Chapter two
1013 Words
My eyes snapped open as I struggled to catch my breath.
Fear still clung to me from the nightmare.
The castle.
The dragon.
Prince Kael.
Everything from last night came rushing back instantly.
I looked down quickly.
The glowing golden mark on my wrist was still there.
My knees weakened as terror settled deep inside my chest.
So it wasn’t a dream.
It was real.
A hand suddenly touched my shoulder, making me jump violently.
Relief washed through me the moment I turned and saw Mira standing there.
Without thinking, I pulled her into a tight hug while my heart raced uncontrollably.
“Are you okay?” she whispered softly.
“I’m okay,” I murmured, even though I wasn’t sure that was true anymore.
Mira pulled away carefully and studied my face with concern.
“You need to hurry,” she said gently. “Your gowns are ready.”
I blinked in confusion. “Gowns?”
She nodded quickly.
“For tonight’s celebration.”
Everything inside me tightened instantly.
The nightmare.
The mark.
The prophecy.
Everything still terrified me.
“I had another nightmare,” I admitted quietly.
Mira sighed and crossed her arms.
“Enough, Lyra,” she said sharply. “Don’t ruin your special day because of a dream.”
“It didn’t feel like a dream.”
“Trust me,” she replied softly. “You’re just scared.”
Maybe she was right.
But deep down, I knew something terrible was coming.
Mira grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the large mirror standing near the window.
The dress waiting for me stole my breath instantly.
It was breathtaking.
Dark silver fabric flowed like moonlight while tiny crystals shimmered across the gown like stars. The sleeves were delicate and elegant, and the corset hugged my waist perfectly.
“You’ll look beautiful tonight,” Mira whispered excitedly.
I stared at my reflection nervously.
Beautiful wasn’t the word I would use.
Terrified fit better.
As Mira helped me into the gown, my eyes drifted toward the glowing mark on my wrist again.
The symbol pulsed faintly beneath my skin.
Almost like it was alive.
A chill ran down my spine.
“You’re thinking about him again,” Mira teased suddenly.
My cheeks burned instantly.
“I am not.”
“You totally are.”
I rolled my eyes while trying to ignore the strange feeling twisting inside my chest every time I thought about Kael.
His golden eyes.
The fire surrounding him.
The way he looked at me like I was something dangerous.
Or precious.
Before I could answer, loud footsteps echoed outside the room.
Then the bedroom doors opened.
Two royal guards stepped inside.
“The prince is waiting,” one of them announced.
My stomach tightened immediately.
Mira squeezed my hand reassuringly before stepping back.
“You’ll be fine,” she whispered.
I hoped she was right.
The guards escorted me through the castle hallways, where servants rushed around preparing for tonight’s celebration. Music echoed faintly through the enormous palace while chandeliers bathed the halls in golden light.
Everything looked magical.
But something still felt wrong.
The closer I got to the throne room, the faster my heart raced.
Finally, the guards stopped in front of massive black doors.
They slowly pushed them open.
And there he was.
Prince Kael stood near the tall windows overlooking the kingdom, dressed entirely in black. Moonlight reflected against his dark hair while silver fire flickered softly around his fingers.
He turned the moment I entered.
And suddenly, I forgot how to breathe.
His golden eyes slowly moved over me, taking in every detail of the gown.
For the first time since meeting him, Kael looked completely speechless.
“You look…” he started quietly before stopping himself.
Heat rushed to my cheeks.
“What?” I asked nervously.
His gaze locked onto mine.
“Dangerous.”
My heartbeat skipped.
The room fell silent between us.
I tried not to stare at him.
Really, I did.
But standing this close to Kael felt dangerous in ways I couldn’t explain.
The silver fire dancing around his fingers disappeared slowly as he walked toward me. Every movement he made was calm and controlled, like he was constantly hiding something powerful beneath the surface.
“You’re nervous,” he said quietly.
I swallowed hard. “Shouldn’t I be?”
A faint smirk touched his lips.
“Most people are terrified of me.”
The way he said it made something twist painfully inside my chest.
Not arrogance.
Loneliness.
For a brief second, he didn’t look like a prince or a monster people feared.
He just looked… alone.
My gaze dropped accidentally to the scar near his collarbone, barely visible beneath the dark fabric of his shirt.
“What happened to you?” I asked softly.
Kael’s expression hardened instantly.
“You ask too many questions.”
“And you avoid answering all of them.”
His golden eyes locked onto mine again, intense enough to steal the air from my lungs.
Silence stretched between us.
Dangerous.
Heavy.
Then suddenly, he stepped even closer.
My breath caught.
I could feel the heat radiating from his body now, warm against my skin.
“You should stay away from me, Lyra,” he murmured.
Every instinct inside me screamed to move backward.
But I couldn’t.
“Why?” I whispered.
Something unreadable flashed through his eyes.
“Because dragons destroy everything they touch.”
The words should have frightened me.
Instead, they made my heart ache.
Before I could answer, Kael slowly lifted his hand toward my wrist.
“The mark,” he said quietly. “Does it still burn?”
His fingers brushed lightly against my skin.
Fire exploded beneath the mark instantly.
I gasped sharply as golden light spread across my wrist again.
Kael cursed under his breath.
The castle walls trembled violently.
Another dragon roar echoed through the mountains, louder this time.
But this time…
It sounded closer.
Kael’s face darkened immediately.
And for the first time since meeting him—
The Dragon Prince looked afraid.
- Writer
