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"The emperor.. Calix.. He wants me to.." she murmured.

She couldn't help but smile a little at the tingling in her chest. Everything that had happened since she first opened her eyes in Subterra felt surreal, but the past several minutes seemed especially dreamlike.

The emperor wanted to declare their relationship to the entire Serin Empire. What would he tell the people? That they were lovers? Or that they would.. get married?

Ack! No!

Hot blood rushed into her cheeks immediately as she had the thought. Marriage? How could she let her mind get carried away like that?

Though, still, there was no way of knowing that the emperor definitely wasn't considering the idea himself. After all, marrying another kingdom's princess would give him the perfect foothold to assimilate that country into his empire.

"You idiot," Kel hissed to herself, slapping both her cheeks. "You already decided to tell him that you're not the princess."

If the emperor still wanted to take her with him even after knowing the truth, which she suspected would be the case, then he must have another reason.

Could it be that he had truly fallen for her?

Kel smirked. Her body was thin but strong. Her face was decent, and she had extraordinary hair. Her personality, as well, was.. uh, entertaining?

Right. She wasn't exactly a 'catch' by any means. Especially not for a man who could have his pick of any woman on the continent.

With a sigh, Kel pressed her palm into her forehead. Though she tried to ignore it, she couldn't stop thinking about what Soren had told her--that the emperor believed in Halrad's heir. Considering that information, the answer became obvious. He was interested in her because she fit the description of some legendary figure.

So then what would happen if he knew about my abilities? Kel wondered.

Did the emperor want her to fight? Did he want her to help ensure his victory over the entire continent?

Shuddering, she tried to picture herself setting fire to the very men she used to train alongside.

Would she eventually have to do something like that if she followed the emperor?

On one hand, telling the emperor about her abilities would be the best way to ensure her survival after revealing her identity. In fact, he'd probably be ecstatic to learn the strange, mythical dragon powers might be real after all.

But she didn't want to be a pawn of war.

Letting out a groan, she grabbed a nearby pillow and shoved it over her face.

She'd already decided to tell him the truth, but now she had to figure out how much of the truth to reveal. Why had such a simple matter become so complicated?

'Don't tell anyone, ever, Keliyah.'

Itzae's voice echoed through her mind, repeating a principle she'd come to live by over the last several years.

Don't tell anyone.

Ever.

But now she knew that Itzae was also connected to the emperor. When the old man had given her that advice, did he mean, 'don't tell anyone except the Dragon Emperor'?

But if the Dragon Emperor was Itzae's student then he would have already heard about the girl in Mevani with the power of fire, right?

'Since I first heard of the golden-haired girl in Mevani.'

Kel's eyes widened as the emperor's words came back to her. He most likely would have heard of such a thing from Itzae first. Then he must have been hinting that he knew, right?

"Ha. Ok!" Kel declared, feeling relieved at her conclusion. "I will tell him everything as soon as he comes back!"

In her state of determination, she found herself standing on top of her mattress, the knuckles of her raised fist nearly touching the low ceiling.

"... What are you doing?"

Startled, Kel leapt to the floor, whirling in midair to face the question's asker. Sliding through the single window in the room was a man, his face concealed by the hood of a cloak.

Raising her fists, Kel snorted aggressively. It looked like her rematch with Soren was happening after all.

Ignoring her provocation, the man flipped his hood off, revealing his shoulder-length, half-tied brown hair, and quickly yanked the closet doors open.

"D-Dash?" Kel dropped her hands.

"Why are you wasting time?" Dash questioned, rummaging through her clothes. "We need to go."

In a few seconds, he'd produced a pair of boots, a long-sleeved, plain dress (as plain as any dress from Madame Mae's could be), and a heavy cloak. He brought them over to the still frozen Kel and, with an eye roll, began tugging on her sleeves.

"What are you doing?!" Kel squeaked, slapping his hands away.

"Get changed," Dash commanded. "We don't have much longer before the guards pass by."

"But.. why?" Kel asked, crossing her arms securely across the top of her dress.

"Why?!" Dash repeated irritably. "Why else? Adriell's marriage will be announced in two days. We have to be far away from here by then."

Adriell's marriage. Kel hadn't given much thought recently to the deadline that once hung over her like a death sentence. She would tell the emperor the truth before he heard the news anyway, so did something like that even matter anymore?

"I'm not going to leave," Kel argued, turning away. "You should go now."

"What nonsense are you speaking? Let's go!" Dash raised his voice, laying a tensed hand on Kel's shoulder.

"No. I'm not running away," Kel insisted, shaking him off. "I'm staying here with Cal-I mean the emperor."

"Are you crazy?" Dash pressed. "After playing princess for so long, have you mistaken yourself for something you're not?"

"I know exactly who I am!" Kel snapped back. "And I think the emperor will accept me that way."

"No. He won't." With a gentle tug on her arm, Dash pulled her around to face him. "He will kill you the moment he finds out the truth."

"Look." Kel gritted her teeth. "You probably couldn't imagine it when you abandoned me to die, but I think I've found my place here. I intend to stay."

"You can't stay," Dash responded earnestly. "I'm not sure how you've misunderstood your circumstances to this extent, but you will die here if you don't leave with me now."

Kel's fists tightened at her sides. Why wasn't Dash listening to her? He was so insistent about her being killed that it almost sounded like he wanted her to die.

With a huff, she addressed him again. "You don't know tha-"

"The emperor said so himself!!" Dash interjected. "I heard it straight from his own mouth."

"... He said that?" Kel's heart sank.

Dash had to be mistaken. There was no way the emperor said something like that.

"Listen, Kel," Dash's tone softened as he sensed her dismay. "I was the one who negotiated this deal in the first place. I met the emperor long before you ever left Mevani."

"So what?" Kel shook her head. "Is that supposed to be your proof? You knew him before I did?"

"Kel. He knew about you," Dash explained. "I don't know how, but he knew the princess had a body double."

Kel took a step back, stifling a gasp.

I already guessed he knew about me, she consoled herself. He was connected to Itzae, so how could he not?

"And he made it clear," Dash continued, "that death would be the penalty for tricking him."

"No," Kel whispered. "There has to be some mistake."

A mistake.

There had to be a mistake somewhere.

If the emperor believed in Halrad's heir and knew about her already, it didn't make sense that he'd want Adriell instead. Unless Itzae had lied to him about which blond-haired girl was which, but that could be cleared up easily.

But the bigger possibility was that Soren had lied--that the emperor didn't believe in all the ancient dragon nonsense, after all.

That would mean..

"He knew," Kel breathed. "And he didn't want me."

A soft touch on Kel's shoulder startled her.

"I've stayed in Serin this long so I could take you away safely when the time came," Dash said quietly. "I will protect you. Just like I always have"

Shoving the clothes he'd collected for her into the bag slung over his shoulder, Dash scurried back over to the window. He scanned the area outside before extending his hand to Kel.

"I love you, Kel," he confessed. "I think about you in ways a brother never should. And I know it's too late after everything I've done, but I don't care. Even if you hate me, I don't care as long as you're alive."

"So please, come with me now."

Kel paused to think for a few moments, before carefully laying her fingers in Dash's desperately extended palm. With a sigh of relief and smile, he tightened his grip and pulled her over the window's edge with him.

In the many months to come, Kel would often wonder if she'd made the right decision that night. If she hadn't grabbed Dash's hand then, would things have been easier?

If she had faced the truth head on instead of trying to run from it, would it have been less painful?

-The Dragon's Kiss Volume 1 END-

The author will (officially) be taking a short break to get ready for volume 2, so please enjoy a few side stories in the meantime!