When It Reigns (Cursed Reigns, #1)

CHAPTER ONE

AERYN'S POV

There was a solid chance I would be dead before graduation.

In fact, if I lived to see another day after tonight's challenge, I could guarantee my dreams of becoming a bonded Champion in the Fire Force would never happen - not that Draconians lived very long in the Force anyway. The current war made sure of it.

And it was no secret we were on the losing side.

Wringing my hands together, I took a deep breath to calm my racing heart. It did nothing to ease my nerves as I climbed the winding staircase of the emperor's castle. The extravagant chandelier brimming with shining crystals hung in the center of the entranceway to illuminate the area at night when sunlight no longer streamed through the glass domed ceiling. Each footstep I made echoed in the spacious chamber, announcing my arrival to the entire castle.

It was all a bit too much for my taste. The double staircases leading to the same levels of the castle were excessive, as were the gaudy paintings lining the walls of past noble Draconians whose achievements and contributions to the empire remained a mystery to me. The blazing sun created a glare on the marble steps as I passed the first level, then the second, and the third. By the time I reached the fourth floor, my thighs were burning, and I was out of breath.

So much for all the training I've done in the past year at Insignia Academy, I thought.

At the top of the stairs, I paused to catch my breath and behold the hallway before me. Resembling the arched halls of the academy, this one was wide enough to fit three dragons standing next to each other and the ceiling reached over twenty feet high. To say the entire castle was massive was an understatement. I clenched my hands into fists and lifted my chin, mustering the courage to navigate the expansive hall until I reached the destination I'd been summoned.

Emperor Nepheus Glastos' office.

I swiped the bead of sweat perspiring on my forehead and lifted my hand to the gold door knocker on the double mahogany doors. The dragon's mouth was wide open in a silent roar and razor-sharp teeth were engraved into the menacing knocker. Wrapping my fingers around the ring dangling from the dragon's jaw, I picked it up and just as I was about to bring it back down to sound my presence, the door blew open.

My hand was suspended in the air and my lips parted as I took in the immaculate office. A bookshelf dominated the entire wall to the right, filled with over a dozen shelves of books. A velvet maroon couch lounged in front of it, and I found myself itching to grab a book and lay on the sofa until I'd gone through each one. The wall to my left was decorated with the emperor's achievements. Medals from when he was my age fighting in the Wind Force during the Battle of Fear and Flame to those he has earned since coming into power and being the Commander of the Elemental Forces were on display. I was impressed.

Forgetting I was in the presence of the emperor, I startled when the draconian cleared his throat and hitched a dark brow as he gave me a pointed look with his cold blue eyes from where he sat at his desk. The structure was the same color and material as the double doors and was loaded with stacks of paper, several more books, and a map in the center. Floor to ceiling windows formed the wall at his back, overlooking the entire empire from the tip of the Wrexial Mountain.

I couldn't help the shiver that coursed down my spine at his frigidity.

Feet still rooted in the same spot just outside the entrance of the room, I opened my hand and gave him a wave. I wasn't sure if I was supposed to bow before him, but I'd never done it before. I'd also never been in his office prior to this moment.

"Hey, Dad," I said with a sheepish smile, hurrying to take a seat in one of the black leather chairs positioned in front of his desk. His stern eye caught me tightening the fingerless gloves on my hands and his eyebrows narrowed. He didn't even try to hide his disdain for me as he frowned and scratched the stubble along his chin. Adjusting the obsidian crown encrusted with one blue, one red, one silver, and one yellow gem to represent the four Elemental Forces, he leaned back in his velvet seat.