Chapter 5

I went completely still.

The world seemed to tilt on its axis.

Everything I had known — everything I had believed about the past three years — collapsed in a single moment.

And then I laughed.

A quiet, involuntary sound.

Something in Drakar's expression shifted as he watched me. His head swam.

"That's not what I—" he started.

But before he could finish, Lyara was already on me.

She seized a fistful of my hair. Her open hand connected with my face.

"You shameless thing!"

Before she could land a second blow, Drakar's hand shot out and caught her wrist.

"Lyara!"

"So you're protecting her now?!"

His hand slowly lowered.

I watched Drakar struggle. His gaze was flat and hollow.

Something inside me went quiet.

Lyara dragged me by the hair toward the door, pulling hard enough to make me stumble.

She hauled me out into the open yard and screamed at the top of her lungs.

"Everyone, come look! Drakar doesn't want her anymore, and she's still out here throwing herself at my male! Shameless! Disgusting!"

Torchlight appeared as other settlement members came out to see.

I let her drag me. I had nothing left.

There was a ringing in my ears.

My mind kept playing back the words Drakar had just said.

The next moment, Lyara grabbed the front of my robe.

"You like everyone looking at you so much? Then let them look!"

Shame and helplessness crashed over me.

I began fighting her in earnest.

But the fabric tore anyway.

Around us, low murmuring ran through the crowd.

"Isn't that Drakar? I thought he was obsessed with Amber. Now he's throwing her aside for some bony little thing?"

"What a waste. Think he'd let someone else take her home?"

"Try it if you want your skull caved in. You know how dragon-kin are. No logic."

The cold air hit my skin. I shivered.

Drakar stood at a distance.

He was ashen. His lips moved. Whatever thought he'd formed, he swallowed it.

Lyara finished her performance. She threw the torn fabric in my face, turned on her heel, and slammed the door.

Several sets of hungry eyes lingered on me. They slid away one by one when they glanced at Drakar.

The crowd dispersed.

Drakar walked toward me.

His fingers trembled slightly. He curled them into a fist and stepped past me.

"I'll go calm her down. When she settles, I'll come back for you."

The door closed.

Silence.

I slowly pulled the remnants of my clothing around my body.

My crying had already gone hoarse.

All that remained were ragged, irregular breaths.

I didn't know how much time passed.

Then someone stepped in front of me, blocking the moonlight.

I looked up. My vision was blurred.

A young dragon-kin stood over me. His face was strikingly, almost dangerously beautiful — and at that moment, etched with shock.

He breathed out a single word.

"...Sister-in-law?"