The Dragon King and His Fallen Star novel Chapter 54

Chapter 54: What She Didn’t Count On

MIRAEL’S POV

Mirael woke in high spirits.

Clam

She stretched languidly beneath the tangled sheets, a slow smile curving her lips as she recalled the fading echoes of last night’s music-the way the celebration had ended abruptly, far earlier

than anyone had planned.

She knew exactly why.

Even from her chamber, she had felt the tension ripple through the halls-the sudden hush that fell

over the festivities, the quiet shuffle of guests slipping away.

She had stood at the window last night, watching carriages roll down the moonlit drive, listening to the soft crunch of wheels fading into the distance. She had wanted to stay there longer, to savor the quiet satisfaction of everything falling neatly into place.

But then, behind her, Ansel stirred. His arm snaked around her waist, pulling her back into the

warm press of his chest.

“Would you still wish to be there,” he murmured, his voice thick with sleep, gravelly and low, as his hand slid over her hip, “when we could have so much more fun here?”

She turned to face him, her smile blooming slow and deliberate as he drew her back into the

warmth of the bed.

“One more round, and that’s it,” Mirael said with a soft, warning smile.

But it was never just one more round. One was simply never enough-for him, or for her. Their encounters stretched until sunrise, filling the room with breathless whispers, muffled moans, and the faint clink of her collar shifting against her throat.

Now, as she lay with him snoring softly beside her, Mirael’s smile widened. Her chest fluttered with anticipation at the thought of what news today would bring.

She imagined Eirlys trembling-broken, bloodied. Maybe dead. Or chained like the wild thing she was. Perhaps the vampire royals had taken her for execution.

Whatever the outcome, Mirael knew one thing: It would end well. For her.

And very, very badly for Eirlys.

Mirael rolled onto her side, propping her head on her hand as she gazed down at Ansel’s sleeping form. Her fingers traced idle patterns over his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart under her

touch.

<

lapta St What She Didn’t Tunt Din

Today will be a good day

A very good day indeed.

Mirael’s fingers trailed lazily down Ansel’s chest before she gave him a gentle shake.

“Darling, wake up,” she murmured.

Clam

He stirred with a low groan, eyes blinking open, unfocused at first before finding her face. A sleepy smile curved his lips. “Already?” he mumbled, reaching to pull her back down against him.

She smirked, finger to his lips. “As tempting as you are,” she murmured, “you’ve got to sneak out.

Your window’s shrinking.”

Reality flickered in his gaze, clearing the haze of sleep and pleasure. He sighed heavily, running a hand through his tousled hair before sitting up. The sheets pooled around his hips, revealing the sculpted planes of his chest. Mirael’s eyes flicked down briefly in appreciation before she swung

her legs over the bed and stood.

“Come on,” she said briskly, already pulling on a thin robe. “Get dressed.”

Ansel grumbled under his breath but obeyed, gathering his scattered clothes from the floor. As he laced his trousers, Mirael moved to her vanity, brushing her hair with languid strokes, her eyes

locked on his reflection.

He finished dressing and turned to her, leaning down to press a lingering kiss to her shoulder.

Tonight?” he asked, hopeful.

She smiled faintly at him in the mirror, though her thoughts were already elsewhere. “We’ll see,” she

said.

She dismissed him with a lazy flick. She might not need him again-not when there was a chance Kierygan would come instead. The idea warmed her smile.

He paused, flashing her a smile that said he wasn’t quite done with her yet, then slipped out, silent

as a shadow.

Mirael moved through the room with languid grace, entering her bathing chamber. She poured water into the tub, the steam already rising. Crushed lavender and rose petals followed, swirling in fragrant spirals as she slipped off her robe and sank into the heat.

Afterward, she stepped out, toweling herself dry before wrapping her body in a soft satin robe. At her desk, she struck a match and lit a tall ivory candle. Sweet jasmine and sandalwood unfurled

into the air, curling like whispered promises.

When Kierygan came to her-and he would come to her-everything needed to be perfect.

Untouched. Immaculate. He might arrive broken, grieving, furious over whatever fate had befallen

Eirlys. And she would be ready to soothe him… in the only way she knew how.

[1]

216

Chapter 51 What She Didn’t Count On

ஆம்

Clean

She pulled the bell rope beside her bed. Moments later, a young maid stepped in, head bowed.

“Change the sheets,” Mirael said, her voice smooth but brisk. “And scrub the floors.”

The girl nodded quickly and got to work, stripping away the tangled linens still steeped in sweat

and Ansel’s lingering musk.

Mirael watched, arms crossed over her chest.

She wanted every trace of him erased.

Her heart skipped a beat as footsteps echoed down the hall. Her pulse quickened, a dark thrill rushing through her.

She knew it. He would come to her.

She rose from her vanity seat in a fluid motion, smoothing down her robe. As the footsteps

stopped just beyond her door, she was already moving, her lips curving into a small, eager smile.

A sharp knock rattled the wood.

Mirael’s chest fluttered as she opened it, her eyes bright with anticipation.

And there he was. Kierygan, filling her doorway with his towering presence, shadows clinging to his

sharp, furious features. His long hair was slightly damp, his tunic half-unbuttoned, as though he

dressed in haste.

She reached for him instantly, intending to pull him inside, to soothe him, to relieve his tension.

But Kierygan stepped back before her fingers could even graze his chest. His blue eyes locked onto hers-cold, burning with a rage that stole the breath from her lungs.

It wasn’t the reaction she expected.

“Kier,” she purred, struggling to keep her voice steady, warm, inviting. “What’s wrong?”

He didn’t waste a single moment on pleasantries. “Eirlys was attacked last night,” he said, his voice

flat with barely contained fury.

Mirael’s stomach coiled in triumph, though her face arranged itself instantly into shocked horror.

Her hand flew to her chest.

“What?” she gasped, eyes wide. “Attacked? By who? Is she alive?”

Kierygan’s nostrils flared. “Of course she’s alive,” he snapped. “I reached her just in time-before

anyone was seriously hurt.”

Mirael’s mouth dropped, but she masked her disbelief with practiced ease. How could he have

reached her? She had taken every precaution to ensure Eirlys would be hidden, unreachable.

“Oh, thank the gods,” she said, her voice laced with the right amount of relief.

111

36

51 What She Dida Count On

Clam

Kierygan’s jaw clenched so tightly she swore she could hear his teeth grinding. “I didn’t come here for your sympathy,” he growled. “I came because Eirlys said she saw her rabbit running into the forest. That’s why she followed it.”

Mirael blinked, feigning confusion. “I’m not sure I follow.”

Kierygan’s eyes hardened. “Her rabbit had been in her room all night,” he said, his voice a tight rasp. “Clearly, whatever she saw was an illusion. And this isn’t the first time she’s followed a stray into danger.”

Mirael blinked, letting tears spill down her cheeks as if wounded. “Are you accusing me now, Kier?” she asked, her voice breaking just enough to sound betrayed. “I was here all night. You can ask the guards. I just… I just slept so I wouldn’t think about not being allowed to attend the ball.”

Kierygan’s expression did not soften. His eyes remained hard, unflinching. “You better have nothing to do with this, Mirael,” he said, his voice low and lethal. “Because if I find out you did, I will not think twice about having you executed.”

“I swear it,” she whispered, tears flowing freely now. “I swear I didn’t.”

He turned without another word, moving to leave. Panic rose in her chest. She couldn’t let him go like this. Not when she’d barely felt his attention on her.

“Kier,” she called, her voice tinged with desperation “When will you let me out? I’ve had time to think… I see my mistakes now. Please, I’m asking for your mercy.”

Kierygan paused, glancing over his shoulder. His eyes, when they met hers, were colder than winter frost. “When you’re ready to ask Eirlys for forgiveness,” he said, “and promise to never bother her again.”

Then he walked away, leaving Mirael standing in the doorway, tears drying on her cheeks, rage and humiliation burning in their place.

Mirael stormed back inside, slamming the door shut behind her. Her nails dug into her palms until crescent moons of pain bloomed across her skin.

Failed. Her plan had failed.

But that wasn’t what made her vision blur with rage.

It was him. Kierygan.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify