Living Under the Dragon's Roof

Seraphina's first life ends with her husband Drakon killing their child. The truth flame had already proved the ice-blue baby was his. What changed everything was Vanya, princess consort at the third prince's estate, giving birth to a royal golden dragon. King Theron's rule was simple: the first prince to sire a golden dragon inherits. Drakon blamed the child for costing him the crown, killed it, and handed Seraphina over to other men before her death. She died knowing the worse truth: Drakon was infertile, and the child existed only because she had burned her own life force in a forbidden blood sacrifice. She vowed revenge.

She wakes on her eighteenth coming-of-age ceremony day, when the dragon clans choose brides. Drakon is reborn too. He picks Vanya, certain she can give him a golden dragon, and leaves Seraphina publicly discarded. King Theron pairs her with the third son, Lysander, known as a silver dragon, and sets both weddings for the same day. The first prince to produce a pure-blood golden dragon heir inherits. Seraphina accepts.

Drakon spends the wedding insulting her and Lysander. Lysander arrives late, brings dragon blood crystals and ancient scrolls, calls the marriage an honor, and shuts Drakon down. Seraphina notices a golden glow around him. He is not only a silver dragon.

After the wedding, Lysander promises protection. Seraphina gives him the only plan that matters: produce a golden dragon first, take the throne, and finish Drakon. Then she hears his voice and recognizes the man who held her and wept after her death in the past life. Lysander declares his love.

When Seraphina becomes pregnant before Vanya, Drakon's anger turns public. He dismisses the pregnancy as worthless. Lysander treats any bloodline as his own flesh and blood and refuses further disrespect. Seraphina remembers the sacrifice and decides Drakon does not deserve children and never will have any.

After the pregnancy becomes known, King Theron has the physician examine Vanya first. Vanya is healthy. Seraphina then proposes Drakon be examined too, because conception involves both husband and wife. Drakon resists, then agrees. The physician finds his vital essence depleted: he cannot sire children unless a woman of the purest golden dragon bloodline performs the blood sacrifice. Drakon realizes only Seraphina could have done it. "I killed our child with my own hands."