𝒜 ℋℯ𝒶𝓇𝓉 ℴ𝒻 𝒮𝒸𝒶𝓁ℯ𝓈 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒮𝓉ℯℯ𝓁

Chapter Sixteen - Asher

Chapter Sixteen - Asher

I stormed through the palace corridors, my heart pounding with frustration and anger. The weight of my mother's expectations felt like chains dragging behind me, each step a reminder of the life planned for me without my say. The thought of marrying someone I barely knew—let alone loved—made me want to scream. It was as if they expected me to mold myself into some perfect image of a prince, to quietly fulfill every role they saw fit, all while the threat of the Moonlight Dragon loomed over Evervale, a danger none of them seemed to grasp with the gravity I did.

I had always listened to Mother and Father, wasn't what I had already done enough?

I didn't just want freedom from their plans; I needed it. My thoughts kept returning to the Moonlight Dragon. Every piece of ancient lore I'd uncovered, every tactic I had rehearsed, every sparring session with Dante—all of it was leading to this fight, this one chance to protect the kingdom from a creature unlike any other. Yet here I was, dragged into discussions about marriage alliances and heirs, as if my purpose could be so easily reduced to finding a queen and producing children.

As I rounded a corner, my thoughts clouded with frustration, I nearly collided with a figure blocking my path. It was Ava, that maid I had come to despise since our event at the east wing. She stood there, her raven hair cascading over her shoulders, a basket of freshly picked herbs clutched tightly in her hands, her wide brown eyes meeting my furious silver gaze with a steady defiance. For a moment, I thought she might step aside, that she'd see the look in my eyes and think better of crossing me.

But she didn't. Her expression, once hesitant, hardened, and she squared her shoulders, meeting my glare head-on. "You really should watch where you're going, Your Highness," she said, her voice steady but dripping with disdain. "Not everyone here is eager to accommodate your royal tantrums."

The arrogance in her tone struck me like a slap, and my frustration flared. "Don't push your luck, Ava," I snapped, the irritation bubbling beneath the surface. "You think you can lecture me? You have no idea what it's like to carry the weight of this kingdom on your shoulders."

She didn't flinch, her stance unwavering. Instead, she took a step closer, her expression unyielding, with a faint, infuriating smirk playing on her lips. "And you don't know what it's like to be treated like a servant. Just because you're a prince doesn't mean you can walk around here like you own the place."

I took a step closer, our gazes locked in a silent clash of wills. Her boldness, her audacity—this was a woman who should have known her place, and yet here she was, talking to me as if we were equals. "You think you can talk to me like that? You're just a maid—an inconsequential nobody in this palace. I have far more important matters to deal with than your petty insults."

"Petty?" She let out a laugh, a sound that grated on my nerves, sharp and unrestrained. "You think your royal status makes you important? I've watched you hide behind your title while ignoring the consequences of your decisions. You're just as much a pawn in this game as I am."

Her words cut deeper than I wanted to admit. She saw through me in ways I hadn't expected, as if she could sense the doubt, the frustration simmering beneath the surface. But I couldn't let her see that. I clenched my jaw, feeling the weight of my title pressing down on me like an invisible shackle. "Enough!" I barked, my voice echoing off the stone walls. "You know nothing about my life, Ava. I'm hunting a creature that could destroy everything we know, and you're here wasting my time with your nonsense!"

But she didn't back down. Her gaze, intense and unyielding, bored into me. She crossed her arms, defiance etched across her features, her chin tilted with a stubborn pride that only stoked my anger further. "Oh, I know plenty. You've made it clear that you're only concerned with yourself and your precious reputation. The Moonlight Dragon is not just a beast to be hunted; it's a force that affects everyone, and you refuse to see beyond your own ego."