Page 54 of Beneath Scales and Shadows
For the right to show her the world from above, to feel her body pressed against his as they pierced clouds together.
“That is my hope as well,”he admitted, the confession spilling forth before he could contain it. He opened his eyes and stilled—her gaze held the sky, so blue and boundless—impossible to look away from.
“Then we’ll make it happen. Together.”
The simplicity of her declaration—the easy inclusion of herself in his future—threatened to unravel his careful composure. No elaborate vows or formal acceptance, just quiet certainty that their paths now wound irrevocably together.
He was the last—the final pure-blood king, the solitary guardian of a diminishing legacy. Now, watching silver scales shimmer across her human skin in patterns that mirrored his own, he dared to hope for…
Not merely survival for his clan, but renewal…
And for her to be his queen in truth, not merely title.
CHAPTERFIFTEEN
SORA
“Again.”
The command sliced through the crystal-lit training chamber like a blade, leaving no room for argument. Sora’s lungs burned, her shaky breath coming in ragged gasps.
Sweat trickled between her shoulder blades, dampening the rough-spun training tunic, plastering strands of hair to her forehead.
Every muscle in her body screamed for mercy, but the unrelenting amber gaze of the King’s Guard offered no reprieve.
“I can’t—” The words dissolved into a startled gasp as the world tilted. Her back struck the obsidian floor with bruising force, driving the air from her lungs.
Ember loomed above her, scarred face impassive. “The royal forces won’t pause because you’re tired.” She extended a hand, her grip firm but not unkind as she pulled Sora upright. “They certainly won’t announce their strikes before delivering them.”
Copper filled Sora’s mouth where she’d bitten her lip during the fall. The silver scales along her forearms caught the light as she raised her hands into the defensive position Ember had been drilling into her all day.
“I’m a historian, not a warrior.”
“Not anymore.” A flicker of something—perhaps amusement—crossed Ember’s face. “And I was a watchman before humans killed my family when I was off duty, resting in my nest after spending all night on guard.” She circled Sora with predatory grace, her movements fluid as water over stone. “Life rarely consults us before changing our paths.”
The training ground’s stone floor radiated a peculiar warmth—not from sunlight, but from the mountain’s heart, pulsing with ancient dragon magic stirring to life once again beneath their feet. Crystal formations pulsed with soft blue-violet light that seemed to follow their movements. The air smelled of stone dust and dragon flame, with underlying notes of metal and sweat that filled Sora’s increasingly sensitive nostrils.
“Your problem isn’t strength.” Ember feinted left before striking from the right. Sora barely deflected the blow, the impact sending painful vibrations up her arm. “It’s hesitation. Your mind calculates while your body should already be moving.”
Another strike. Another desperate parry. Sora’s feet scrambled for purchase on the sand dusted floor as she retreated.
Ember was a blur of disciplined motion, her scarred face impassive as she executed another lightning-fast attack. Pain exploded across Sora’s ribs.
“Too slow,” Ember critiqued, not even breathing hard. “An omega queen must be quicker than this if you want to stand beside our king.”
The title stung worse than the blow. Sora gritted her teeth and lunged, only to find herself sailing through empty air. Ember had sidestepped with insulting ease, her amber eyes coolly assessing.
“You telegraph your intentions, Luna.” The deliberate use of her prophesied title dripped with skepticism. “Your eyes betray you before your body moves.”
Three days of sparring, and Sora hadn’t landed a single meaningful strike. The delta guard moved with a warrior’s economy—no wasted motion, no vulnerability exposed.
It was proof—undeniable now—that Ignis had been toying with her. He’d held back during their sparring, let her believe she was holding her own. Let her feel stronger than she was.
“Stop thinking like ahuman.” Ember’s tail swept low in an unexpected attack that sent Sora stumbling backward. “You wanted to be trained—so train. Or are you merely playing at being one of us?”
Something hot and electric boiled in Sora’s veins.
All day. She’d spent all day being thrown, struck, and bested. Her body ached in places she hadn’t known could feel pain, her pride just as bruised as her flesh.
