Chapter 2 The Palace of Lies

Elara’s POV

The sword presses against Lily’s throat.

“Stop!” I scream, throwing myself forward. Guards seize me before I can reach her. “Please don’t hurt her! I’ll do anything!”

Queen Morgana lifts a hand. The blade moves from Lily’s skin but stays poised, ready. Lily sobs, her whole body shaking. A thin red line marks her neck, just a scratch, but close enough to steal my breath.

“Anything?” the queen asks softly, her eyes cold. “You’ll do anything?”

“Yes,” I whisper. “Anything. Just don’t hurt her.”

She smiles like a snake swallowing prey. “Good.”

She snaps her fingers. Guards tear Lily from me.

“No! Where are you taking her?”

“Somewhere safe,” Morgana says. “As long as you cooperate."

“Elara!” Lily cries, reaching for me. “Don’t leave me!”

“I won’t!” I shout. “I promise, I’ll come for you!”

The doors slam. Silence falls.

My sister is gone.

I sink to my knees. “Where did you take her?”

“To a special room. Comfortable, fed, cared for,” the queen replies. “As long as you do exactly what I say.”

“You’re a monster.”

“Perhaps. But I’m a monster holding your sister’s life.”

She returns to her throne. Beside her stands Princess Celestia, the girl with my face. Watching with bored eyes.

“Now,” the queen says, “let me explain why you’re here.”

I force myself up. “You mentioned a Dragon King.”

“Yes. My daughter was to marry King Drakon of Drakenmoor. A peace treaty.”

“I won’t marry a beast,” Celestia snaps.

“Which is why we have you,” Morgana says, fixing me with her gaze. “You resemble Celestia enough to replace her.”

My stomach twists. “You want me to pretend to be her? To marry him?”

“You’ll be trained. You have two weeks.”

“And if I fail?”

Her smile vanishes. “Then your sister dies. Slowly.”

Ice floods my veins.

“Why not tell the truth?” I ask.

“Because that means war. And I’m not ready for war yet.”

That word chills me.

Celestia approaches, studying me like dirt. “Feel honored. A peasant marrying a king.”

“I want my sister. I want to go home.”

“You can’t,” she smirks. “So don’t embarrass me.”

“Enough,” the queen says. “Take her to the preparation rooms.”

Guards drag me away. I don’t resist.

“What if the Dragon King discovers the truth?” I ask.

“He won’t,” Morgana replies. “Because you’ll be perfect. Or Lily will suffer.”

The palace corridors stretch endlessly. Portraits of dead royals watch as I’m locked into a room larger than my entire cottage; silk bed, golden curtains, polished mirrors. A prison wrapped in luxury.

“Let me see my sister!” I pound the door. No answer.

I slide down, shaking. How do I become a princess in two weeks? How do I fool a Dragon King? And why does the queen truly want this?

I think of Mama, sick and alone. “I’m sorry,” I whisper.

Time blurs. Then a servant enters with food. Her eyes are kind.

“You must eat,” she says. “Training begins soon.”

“Is my sister safe?”

“I don’t know,” she admits softly. “Be careful who you trust. The palace hears everything.”

The food tastes like ash, but I force it down. I need strength.

Two weeks. A wedding. Then what?

A terrible thought forms; what if the queen wants the Dragon King dead? What if I’m meant to be the weapon?

I stare out the window at the distant lights of home. “I’ll come back for you, Lily. No matter what.”

The door unlocks. Princess Celestia slips inside.

“It’s strange,” she says, circling me. “We look identical.”

“What do you want?”

“To warn you. Don’t get comfortable. You’re a tool.”

“I know.”

“Good. When you’ve served your purpose, you’ll disappear.” She draws a finger across her throat. “Mother always has a backup plan.”

She turns to leave. “Don’t try to escape. If you run, your sister dies.”

The door locks.

I stand frozen, her words echoing in my head. The room feels smaller now, the walls closing in as if they’re listening too. Even the silk curtains seem to watch me, heavy with secrets.

She’s sending you there for a reason.

What is Queen Morgana planning? I replay every word she said, every look that passed between her and Celestia. The treaty. The delay of war. The careful way she spoke of the Dragon King, like a piece already placed on a board.

And how do I protect Lily when I don’t even know what danger awaits?

I slide down onto the edge of the bed, fingers digging into the fine fabric. Somewhere in this palace, Lily is alone, frightened, wondering if I’ve abandoned her. The thought cuts deeper than any blade.

I picture her smile, the way she used to hum while helping Mama sew, the way she trusted me to always make things right. That trust is a weight on my chest, but it’s also a fire.

Queen Morgana thinks fear will break me. Princess Celestia thinks I’ll vanish once I’ve served my purpose. They both believe I’ll walk blindly into whatever trap waits in Drakenmoor.

They’re wrong.

If I must play the role of a princess, then I’ll play it better than they expect. I’ll listen to every whisper, memorize every rule, watch every shadow. I’ll survive the training. I’ll survive the wedding.

And when the time comes, when the truth finally shows its teeth, I’ll be ready.

For Lily.

For Mama.

For myself.

I lie back on the unfamiliar bed, staring at the ceiling until the candlelight blurs. Tomorrow, the lessons begin. Tomorrow, my old life fades even further.

But tonight, in this palace of lies, I make myself a promise:

I will not be a pawn forever.

I press my back against the cold wall, breathing slowly, forcing my racing thoughts into order. Fear won’t save Lily. Panic won’t help me survive what’s coming. I need to watch. To listen. To learn.

If Queen Morgana believes I’m nothing but a pawn, then she’s made one mistake.

Pawns can cross the board.

And when they do, they can become something else entirely.