The Dragon King and His Fallen Star novel Chapter 90

Chapter 90: Before the Crowd

EIRLYS’ POV

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Just a few days after Greenhollow, we did the same in Silverpine-a packland on the outskirts of Vargheim. Malric’s former kingdom.

Flying over it with Kierygan brought back a flood of memories. His soldiers now occupied the castle that once belonged to Malric. It still stood, though scorched in places, the stone blackened by fire from Kierygan’s attack.

Only one thing was missing.

The tower that used to be my prison.

When I asked Kierygan about it, he said simply, “I brought it down. It was a monument to your

suffering-under Malric and Morwenna. I couldn’t leave it standing.”

Those words-and the feel of his lips on mine-were enough to ignite my glow, purging the blight

from Silverpine and keeping it contained in Val’Thirael.

For now.

Nearly a week has passed since that day, and I haven’t seen Kierygan once. He leaves before dawn and returns long after nightfall. I know it must be urgent-he’s always with Ulyanna and Ashteryn when he goes.

I must miss him more than I realized. Every morning, I wake and swear I can still smell him on my

pillow. But I know it’s only in my head.

Despite his absence, my days settled into a steady rhythm. If I wasn’t studying with Solara or Evander, I would be in the field, training with a sword under Orryx or Callum. Both taught differently,

but neither went easy on me. I didn’t mind.

Exhaustion left little room for overthinking.

But this morning felt different.

When I arrived at the garden at the usual hour, ready for another lecture, Solara wasn’t dressed in her typical formal attire. Instead, she wore a simple tunic and sturdy boots. She looked like she was heading out to plant something or haul crates.

“There’s no lesson today, Eirlys,” she said, brushing a stray curl from her cheek. “My sister and I are helping with festival preparations. The town square could use a few extra hands.”

I blinked. The Dragonflame Festival. With everything that had happened, it had completely slipped

my mind. And now… it was only a week away.

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Chapter 90 Before the Crowd

I wasn’t sure how to feel about it.

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Part of me was excited-Kierygan had promised to take me, and it would be my first real festival.

But Mirael’s warning echoed at the back of my mind. That the people of Altierra won’t want me

there. They blame me for what they suffered under Malric.

“You’re more than welcome to join us, Eirlys,” Solara said, snapping me out of my thoughts. “I

doubt you’ve got anything urgent today.”

I hesitated. “The people might not want me there.”

Her expression tightened. “You’re still holding onto that witch’s words?” Her voice cut sharper now,

each syllable laced with irritation. “She only said that to keep you away. So she could go with the

king.”

“But what if she’s right?” I murmured. “What if they hate me?”

Solara exhaled through her nose, clearly trying to rein in her frustration. “There’s only one way to

find out,” she said. Then, before I could come up with another excuse, she took hold of my elbow

and marched us forward.

“All right, all right,” I muttered, stumbling to keep pace. “I’m coming.”

When we reached the square, no one seemed to notice our arrival. The air buzzed with noise- laughter, hammering, the rustle of fabric and branches. Stalls were being propped open. Tables scrubbed. Streamers unfurled like waves of color across the town center.

Everyone was busy. Too busy to spare even a glance our way.

Except for one.

A tall, pale man-a vampire-was barking orders to a group of workers scrambling to keep up.

“Great. More help,” he said as he spotted us.

Without missing a beat, he strode over, a heavy wooden crate in his arms.

“You two,” he said, thrusting it toward Solara and Nerissa, “take these lanterns and hang them along the lampposts. Even spacing. No gaps.”

Then he turned to me, handed off a much smaller crate. It was light enough to carry one-handed.

“Ribbons,” he said simply. “Tie them to the corners of the stalls. Like streamers. Keep the knots neat. Don’t mix up the colors. They alternate-crimson, gold, black. Got it?”

I blinked, startled by how quickly the orders came, but nodded.

No one asked who I was. No one flinched at my presence.

And so, without fanfare, we went to work.

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Chapter 90 Before the Crowd

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Solara and Nerissa headed off toward the far side of the square, balancing the crate between them with practiced ease. I stayed near the vendors’ stalls, pulling out rolls of ribbon and tying them to the beams, just as I’d been instructed.

By the time we finished decorating the stalls and lantern posts, my arms ached and my fingers were tacky with dried glue. I was brushing stray gold ribbon from my face when the vampire

returned, already pointing.

“To the center,” he said, gesturing toward the heart of the square.

There, nestled among rows of bunting and stalls, stood a large circular fire pit-elevated and built from dark red bricks, wide enough to hold a bonfire Stacked neatly nearby were bundles of chopped firewood, their edges pale and splintered from the axe.

“Help move those,” the vampire instructed. “Hand them to the men arranging the stack. They need them fed in a specific pattern. Don’t throw them in or mess up the order. Understood?”

“Yes, sir,” Solara muttered, already moving.

Nerissa rolled up her sleeves. “Let’s get it over with!

I nodded and followed. There was something oddly satisfying about the weight of the firewood in my arms, the scent of sap and pine, the simple act of handing them off one by one to the men

arranging them in a crisscross pattern within the pit.

“This will be the highlight of the festival,” Nerissa said as she stacked pieces of wood into my arms. “The king will shift into his dragon form and light the fire pit himself.”

I nodded, adjusting the bundle.

Solara stepped in beside her. “The flame is more than tradition,” she said. “It’s a symbol and a promise. It marks the start of the cold season… and the vow to keep warmth alive through the

darkest months.”

But then our conversation and the steady rhythm of work was interrupted.

A familiar figure caught my eye, striding across the square as if it were her personal stage. Her gown shimmered with every movement-tight, glistening, and clearly not made for labor. The cut

was too sharp, the neckline too deep, the hem brushing over the cobblestones.

Mirael.

She didn’t spare a glance for the workers, nor the firewood waiting to be stacked. Her gaze was

locked on me.

She clapped her hands once. “Everyone,” she called her voice bright and saccharine, lips curving

into a slow, knowing smile. “I see you’ve already met Eirlys.”

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< Chapter 90 Before the Crowd

The workers paused. A few glanced up. Eyes flicked between her and me.

I tightened my grip on the firewood in my arms, heart thudding. Bracing.

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A gruff-looking werewolf, sweat streaking his brow, straightened from the fire pit. “Is she the one

from Malric’s tower?” he asked, voice wary.

Mirael’s smirk deepened as she sauntered closer to me. “That’s her,” she purred. “But please… don’t

be too quick to judge.”

She turned slightly, projecting her voice to the growing crowd. “It wasn’t her fault, after all. Malric used her magic to destroy our homes, murder our kin, and scorch our lands.”

The firewood slipped from my arms, thudding hard against the stone. I staggered back, panic clawing up my throat. I was about to turn and flee when Nerissa caught my arm, steadying me, holding me firm. Solara stepped forward, placing herself between me and Mirael.

“So she was Malric’s vessel?” someone else asked from the crowd.

Mirael’s gaze flicked to me, her eyes glittering with something far from kind. “Yes,” she said smoothly. “But as I said, don’t blame her.”

Solara’s voice was low, tense. “What are you playing at, Mirael?”

Mirael pressed a hand to her chest, feigning innocence with a sugar-sweet smile. “No games. I’m simply ensuring the people understand Eirlys wasn’t the one wielding her power. She was used by

him.”

A man pushed through the growing crowd, his voice cutting through the murmurs. “I’ve heard of

her.”

He jabbed a finger toward me, and my stomach dropped. My legs threatened to give way. All I wanted in that moment was to collapse, or vanish into the ground altogether.

He came closer, eyes narrowing as they locked onto mine. Nerissa moved beside her sister, both

of them shielding me now.

“My cousin saw her,” he said, turning to the crowd. “Silver hair. Purple eyes. The girl who brought light back to Greenhollow.”

A ripple of surprise moved through the people.

“She cured the blight,” the man added, louder this time. “They called her the Bloombringer.”

“She cured Greenhollow?” someone whispered, awe threading their voice. “That village was a lost

cause.”

“But Eirlys did cure it!” Nerissa called out. “And Silverpine too!”

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