[HAZEL'S POV]

I woke up to the splash of water on my face as an evil looking maid stepped into the dungeon. "You fool. You think you were brought in here to sleep around like a lazy cat? Get your *ss up so you can get ready for the ceremony." I stared at her in shock, anger flashing through me as I rose to my feet. I wiped some of the water from my face before fully opening my eyes to see a pale skinned woman who looked to be in her late thirties. "Follow me," she said. I struggled to move my feet, which ached badly from the stress of the past few days. I followed behind her while the footsteps of two guards echoed behind me. My heart pounded vigorously in my chest. If today was the ceremony, then today was my death date. My thoughts drifted to Mahir and Adriel. Today was the end of the road for the three of us. Soon, we reached the end of the corridor and stopped in front of a small wooden door. Two other maids were already standing there, waiting for us, and I could not help but wonder what they were doing there. I could not understand why so many people were assigned to prepare me for the ceremony. It was not like I was getting married, and besides, I would be dead soon. Both maids were slim but beautiful. One had dark hair just like mine, and the other had beautiful blonde hair with amber colored eyes. The blonde one was holding a basket whose contents I did not know, while the other held a towel. The head maid, who had poured water on me earlier, ordered the guards to leave before pushing the small wooden door open. We stepped into a tiny bathroom. As soon as I stepped inside, an offensive smell hit my nostrils. My stomach turned, making me want to puke, but I forced myself to stay calm. I had never smelled anything this awful in my life. The young maid with the basket dropped it and brought out some bathing instruments. "Take your clothes off," the head maid ordered, her face stern. I froze. I had never been naked in front of anyone since I came of age, not even my mother. "No, I can't. I can take my bath by myself," I said, frustration clear in my voice. "It is an order," she spat angrily. "You either obey or get whipped." I wanted to protest, but I did not want to cause trouble. Besides, today was my last day on earth. I started taking off my clothes. Soon, only my pants were left. I looked at the head maid hesitantly, and she motioned for me to remove them. I pulled them down my thighs and off my legs. One of the maids collected my clothes while the head maid and the other maid helped me bathe. When they were done, they wrapped a towel around me and led me through a long hallway. I do not know how long we walked, but eventually we stopped in front of another small wooden door. The head maid brought out an old key from her pocket, unlocked it, and pushed the door open. A candle lit room came into view. She entered first, and the other maids led me in. The walls were covered with ancient markings inscribed in red. Words were written in a language I could not understand or interpret. I was led to the center of the room and asked to sit on a chair carved from cedar and decorated with red. The head maid moved to the corner of the room. My eyes followed her as she opened a massive wardrobe filled with different black ceremonial gowns. After searching for a while, she pulled out an off shoulder black gown and returned to me. "I hope you like this," she said, looking at me intently. "Does it matter?" I replied coldly. "You have such a sharp tongue," she said, staring into my eyes. I stepped into the gown carefully, and they pulled it over me and zipped up the back. Soon, one of the maids stepped forward with a glass containing a dark liquid. "You should drink this. It will help reduce the pain." Without saying anything, I took the drink and gulped it down. It tasted awful, but I was not in the mood to argue. This was my last day on earth, and I wanted to stay calm. DRAVON'S POV I stood at the window, looking over the vast lands of Eldorado beneath the night sky. Today was the ceremony, and it would begin soon. My thoughts drifted back to the girl who had never left my mind since the moment I laid eyes on her. I knew I was drawn to her in every possible way, but it was forbidden. This was for both realms, and I had to accept it. I needed to get over whatever feelings had made their way into my heart. A knock on the door snapped me out of my thoughts. "Come in," I said. "Your Highness, the king is ready and requests that you get ready soon to avoid being late for the occasion," the guard said hesitantly. "Tell him I will be done soon," I replied. After he left, I picked up the black cloak on my bed, put it on quickly, and rushed out of the room. Downstairs, I found my father standing beside the carriage, looking as young as ever. Dragons had long lifespans, and his appearance proved it. "Son, what kept you so long?" he asked, eyeing me curiously. "I woke up a little late," I lied, knowing fully well that I had not slept properly for days because her thoughts haunted me. Soon, the guards opened the door of my carriage, and I stepped inside. My father entered his own carriage. My younger brother, Aiden, was already seated in his, but he did not bother to greet me or ask how I was doing. I did not let his behavior bother me. We had never been on good terms. As the carriage jerked into motion, every step closer to the sacrificial tower reminded me that the safety of both realms rested on my shoulders. I had to do what was needed and lock away whatever crazy feelings were forming in my head. HAZEL'S POV After what felt like forever, we stepped out of the room and were led through the prison hallway. My thoughts drifted back to Mahir and Adriel. I had not seen them since we were brought here. I could not understand why they separated us, but I knew it was to prevent any form of contact between us. We walked past several cells filled with different prisoners. Most were dragon shifters, as I could sense the same aura I had felt from the dragons that transformed into fully grown men. Some prisoners had a different aura that I could not place. Growing up, I never imagined there were creatures other than humans, but as my mother always said, new discoveries always come with surprises. My thoughts drifted to the dragon whose looks stirred something in me. He had not shifted into his human form, yet he still affected me, making me wonder how he would look as a man. "Hey, beautiful," a voice called from one of the cells. I turned to see a crazy looking man wearing an awkward smile. We kept walking past cells filled with inmates who stared at us with frightening eyes. At one point, a prisoner with heavy chains lunged toward us angrily, making my heart jump into my throat. Most of the inmates were men, with only a few women among them. Soon, we reached the entrance, and I sighed in relief. The cold night breeze brushed against my skin as I closed my eyes, savoring the fresh air. How I missed my freedom. When I opened my eyes, I saw two other girls dressed in black like me. They had not seen me yet. "Adriel. Mahir," I called. They turned instantly. "Hazel," they echoed together as we ran into each other's arms. "I missed you guys," I said as tears filled my eyes. "We missed you more," Adriel said, pulling me into a tighter hug. "Girls, I think we should go now. We don't want to be late," one of the guards said, breaking our emotional moment. We were led into three different carriages and taken to the sacrificial tower. Upon arrival, we climbed countless stairs until we reached the top. Villagers had already gathered. We were positioned beside three ancient stone slabs as a woman who appeared to be the priestess stepped forward. "People of Eldorado, today is an important day in the dragon realm. A day of sacrifice meant to tame the inferno and keep both the dragon and human realms safe," she announced. The crowd cheered in excitement, as if killing someone was a joke. "Lie on the slabs before you," the priestess ordered. We obeyed. Guards chained my hands and legs to the slab using the built in chains. They did the same to Mahir and Adriel. The priestess circled us seven times, chanting words I did not understand. My eyes drifted to three men seated high above. The one in the center was clearly the king. My gaze locked with the man seated to the right, dressed in a long black cloak. The night breeze lifted his raven black hair. I had never seen a man this beautiful. He was more handsome than the men I read about in fairy tales, the ones I used to dream of marrying. He kept looking at me, and there was something in his gaze I could not explain. "Beat the drums," the priestess commanded. As the drums sounded, the man transformed into a massive dragon and flew toward us. He hovered over Mahir and breathed fire. Her scream filled the air before fading. In seconds, only her ashes remained. My heart skipped a beat as fear overwhelmed me. I saw Adriel shut her eyes tightly, her lips moving as she whispered her final prayer. The dragon flew to her next and engulfed her in fire. She did not scream. In a blink, she was gone, leaving only ashes behind. Tears streamed down my face as my body trembled violently. The dragon turned toward me and flew closer. I struggled against the chains, but it was useless. "Close your eyes," a guard said gently. "It will be quick." I closed my eyes tightly, waiting for the fire. Nothing happened. Murmurs spread through the crowd. I slowly opened my eyes and found myself staring directly into the eyes of the massive dragon with thick black scales. "Why am I still alive?" I whispered. He stared at me briefly, his eyes holding something I could not understand, then turned and flew away. His shadow disappeared into the darkness.

[Hazel POV]

His shadow disappeared into the darkness as I stared at the point he had just left. I couldn't help but wonder, had he just spared me? This can't be real. Murmurs echoed through the crowd as the impact of what had just happened took over. I raised my hands to pinch myself. I pinched myself to check if I was dreaming, or maybe I was a ghost standing in the midst of chaos. The priestess stood as her face became red with anger. "This has never happened in the history of Eldorado," I heard her whisper. "This is totally unacceptable," an elder whispered as the murmurs from the crowd worsened. "Enough," the king said, and the noise died down almost immediately. "I want everyone to go to their various houses to rest. I do not know what went wrong, but I promise it will be taken care of," he said as the people began to leave one by one. As they began to leave, I could hear gossip, gossip of what had just happened. But the main question that haunted me was, why did the dragon prince spare my life? Soon, I could feel the angry gaze of the king and the other prince. They gave me an angry stare, and before my eyes, they transformed. Standing where they had just stood were two huge black dragons, similar to the one that had just killed Mahir and Adriel. Wait, are they going to kill me? I thought, but they flew away in the same direction as the dragon that had killed Mahir and Adriel. "Hey, you little witch, what did you do?" the priestess said as she came to stand in front of me. Then she lifted my chin to face her. "I don't care to know what you did to bewitch the prince, but guess what..." she said, bringing her face close to mine. "I'll make you pay for your sins," she spat, pushing my head back as it hit the slab. "Guards, lock her up, and keep an eye on her," the priestess said as the guards came to my side, unlocking the chains on my legs and hands. They dragged me away, back to the cell. I turned back, but before my eyes, where the priestess was standing, was a huge red dragon, and to my surprise, one second it was there and the next it was not. Wait, the priestess could actually disappear? From the tone she used earlier, I knew she would stop at nothing to see me dead. The guards led me through the dungeon, back to my cell, and locked the iron gate against my face like a cage. He had saved me, but I knew I was going to die sooner or later. But why had he saved me? And the way he looked at me, the way his gaze stared into my soul like he knew me more than I knew myself, and the way my body reacted to just his gaze alone made my heart race in ways I couldn't understand. He should have killed me. If he had, I would have been in the spirit world by now, finally at peace and free from the evil of this world. Staying here alive would only do more harm than good, as the knowledge of my pending death kept coming back to my mind. The brutal scenes of Mahir and Adriel's deaths, Mahir's screams of agony, Adriel's sobs and prayers before her death, how their bodies vanished to be replaced by ashes before my very eyes. I closed my eyes, trying to drive away the scenes, but they kept haunting me. [Dravon's POV] I left the sacrificial tower totally not myself. I couldn't go home. I tried. I tried to burn her, but then even my fire responded to her scent, to her. She had a strong effect over me that I couldn't place. These feelings were forbidden, but I couldn't push them behind me. I had failed my people for a human girl. The realization hit me hard. Why was she my weakness? What had she done to me? I knew I was a powerful dragon, especially because I had royal blood, coupled with the fact that I was the first prince. But her effect over me was overwhelming. There was more to this girl than just any human. I could feel it, but I couldn't place it. Soon, I landed near a bar and shifted to my human form. I could hear the loud buzz of music and echoes of laughter in the air. I came here to forget my sorrows, so I stepped inside. The smell of alcohol and cigarettes filled the air. Different half-naked ladies swayed their hips on the dance floor seductively. If it were me before, I would have picked one for myself, but I hadn't come here for this. I walked up to the bartender. "I want three bottles of drink." He asked, "What kind do you want, sir?" He didn't show any special respect as he didn't recognize me as a prince, since the bar was located in one of the less influential clans of the dragon realm. The people who lived here didn't get to see the royal family often. Thankfully, I was dressed in a simple cloak. It was my best place to cool off because, unlike my brother Aiden, I didn't like royal attention, so I avoided places that brought in that kind of attention. "Alcoholic drink, the strong kind," I said. He turned to get the drink for me. I just stood there, lost in thought. Soon, he came back with the bottles and a glass cup. "Here they are," he said, placing the bottles on the counter before me. I took out some money from my pocket and handed it over to him. After that, he placed the drinks in a wine bucket and took it to a table for me. He placed it on the table and turned to leave. I sat down, poured myself a drink, and began to gulp down the contents of the bottle. Soon, the ladies began to troop near me on seeing I was alone. "Hey, handsome, do you want company?" I turned to see a beautiful blue haired young lady with fascinating curves smiling at me as she moved her hands over her skin seductively. Just my kind of woman. The sight of her was enough to turn me on, and if it were me before, I would have been fing her by now. But ever since I set my eyes on that girl, I wasn't in the mood for anything, not even s**. She placed her hands on my shoulders as she traced her fingers down my neck. "I'm not in the mood for this," I said, pushing her hands off my shoulders. "But don't you feel a handsome guy like you needs a woman to make you happy?" she said, feigning a softer tone as she tried to put her hands back on my shoulder. "Get out of here," I said, pushing her hands off again, now irritated by her seduction. She tried to say more, but I gave her a dangerous glare. "Seems like Mister Handsome isn't kind, huh," she said, walking back into the crowd. "looks like the man of women isn't interested in having a good time tonight," someone spoke behind me. I didn't need to turn to know it was my best friend, Xavier. We were more than brothers, and the relationship we shared was much more than what I shared with my brother Aiden. He sat opposite me as I emptied the contents of the second bottle into the glass. Xavier studied me for some time. "Don't tell me she's the reason you're like this." The words hit hard like a stab in the chest. "Who told you that?" I said, glaring at him. "Don't give me that look. I saw it all the way you stared at her at the sacrificial tower. Besides, you killed the other girls, and you clearly couldn't kill her, even when you had the chance."

I stared at him, lost in thought. Without looking at him, I took the third bottle and poured its contents into my glass. "Dravon, you have to stop," Xavier said as he placed his hands on mine. "You know you can tell me anything, right?" I looked at him for a minute, not knowing what to say, but then I spoke. "I'm addicted to her, and she somehow manages to control my entity. Since the day I met her, I haven't been able to get my mind off her." Xavier just stared at me. He didn't seem surprised, so I continued. "At the sacrificial tower, I didn't spare her life just because I wanted to. My fire responded to her, and instead of listening to me, it listened to her fears." "Shhh. You know you could get into trouble for this, right? You could lose your title, be banished, or even be executed if anyone finds out about your feelings," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "These kinds of feelings are forbidden in-" "I know, right," I said, trying to stand up, but I fell back into my seat. I woke up the next morning to find myself in my room. I struggled to sit up, but my head still ached from the excessive drinking I had done the previous day. Flashes of memories from yesterday came rushing back. Xavier had rented a carriage to take me home since we couldn't fly in my condition. My stomach ached, and I staggered to ease myself. When I got back, a knock came on my door. "Come in," I said. A maid stepped in. "What do you want?" I asked. "Your Highness, the king wants to see you," she stammered. She was acting weird today, and her cheeks were red. Was she sick or something? "Tell him I'll be with him shortly," I said, turning away from her. "O-okay," she said as she hurried away like a clumsy child. I stood near the mirror, packing my hair into a ponytail. It was then I noticed I wasn't putting on a shirt. Was that why the maid was acting up? I thought, irritated by her shameless reaction. The walk to the throne chamber felt longer than usual. Each step echoed loudly in the silent halls. My father stood near the window, his hands behind his back. "Why did you spare her?" the king asked without turning. I stiffened. "I asked you a question," he continued calmly. "Why is the last sacrifice still breathing?" I swallowed. "I was not in the mood." The king turned slowly, his gaze sharp. "That is your answer?" "Yes." Silence stretched between us. My father studied me for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then he turned away. "A new date has been set," he said. "You will not fail again." My chest tightened. "Father-" "That will be all," the king said firmly. I bowed my head and left. On my way back to my room, a familiar voice stopped me. It was Aiden. "So," Aiden said, leaning against the wall with a smirk, "the mighty prince has a soft heart now." "Not today," I said, clenching my fists. Aiden stepped closer. "Don't tell me you're doing all this because of that human sacrifice." My eyes darkened. "Watch your mouth." Aiden smiled knowingly. "Relax, brother. I'm just reminding you of the rules." I brushed past him, anger boiling in my veins. Back in my room, I paced restlessly. Images of Hazel filled my mind. Her fear. Her strength. Her survival. Another sacrifice. Another fire. "I cannot do this." I had a plan, and I knew just one person who would be willing to help. The pressure became too much. With a roar of frustration, I stepped onto my balcony and let go. My bones cracked and shifted as my body transformed, scales bursting forth, wings tearing free. Then I flew toward the mountains, my place of solace. [Hazel POV] "No...!" A sharp scream escaped my lungs as I sat up in bed, sweating profusely. I could hear footsteps rushing closer. The guards. They must have wondered why I shouted. It was a nightmare, and this was the second time I had it after returning from the sacrificial tower. Tears made their way down my cheeks. The trauma had started. "You should have killed me," I whispered to no one in particular, ignoring the guards who stood there looking at me in surprise