The chains dug into Aiden's wrists as he was forced to his knees before the council. The great marble hall of the Drakorian High Court stretched around him—looming pillars of black stone rising toward a vaulted ceiling carved with the symbols of the ancient dragons. Torches flickered along the walls, casting trembling shadows across the faces of the nobles seated in their gilded thrones.
Aiden's head hung low, dark hair falling over his bruised face. Blood trickled from his split lip, the taste of iron sharp on his tongue. His torn shirt clung to his back where the lash marks hadn't fully dried. Every muscle in his body screamed, but none of it compared to the cold knot of rage burning in his chest.
"Bring him forward!"
The voice was sharp, female, laced with venom. Aiden's head snapped up as two dragon knights seized him by the arms and dragged him toward the center of the hall. His eyes locked onto the speaker.
Valeria Dawnspire.
She stood at the top of the council dais, draped in flowing silver robes etched with golden runes. Her dark blonde hair fell in perfect waves over her shoulders, and her piercing violet eyes glowed faintly with magical power. Her lips curved into a satisfied smile as Aiden was thrown at her feet.
"Kneel."
Aiden spat blood onto the marble floor. "Do it yourself."
A gauntleted fist smashed into his jaw, sending him sprawling. He coughed, tasting more blood as the knights wrenched him back to his knees.
Valeria stepped down from the dais, her high heels clicking softly against the marble. She crouched beside him, her gloved hand brushing his bruised cheek. Aiden flinched at her touch.
"Still so defiant," Valeria whispered, her smile sharpening. "Even after all you've lost."
"You set me up," Aiden growled. "Framing me for treason—how creative."
Valeria's smile widened. "The weak die. The strong survive." She leaned closer, her breath warm against his ear. "Unfortunately, you fall into the first category."
Aiden's hand curled into a fist. His dragon bloodline was weak, his magical essence barely registering. He'd been a stain on his father's house since the day he was born. A noble in name only. And now they would use that weakness to end him.
The head councilor, Lord Blackthorn, rose from his throne. His aged face was carved from stone, his black eyes cold as obsidian. He raised a skeletal hand.
"Aiden Drakemore," Blackthorn's voice echoed through the hall. "You have been found guilty of treason against the crown. Your attempt to sabotage the royal treasury and assassinate Lord Dawnspire is an affront to the council and the crown itself."
"That's a lie!" Aiden shouted, struggling against the knights' grip. "I was set up!"
"Enough!" Blackthorn's voice cut through the hall. "The evidence is undeniable."
Valeria's smile sharpened. "And your father—weak as he is—has already admitted guilt on your behalf."
Aiden's head snapped toward the side of the hall. His father knelt there, shackled and pale, his hands trembling as he stared at the floor.
"Father…" Aiden's voice cracked. "You… you didn't…"
His father didn't look at him.
"He made the smart choice," Valeria whispered. "A life of exile for him… death for you."
Aiden's heart pounded violently against his ribs. His breathing quickened, the cold burn of betrayal creeping up his spine. He forced himself to meet his father's downcast eyes.
"You sold me out," Aiden said softly.
Tears welled in his father's eyes, but he said nothing.
"Aiden Drakemore," Blackthorn intoned. "Your sentence is death by dragonfire."
The knights stepped back, releasing Aiden's arms. The circle of the hall darkened as shadows gathered near the far wall. A deep rumble filled the air. The polished floor beneath Aiden's knees trembled.
Chains rattled. A pair of glowing golden eyes opened in the darkness.
A dragon.
Massive iron chains bound the creature's enormous black body to the wall. It rose from the shadows, obsidian scales glinting beneath the torchlight. Steam curled from its flaring nostrils, and molten gold dripped from its fangs as it opened its mouth.
Aiden's breath hitched. His chest tightened. He could feel the heat building as the dragon's throat began to glow with inner fire.
"Any last words?" Valeria's eyes glittered.
Aiden's fists clenched. His whole body trembled—not with fear, but rage.
"You should have killed me yourself."
Valeria's smile faltered for a moment.
The dragon's mouth opened wide.
Fire erupted from its throat in a torrent of blazing gold and red.
The heat hit Aiden in a wave—burning, blinding. His body seized as the fire consumed him. He screamed, his skin blistering, his vision darkening as the fire reached deep into his bones.
But then…
A voice. Cold and ancient, curling through the edges of his mind.
"Do you wish to live?"
Aiden's eyes widened. His body was burning. His blood was boiling.
"Do you wish for power?"
His fingers twitched, the last remnants of his strength fading.
"Do you seek revenge?"
Aiden's breath hitched. His lips curled into a smile even as his body dissolved in the flames.
"Yes."
The fire turned black.
The council hall erupted in screams.
Aiden's heart stopped.
Darkness swallowed him whole.
[SYSTEM BONDING COMPLETE.]
[Dragon Code Activated.]
[Welcome, Heir of the Dragon.]