He should never have seen her.
That was the worst part.
If she had been hidden —
if she had been dead —
if he had only found ash —
it would have been easier.
Instead, the queen had allowed him to look.
He had climbed high enough to be foolish.
High enough to be seen.
And she had seen him.
The Red Dragon Queen had turned her head slowly —
as if she had expected him.
And then —
She had stepped aside.
Just enough.
Just enough for him to see.
Cara stood below the rise.
Barefoot.
Her shoes gone.
Her hair loose and tangled, falling wild around her shoulders.
Her dress —
Not the one she left in.
Not whole.
Fabric torn at the hem.
Scorched at one sleeve.
Hanging too loosely at her collar.
There were no chains.
No visible wounds.
But she was marked.
He saw it flare faintly along her skin.
Red.
Alive.
She looked smaller than he remembered.
Too small against that cavern.
Too human among wings and horn and fire.
"Papa."
She had said it softly.
He heard it in the wind.
She had not screamed.
Had not begged.
Had not run toward him.
She had taken one step forward.
And the queen's hand had settled at her waist.
Not striking.
Not harming.
Holding.
That was worse.
"Go back," Cara had said.
Not shouted.
Not panicked.
Steady.
Go back.
He had never heard that tone from her before.
Not when she was afraid.
Not when she scraped her knees as a child.
It wasn't fear.
It was something else.
Something protective.
That frightened him more than blood would have.
Then the queen's gaze had found his.
Slow.
Deliberate.
And he understood the message.
You may look.
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Ashes Embraced
FantasyA Dark Sapphic Romantasy A century ago, the Red Dragon Queen burned Frairdale to the ground. Now she rules from the cliffs above the lake-untouched, unchallenged, and unrepentant. When Cara steps into dragon territory, she expects death. Instead, sh...
