(POV Elyzara)
I closed the heavy wooden doors of my chambers behind me, grateful for the sanctuary they provided. Outside, the palace hummed gently, servants moving quietly through marble corridors, nobles engaged in whispered conversations about politics and prophecy. Inside my room, however, it was blissfully quiet just me, a dragon currently asleep in the corner, and my increasingly unhelpful magical conscience.
I sank onto the edge of my bed, rubbing my temples with both hands. The day had barely begun, and already it felt long enough to fill an entire novel series one filled with unnecessary drama, unresolved romantic tensions, and cryptic magical artifacts.
The mark on my hand pulsed faintly, almost sympathetically, as if acknowledging my frustration. I glared at it irritably. "Quiet, you. You've caused enough trouble."