My wounds had stopped bleeding after the last shadowmeld, but the pain and horror still clung to every inch of my body and mind. The fact that I was still moving—still functioning—after being stabbed so many times was proof of the ridiculous resilience that came with higher levels. But even that had its limits, and I could feel mine creeping closer.

Then the whole building shuddered with a violent impact, the kind that sinks into your bones. A deep, thunderous boom followed, shaking loose dust and debris from above. It felt like the place had just been struck by a bunker-buster bomb.

Before I could react, massive claws punched through the stone wall, tearing away an entire section as if the fortress were made of wet paper.

Through the swirling dust and crumbling stone, a colossal dragon’s head pushed into view, framed by the jagged edges of the shattered wall.

“Mom!” Sid’s voice thundered in dragon-tongue, shaking the remaining walls and scattering fresh waves of debris.

His eyes narrowed, fierce and wild. “Mom, are you hurt?”

I could barely breathe.

I could feel his worry—sharp and raw—threaded with anger that simmered just beneath the surface. He must have sensed my pain, felt the panic thrumming through me.

As his enormous head lowered, I rushed forward without hesitation, wrapping my arms as far around him as I could. The cool, rough scales beneath my hands grounded me, and for the first time since the chaos began, I felt something close to peace.

The world outside this moment didn’t matter. Let the ants in their hives—those scurrying figures below—shout, run, or scramble. Let them make sense of the destruction however they wished.

I had Sid. That was enough.

His deep rumble vibrated through my chest, calming the storm inside me. Our heartbeats aligned, the connection between us steady and grounding. As his massive paw curled gently around me, shielding me from the crumbling stone and lingering dust, I let the tears fall—silent and heavy.

I pressed my forehead to his scales, letting the rough warmth of him soak into my skin. There was something primal in that embrace, something that dissolved the fear still clinging to me.

Gradually, my senses sharpened, and I peeled my mind away from the refuge his presence offered to assess the room.

Therella stood to the side, wide-eyed and pale, her hands gripping the edge of the broken wall as if it might somehow stabilize her. By the look on her face, Sid’s dramatic arrival hadn’t exactly been a gentle descent.

The paladins, were only now stirring to action. I could see the confusion on their faces as they hesitated, weapons half-drawn. The room had been soundproofed so thoroughly by that cursed domain spell that not a whisper of the battle had escaped.

I could have screamed until my throat bled—no one would have heard.

Only Sid had felt me.

The pile of cloth and armor that had once been Dame Elanea lay still in the settling dust. I stared at it for a long moment, waiting for something—maybe a flicker of movement, maybe some final curse or lingering malice. But there was nothing. Just silence and ash.

I felt… nothing. No satisfaction. No guilt. Only a quiet sense of inevitability.

Whatever had happened to her was beyond my understanding, and maybe that was for the best. There were questions I wasn’t ready to face, things that brushed too close to the edge of reason and left dark shadows behind my eyes.

I exhaled slowly, turning away from the remains, I leaned into Sid’s presence. His warmth, his solidity—those were the things grounding me now.

The yard was chaos. Orc soldiers dashed about like headless chickens but kept a wide berth from Sid’s looming form. Even some elves had gathered, seemingly putting aside their usual hostility toward the orcs and humans.

Off to the side, I spotted Alice wrangling with "my boys", trying to keep them from getting too close. Tina had shown up too, lingering near them as Ju quietly approached me. The tension was still thick, but there was a shift—a slow descent from panic into wary curiosity. My mind, sluggish from pain and exhaustion, finally started to piece itself back together.

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Ju’s hand settled lightly against my back. She could heal me outright, but her mana always left me foggy and disoriented.

“Life steal me,” she whispered, pressing a blanket into my hands as Sid gently shifted his massive claws, giving her space.

I ran my fingers over Sid’s brow in a wordless thank you, feeling the warmth of his scales beneath my palm before turning toward Ju.

“Thanks,” I murmured, exhaling as I draped the blanket around my shoulders.

With a clearer head, I took in the scene around me. I was standing atop the rubble of the collapsed wall, bits of stone and splintered wood shifting beneath my feet.

Near the prince, three paladins hovered in a more relaxed defensive posture, while a fourth knelt by his side, fingers pressed to the unconscious royal’s neck, checking his pulse. The prince, blissfully unaware of the chaos around him, slept on—still lost in his succubus-induced slumber.

A few feet away, another paladin held the cracked diadem between his thumb and forefinger, studying it as if unsure whether to throw it or purify it on the spot. Beside him, yet another was sifting through the remains of Dame Elanea—just armor and cloth now, crumpled beside the narrow iron cage. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from that cage. Small. Cramped.

I glanced at Ju, offering a weak smirk. "It’s not every day someone tries to stuff me into a glorified birdcage." I mumbled. Ju raised a brow. I pulled the blanket closer.

I met Sir Gamesh’s gaze as he stood closest to me, his expression tight with concern but not aggression. His eyes searched mine, and beneath the confusion and quiet alarm, I didn’t sense hostility. That alone brought a sliver of relief. If I was reading this right, he hadn’t been part of whatever palace intrigue had targeted the prince.

Damn it. Ju had warned me about royal politics, and yet here I was—almost collateral damage in one of their shadow games.

Behind the paladins, Lynx was already prowling at the edges of the debris, his muscles coiled, ready to pounce at the slightest provocation. In the courtyard below, the orcs were reorganizing with brisk efficiency. Drackar stood at the center of it, flanked by his lieutenants, sharp-eyed and unflinching. A short distance away, the three elves had withdrawn slightly, keeping Therella close between them like a delicate treasure they weren’t willing to risk.

I leaned heavily on Ju, feeling the warmth of her mana flow as I drew from her, my battered body greedily drinking in the energy. My eyes drifted to the shredded blue dress lying in a heap on the rubble—the spot where I had first shadowmelded. Blood smeared the fabric in dark stains.

Lifting my gaze, I let out a long breath and addressed Sir Gamesh.

“Prince Kotusawendu was drained by a succubus. That’s why he’s still asleep,” I explained, keeping my tone even. “He probably won’t remember much of what happened.”

I let out a long breath, “From the feel of it, this wasn’t the first time. I’d wager he’s been regularly drained for some time now—kept just weak enough to prevent him from evolving his magic.”

Gamesh’s brows knit further, his gaze flicking to the unconscious prince as if searching for signs he had missed.

“Dame Elanea was part of it,” I continued, “When I uncovered the truth, she tried to kill me—or lock me away. I suppose either would’ve worked.” I gestured vaguely toward the crumpled heap of armor and fabric that had once been her.

“That’s the gist of it,” I added with a sigh.

Silence stretched between us, save for clanking of orc soldiers reorganizing in the yard. I didn’t know if Gamesh believed me, but I saw the wheels turning in his head.

I let out a long sigh and turned to Drackar.

“Maybe call Borokhout, the Earthmage? He should try to patch this up before the whole section comes down,” I suggested.

Drackar chuckled. “I’ll see to it, Lady Lores. Oh, and when you have a moment, I have the report you requested.”

I arched a brow. That had to be about the orc youths tangled in the assassination attempt against Therella. I didn’t have the mental bandwidth to even glance at it right now.

“Later,” I replied with a faint nod. I leaned toward Ju, dropping my voice to a whisper.

“Beam me to my room, please.”

She chuckled but didn’t break stride as we started walking. My attempt at humor didn’t fool her.

“You’re still trembling,” she said softly, wrapping an arm around me in a steadying hug. Sid trailed behind like a looming shadow. I didn’t doubt for a second that he’d incinerate anyone who so much as looked at me the wrong way.

Well, I don't think that we can still pretend that there is no dragon in the castle.