Later that evening, Ace lay in her bed staring at the stone ceiling above her.

  The cavern chamber was quiet, lit only by faint glowing crystals embedded in the walls. Beside her, Queen slept soundly, curled beneath a heavy fur blanket. Small bursts of black flame puffed gently from her mouth with each breath.

  Ace watched the flickers with quiet curiosity.

  She only does that when she’s asleep, Ace thought.

  She never lets anyone see it when she’s awake… I wonder why.

  Ace turned onto her side, pulling the blanket tighter around her shoulders.

  Her mind wouldn’t stop replaying what her father had told them earlier—about the sealed chamber, about the calamity dragons, about the danger they had nearly unleashed.

  And about how he had protected them.

  For once, Ace didn’t feel afraid of him.

  She felt… safe.

  Then—

  Knock.

  The sound echoed heavily against the stone door.

  Ace froze.

  Queen stirred but did not wake.

  Another knock came, firmer this time.

  Before Ace could respond, the heavy stone door slid open with a grinding rumble.

  A familiar voice called out.

  “Drakorya.”

  It was Queen Penny.

  Ace’s eyes widened.

  Standing in the doorway were three figures:

  Queen Penny.

  Kimpy.

  And her father, Scorched.

  The three stepped into the chamber as the door sealed behind them.

  Drakorya turned from her writing table, chains drifting lazily around her body. For a moment, surprise flickered across her storm-colored eyes.

  “What do I owe the pleasure?” she asked calmly.

  Her gaze moved immediately to Penny, bowing her head respectfully.

  “My husband… and the Queen of Dragons herself. This is unexpected.”

  She did not acknowledge Kimpy.

  Not even once.

  Kimpy’s lips curled in a snarl.

  “Watch your tongue,” she hissed. “Just because you defeated me once does not mean you can forget your place.”

  Drakorya’s expression didn’t change.

  But one of her floating chains shot forward in a blur—wrapping tightly around Kimpy’s throat and lifting her slightly off the ground.

  The air crackled with black electricity.

  Penny stepped forward immediately.

  “Enough, Drakorya,” she said firmly. “She is my sister. There is no need for blood.”

  Scorched lowered his head as well.

  Drakorya exhaled slowly.

  “…Very well.”

  The chain released Kimpy, who dropped back onto the stone floor with a furious growl.

  Kimpy lashed her tail around Scorched possessively, but Drakorya paid it no attention.

  Instead, she turned back to Penny.

  “What brings you here?”

  Penny’s voice hardened.

  “Your children nearly opened the forbidden chamber.”

  The color drained from Drakorya’s face.

  “…I see.”

  She bowed her head deeply.

  “I apologize, my queen. I will watch them more closely.”

  Her eyes flicked toward the direction of her daughters’ sleeping room.

  Penny studied her carefully.

  “Have you chosen a successor for your title yet?”

  Drakorya nodded slowly.

  “Yes. I intend to name Vespera.”

  A rare softness touched her voice.

  “She has always been my most promising hatchling.”

  Penny gave a small nod.

  “I agree.”

  The conversation remained calm for several moments.

  Then Penny’s tone shifted.

  Serious.

  Final.

  “Drakorya… I want you to relinquish your title.”

  Silence fell.

  “I want Kimpy to inherit it,” Penny continued. “You will instead serve permanently on the High Dragon Council.”

  Kimpy’s eyes gleamed with triumph.

  She had always coveted Drakorya’s authority.

  Drakorya’s chains froze mid-air.

  “I cannot,” she said quietly.

  “Dragon law is absolute. Titles may only be taken through combat.”

  Penny’s gaze hardened.

  “Normally, yes.”

  “But your children nearly unleashed the calamity powers. That failure reflects on you.”

  A low rumble built in Drakorya’s throat.

  “You take my mate,” she growled, glancing toward Scorched. “And now you seek to take my title as well?”

  The chamber trembled.

  Her roar shook the entire Dragon Valley.

  “UNBEARABLE.”

  And far beyond the chamber walls—

  Ace lay frozen in bed.

  Hearing everything.

  Understanding, for the first time—

  just how fragile power truly was in the Valley of Dragons.

  Ace lay rigid beneath the blankets.

  Every word from the chamber next door had reached her.

  Every accusation.

  Every command.

  Every roar.

  Her mother’s roar.

  It still echoed in her bones.

  She had never heard Drakorya sound like that before—not even during council duels.

  It wasn’t anger alone.

  It was something deeper.

  Something breaking.

  Beside her, Queen stirred suddenly.

  Her eyes snapped open.

  “What… was that?” she mumbled sleepily.

  Ace forced herself to sit up quickly.

  “It’s nothing,” she said, too fast.

  But Queen was already sliding out of bed, curiosity burning bright in her wild eyes.

  The chamber door slid open.

  Drakorya entered alone.

  Her expression was perfectly composed.

  Too composed.

  “Just dragons arguing,” she said calmly.

  Her tone was smooth, dismissive.

  “Nothing for hatchlings to worry about.”

  Queen tilted her head.

  “Really?”

  Drakorya gave a gentle nod.

  “Yes. Go back to sleep.”

  Ace saw it instantly.

  The lie.

  Her mother didn’t want questions.

  Because questions in the Valley always led to punishment.

  Ace understood.

  Queen did not.

  “Okay!” Queen said cheerfully, flopping back onto the bed without another thought.

  Within moments, she was snoring again, faint black fire puffing from her mouth.

  But Ace did not lie back down.

  She stared at the stone ceiling.

  And something inside her shifted.

  Cracked.

  For the first time in her life…

  Ace felt afraid of staying.

  Not of leaving.

  Staying.

  The Valley was changing.

  Drakorya was losing power.

  Kimpy was gaining it.

  And if Drakorya fell…

  Ace and Queen would have no protection left.

  Her decision formed slowly.

  Then hardened.

  We have to leave.

  Hours later, Ace shook Queen awake.

  “Come on,” she whispered urgently.

  Queen blinked groggily.

  “Huh?”

  “Just trust me.”

  Queen grinned sleepily.

  “Okay.”

  She always trusted Ace.

  That trust would haunt Ace forever.

  They slipped silently through the sleeping chambers, avoiding patrols.

  Neither of them noticed the faint whispers beginning to curl through the air.

  Soft.

  Soothing.

  Calling.

  Release us…

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  We are trapped…

  We are power…

  Queen stopped first.

  “…Do you hear that?” she whispered.

  Ace nodded slowly.

  The voices felt warm.

  Inviting.

  They promised freedom.

  They promised strength.

  They promised escape.

  Together, the sisters followed the whispers.

  Down past the council halls.

  Down into the forbidden depths.

  Down to the sealed chamber.

  The massive stone door glowed faintly.

  The voices grew louder.

  Open it…

  You deserve freedom…

  Ace reached forward.

  Queen placed her hand beside hers.

  The door flared with ancient magic.

  And slowly…

  it opened.

  Light exploded outward.

  Seven blazing streaks of power shot from the chamber like falling stars.

  They screamed through the sky above the Valley—

  vanishing into the world beyond.

  Ace and Queen stared in stunned silence.

  Then the alarms began.

  Dragon roars shook the entire Valley.

  The sky filled with furious wings.

  And Ace realized—

  there was no undoing this.

  Judgment came swiftly.

  Drakorya lost her title.

  Vespera was forced into service under Queen Penny—no longer an heir, but a weapon pressed into duty.

  And Scorched…

  Scorched chose his daughters.

  He led Ace and Queen to the Valley’s border under cover of darkness.

  His massive form shielded them from pursuing dragons.

  “Go,” he told them.

  Ace shook her head desperately.

  “Come with us!”

  He only smiled sadly.

  “My duty is here.”

  He turned back.

  And faced the dragons alone.

  Ace never saw him again.

  She knew what that meant.

  Or thought she did.

  She fell to her knees, shaking, as Queen pulled at her arm.

  “I’m hungry,” Queen whispered softly.

  Ace wiped her tears.

  And forced herself to stand.

  From that moment on…

  she became the older sister.

  The protector.

  The one who would never let Queen starve again.

  For two hundred years, they wandered.

  They ate when they needed.

  Fought when they had to.

  Left destruction in their wake.

  They survived.

  But they never belonged anywhere.

  Until fifteen years before the calamity awakenings—

  Queen lost control.

  Hunger overtook her.

  She devoured an entire town.

  Ace couldn’t stop her.

  And that was when Joker and King found them.

  They brought the sisters to Queen Seraphine of Faydurn.

  Seraphine made an offer.

  “You may stay,” she said calmly.

  “But you will serve my court.”

  “And you,” she told Ace, “must keep your sister on a tight leash.”

  Ace agreed.

  That night, in their chambers—

  Queen broke down.

  “I want to go home,” she cried.

  Ace held her tightly.

  “We don’t have one anymore,” she whispered.

  “If we return… they will kill us.”

  The sisters cried together.

  Then made a pact.

  No matter what happened—

  they would stay together.

  They would protect each other.

  Always.

  Ace heard the Valley calling her back.

  She ignored it.

  The memory shattered.

  Ace’s eyes snapped open.

  Her breath came in sharp gasps.

  Tears streamed down her face.

  She remembered everything.

  Every choice.

  Every loss.

  Every sacrifice.

  And for the first time in centuries—

  Ace felt something she had buried long ago.

  Regret.