Chapter 7 - The Army Beneath the MountainThe bones moved.

One after another.

Ancient skeletons rose from the darkness.

Dragon after dragon opened burning eyes.

Alona stumbled backward.

“How many are there?”

Darius looked around.

“Hundreds.”

Lena whispered.

“They've been sleeping for three hundred years.”

Ronan raised his sword.

“Can they be controlled?”

The first dragon roared.

Every other dragon answered.

Silas, who had somehow followed them into the crypt, shook his head.

“No.”

Ronan looked at him.

“Why?”

“They don't obey kings.”

Alona stepped forward.

The three baby dragons climbed onto her shoulders.

The skeletal dragon nearest her lowered its head.

Then another.

Then another.

Until an entire ancient army bowed.

Ronan stared.

Darius whispered.

“They recognize her.”

Alona looked at him.

“Why?”

Silas answered.

“Because the crown of Frostmir was built from the wrong bloodline.”

He pointed to the ancient throne.

“The first rulers were Dragon Mothers.”

Alona looked at the crown.

“So the kings stole the throne.”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“To control what could never be controlled.”

Ronan slowly stepped forward.

“I never wanted this.”

Lena turned.

“But your ancestors did.”

“I am not them.”

“No.”

Lena looked at him.

“You are worse.”

Ronan's jaw tightened.

“You don't know what I sacrificed.”

“I know exactly what you sacrificed.”

The two stared at each other.

Then the palace above them exploded.

The ceiling collapsed.

Grant rushed in.

“Your Majesty!”

Ronan turned.

“What happened?”

“The Crowned Fang has taken the western fortress.”

Lucien looked shocked.

“They're inside the kingdom?”

“Yes.”

Grant looked at Alona.

“They're calling for her.”

Alona's face went cold.

“What do they want?”

Grant handed her a piece of black cloth.

A symbol had been painted on it.

Three claws around an eye.

Lena recognized it.

“The Sovereign Circle.”

Darius frowned.

“I thought that order was destroyed.”

“So did I.”

Lucien shook his head.

“They weren't destroyed.”

Everyone looked at him.

“They were waiting.”

Alona stared.

“For me?”

“For the Dragon Mother.”

A distant horn sounded.

Another.

Then another.

Frostmir was surrounded.

Silas whispered.

“They've come for the throne.”

Alona looked toward the ancient skeleton queen.

“What happens if they take it?”

Silas answered quietly.

“They can command every dragon through the old blood seal.”

Alona's heart tightened.

“Then we cannot let them.”

Darius stepped beside her.

“You don't have to face them alone.”

She looked at him.

He met her eyes.

“I failed those eggs seven days ago.”

“You weren't supposed to understand them.”

“Maybe.”

His expression softened.

“But I understand you now.”

Alona looked away before her face betrayed her.

Then the golden dragon chirped.

Its ears perked.

A horn sounded from the western mountains.

The black dragon suddenly roared.

Alona understood.

“They're here.”

The palace trembled.

Outside, thousands of soldiers marched into Frostmir.

At their center rode a woman in crimson armor.

Lena's face turned pale.

“No.”

Alona looked at her.

“Who is she?”

Lena whispered.

“Your aunt.”

Alona stared.

“My what?”

“Your father's sister.”

The woman removed her helmet.

Her face looked strangely familiar.

She smiled toward the palace.

Then she raised her hand.

Behind her, ten enormous Alpha warriors knelt.

The woman called out:

“Bring me the Omega.”

Her voice echoed through Frostmir.

“Or I will burn every village that refuses to kneel.”

Alona's eyes hardened.

She looked down at the three baby dragons.

The golden dragon's claws ignited.

The black dragon's wings opened.

The silver dragon disappeared into a ring of light.

Alona took one breath.

Then another.

“I'll go.”

Darius grabbed her wrist.

“No.”

“They'll kill thousands.”

“They're using you as bait.”

“I know.”

She looked at him.

“That's why they'll underestimate me.”

Darius stared.

Then he realized.

Alona wasn't afraid anymore.

She was smiling.

Not because she believed she could win.

Because she had finally realized something.

She didn't need to fight like an Alpha.

She needed to fight like herself.

She walked toward the palace doors.

The dragons followed.

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And when she stepped into the courtyard…

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