Chapter 1

I had just stepped out of Lord Alaric Seraphiel's west-tower study when I ran into Adrian and his brothers in the gallery.

The moment they saw me, the Seraphiel heirs went quiet.

Then Lucien gave a lazy whistle, and the others burst out laughing.

“Well, look who came crawling back again. Elena Drakon really can't stay away from Adrian's golden wings.”

“The great dragon heiress chasing an angel like a lovesick fool. House Drakon must be bursting with pride.”

“If Lord Evander knew his granddaughter was begging for a man after dying as the Dragon General, his ashes would spit fire.”

They did not bother lowering their voices. To them, I was not the true heir of House Drakon. I was a joke who used an old battlefield debt to cling to House Seraphiel.

Adrian stood in the middle of them with his golden wings half-open, bright enough to fool anyone who had never seen the rot behind the light.

In my last life, that face had fooled me for years. I had believed if I loved him hard enough, those proud wings would one day bend for me. In the end, he replaced my dragon-breath medicine with slow poison and let me die carrying his child, while my dragonfire went cold in my chest.

So when he looked me over with familiar disgust, my heart did not even twitch.

“What are you doing in my grandfather's palace again?” Adrian asked. “Trying to make Lord Alaric plead your case? Or are you here to remind everyone that your grandfather once saved his life on the Riftfield?”

He gave a short laugh. “Using old favors to force a marriage is getting old, Elena. Even for a Drakon.”

I looked at him calmly. “What does it have to do with you? Lord Alaric summoned me. Tomorrow is my twentieth birthday, and he will host the Choosing of Wings himself.”

The laughter died.

Everyone in the Holy Court knew Lord Alaric had made a promise. On my twentieth birthday, I could choose a husband from the six Seraphiel heirs. The man I chose would inherit eighty percent of his private celestial holdings with me and become the next true ruler of House Seraphiel.

In my last life, I chose Adrian.

I lifted him to the highest seat in the Holy Court, then walked straight into hell.

Lucien recovered first and laughed. “Then congratulations, Adrian. The Golden Wing is finally taking the throne.”

“Do not forget us when you rise.” Gabriel said.

Pride softened Adrian's face. He looked at me as if I were already his property. “Congratulations to you too. After chasing me for years, you finally got what you wanted.”

He stepped closer, his voice dropping. “But let me make one thing clear. After marriage, we live our own lives. I will not have only one woman, and you will not interfere.”

My fingers stilled.

Had he been reborn too, or was he simply cruel enough to plan my misery before the wedding even happened?

Adrian mistook my silence for obedience. “If you can accept that, I may consider marrying you.”

I almost laughed. Consider? This time, I was the one who wanted nothing to do with him.

A soft voice came from the far end of the gallery. “Elena.”

Celeste Drakon walked toward us in a pale blue dress, her eyes wet and her cough perfectly timed. She was not born to House Drakon. She was the half-siren daughter my parents had adopted, but she knew exactly how to look fragile enough to be worshiped.

Adrian brushed past me at once. “Why are you out here when you are ill?”

Celeste lowered her head. “Father asked me to come with Elena. He was afraid she would feel awkward alone.”

Adrian took her hand and glared at me. “You cannot even leave the house without dragging her along? Celeste is sick. Must you make everything about yourself?”

Then he led her away, as if I had wronged them both.

Before leaving, he looked back and sneered. “Elena, keep acting this selfish, and I will never marry you.”

I smiled.

Good.

That made two of us.