Chapter 1

I was the reincarnation of the Ancient Star God and the fated mate of the Obsidian Dragon King, Ignis.

For seven years, I nearly bled my divine blood dry to break his curses. Everyone knew I loved him unconditionally.

Until his cold sneer shattered it all.

"Seraphina has laid my egg. After the Hunting Festival, I'll crown her as my queen. Keep Elara around to placate the Alliance. She's so madly in love with me, she'll gladly be a shield for them."

Something snapped deep within my chest. My empathy veins—the very magic that bound my emotions to him—shattered.

No heartbreak. No hysteria. That suffocating love was erased in an instant. Looking at Ignis now was like looking at a worthless stone.

I calmly returned to the temple and activated the marriage decree sent by the Elven High King, Aurelius.

The realm portal was charging. Departure: three days.

.......

I unpinned the Obsidian Crest—the mark of Ignis's bonded mate—and dropped it into the disposal sigil.

"Elara! Are you seriously going through with the elven political marriage?" my best friend, Lyra, stared at me in disbelief.

"Yes. The portal is charged and opens in three days."

Lyra hesitated, her voice trembling. "Can you really bear to leave the Dragon Realm? To abandon Ignis... the man you've spent seven years protecting?"

I paused and frowned, searching myself for any lingering emotions.

Nothing. Just a numb irritation that I even had to hear his name.

"Why would I miss a dragon who rejected me a thousand times?" I said flatly.

"You tortured yourself for him!" Lyra pulled out a heavy crystal photo album. "You almost died for him! And Seraphina—some random Light Cleric—just waltzed in and stole all your credit!"

I watched the holographic projections. They were a pathetic record of seven years of begging, showing the countless times he had coldly shoved me aside.

Every time I offered him my heart, a third person always stood between us—Seraphina.

A phantom ache flared in my chest where I'd once been impaled for him, but my mind remained dead calm.

I raised a finger, igniting a cold spark of starlight. Without hesitation, the flames swallowed the album whole.

"I leave in three days. It's time to sever this one-sided bond. I'm just throwing out dead weight so I can start over."

"Sever what?" a mocking voice came from the doorway. "Playing hard to get again, Elara?"

Ignis leaned against the frame, his massive presence radiating a suffocating aura.

Lyra immediately stepped in front of me. "Elara's empathy veins—"

"I wasn't asking you," Ignis cut her off, his glare slicing straight to me.

He stepped forward, his tone a strict command. "Do your duty, Elara. Stop these petty tricks and stay away from Seraphina. Get ready. You're coming to the Royal Hunting Festival tomorrow."

I looked at him like he was a stranger. "Why would I go?"

"Seraphina just laid an egg. She's weak and anxious," Ignis said, finding a rare softness in his voice. "I'm taking her to relax. She doesn't have a title yet, so the purebloods will make things difficult for her. If you're there, no one will dare touch her."

I stared at him, almost finding it funny. He wanted me to act as a meat shield for his mistress and his bastard egg?

"No." I turned my back to him and continued packing.

Ignis's breath hitched, clearly shocked by my defiance. Then rage flared in his eyes. He lunged, his rough hand clamping down on my wrist like a vise. Searing dragon heat instantly burned my skin.

"Save your pathetic jealousy!" he roared, dragging me toward the door.

The old wound I'd taken for him tore open under his rough handling.

"Ignis..." a sickly-sweet, frail voice drifted from down the hall.

Seraphina stood there clutching an egg, her fragility perfectly calculated.

Ignis's golden eyes widened. Terrified she might misunderstand, he dropped my arm like I was diseased.

Already off-balance, I fell backward. My head slammed hard against the stone floor.

My vision went black. A cold sweat broke out, and the air caught in my throat.

Lyra shrieked, dropping to my side. "Elara!"

Seraphina shrank behind a pillar. A flash of triumph crossed her eyes before she burst into manufactured, fearful tears.

"It's my fault... I just wanted to see you. I know my status is low, and Elara has every right to be angry... but please, don't scare my egg..."

Without even glancing at me, Ignis wrapped one arm around the egg and gently pulled Seraphina into his chest.

"Are you insane, Ignis?!" Lyra screamed, seeing the blood pooling beneath my head. "She's your fated star! You'd hurt your bonded mate like this for Seraphina?!"

Ignis whipped around. He marched back, raised his hand, and slapped me hard across the face.

My head snapped to the side. My ears rang, the taste of copper flooding my mouth.

He towered over me, looking at me like an insect. "I thought you were just clingy, but you're actually venomous. Letting your lapdog bark at me? I'm warning you, Elara—say one more word and I'll show you a living hell."

"Tomorrow at 8 A.M. The Hunting Festival base camp. If you embarrass her by not showing up, I'll make sure you die in this temple."

He turned and disappeared down the hall, shielding Seraphina. He never looked back.

Tears spilled down Lyra's cheeks. Her hands trembled as she channeled healing magic, too afraid to touch the deep gash on my head.

"Elara, I'm so sorry... I shouldn't have provoked him..."

I slowly stood up. My cheek burned, but my eyes were dry. My heartbeat remained completely steady.

I stared down the empty hallway.

This useless bond was still technically intact, meaning I'd have to put on a show at tomorrow's festival. But to me, it was just the final, tedious step before cutting him off for good.

Only three days left.

In three days, I would leave this suffocating realm and finally live for myself.