Chapter 2
Selina's POV
Today was Draco's coronation ceremony.
The day I get crowned "Second Queen."
I stood in front of the mirror adjusting my gown, fingers touching the crystal necklace at my neck—a gift the Silver Wolf Clan had just sent. They said it could teleport me to safety in a second.
The door flew open.
Draco stood in the doorway, staring at my bare back—the arrow wound from the Northern Tundra battle on my shoulder, magic burns from the Shadowwood siege along my waist, and countless scars crisscrossing my spine.
"Your wounds... why aren't they healed?" His voice came out rough. "I gave you holy water potions."
"Used them all on your soldiers." I pulled up my zipper without looking at him. "What do you want?"
Draco went quiet for a moment, his tone softening. "I lost my temper yesterday. After tonight's ceremony, I'll transfer the three southern magic mines to your name. And that Eternal Heart from the Abyss spoils—it's yours too."
He paused. "But during the ceremony, you need to cooperate. Let Ivy be crowned first, then you. The Dragon Clan elders require the primary consort to go first. It's tradition."
Beat me down, then buy me off?
"Keep your compensation." I turned to face him. "Crown whoever you want first. This whole thing was for Ivy anyway."
For six years, I'd brought up the bonding ceremony countless times. Even the simplest one would do, just so my people could acknowledge my choice.
But every single time, he'd stalled.
"After the war ends." "After my coronation." "I don't want to shortchange you."
Now I got it. He was just waiting for Ivy to come back.
"Selina, what's that supposed to mean?" My cold tone set him off.
"You heard me." I smoothed down my gown. "I'm done pretending."
"Pretending?" His eyes went cold as he scanned the room. Then his expression changed.
All those things that carried our battle memories—gone.
The Dragon Clan holy sword I'd reclaimed for him in the Abyss. The battle maps from when we fought side by side in the Northern Tundra. The blood-stained cloak from when he was gravely injured and I'd guarded him for three days and nights in Shadowwood. And that protective charm he'd forged for me from his own dragon scales—all of it vanished.
"Where is everything?" Draco's voice tightened as he strode to the empty shelf. "Where did it all go?"
"Threw it out. Just garbage."
"GARBAGE?!" He spun around and grabbed my wrist. "Those were from when we fought together—"
"Fought together? Right." I yanked free and headed for the door. "Don't act like you give a damn."
The grand hall blazed with gold and crystal.
I stood alone in a shadowed corner, watching Draco hold Ivy's hand as they accepted congratulations from every clan.
Maya appeared beside me, practically hissing. "How is THIS fair? Selina, you can actually stand this? If it were me, I'd burn this whole place down!"
I swirled the blood-red wine in my glass. "Why bother? I'm leaving anyway."
A commotion erupted on the platform. A servant carrying a wine tray stumbled toward Ivy. Draco shoved the servant aside violently, but Ivy dodged with surprising agility, avoiding the collision entirely. Draco immediately flew into a rage and had the servant dragged away for punishment.
I stared at Ivy's belly, frowning.
Five months pregnant with moves like that? And the shape of her abdomen looked... wrong?
Ivy must have felt my stare. Her expression flickered.
Then she smiled and walked over.
"Sister Selina, standing here all alone must be so boring." She stroked her belly, voice dripping with smugness. "Why not join us up front? After all, today's your big day too."
I set down my glass, keeping my voice light. "I'd rather not be a nuisance... By the way, you dodged pretty fast just now. Nice reflexes."
Ivy's face froze.
I leaned closer, dropping my voice. "A five-month pregnant woman shouldn't be THAT quick. And your belly—it looked like it shifted."
She bit down hard on her lip. Gotcha.
"The Queen's coronation ceremony will now begin!" The announcer's voice cut through.
Ivy shot me a glare and hurried off.
I watched Draco place the crown on Ivy's head—the one encrusted with 999 stargems. Every single gem was a spoil of war I'd brought back from the Abyss.
Lucky her.
Envoys from every clan lined up with their gifts.
"The Deep Sea Merfolk offer the Ten-Thousand-Year Sea God's Tear! To protect mother and child!"
"The Elven Clan presents a branch from the World Tree! A sacred treasure for nurturing life!"
"The Dwarven Clan offers a cradle forged from dragon bone! For the future prince!"
Every gift personally ordered by Draco for Ivy.
Ivy laughed as she accepted each one, shooting triumphant looks my way. "Thank you all so much. I'm truly blessed. With Draco, your blessings, and our child..."
Draco gazed at her adoringly. Then he suddenly looked at me in the corner.
Something like guilt crossed his face. He held out his hand. "Selina, come here—"
"AH!"
Ivy suddenly screamed and collapsed, black blood trickling from her lips.
The hall exploded. Guests stampeded toward the exits. Guards rushed forward. Someone screamed for a healer.
Draco scooped up Ivy and bolted. The ceremony fell apart.
No one noticed the second queen still standing in the shadows.
Whatever. I didn't care.
Back in my room, I grabbed my pre-packed suitcase.
"BANG!"
The door exploded open. Draco charged in and kicked the case out of my hands.
"Think you can RUN, BITCH?" His eyes were bloodshot as his hand wrapped around my throat. "Selina, Ivy was poisoned with a witch blood curse! You're the ONLY one in this kingdom who knows that magic!"
"I didn't do it!"
"BULLSHIT!" He squeezed harder. "The poison has YOUR magical signature! The evidence is right there and you're still lying?!"
I choked, barely getting words out. "I was framed... and she's not even pregnant—"
"You're STILL making things up?!" He threw me to the floor.
"CRASH!"
My head cracked against the floor. The world spun.
"The Dragon Priest verified it himself!" Draco's boot slammed into my stomach. "You were jealous she's carrying my child, so you poisoned her?!"
"Ugh—"
Blood sprayed from my mouth. White-hot pain tore through my abdomen.
"I made you QUEEN!" He grabbed my hair and wrenched my head up. "Gave you the southern mines! The Eternal Heart! What MORE do you want?!"
His fist crashed into my face.
"Sharing the throne wasn't ENOUGH for you?! Why poison Ivy?!"
I felt ribs crack. Something inside shifted wrong.
The pain in my lower abdomen got worse. Warm liquid ran down my legs.
"Draco... please..." My voice came out broken. I needed to tell him something was really wrong.
But his fist came down again.
Before I blacked out, I heard his voice, cold as death. "Lock her in the ice dungeon. No one gets in without my say-so."
