The Dragon Bride | ✔️

Chapter Thirty-Six

Kora's POV

For a moment, I've no idea why this man is smiling at me.

But then images of the royal conference flash by, of his kindness towards me and how I never thought of him twice since Synn – quite literally – swept me off my feet.

Prince Seraphinus of Ashlys stands with his sister and father, his gaze trained on me with a friendly smile. I smile back, ecstatic to see him.

"Well if it isn't Kora Moons. It's been forever!" he chuckles.

"Too long," I agree, "Is that Princess Seraphina?"

"The very same."

I glance at her, to find her staring at me already. No, it's more like glaring, hatred burning in her eyes. Confused, I flinch away.

"She doesn't seem too fond of me," I comment.

Seraph shrugs, "You did steal her dream husband from her clutches,"

"Synn? My god, does every woman want him that badly? What makes him so special?"

"Last I checked, he's a handsome prince. The prince of the most powerful empire in the world, no doubt. And come on – my sister is a princess."

I frown. Still, I mean, there must be something else to it, surely? Even I'll admit, Synn has the looks. He has the status, he has the money.

But where's the personality? I mean, from my experience, the man is grumpy and emotionally constipated. I don't know what the appeal is in that department.

"What's your father's name again?"

"King Lucifer the Sixth," Seraph replies.

"He's the famous King Lucifer VI?" I ask, motioning to the grand man behind him in demoniac royal finery.

Seraph smiles and nods. His father was famous for exploring new lands in Hell and managing to conquer Shravasti for thirty years before their rebellion. And, for some reason, that reminds me of the question I'd been meaning to ask him.

"What was the name of the woman who... Uh. Killed Prince Lucien?"

Seraph's eyes widen as I ask the question. He hesitates, and I see him flickering his gaze from the others back to me before responding. "Rosalyn. Why?"

"Her surname?"

He's silent. Utterly silent.

"She... Um, changed it." he finally whispers. There's pain; pure pain in his eyes. Why? What kind of connection did he have with her? There seems to be so many questions behind the story of Lucien and Rosalyn, and I feel so infinitely far from the answers.

Why did she kill Lucien? Did she ever really love him? Why didn't Lucien stop her from ripping off his scales? What exactly did Synn see? How is Seraphinus involved in all this?

"What do you mean, she changed it?"

Seraph sighs, shaking his head, "I wouldn't know wholly. But they seemed to love each other. Truly, they did. But I always knew she had other motives."

"What other motives?"

"She-"

"Kora Moons!"

I turn to see the Queen approaching, a poisonous look in her eye. I grit my teeth. The sight of her repulses me, and the feeling is clearly mutual. I can never look at her the same way after Catania's death.

"Yes, Your Majesty?" I say, curtsying with a scowl.

"I'd thank you not to wear such a harsh look about you. I'm just here to ask what that Dragerike dragon is doing with the kitchen knives?" she snaps.