The Dragon King's Breeder

My Sister

We leave the throne room in a blur of movement and whispers. My parents don’t speak until we’re all inside the carriage, the door shut, the world outside muffled by thick wood and velvet curtains. The moment we’re settled, their faces break into wide smiles. My father actually laughs under his breath, a sound I’ve never heard from him unless he’s talking about rank or territory.

It hits me then. It never mattered which one of us was chosen. As long as one daughter secured a place in the lord’s bloodline, our family rose. Our status rose. Our worth rose. Mine, Ravessa’s, it didn’t matter. We were interchangeable pieces on a board they never let us see.

Ravessa turns toward me, her eyes bright and her cheeks flushed. “Oh Valestra, you’re not upset with me, are you?”

I open my mouth, but my mother answers before I can speak. “Of course not, dear. We’re all so very happy for you.”

Her tone is warm, but it feels like a hand pressed over my mouth. My father nods in agreement, already imagining the doors that will open for him now. Ravessa beams, soaking in their pride like sunlight.

But something gnaws at me, sharp and insistent. “How did the lord and his son know who you were?” I ask. “He said his son had a preference. He named you. He knew who you were.”

My mother doesn’t hesitate. “Your sister is a rare beauty. The lord’s son probably heard about her from other clan members.”

Ravessa’s smirk is small, but it’s there. A little curl at the corner of her mouth. A secret she’s not sharing. A truth she’s not offering.

I don’t believe my mother’s explanation. Not for a second.

When we arrive back home, my mother practically bursts through the front door. She calls out to the staff that the dragon lord has chosen Ravessa, her voice ringing through the halls like a victory bell. Heads turn. Whispers ripple through the room. I see the way the servants glance at my sister, then at me, their expressions shifting with quick, quiet judgment.

My mother doesn’t notice. Or maybe she doesn’t care. She’s already waving us toward the stairs, telling us to change out of our ceremony clothes. Ravessa floats behind her like she’s already royalty. I follow because there’s nothing else to do.

Right before we reach our rooms, Ravessa stops. She turns to me with a smile that’s far too sweet to be real. “Don’t worry, Valestra. If no one chooses you, you can come to the castle and be my lady’s maid.”

She says it lightly, like she’s offering me a gift. Then she spins around and slams her bedroom door shut, the sound echoing down the hallway.

I stand there for a moment, staring at the wood grain, feeling something inside me twist. Ravessa’s words weren’t meant to comfort.

They were meant to remind me exactly where she thinks I belong.