Gavyn Pace POV:
I pushed the door open, and her scent hit me first—lilies, and something clean, like fresh rain.
Azura. My wife.
She sat up in our bed, the silk nightgown I had sent her clinging to her slender frame. Her dark hair spilled across the white pillows like a splash of ink.
The war was won. The rebellious lords were crushed. My duty was done. Now, it was time for my reward.
"Azura," I said, my voice a low rumble. I let the door click shut behind me. "I'm home."
I moved toward the bed, unfastening the clasps of my leather tunic. I expected her to smile, to welcome me with the adoration she always showed.
Instead, she flinched when I reached for her, pulling away so my hand met empty air.
A flicker of annoyance sparked in my chest. My dragon soul, always close to the surface after a battle, stirred with impatience.
"What is this?" I asked, my voice sharper than I intended. "Your husband returns victorious, and you greet him like a stranger?"
Her eyes, wide and dark, finally met mine. They were filled with a strange, unreadable emotion.
"Gavyn," she whispered, her voice trembling. "In your heart... who is more important? Me, or Isabela?"
The question was absurd. I frowned. "Don't be foolish. You are the Lady of the Pace estate. The wife of a Dragon Lord. Isabela is... she needs looking after."
It was the truth. Isabela was delicate, a sweet flower, worthy of care. And Azura was my wife. Surely she could have the patience for that.
I leaned in to kiss her, to put an end to this ridiculous conversation. She turned her head, and my lips brushed against her hair.
My patience snapped.
I gripped her shoulder, my fingers digging into the soft fabric of her gown. "Azura. Do not test me. Fulfill your duty."
Just as I was about to force the issue, a frantic pounding came from the door, followed by a high-pitched wail.
"My Lord! It's terrible! Lady Isabela... she's dying!"
My blood ran cold.
I released Azura instantly, my body moving before my mind could process the words. I was halfway to the door when Azura's voice, surprisingly steady, called out.
"Gavyn, wait."
I turned, my hand on the doorknob, my heart pounding with a sudden, sharp fear for Isabela. "What is it now?"
She stood before me, barefoot on the cold marble, her face a mask of concern. "I know you're worried. But you've just returned. There are family matters, documents that need your seal before you report to the capital."
She looked up at me, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "Leave your Dragon Lord's Seal with me. I can handle the trivial matters. You go. Go and be with Isabela."
I stared at her. My wife. So understanding. So generous. The guilt I felt for my earlier impatience was a sharp sting.
Without a second thought, I pulled the heavy, obsidian-and-dragon-crystal seal from the pouch at my belt and pressed it into her small, cool hand.
"Thank you," I said, my voice rough with emotion. I gave her a quick, clumsy pat on the head. "You are a good wife."
Then I was gone, running down the hall toward the sound of weeping, my mind filled with only one thought: Isabela.
Azura Holt POV:
The moment the door slammed shut, my mask of the loving wife dissolved.
I looked down at my hand.
The Dragon Lord's Seal was heavy, cold, and real. It was the key to my freedom, a symbol of the power he so carelessly wielded and had just as carelessly given away.
I didn't waste a second.
I bolted the door.
From a hidden compartment in the wardrobe, I retrieved the document I had prepared weeks ago. An annulment agreement, written in the indelible ink of dragon's blood, its terms legally binding under the laws of the kingdom.
It cited our marriage was unconsummated and that both parties wished to dissolve the union.
I pressed the seal into the red wax, imprinting the Pace family's flame dragon crest onto the parchment.
Then, I took the small knife from under my pillow and pricked my thumb. A single drop of blood welled up.
I signed my name, Azura Holt, with my own blood.
I folded the document carefully, the paper still warm. I slipped the seal back into his pouch. The first chain was broken.
