THE CROWN HIDDEN IN DRAGONFIRE

Elric has always been a street thief stealing to survive in the empire's cruelest slums. He steals what he believes is a worthless jewel from a noble's tomb. The moment his fingers touch it, the ground cracks open. An ancient dragon awakens, its eyes burning gold as it stares directly at him. It speaks one word with a voice that shatters stone: heir. The dragon vanishes. Elric is left confused and terrified, a worthless thief suddenly hunted by every guard in the city. He runs. He hides. He steals faster than ever before to stay alive. Then Kira finds him. She is the empire's deadliest assassin, trained since childhood to be a weapon. She has killed hundreds. She never misses. The empress herself sent Kira to end Elric's life before whatever he awakened can destroy her rule. One arrow. That's all it takes. But when she has him cornered and her bowstring drawn, the dragon returns. It rises between them, ancient and impossible, and claims them both. Its magic crashes through their bodies like lightning. They can feel each other's heartbeat. They can hear each other's thoughts. They are bound now. Tied together by a power neither understands. Kira was trained to be emotionless. Elric was trained to trust no one. But they have no choice now. The empire is hunting them both. The tyrant has awakened something far worse than they know. An army of dragons sleeps beneath the capital, and only the magic flowing through Elric and Kira can stop the empress from raising them. Only together can they survive. Falling in love was never part of the plan. But sometimes fate decides for you.