Chapter 3

They dropped me at the edge of the Fire Dragon territory. Wave after wave of heat rolled over me.

I glanced back—they were already gone, leaving only their retreating backs in view.

I’d always known they didn’t love me, that they’d never fret over me, but in that moment, it still felt like a blade had been driven clean through my heart.

Tears slid down, only to be scorched dry by the furnace winds.

I waded through magma. The ice armour on my body evaporated, and a suffocating, searing heat swallowed me whole.

My skin went bone dry and itchy, my throat felt like I’d swallowed a handful of razors, and another blast of pain in my gut forced a mouthful of blood past my lips.

The Fire Dragon chieftain stood high above, looking down at me like I was a piece of trash.

“Dare to hurt our little princess? I’ll show your parents exactly what can be done to a precious daughter.”

I smiled, bitter as gall. I wasn’t their precious daughter.

If I died, no one would grieve.

A full day and night passed before I finally hauled myself out of the lava and onto solid ground, delivering the apology gifts to Jessica.

Jessica looked stunned.

“Why you? Not that worthless sister of yours? A mere crippled dragon had the nerve to steal from me.”

“I’m sorry. I’ve come to apologise on her behalf.”

I forced the words from my parched throat, and as I spoke, more coppery sweetness rose up.

In the end, Jessica accepted my apology.

When I left the Fire Dragon territory, I had no ice element to shield me.

The blistering lava washed over me again and again.

By the time I finally set foot on solid land, my wings were burned, my skin sloughing off in rotten layers.

Sharp, blinding agony screamed through my body. I could feel my life force draining away fast.

No one came to meet me. I stared at the empty, desolate expanse around me.

Despair crashed down.

I lifted a hand and touched the fatal scale at my throat—seven days of life, and now barely three remained.

Still, I gritted my teeth through the crippling pain in my wings and flew back to the Dragon Keep.

Morpheus saw me, his eyes filled with guilt.

He took out a small box containing a sapphire ring.

"Noxivira, you... you've suffered so much. Once you're success, we'll get married."

"I'll make it up to you later—I'll have the best doctors treat you."

I took out the ring and was about to put it on.

But at that moment, a hand snatched the ring.

Aithne pouted, slipping the ring onto her own finger.

"This ring is so beautiful! Morpheus……”

I looked at Morpheus, his expression awkward.

"Just let Aithne wear it for a few days—return it to you when you come back."

Feigning deep concern, he still allowed Aithne to snatch my wedding ring right before my eyes.

Clearly, I would never be able to compete with Aithne in his heart.

Perhaps he does love me, but when it comes down to it, he will always choose Aithne first.

I nodded, feeling disgusted, and then left him and headed upstairs.

When mother saw what had become of me, she burst into tears. Father fetched ointments, and the pair of them carefully tended my wounds.

Looking into their worried eyes, I felt a fleeting warmth bloom in my chest.

“How did you get so badly hurt…”

“I just hope it won’t affect the daily test results.”

My heart plunged straight into the abyss. Every word skewered me.

Pain churned in my stomach again. I shoved them away and fled to my chamber.

With red-rimmed eyes, I pushed open the door—and found Aithne sprawled on my nest.

She saw my mangled body and froze for a heartbeat, then burst into unrestrained, gleeful laughter.

"Ugly thing, hahaha. No matter how beautiful you are, with your wings?burned to ruin, Morpheus will never want you again."

“Once you finish my medicine tests, I’ll be blessed by the ice element. I’ll marry Morpheus in your place, and become the Ice Dragon princess instead of you.”

She viciously jammed her finger into one of the wounds on my wing, a hungry, expectant look on her face.

The blue sapphire on that finger was shining with a dazzling light.

I grabbed her arm, shook it off and calmly said,

“Doesn’t matter. He’s yours.”