Chapter 14 - THE SOVEREIGN'S CHOICE
Olivia stopped ten feet away. The air in the vault was charged with heavy, oppressive static electricity.
"You are insane, Marcus," Olivia said, her voice terrifyingly calm. "You think holding a piece of shattered shell gives you power? The dragons don't serve the relic anymore. They serve the bloodline that chose to set them free."
"You know nothing of power!" Marcus shrieked, lifting the jagged silver shard high above his head. "This dynasty was built on control, fear, and absolute dominance! I will destroy the core before I let a rebellious child burn it all down!"
Before Marcus could bring the shard down against the stone floor, a massive shadow detached itself from the darkness behind him.
It was not a hatchling. It was a primordial silver dragon—twice the size of any creature seen in the courtyard, its scales gleaming with ancient starlight. Its golden and violet eyes locked onto Marcus with terrifying stillness.
Marcus froze, the shard trembling in his raised hand. "No... stay back—"
The ancient dragon did not roar. It simply exhaled a soft, warm breath of silver fire that washed over Marcus's hand. The heat was painless, but the jagged shard instantly melted into harmless liquid metal, dripping harmlessly onto the stone floor.
The mercenaries dropped their weapons, falling to their knees as the sheer mental weight of the ancient guardian flooded the subterranean chamber.
Marcus collapsed backward, staring in sheer horror at his empty, scorched hands.
Olivia walked slowly forward past the fallen mercenaries, stopping directly in front of her disgraced relative. She looked down at him with quiet pity rather than anger.
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"Your era of fear is over, Marcus," Olivia said softly.
She signaled the royal guards. "Take him to the Hudson Valley estate. Make sure he has all the modern cell reception he wants."
