“Ma! Look at that!”

  “It is… a lot, Cy.” My mother did her best to keep up with me as I pulled her along the street, playing the part of an eager child in a new place. I had been to the capital city Theralis only a few times in my first life, but I remembered enough to know where I wanted to go. If I was going to make sure my mother stayed safe, I needed to understand what was actually going on around me this time.

  All I knew before was that Marquess Blackwood had plans that stretched far beyond his estate, far beyond me. Something had happened to make the politics of the noble families unstable and that cause eventually trickled down to me. This time, I needed to be smarter.

  The streets of Theralis bustled with life, the warm air carrying the scent of spiced meats, fresh bread, and the ever-present perfume of flowers that lined the city streets. Unlike our home near the border of Driria, Theralis had a true summer, with a hot sun bearing down on the stone streets. They even had two other seasons called spring and autumn, but I had never experienced them before.

  “Cyran, slow down!” My mother’s breathless voice barely reached my ears as I continued dragging her forward. I made sure to keep my steps light, my expression wide-eyed and excited. It was annoying to have to keep up this act, to pretend to be a curious child, innocent and unaware. But I didn’t want to worry my mother, and I didn’t want her to know I knew what I was. If we were going to stay together, I wanted her to keep her innocent boy a little while longer.

  “Ma, look!” I gasped, pointing toward a row of neatly kept boutiques. The storefronts were lined with mannequins draped in elegant fabrics, and well-dressed customers flitted in and out, chatting in low voices about the latest fashions. “Isadora said you should get new clothes, right? We should go in!”

  My mother hesitated, glancing down at the pouch of coins tied to her waist. “Cyran, this money is meant for–”

  “It’s for clothes,” I cut in quickly, my voice as earnest as I could make it. “We’ll just get a few things. We’ll need them, right? It’s hot here.”

  She wavered, biting her lip. I knew she hated spending money, especially on herself. Even when the Marquess had given her a salary, she had spent every coin on me, ensuring I had enough to eat, enough to wear. This time, though, I wasn’t letting her make that mistake. And more importantly, I needed to get inside that shop.

  She sighed, finally relenting. “Alright, alright. Just a few things.”

  I beamed, pretending to be ecstatic as I pulled her toward the boutique’s entrance. The little bell above the door chimed as we stepped inside, and the shift in atmosphere was immediate. The noise from the street softened, replaced by the quiet murmur of conversation and the gentle rustle of fabric. It was store of servants, in order to buy clothing to not embarrass their employers. For some reason, a shabbily dressed servant in Naera was thought to reflect poorly on the house, so many nobles fought silent battles by trying to have the best dressed staff.

  In my past life, Marquess Blackwood has sent me here to pick up orders, mostly to ensure my face would not be strange in the capital. After all, once I became a dragon, he intended to force me into something called a ‘pact’ with his son, which was the reason he had taken my mother to begin with. Of course, the death of my mother destroyed any leverage he thought he had over me.

  I allowed my mother to guide us through the boutique, her eyes settling on a few summer dresses that were meant for servants of lesser nobility. A part of me wanted to let my mother chose whatever she felt comfortable with, but I knew the game of servants. I had spent countless hours watching the quiet transactions between nobles’ servants, observing the unspoken hierarchy that dictated who was allowed to speak first, who received the best materials, who had to wait.

  “Ma, aren’t we going to the palace? Princess Isa said so!” I complained, making sure the few ladies near us could hear me. “Don’t you need nicer dresses?”

  “Cyran, I–”

  “Oh my, so you’re the new lady the princess brought back?” One of the ladies approached us and I made a dramatic movement to hide behind my mother as she chuckled. “Oh my, and what a precious son you have.”

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  “Th–thank you.”

  “The boy is right though. You’re from the country so you may not know, but if you get a dress like that, rumors will spread that the princess is abusing you,” the woman offered and I could see the worry in my mother’s eyes. She never learned these lessons at the Marquess’s house because he made sure to always buy us clothing, making a clear statement that we were important to his house. This time, I wanted her to understand the rules. “You two would be better over here, I’ll help you. I serve the Grand Duke, so I know how high noble servants should dress.”

  “Thank you for your kindness,” my mother was quick to bow as she pressed a hand to my back, guiding me forward as she followed the woman deeper into the boutique. I peered up at my mother’s face, noting the unease in her eyes, but she kept her expression neutral. I knew she was uncomfortable, being so far from home, but there was also a twinge of excitement in her eyes. My mother always loved a chance to learn something new.

  I let my gaze wander, taking in the familiar surroundings with a practiced eye. The shop hadn’t changed much from what I remembered—rows of neatly arranged fabrics, shelves lined with pre-made garments, and a small counter near the entrance where transactions took place. The scent of freshly laundered linen filled the air, mingling with the subtle floral perfume worn by the shop’s attendants. The stairs in the back that led to a second floor, however, was what interested me most.

  That was where the Marquess held his secret meetings.

  I knew from my past life that there was a private parlor up there, a room tucked away behind an unmarked door where he conducted business that no noble wanted traced back to them. It was where he had met with those who supported his ambitions, where he had whispered his plans to install his son as emperor, and where he had secured the fate of my mother and me without either of us realizing it.

  “Would you like to try this one?” The woman helping us held up a pale blue dress with modest embroidery, clearly meant for a servant of standing. My mother hesitated, her fingers brushing over the fabric, but I barely paid attention. My ears were trained on the faint sounds coming from upstairs—muffled voices, the scrape of a chair against the floor. Someone was up there. At least I already had my superior hearing.

  “ –ignore it. If the prince and princess want to take in strays let them. It won’t change a thing.”

  I frowned. It was bad enough that the woman had mentioned rumors, but if the Marquess’s men were discussing it, it means he knew it was someone from his territory. We were nothing to the Marquess right now, but I knew that his goal had been to make me for some sort of ‘pact’ with his son. Despite the evil dragon, I knew enough to understand that dragons were considered protectors, and many people frowned on Caspian for having killed even the evil dragon.

  How much worse he must have been hated when he had to kill me too.

  “I think this would look stunning on your boy,” the woman’s voice made me glance at her and my mother as she held up a small vest and shorts, both outlined with gold embroidery. I could see my mother already had several shirts and pants in her hand for me, and it was clear the woman was trying to convince her to get a fancy outfit for me. “After all, you both need to dress for the station.”

  “I suppose if it’s best,” my mother agreed, and I beamed as I turned to face her.

  “May I put it on now? Please Ma?”

  “Why of course little one! Your mother can change too!” The woman beamed and I barely had to pretend as she led us to the changing rooms near the stairs. “I’m Lady Elodie by the way.”

  “Thank you, Lady Elodie,” my mother bowed again as we stepped into the room, and I covered my eyes, turning to face the corner to let my mother change. It was the routine we had come up with once it was just the two of us, something my mother had always treated like a game. But as I stood, I heard a voice that made my blood run cold.

  “Well, I wanna see the stray. I don’t remember my father giving that Caspian permission to steal.”

  Yssac.

  The self entitled brat who ordered my mother’s death like he was swatting away an annoying insect. My hands clenched at my sides, my nails digging into my palms as I forced myself to stay still. I had known I would have to see him again eventually, but I hadn’t expected it to happen so soon. And he still had that same dismissive tone that had haunted me long after my mother’s murder, after he had gotten away with it like it was nothing.

  “Alright, Cy, your turn.” I swallowed my anger as I turned, flashing my mother a bright smile as she helped me change into the suit. It was a relief to get out of the heavy pants and shirt; despite the poor quality, they were still made for winter and the new outfit was light and breathable, especially considering I ran hotter than most. “You look so handsome.”

  “And you look really pretty!” I beamed, and I meant every word. The dresses Lady Elodie had chosen complimented my mother’s dark eyes and hair well, and were perfectly suited for a woman who would be serving in the palace. My mother smiled at me, taking a moment to smooth the hair from my face.

  “Then we shouldn’t keep the princess waiting,” she spoke softly, and I nodded, forcing my expression to remain bright. But as soon as we stepped out of the room, before Lady Elodie could even begin to gush over our outfits–

  “I think I found my stray.”