The Unseen Flame

The air still hung thick with the scent of smoke and burning flesh, but it no longer felt as oppressive as it had moments ago. The battle was over, the fortress reduced to little more than a charred carcass. The surviving hunters had scattered, their courage shattered under the weight of their defeat.

Anne stood at the center of the destruction, flames flickering around her fingers as she cooled the heat of the moment. Lucian stood nearby, watching her, a look of both admiration and wariness in his eyes.

But the dragon, Valtheris, remained silent. It had been circling the remnants of the fortress, its golden eyes scanning the wreckage as though searching for something—or someone.

Anne turned to face the creature, its massive form looming over her, wings twitching with the thrill of the battle. She felt an odd sense of camaraderie with it, as if the fire they had both unleashed had somehow bound them together. But beneath that, there was something else—a hunger. A cold, patient hunger that seemed to linger in the dragon's every movement.

Valtheris landed in front of her with a heavy thud, its gaze never leaving her. "You are stronger than I gave you credit for, Dragire."

Anne raised an eyebrow, her stance defensive. "Not bad yourself."

The dragon's lips curled into a faint, knowing smile. "I had hoped we would be allies."

Anne blinked, slightly taken aback. "Hoped?"

The creature's wings folded in, its massive form dwarfing her. "You have made yourself useful. But I seek more than just alliances, Dragire."

Anne's heart skipped a beat. "What are you talking about?"

For a long moment, the dragon was still. Then, slowly, it spoke again.

"I seek vengeance."

The words hit Anne like a thunderclap, reverberating in her chest. She opened her mouth to speak, but the dragon raised a claw, silencing her.

"You come from a bloodline of betrayers. Your mother, especially. She sold my kin for power." The dragon's voice was cold, its words cutting deep. "I was a prince among dragons. She and her kind… they chained me. They tore my wings, stripped me of my power, and kept me prisoner for centuries. And I swore, when I escaped, that I would see her fall."

Anne's breath caught in her throat. She had known her family's history was tangled, but this? This was something darker.

"You're telling me my mother…" she trailed off, the weight of the dragon's words sinking in. "She betrayed you?"

Valtheris's eyes glowed with a fire that was almost palpable. "Yes. And your blood, Dragire, is tied to the same chains." His gaze hardened, as though he was tasting the bitterness of his past in the air between them. "But do not mistake me. You are not my enemy. Not yet."

Anne's stomach twisted. Her mother had always been a figure of strength—but now it seemed that strength had been built on a foundation of deceit and sacrifice. And she? She was tied to that same legacy, the dragon's words hanging over her like a looming shadow.

"I don't even know what to say to that," Anne muttered. "This is way too much, even for me."

Valtheris tilted his head, studying her. "You need not say anything. Not yet. But know this, Dragire—you may have freed me, but it is not the end of this story. I will seek my revenge."

Anne felt a sudden coldness in the air, a weight pressing down on her chest. Was this the price of her freedom? Was the dragon's assistance merely a means to an end?

But before she could ask more, Lucian spoke up, his voice sharp with warning. "Anne, something's off about this."

Anne turned to him, and Lucian's eyes flickered toward the dragon. He lowered his voice, though his words held an edge. "You heard what it said, right? It's not just after the hunters. It's after your family."

The realization hit her like a thunderbolt. Her family. Her mother.

Valtheris's dark gaze never left her, his words ringing in her mind: Your bloodline. Your mother. They betrayed me.

She swallowed hard. "You're right." She looked back at the dragon. "You think my mother has something to do with this? With everything you've suffered?"

Valtheris stared at her for a long moment before replying, his voice low and measured. "I know your mother's secrets. And I know you do not yet understand your place in this world. But soon enough, you will. And when the time comes, you will choose. Your family… or your true legacy."

Anne's chest tightened. The weight of the dragon's words felt like an anchor sinking deep into her soul. Her true legacy? What did that even mean?

"I don't know if I can trust you," Anne said, her voice barely above a whisper. "How can I when you're using me to get your revenge?"

The dragon's eyes softened, just a fraction. "Trust is a luxury, Dragire. I do not ask it of you. But know this: I will not forget your role in my freedom. And when the time comes for vengeance, I will not hesitate."

Anne didn't know what to say. She felt torn between the fire that ran in her veins, the power that surged through her whenever she stood in front of him, and the nagging feeling that something was terribly, terribly wrong.

For now, she had no answers. But one thing was certain:

Her family's secrets were far darker than she could have imagined. And whatever Valtheris's plan was, it would change everything.