Page 42 of The Cursed Queen

"Dragonsbane is a deadly poison that suppresses the flow of magic within the being. For us shifters, that includes our ability to shift back and forth between our human and dragon state. This remedy may have prevented your dragon's development since you've been drinking it since you were a baby.

I suddenly thought back to the dream I had before waking up in this cave. The dragon reflection staring back at me in the water, and the colossal dragon chained to the ground and in a frail state. I mentioned it to Freya and Lord Igneel, wondering if it had any connection to what was happening with me.

"It's conceivable that your psyche is trying to repair itself by building a mental connection between you and your dragon. I say it's a good thing you stopped taking the placebo remedy, because I'm sure with a few more doses, your dragon could've perished."

Dread filled me at that. My hand went to my heart as if I could feel the sluggish beating of my dragon's heart. She could've died, and I never would've known. There was very little I knew about shifters and what it meant to be one. However, I knew that while my dragon and I may be spiritually connected; we were also separate entities. I'd only met her, but the thought of losing her, that part of me I barely got the chance to explore, threatened to shatter my very soul.

"Is there anything that can be done?" Lord Igneel asked, since I was too stunned to speak.

"The connection could grow stronger if Seraphina stops ingesting dragonsbane. As for the partial shift, she may shift back with practice and training.

"Training?" I finally asked.

"Yes. You've never had the chance to live as a dragon shifter. That means you've missed out on the basics of learning to hone your magic, your dragonfire, and your connection to your dragon. All of which can be taught to you, and that combined with your mental bond with your dragon slowly healing itself, you may, in time, shift back into your human skin."

At least I knew the effects weren't permanent. More importantly, if training would help bring strength back into my dragon, then I would do it. Having the power to better control my shift and my magic would also serve me in rescuing the other dragon shifters in captivity. I swore I would do everything I could to right the wrongs of the Zeffari Kingdom, and learning to become a true dragon shifter was the first step in making that happen.

But there was one thing I still needed answers about.

"What about the guys?" I asked Lord Igneel. "They all claimed to be my fated mates. Is something like that even possible?"

Lord Igneel frowned. "No, this is a first for our kind. It's not uncommon for us to find our fated mates, but we've never heard stories about being fated to more than one being. Perhaps fate is trying to tell us something."

If that was true, then what was it trying to tell us? Why pair me to four dragons?

"What can be done about it?" I asked.

"I think that's a question only you and your mates can answer. My advice would be to talk with them, see how they feel and figure out your next move should be. No matter the outcome, they're bound to you, as you are to them. That connection will always be there."

I assumed he spoke from personal experience with Calida. A bond so powerful that not even true love could refrain from itshold over them. I wondered about their mating. Had they felt love for one another, or had they merely tolerated one another? Just because fated paired them together, that didn't mean they were forced to love each other. I could tell that there was love from Lord Igneel's side simply by the way he talked about Calida. But were his feelings reciprocated, or was her love for Alphonse so strong that there wasn't enough room for him?

I wanted to ask him about it, but felt it was an inappropriate time to do so. Besides, I had a feeling that Lord Igneel and I would spend a lot more time together during my stay here. I wasn't sure that it would be my permanent residence just yet, but it would be indefinitely, at least until I had better control over my new dragon abilities. Surely, the dragon lord and I would find time to talk along the way.

"Thank you," I said.

"For what?"

"For telling me about my parents. For revealing the answers I'd long sought to uncover but felt they were out of reach. I'm unsure where to go from here, but it's comforting to know that I at least won't be alone in this."

Lord Igneel surprised me by pulling me into a tight embrace, his arms wrapped firmly around my back, being mindful of my newly developed wings. I couldn't explain the wave of emotions washing over me. Lord Igneel technically wasn't my birth father, but he was still meant to have been a father figure in my life. Having him hugging me made me wish I had the chance to experience it from Calida and Alphonse. It hit me at that moment. I would never know them. Not personally. They weren't in my life, and even after learning the truth about them, they never would be.

Thinking about Queen Verania, and all that she stole from not only the dragon's den, but from me as well, brought more fuel to the flames of rage burning inside me. My fight with herbecame more personal, and now I had a new purpose to add to my overall goal.

I will avenge the death of my parents.

"I'm just glad to have you home," Lord Igneel said softly. "Seraphina—Daenerys—no matter where your path leads, you are still the Princess of the Dragon's Peak Den. This will always be your home. Never forget that."

Home. I was home.

Sera

I stayed in the recovery room for three days, resting and replenishing my strength. As boring as it was, I welcomed the chance to take a breath without the need to watch my back or plan an escape. As expected, my half-transformation was still visible in my appearance. I tried not to think about it too much, although the wings pressing down along my back took some getting used to. Freya checked in on me from time to time, as did Virgil, Andriel, and Lord Igneel. I couldn't help noticing that I'd yet to see the other three who claimed me as their fated mates since arriving here. Part of me wondered if they purposely refused to see me. The mere thought brought with in a sting in my heart.

I didn't know these men, but already I was feeling the effects of our fated connection. I wanted to learn more about them. To discover why fate deemed them to be a perfect match for me. At least they were all striking in their own unique ways; unlike me in my half-dragon state. I'd need to talk to them soon.

By the end of the fourth day, I was free to leave the cavern. Relief eased me, like taking in a breath of fresh air. The first person I saw after stepping out was the dragon lord himself, who waited for me at the mouth of the cave. It still felt weird to consider him as a father to me, but it wasn't unwelcoming. Lord Igneel assured me that the news of me being the lost dragonprincess would remain a secret from the rest of the den until I was more in tuned with my dragon. There was no telling how the public would react to the news, considering many still voiced their concerns about having true druids staying with them. That was, according to Andriel.

Virgil was still taking residence with Andriel, to which my mate didn't mind. Virgil wasn't permitted to wander about without Andriel accompanying him. I could tell from his expression when he told me he wasn't happy to have a babysitter, but we weren't in the Zeffari Kingdom any longer. This was a new territory for us, so having a dragon shifter watching over him wasn't a bad idea.