Xandria stared at the painting. Her eyes traced the well-detailed image of the two women from her dream—Amara and Selene. Their eyes held a power that was hidden deep within them.
The twin daughters of the Dragon King.
"Did you see them?" Maltherion asked, glancing at the painting.
"I did. One was your mother, and the other was Thalvorian's," Xandria replied, her gaze still fixed on the painting.
"I see," Maltherion said, his eyes clouded with something unreadable.
"So my dream was true?" Xandria asked, uncertain.
"I guess it's more of a lost memory than a dream," Maltherion nodded.
"What do you mean?"
"You saw my memory. A memory I had long forgotten. One I don't dare think of."
"I know you're older than you seem, but how many years ago did the memory occur?"
"About a few hundred years ago," Maltherion replied.
Xandria's eyes widened in shock as she stared at him. "How old are you?"
"I'm three hundred years old," Maltherion answered casually.
Xandria couldn't believe it. She stared at him again and again, but her mind couldn't wrap around the information she had just received.
"Is it because of the dragon blood?" she asked, uncertain.
"Yes. Dragons live for thousands of years."
"Then what about your mother? And your father?"
"My mother returned to her father after her sister left, leaving me in the care of my father—who was a mere human with a gift."
"So your mother is still alive?" she asked, her eyes searching his.
"Probably," Maltherion shrugged, as if he didn't really care.
"And your father?"
"I killed him. The moment I became a teenager, I set him ablaze. Watched him burn to ashes. I let the fire he so cherished consume him." His eyes held something deep, buried in a place no one could reach.
Xandria blinked in disbelief, her eyes scanning the room, trying to see if anyone might be eavesdropping.
"What about Thalvorian's mother?" she finally asked, her voice slightly choked.
"I don't know. I'm not sure if she survived. The North is not a place you go and return from easily," he answered truthfully, turning his back to her.
"Do you miss him?" Xandria whispered as she approached him, wrapping her arms around his back.
"I'm not sure what I feel. The years that have gone by have made me cold—ruthless. I don't feel emotions the way others do. But I know one thing for certain," he sighed quietly.
"What is it?"
"My feelings for you. They're stronger than I ever imagined."
Xandria snuggled into his back, her cheek pressed against his skin.
"My feelings for you are deeper than I imagined too. I'm glad my fate was tied to you," she whispered.
"Me too." He placed his hands gently over hers.
Suddenly, Xandria sneezed, breaking the silence they had been lost in.
"Let's get you back to the room. I'll have the servants clean this place so we can examine it properly," Maltherion said, leading her out and closing the door behind them.
But they weren't aware of the extra presence hiding behind the tall curtains, carefully concealed from sight.
Anaya emerged from the shadows, her eyes locked on the door, ensuring no one would return. She turned to the painting of the two sisters, her gaze darkened with something hidden.
She had been hiding in the palace all along. Ever since Maltherion gave the order to search for her and Ellara, she had remained in hiding—because her plans were not yet complete. And until her mission was fulfilled, she couldn't leave the palace.
Xandria and Maltherion entered their room, shutting the door behind them.
"I really need a bath," Xandria muttered as she stepped into the bathroom.
She heard a small grunt from Maltherion before she closed the door. She took off her nightgown and slid into the bathtub, submerging herself in the warm water.
She didn't hear the bathroom door open. The moment she felt someone approach the tub, her eyes flew open, ready to attack.
"What are you doing here?" she yelled, trying to cover her chest with her hands.
"I told you I was going to join you, didn't I?" Maltherion smirked as he undressed and stepped into the tub.
He sat behind her, letting her head rest on his bare chest.
The air was quiet. Peaceful. They basked in the warmth of the water and each other, neither saying a word.
"How did both your mothers meet the king and birth his children on the same day?" Xandria finally broke the silence in a soft voice, not wanting to disrupt the peace.
"You know I told you the Grand Gias is given only to kings deemed worthy of the crown," Maltherion began. "My father wasn't. He wasn't the crown prince, and due to some unnatural causes, his elder brother and father died. He was never crowned prince or given the blessing by the high priestess. But he ascended the throne.
"My father became king without the Grand Gias and couldn't find his destined soulmate. So, he sought the high priestess. She told him that fate couldn't bring his soulmate to him, so he had to search for her. She prophesied that his mate was a daughter of the Dragon King—but she wasn't specific."
"So what happened?"
"He embarked on a journey to the kingdom of Obserekai, where the dragon king rules, but it wasn't easy. The Dragon King ensured his daughters' safety, with ancient magic and witchcraft guarding the realm. By the time my father made it through the borders of Obserekai, he was badly wounded.
"My mother found him and took him into the palace, without her father's consent. She made her sister help treat him. My father felt something for my mother—but he couldn't deny the attraction he also felt for her sister. So, after sleeping with my mother, he snuck into her sister's room and slept with her too. Thalvorian and I were both conceived that night."
Xandria was speechless. "What a scumbag," she cursed quietly.
"He was more than that. That's why I killed him. He had no human empathy."
"He used them both, knowing they were daughters of the Dragon King. He treated Thalvorian's mother like a whore, like a mere concubine. Why?"
"Because my mother gave birth first. It was believed she was his chosen queen, but it was never confirmed. He made Thalvorian an outcast—unfit to be a prince," Maltherion said, holding her close, his arms wrapping protectively around her.
"I feel like something big and dangerous is lurking in the shadows," Xandria voiced her fear.
"Then we'll stop it together."
They remained in each other's embrace, wrapped in their own little world.