The Dragon King's Discarded Flame

Chapter 1

"The decay has reached your central meridian, Your Highness. I am so sorry."

The words hung in the sterile, incense-heavy air of the royal clinic, heavy as an executioner's blade. Kaelia Vance did not flinch. She sat perfectly straight on the edge of the examination table, her posture rigid and dignified, as became the Crown Princess of the Obsidian Flight.

She looked down at her hands, resting gently over the slight swell of her stomach. Inside her, three tiny, flickering heartbeats pulsed in time with her own. Her royal triplets. The future of the Obsidian Court.

"How long do I have, Masterson?" Kaelia asked, her voice steady, betraying none of the cold terror gripping her chest.

The elderly royal healer wrung his hands, his gaze dropping to the marble floor. "Aether-burn is a cruel affliction, My Queen. The magical core decays from the inside out, turning your own life-force into ash. A normal dragon might survive a few years. But with the royal heirs drawing upon your magic to develop..." He swallowed hard. "Three months. Four, if the Goddess is merciful. You will not survive the birth, Kaelia. The babies are draining the very magic that keeps your heart beating."

"Three months," Kaelia repeated softly. She lifted her chin, her golden eyes locking onto the healer's terrified face. "Are the children safe? Is the Aether-burn affecting them?"

"No, Your Highness," Masterson said quickly, stepping forward. "The royal heirs are strong. They are taking everything they need from you. That is precisely the problem. They are parasitic in their demand for Aether. If we terminate the pregnancy now, we might be able to halt the burn. You could live."

"No." Kaelia’s response was immediate, sharp as cracked ice. "Do not ever suggest that again, Masterson. These children will live. That is my final word."

"But Kaelia—"

"Address me by my title, Healer," she commanded, her tone brooking no argument. She was resilient; she had survived the brutal politics of the Obsidian Court for two years, and she would survive this long enough to see her babies draw their first breath.

"Forgive me, Crown Princess," Masterson bowed his head. "But you must tell King Rhydian. His magic is the most powerful in the realm. If he shares his Aether with you, if he bonds with you completely during the nesting phase, it might slow the decay. He is your fated mate. His life-force is meant to sustain yours."

A bitter, humorless smile touched Kaelia's lips. *Her fated mate.* Rhydian Thorne, the Dragon King of the Obsidian Court. The man who was supposed to be her shield, her partner, her soul's other half.

"I will handle my husband," Kaelia said smoothly, sliding off the examination table and smoothing the dark silk of her skirts. "Write the diagnosis down. Put the royal seal on the scroll. I will give it to him myself."

Masterson hurried to his desk, his quill scratching frantically against heavy parchment. Kaelia stared out the narrow arched window,