the door for me, and I sat inside, mother already seated across from me.

"Well, it's about time, sweetheart. I know it's your birthday and all, but that doesn't mean you get to be fashionably late," she lectured.

"You're right, mother. My apologies," I forced myself to say.

The horse started moving, and we were off, my eyes looking out the window as we drove through the Zeffari Kingdom. Many onlookers watched us passing by, cheering, waving, and wishing me a happy birthday. My mind wasn't on the people. It was on Virgil. With me out of the castle, he could now begin his part of the plan, breaking the seals off Andriel and the other dragons. I sent a mental prayer to the gods for Virgil's success.

"Seraphina, pay attention!" I jumped out of my skin at my mother's demanding tone. "Honestly, here I am going out of my way to give you a special birthday, and you're sitting over there daydreaming. Is this the thanks I get?"

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