Seraphin]]=a, a d[$ragon‑blood half‑breed, is born unabl=%]e`,^  to sh`=ift ]+,into dragon for`m. ,Her fiancé +?`Damo$)n publicly # brea$]ks off t
hei-#r en`.!@ga(g!ement,#%# a@ $nd the pur,-[e‑bloo+,d princess [=Vex[ia crush+es*.) her scale.*s to ()humiliate her. On the eve of h,er coming‑of‑age ceremony, s),h ) e act -s  on !:^impul,s`(]e and spends the /night with*$ a strang? e!* r`. Upo_n wa.king,? s/he$ =$discover/s he i
;s no=^[ne othe)r ]than Silas, \#t*(he y*`o.ungest Dr agon K=i(!+ng of the d+(ragon clan.)#^
That nig?h:t
( re‑ignites he#@r long‑ dormant drago;]_n blood, !leavin( g an in]visi-\ble burning b$rand \_etched in_ -
to= her pal (m. At the comin\g‑o/f‑age:  ceremony, where everyone -
wai/+ts to wi=tne= (:ss her disgrace, #%/she steps onto the@ h,i!$gh platform. The ?dragon fla\)
mes bo-,w and + pay homage to he%
r. The High Priest,* st+!unned,%^% procl aims: “ This@ h+_a?$lf‑dragon possesses )one‑hund#re-d‑percent dragon‑flame compatibil!?%ity.\:”
The Drag+_`on King, who ha:]d watched everything % _ w
ith cold detach:ment,= had already-% tr:=,ansfused/#
his own )dragon blood*_ into her vei [`ns the! night befor
,^e.