7. The Palace Garden

Leila wondered if Thorn’s lips were generating a kind of magical power, making hers reluctant to part from them.

When she was little, Leila loved to collect cookie wrappers, as each one was inscribed with short tale. Among all the stories, her favorite had always been about the romance between the dragon queen and king. She often imagined what her own first kiss would be like, visualizing the circumstances, the emotions, and, most importantly, the person she would share it with. But she had never had the opportunity with anyone other than Arthur, the milk boy. Despite his decent looks, he would always only be a friend. Even if she had the choice, she would have turned him down.

But she has never expected for her first kiss to be stolen by Thorn, even if everything felt just right. The slight moisture, feathery softness, and his pristine, fresh breath enveloped the brief kiss. Furthermore, there was an inexplicable sense of familiarity that caused Leila to linger there.

Thorn was als