Octavius's POV
A star fell the night my mother went into labor in her attempts to bear me, and when morning came, it was an eclipse that preceded my birth. The whole of Velmora had been thrown into chaos, as the elders had said-a birth bringing about a fallen star and an eclipse surely spelled doom. A child with golden hair and blue eyes-not the typical dragon-blooded looks—would bring chaos upon the kingdom. A child who killed its mother as she came into this world couldn't sit on the throne without turning the kingdom to ashes.
These myths had surrounded my existence. I walked on eggshells trying to cleanse what I hadn't tainted, correct what hadn't even gone wrong, and prove myself worthy enough to be heir. It had been successful until three years ago—a night that set my entire world
