The Dragon King and His Fallen Star novel Chapter 17

Chapter 17: The Name of the Flower

GIRL’S POV

I didn’t know how long I’d been sitting on the floor, my back pressed against the wooden frame of the bed, hugging my knees to my chest. But I had already decided: I wouldn’t leave this room

again.

I didn’t bother to change out of my nightdress. I didn’t take my usual bath. I didn’t want to see any of them. Not after what I’d done. I snapped at Callum, I hurt Mirael, and worst of all, I almost

burned Kierygan.

Now, I am frightened. Not because of punishment am used to that.

I am frightened of what I felt last night. Frightened of what it could do. So I will stay here. Because

I don’t think I could stop it if I lost control again.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. It had to be Grace or Emma. I didn’t bother moving; I kept

my head down and ignored it.

But the door opened anyway, and I heard heavy footsteps. My heart started to pound. I held my knees even closer, tighter, like they could shield me from whoever it was.

Then I saw the boots. Heavy, worn, but polished. They stopped right in front of me. I swallowed. hard and forced my gaze up, slowly, until my eyes met his. Kierygan.

“You didn’t come down for breakfast,” he said. His voice was quiet but firm, like he was trying to sound gentle even though he clearly wasn’t pleased

I looked away, lowering my gaze back to his boots. I’m not hungry,” I answered, my voice raspy,

like I hadn’t used it in days.

He shifted his weight, and I felt the mattress dip behind me as he sat down. “Why don’t you go see Ashteryn?” he asked. “That’ll cheer you up.”

I shook my head. “No. L… I might hurt him too,” I whispered. “And I don’t want him taking off this bracelet anymore. Maybe it’s for the best. Maybe Master and Mistress were right to keep me locked up.

Kierygan planted his boots firmly on the floor. I could tell he leaned closer–I could feel his breath

brushing against my ear.

“That’s not true. You didn’t deserve to be locked up he said. “And I don’t believe you’d hurt Ashteryn. Because you care about him. You and Ashteryn are… friends.”

I frowned. “Friends?” I repeated. “Mirael says we’re friends too, but she still gave me that name and

… and called me illiterate while smiling. I know what that means now.”

Chapter 17 The Name of the Flower

I turned slightly toward him. “If that’s what friends do, I don’t want it.”

I heard the grind of his teeth. For a moment, I thought he was losing patience with me. But then he let out a long sigh. “She’s not a true friend,” he said Ashteryn is. He does kind things for you. And he doesn’t hurt you. At least, not on purpose.”

It was true. Ashteryn didn’t just make me tea or hot chocolate, he told funny stories, and he taught me so many things. I nodded slowly.

“He’s my friend,” I said quietly.

He cleared his throat. “And about your light–now we know it doesn’t only happen when you’re in pain or afraid,” he said softly. “You believe that because it’s all you’ve ever known. All you’ve ever been allowed to feel. But I think… you light up whenever your emotions are heightened.”

I swallowed, thinking back to the heat, the crackle of power that had burst out of me without warning. “Last night, I was angry,” I admitted.

He hummed. “You were angry because Callum said something cruel to your friend. That’s natural.”

I leaned back against the wooden bedframe and let out a sigh. “But… I hurt people because of it,” I said quietly.

“That’s because no one ever taught you how to control it,” he replied, placing a hand on my shoulder. “No one showed you how. But I’ll find someone who can help.”

I swallowed, my voice small. “Really? You… you’d do that for me?”

His hand rested more firmly on my shoulder. “Yes,” he said, and there was no doubt in his tone.

Then he gave me a soft nudge and stood. “So stop moping,” he added, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “Get up. I’m going to take you somewhere that might make you feel better.”

I frowned, uncertain. “Where?”

“You’ll see,” he said, reaching into the closet to pull out a jacket and holding it out to me.

After I put on the jacket and slipped on my boots, Kjerygan led me out of the castle. The path he chose wasn’t familiar. We wandered through a quiet patch of woods, where the morning light streamed between the leaves in gentle shafts. My feet stumbled over shallow waters, the stones beneath glistening under the soft current.

At last, we stepped into a wide, open field. The grass swayed in the breeze, scattered with flowers of every color, stretching out to the horizon. In the distance, a mountain loomed, its peak covered by drifting clouds.

I stopped and turned to him. “What is this place called?” I asked, my voice hushed.

He gazed over the expanse. “It’s called a meadow, he said. “Remember when I told you I’d bring

<Chapter 17 The

17 The Name of the Flower

you to where the flowers grow thickest?”

I nodded.

“Well,” he murmured, “it’s not the height of spring yet. But even the first blooms are beautiful.”

The breeze carried the gentle scent of the flowers, and I was overwhelmed. Not in the way that made me cower, but in a way that made me feel…ghter. My fingers traced the soft petals, their colors vivid against the green.

Kierygan gestured to the field. “Go ahead,” he said. Pick as many as you like.

So I did. I moved slowly, carefully choosing the flowers that called to me, weaving them into a small bundle in my hands. But then I stopped. My breath caught in my throat, and my gaze shifted from the flowers to the air above them.

A cloud of butterflies danced across the meadow, their wings painted in every color I could

imagine. My fingers froze around the stems I held.

Kierygan noticed. “What’s wrong?” he asked, his voice low and gentle.

“Nothing,” I said quickly.

But he didn’t believe me. His eyes seemed to see right through me.

“It’s just…” I swallowed. “The last time I chased a butterfly…

He didn’t let me finish. “You’re safe here,” he said.

I nodded because, somehow, I believed him. I raised my gaze to meet his. “The one I chased… it was different. It was shiny. It shimmered like starlight.”

I immediately regretted mentioning it, because his expression hardened all of a sudden. I bent

down to keep picking flowers just so I wouldn’t have to see that stern look on his face.

“Come. There’s more over there,” he said, gesturing toward a distant patch.

His face looked less grim, though not exactly cheerful. I let him walk ahead and followed quietly. Sure enough, there were more flowers, different kinds, in every color imaginable.

The stems in my hands grew thick and heavy, making it hard to hold them all, so I stopped picking.

“Ashteryn said all flowers have names. Is that true?” I asked.

He nodded and plucked a yellow one nearby. “This is a daffodil.”

He went on naming the ones I’d picked, and I tried my best to memorize each name. He even pointed to some purple patches, saying they were crocuses. He showed me small white–pink. blooms called hellebores and some shy, nodding blossoms he called primroses.

Then his eyes caught on something a few steps ahead. I followed his gaze to a small cluster of

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Chapter 17 The Name of the Flower

white flowers. He walked over and carefully picked one.

Kierygan returned and stopped in front of me, holding the flower close to my face. His smile had finally returned. “This is called a snowdrop,” he said “It kind of reminds me of you.

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