“Cyran!”

  I flinched as I heard my mother’s voice, my mind racing as I struggled to decide what to do. The crown prince didn’t know me yet, didn’t know I was a Draconid. I wasn’t the second evil dragon yet.

  “Cyran! Where are you!”

  “I believe he is here.” The prince’s voice answered my mother’s call and I finally stood, finding the strength to try and keep running. I couldn’t stay with her, it didn’t matter how much it hurt. How much my heart twisted hearing the pain in her voice. If I stayed, the Marquess would take notice of us, and she would die.

  I attempted to run past the prince, but he grabbed me easily, his grip completely encompassing my small arms. I cursed my size as I tried to escape his grasp. I couldn’t let him stop me, couldn’t let him–

  “Caspian, what are you doing?” Another voice joined us, and I looked up to see the crown princess walking toward us. At the same time, my mother came into view and I fought to free myself. “Caspian–”

  “Cyran!” My mother quickly wrapped her arms around me and I continued to struggle, tears running down my face as Caspian finally let me go. I couldn’t stay. I couldn’t watch her die again. “Cyran, honey calm down, please.”

  “Can we ask what is happening?” the princess spoke again and I felt my mother start to shake, quickly bowing her head as she held me tightly against her. It was obvious she recognized them instantly, and while I did as well, I wasn’t supposed to be able to.

  “Your Highness, I—I apologize for the trouble,” she said, her voice tight. The grief and exhaustion was obvious in her voice and I finally stopped struggling, feeling awful for putting more on my mother.”"My son… his father has just passed, and he’s struggling to–”

  “I have to go,” I sobbed, my voice raw with desperation as I did my best to sound as desperate as I felt. “If I stay, you'll die too!”

  I could feel the way she trembled, how tightly she held me, as if afraid I would disappear the moment she loosened her grip. I wanted to cling to her, to bury my face in her shoulder and pretend that none of this was happening, but I forced myself to push away. I had to leave her. If I stayed, if I let things happen the way they had before, she would die.

  “Cyran, sweetheart, don't say–”

  “Why do you think that, little one?” I glanced up as the crown princess spoke, kneeling down to keep my gaze. I could tell that the crown prince, Caspian I guessed, didn’t approve, but he also didn’t say anything as the princess continued, her voice gentle in a way that made my chest ache. I sniffled, staring at her with wide, tear-filled eyes, doing my best to seem like a terrified and overwhelmed child. “Why do you think your mother will die if you stay?”

  “Because I'm not normal,” I whispered. “I'm not like the other kids.”

  My mother took a sharp inhale and I felt her tense behind me, her arms tightening instinctively, as if she could somehow keep the words from spilling out of my mouth. But if she wasn’t going to let me run, let me leave, then I had to do something, anything so that I would not be around her. If I could convince the crown prince I was dangerous, then they would have no choice but to take me away from my mother.

  “Sweetheart, don't–” my mother started, her voice wavering, but I barreled on, my tears thick in my throat as I pretended to be nothing more than a scared, rambling child.

  “I can run faster than the other kids,” I sniffled, my voice trembling as I looked at the princess, watching as her brows furrowed in concern. “I never get cold, even when it's snowing. And I can smell things no one else can. If someone finds out, there’s no one to protect my ma now that my pa is gone!”

  I didn’t hold back as I cried more, forcing the tears as I started to pull from my mother again. All those times having to pretend to cry at the marquess’s estate were finally paying off, and I still remembered exactly how to squeeze my eyes to force tears. I heard as the princess sighed and I chanced opening my eyes to see the princess glancing back at Caspian. They must have had a whole conversation in that look, because Caspian shook his head, turning away as the princess turned back to smile at me.

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  “Do you know who I am?”

  “No,” I answered, shaking my head. I knew she was the crown princess but it wasn’t like I knew her name.

  “Well, my name is Princess Isadora,” she spoke gently, her silver eyes meeting mine as I continued to sniffle. My eyes were starting to hurt from all the forced crying, and I watched as she lifted a delicate hand to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “And I think you’re very brave, Cyran.”

  I blinked up at her, sniffling as I let my gaze dart between her and my mother. Brave? No, bravery had nothing to do with this. I was merely doing what I had to do, what I failed to do the first time because I had been too stupid, too childish to think or see otherwise.. But I stayed silent, my shoulders trembling as I waited to see what she would say next.

  Isadora sighed, then looked toward my mother. “You said his father just passed?”

  “Yes, Your Highness,” my mother answered quickly, her voice respectful but strained. She smoothed a hand down my back, trying to calm me, but I could feel the slight tremor in her touch. “We buried him today.”

  “Cyran,” Isadora’s expression softened, and though I wanted to believe it was just an act, something about it felt too genuine, too much like the look she had given me when I lay dying. “I understand that you’re scared. But… Do you really want to leave your mother?”

  I hesitated. If I said yes, my mother would be heartbroken, and I had already hurt her enough considering the day. But if I said no, she would take that as a reason to keep me here and the princess might tell me to go home with her. I bit my lip, shifting my weight from foot to foot as I stared at the ground.

  Slowly, I shook my head. “No.”

  “Then can I offer another option? One that doesn’t hurt you or your mother?” Her gentle voice made me nod before I could stop myself, and I regretted it the moment I did. I had already given her control of the situation, and whatever she suggested, I would have to weigh my options carefully. “How about you and your mother come live at my house? Your mother could work there, and you wouldn’t have to be apart from her. I’d keep you both safe.”

  My breath hitched, my mind reeling as I processed her words. The palace? My mother, working for the royal family? I turned to look at my mother, watching as her eyes widened, her lips parting slightly in surprise. She hadn’t expected it either. Her grip on my shoulders tightened briefly before she turned her gaze back to the princess, her expression wary.

  “Your Highness, that is… an incredibly generous offer, but I—”

  “If your son truly is special, then I need to keep an eye on him,” Isadora interrupted with a soft shake of her head. I felt my anger flare, but I struggled to squash it down. I was the one who had tried to make myself sound dangerous. “We could use more staff, and given your situation, it would provide stability for you and your son while allowing me to do my duty as Crown Princess.”

  Isadora’s words seemed to hang in the air between us, their weight settling heavily on my mother’s shoulders. I could see the conflict in her eyes, the way her fingers trembled slightly against my back. My mother knew life would be hard if we stayed, and it was obvious she didn’t want to leave the only home she had known. But this wasn’t just an offer of kindness—it was a lifeline. A chance to escape the inevitable suffering that awaited us if we stayed here. A chance to keep her safe.

  I clenched my fists, my mind racing. The Marquess wouldn’t be able to sink his claws into my mother if she was under the direct protection of the royal family. But accepting meant putting myself directly into their hands, letting them see me, observe me, figure out what I was before I could fully understand my own power. It was a risk, but it was one I had to take for now.

  “I…” My voice wavered, and I forced myself to look up at Isadora, meeting her silver eyes. “If we go… you have to promise me something.”

  “Anything, Cyran.”

  “Promise me you’ll protect my ma. No matter what.” I kept my voice small, but I made sure to speak with conviction. To my surprise, she held out her hand, extending her pinkie toward me.

  “You have my word as Crown Princess, Cyran. I won’t allow any harm to come to your mother.”

  I blinked, caught completely off guard by the ridiculousness of it. A pinkie promise? For a moment, I wondered if she was mocking me, if this was some sort of elaborate trick to make me lower my guard. But I was a child, even if I was ten, and she was trying to connect in a way a child would. I slowly extended my hand, closing my eyes so that she wouldn’t see how stupid I found all of this.

  “Okay.” I whispered, letting my hand drop, and turning to my mother. Her expression was unreadable, but I could see the way she studied me, searching my face for something. After a long pause, she let out a soft breath and nodded.

  “Thank you, your Highness. I will do my best to serve you.”

  “Then let us be on our way. Our camp is a little ways from here, but you two can ride in the carriage with me.” Isadora finally stood and I took my mother’s hand as Caspian started to lead us away. I’m sure my mother was hurt and upset that we were leaving before she could finish saying goodbye to my father, but I knew this was for the best.

  The sooner we got away the better, and I squeezed her hand in mine.