Azura's POV
I told them about the pendant, the invisible curse of the secondary bond, and the secret, desperate deal my biological mother had struck with the Dragon King while I was still wrapped in swaddling clothes.
I explained the razor-sharp dragon scale locked away inside the metal casing, and the real reason I had abandoned the heirloom in a dusty drawer for years without wearing it.
When my voice finally drifted off, no one made a sound.
They just sat there, staring at the polished wood as they tried to process the madness.
"So..." Genevieve began, her voice slow, deliberate, and heavy with a deep sadness.
"You were officially betrothed to him from the moment you were little?"
She turned her head, her sharp gaze landing heavily on the Dragon King.
He had positioned himself directly beside Liona, his massive frame practically eclipsing her small chair, though he was careful not to crowd her space.
On my other side, Rhydor sat dangerously close to my shoulder.
