Chapter Five

Elyria’s POV

I woke up to the sound of someone opening my front door. At first, I thought it was Dania, but I looked up to see my mother looking at me with the brightest of smiles on her face. It was almost as if last night had never happened.

“Get up, my love. Today is your big day. It’s time to get dressed.” She walked over to where I had fallen asleep late last night.

“Where is Dania?” I asked dryly.

“I sent her away. Don’t worry, you will have many more ladies-in-waiting now that you won’t know what to do with yourself.”

“Mother, if this is your idea of making me happy, then you should know that this is the saddest I’ve ever been. You are taking everyone I love away from me, and you expect me to be happy about it?”

“You don’t see it now, but you will come to understand why we are doing all of this for you,” she said before taking my hand and helping me up against my will.

“That’s what you keep saying, but I find it hard to believe.” I started undoing my dress, but then I realized that she was watching the whole thing.

“Go ahead, strip! I am your mother. You don’t have to be shy.”

A few more seconds passed, and when she saw that I wasn’t going to let up, she smiled. “Fine, I’ll use the opportunity to get you some hot water.”

She left, and I finally got the privacy I needed to change my outfit. As soon as I stepped into the water, she came back with two new maids carrying big jugs. The maids introduced themselves, but I ignored them. They left after diluting the water, and it was just my mother and me again. She came closer to me, and I sighed in irritation. I knew the reason she was doing this was because she didn’t want to let me out of her sight.

“I’m so proud of you, Elyria. Watching you grow into the woman you are today has been the highlight of my motherhood.”

“Please, spare me, Mother. You know I don’t care about all of that right now,” I said to her bitterly. “All I want to know is what you said to Cassian last night.”

“It’s nothing you should concern yourself with. Believe me, I did you a big favour,” she said and turned around. Accidentally, she knocked over one of the jugs of steaming water, and it poured all over her legs. I yelled in shock.

“Mother, are you alright?” I asked, jumping out to check on her.

“Yes, I am,” she said, to my complete surprise. “The water doesn’t burn us.”

“But you are not a Valenor... I’m confused.”

“The Valenor clan are not the only descendants of dragon-borns. My family, the Sithros, also have the same features. That’s why I married your father. That’s why you can’t be with Cassian, as perfect as he is.”

“Why didn’t you tell me all of this earlier?” I asked with a frown.

“It’s tradition to wait until the future king or queen is ready before revealing the truth.”

“If that’s the case, then why do the laws of the land say that a royal can marry a commoner?”

“Dragon-borns are feared all over the world. To keep the masses from worrying, we make them believe that our powers have gone extinct with the dragons...”

“Wait, so you’re saying that we really have supernatural powers? I thought that it was just a myth.” I had forgotten all animosity I had towards her. Instead, I was more curious than ever.

Just then, the ceremonial horns blew, and I knew that I had to start preparing for the coronation. Even though the main event was later in the evening, there were certain rites that would have to begin early on.

“Yes, we do, and I will tell you all about it, but after your event,” she promised, and I nodded quietly.

“Kneel, Princess Elyria, and receive the crown of Aetherion. From this moment onward, you will be crowned as Queen of Aetherion, and your reign shall begin—”

“Stop!”

The high priest was interrupted by a loud yet calm voice. A chill ran down my spine as I realized that I recognized the voice. Murmurs ran across the crowd as everyone wondered what was happening.

“Cassian, what are you doing?” I asked, even though the chances of him hearing me were slim. I looked at my parents, and they had deep frowns on their faces, signifying that they had no hand in this. The members of the council, however, started rising one by one.

“Elyria is unfit to rule this kingdom,” Lord Karth yelled, and the next thing I knew, General Darius came charging in with an army of soldiers, completely disrupting the peaceful atmosphere of the ceremony.

Swords were drawn at my family and me from different angles, and that was when I realized what was happening.

“It’s a coup!” I yelled, but it was too late.

Elowene stepped into the centre and began casting spells on the arena as the villagers ran around in a scared frenzy. Her magic stopped us from being able to move.

“This is treason,” my father yelled, but there was nothing any of us could do. “Karth, Darius, Elowene... this is how you repay me after how good I was to you?”

“Shut up, you evil king,” Cassian yelled. He grabbed the crown from the priest, making me gasp at the audacity.

“Don’t talk to my parents that way!” I spat out as I felt my anger rising. Pangs of hurt and betrayal stung me as I realized that my parents were right about him not being the right fit for me.

“I will talk however I want because I am the new king of Aetherion,” he said, placing the crown on his head as if he had been waiting for the opportunity all his life.

“This was all you wanted, right? To wear the steel crown?”

“There’s no time for small talk, sweetheart.” He smirked before turning to face Darius. “Kill them!”

It all happened in the blink of an eye. My parents were killed right in front of me.

In the most brutal way possible.

Beheading.

“No!” I yelled in shock, but the men were advancing towards me with their swords. I was next.

Just as I prepared for my fate, there was a loud crack, and something like thunder struck from the sky. It caused a small explosion, giving me enough time to run.

I didn’t stop to see if they were behind me. I kept running without looking back.

I ran for my life.