Chapter 3 The Terrible Choice

Elara’s POV

I don’t sleep at all.

How could I? Every time I close my eyes, Lily’s terrified face rises out of the darkness. I hear her screams echoing through the throne room, sharp and desperate. I see the guard’s sword pressed against her throat, close enough to draw blood, close enough to steal her breath and mine.

When dawn finally creeps through the tall windows, pale and gray, I’m already awake. Already dressed. Already pacing the length of the room like a caged animal, my bare feet wearing invisible grooves into the polished floor.

My body is exhausted, but my mind refuses to rest.

The door unlocks.

I spin around just as a young servant steps inside. She can’t be much older than me, but her eyes look older, wide, frightened, and careful, as if she’s learned the hard way what happens to people who ask questions in this palace.

“The queen wants to see you,” she says quietly. “Now.”

My heart drops straight into my stomach. “Did something happen to my sister? Is Lily okay?”

“I don’t know anything about your sister,” she replies quickly, refusing to meet my gaze. “Please. Just come. Don’t make this harder for both of us.”

I follow her through the twisting palace corridors. Every step feels heavier than the last. The walls seem to close in around me, decorated with gold and silk that suddenly feel like chains. My thoughts race ahead of my feet, new threats, new rules, new punishments I haven’t even imagined yet.

When we reach the throne room, my fear sharpens.

Queen Morgana waits alone.

No guards. No Princess Celestia. Just her, seated on her throne, hands folded as if she’s been waiting patiently for me all along.

That somehow makes it worse.

“Sit,” she commands, gesturing to the chair placed before her throne.

I sit. My hands tremble in my lap, no matter how hard I try to steady them.

“Let me be very clear,” the queen says calmly. “You have two weeks. Two weeks to become Princess Celestia. My servants will teach you how to walk, how to speak, how to eat, how to smile. Everything a princess must know.”

“I already told you last night...”

“Silence.” Her voice cracks like a whip, slicing through my words. “I am not finished.”

I bite my tongue and wait.

“After your training, you will travel north to Drakenmoor,” she continues. “You will marry King Drakon as my daughter. You will be charming, graceful, and convincing. You will make him believe you are Princess Celestia in every way that matters.”

“And if he finds out I’m not really her?” I ask, my voice barely steady.

Queen Morgana leans forward slightly. “Then he will kill you. Dragon shifters do not tolerate deception. And your sister will die with you, slowly.”

My breath stutters. “Dragon shifters? Dragons aren’t real. They’re just stories meant to scare children into behaving.”

The queen laughs; a sharp, cruel sound. “Oh, child. King Drakon can become a massive beast with wings that blot out the sky, claws that tear through stone, and fire hot enough to melt steel. He has slaughtered hundreds on the battlefield.”

My mouth goes dry. “And you expect me to marry that?”

“I expect you to play your role,” she replies coldly. “There is a difference.”

I swallow hard. “Why go through all of this? Why not just break the treaty?”

“Because I need time,” she says, standing and moving toward the tall windows. “Time to prepare. Time to gather my forces. Time to put everything in place.”

The truth crashes into me. “You’re going to attack Drakenmoor.”

She turns back, smiling like a blade. “Yes. But first, I need information. Details about their defenses. Their army. Their weaknesses.”

“And you want me to get that information for you,” I whisper.

“Exactly. You’ll be the Dragon King’s wife. You’ll hear what others cannot. You’ll see what no spy ever could.”

“I won’t help you,” I say suddenly. “I won’t help you start a war. Innocent people will die.”

In an instant, she’s in front of me. Her hand clamps around my chin, forcing my face up. Her grip is painful, unyielding.

“Then I will bring your sister here,” she hisses, “and I will cut off one piece of her at a time. A finger. A toe. An ear. I will keep her alive as long as possible, and I will make sure you watch every cut.”

Tears blur my vision. The room spins.

“I need your answer,” Queen Morgana says softly. “Now. Will you do as you’re told? Or shall I send for your sister?”

What choice do I have?

“I’ll do it,” I whisper.

“Speak up.”

“I’ll do it,” I say louder, my voice shaking with fury and fear. “I’ll pretend to be your daughter. I’ll marry the Dragon King. I’ll be your spy. Just don’t hurt Lily. Please.”

She releases me and smiles in satisfaction. “Good girl. I knew you’d see reason.”

“Can I see my sister?” I ask desperately. “Just once. I need to know she’s alive.”

“No.”

The word hits harder than any slap. “She remains hidden until after the wedding,” the queen adds. “You’re far too predictable. You’d sacrifice yourself for her in a heartbeat.”

My hands curl into fists.

“There’s something else you should know,” Queen Morgana continues. “King Drakon is over three hundred years old. He has seen empires rise and fall. He is very skilled at spotting lies.”

“Then how am I supposed to fool him?”

“That,” she says dismissively, “is your problem. Succeed, or you both die.”

She straightens. “You also wanted to know what happens after the wedding.”

My heart pounds.

“You will send me information about Drakenmoor. About the Dragon King himself, his habits, his routines, his weaknesses.” She leans closer. “I will use it to kill him. And then I will take everything he owns.”

Ice floods my veins.

“I want you out of my sight,” she snaps.

Guards drag me from the throne room and shove me into another chamber. This one resembles a classroom. A stern woman waits inside, gripping a long wooden stick.

“So,” she says coldly, eyes full of disdain, “you’re the peasant who’s supposed to become a princess.”

She snaps the stick against her palm, the sound cracking through the room.

“We have two weeks to teach you what royalty learns in a lifetime,” she continues. “Fail and the Dragon King will burn you alive.”

She leans close, her breath whispering against my ear.

“They never found the last girl’s body.”