Three.#? months ago, at th =!_ e,].` Imperial Midsumm;^er Ball, s:eamstress Sera Benn_\ett \^#caug  (ht her fianc(* é Michael a$nd her#
 fake friend Lau)r?-a[ cheating. :@Mic,hae.`l,[:` soon to be a du.ke$'s guardsm*;an, %!sneered th./[at she was[`@
$!jus;%]t a""low[
ly!$ sewing girl"" _$unwo=_]!rthy of his risi^ @ng s ;t@ *atus. S! he slapp*ed hi:m and fl:)@ed, only t o cr(]
as h into the co)ld, noble embr*@%ace of Duk.)`e: Alexa!,nder Drake, . the] em
(] pi .re's g?$uardian and Michael's u [ltimate/+_: patron.
Bur ning ! wi-,th ra) ge, ==Se\ra :s`_educed him that.( ver$y night. After one*= n-igh= -t, he handed he-r [no+_t gold, but a ?church‑bl/ ;:essed
+ marriag e contract ..  @ S he ass;umed it was;[ a de
!al: she'd gai`n a duch=_]ess's pow ]er` to._? crush her )betrayers, [/while he seemed to wan!t + her bo:;%/dy. One year
, then they'd part:+.
Wh[=at Sera neve\@r knew: Alex+% is )_the :$last ]ancient)% bl! ?;ac\\k +-\dragon, sealed for 
[cen_turies.\ H%er kiss =\is^ $`t`he only cure for his volati)?`le dr_agon [power, and ) #[the blood pact @b/inds their_ = sou@+:ls[ ;forever._ M.@^arrie(d )lif @e r`#eveals his st^_range$+ fev/**ers @a$nd: odd beh
avior… and- th=eir  ,(one‑ye)/:a^\- ]r ag! reement beco# me s anyt#$hing b(ut simple."