I claimed the title of Dominant Dragoness from my mother—and I didn't have to kill her for it.

But that's where the easy victories end.

Year two at Dragonis Academy brings a storm I'm not sure I'm ready for. The Gauntlet. Classes with enemies who still want me dead. And looming over it all—the Great Gathering, where I'll defend my title against anyone who thinks they can take it from me.

But that's not the worst of it.

As heir apparent to the Marzana Throne, I've attracted attention I never wanted. Royal dragons from across the continents will descend on the Gathering, seeking political alliances—and political marriages. They see me as an opportunity. A prize. A stepping stone to power.

They're about to learn I'm none of those things.

At least I have my three mates by my side. Their love is the only thing keeping me grounded when everything else threatens to spiral. And then there's Solaris—still in his egg, but far from silent. His voice whispers through our bond, a connection I don't fully understand yet. I carry him everywhere, waiting for the day he finally breaks free.

But something else pulls at me—a phantom tether that flares to life without warning, burning through me before vanishing like smoke. I can't trace it. I can't explain it. And I definitely can't ignore it.

Enemies lurk in shadows we haven't thought to search. A traitor still hides among us—the one who worked against my mother for years—and we're no closer to unmasking them. When Iris returns with answers from twenty years of hunting leads for my father, I think we're finally getting somewhere.

But some answers only lead to darker questions.

Welcome back to Dragonis Academy.