On the night of my birthday banquet, the elders of the Holy Court left early. Adrian arrived late, with Celeste on his arm.

Her cheeks were flushed, and a red mark shone at the side of Adrian's throat. Anyone with eyes knew what they had been doing before they came.

In my old life, I would have fallen apart. One was the man I loved, and the other was my sister. I would have asked them how they could hurt me like that.

Now, I only glanced at them and kept talking to the lady beside me.

Adrian saw my eyes pass over the mark and moved Celeste behind him, ready for a scene. He waited, but I gave him nothing.

His face tightened. “Elena, are you pretending to be generous because you're afraid I won't marry you?”

I lifted my glass and said nothing.

“That is fine. I am the future head of House Seraphiel. A man in my position will never belong to one woman. There will be others. If you keep behaving, I may reward you now and then.”

He took a small velvet box from his pocket. Before it reached me, Celeste snatched it with a delighted gasp. “So pretty. Is this the limited moonsilver bracelet from Aurelia? It’s almost impossible to buy.”

Adrian withdrew his hand at once. “You like it?”

Celeste smiled at me. “I cannot take it. It is Elena's birthday gift. I should not steal what belongs to her.”

Her eyes said the opposite.

Adrian did not hesitate. “Take it if you like it. As for her, I can find anything later.” He glanced at me with lazy contempt. “She likes whatever comes from me anyway.”

Laughter rippled through the hall.

An old memory rose before I could stop it. Once, I had visited Skyspire Palace during a storm. Adrian tossed me a cloak because I was soaked. I kept it for years because it carried a trace of his scent. When he caught me holding it, he spat, “You really have no shame.”

Then he told half the Holy Court, and I became another joke.

Thinking of it now, I only felt tired.

I turned to leave. Adrian stepped in front of me and caught my wrist. “What, upset already? Cannot keep pretending?”

I pulled free. “Adrian, show some respect.”

He stared as if I had said something absurd. “Respect? You have been dying to marry me. We will share a bed sooner or later. Why act pure now?”

“Who said I was marrying you?”

The hall went silent. Then laughter exploded.

Adrian laughed the loudest. “Then who are you marrying? Everyone knows you are madly in love with me. Do you expect them to believe you would choose someone else?”

He tilted his head, mockery sharpening his voice. “Besides me, there is only the sixth son. Cassian, the broken-winged one. His wings were shattered in that griffin crash, and he has hidden in the shadow halls ever since. Some say he will never fly again. Some say other things are broken too. What will you do, Elena? Spend your life with an angel who cannot even lift himself into the sky?”

The hall laughed again.

Just then, Cassian Seraphiel appeared at the entrance in a wheeled chair, pushed by an attendant. His face was pale, and his dark cloak covered the ruined line of his wings. The room went quiet for a breath, then the whispers turned sharper.

“A dragon heiress choosing a fallen angel. Now that would be a show.”

I opened my mouth to say I would choose him.

Then I remembered Lord Alaric's warning. “If you have chosen Cassian, keep it quiet until I announce it. Too many people have their eyes on my vaults.”

So I swallowed the words.

Cassian looked at me once. His eyes were calm, but something like disappointment flashed through them.

I understood Lord Alaric's concern. I also understood Cassian's silence. I stopped arguing and let them laugh while I walked away.

On the carriage ride home, Celeste sat beside me and raised her wrist again and again, making the bracelet catch the lamplight.

“Even if you marry Adrian, you will never have his heart,” she said sweetly.

In my last life, she had hidden in Adrian's arms like a frightened dove after I caught them in bed. Adrian protected her as if I were the monster.

This time, I decided to give them exactly what they wanted.

A few weeks later, during the Moonfall Festival, my father asked me to deliver gifts to Lord Alaric.

The moment I entered Skyspire Palace, I saw Celeste. She had not returned to House Drakon for days, and now she stood there in a pearl-colored gown with jewels glowing at her throat and wrists.

“Elena,” she said, smiling. “Do you like them? Adrian gave me everything. I told him it was too much, but he said only I deserved things like this.”

I tried to walk around her, but she stepped into my path.

“I only wanted to share my happiness. Why are you so cold? I know you are jealous, but no one can force love. Adrian chose me.”

Tears filled her eyes as she spoke. Before I even touched her, she dropped to the floor as if I had pushed her.

“Elena, why would you do this? I know you hate me, but I am still your family.”

Adrian arrived at the perfect moment.

“Elena, what the hell are you doing?” His golden wings flared, throwing hard light across the corridor. “Are you bullying your own sister now? Do you have any heart?”

I looked at him, then at Celeste, and laughed. “Celeste, I did not know you were this good at cheap tricks.”

A slap cracked across my face. Adrian had hit me. “I will not let you speak about her like that.”

My cheek burned. Dragonfire stirred under my skin, hot and violent. I wanted to hit him back, but guests were already gathering at the corridor's end. This was Lord Alaric's festival banquet. I would not ruin it.

Celeste lowered her lashes, but I caught the smile in her eyes.

Adrian seemed to realize he had gone too far. He reached for me, but Celeste clung to his arm first. “Adrian, my eyes hurt. Can you look?”

Guests whispered as they passed.

“Is that Elena Drakon? She is so desperate for Adrian that she attacks her sister.”

“House Drakon must be ashamed.”

Adrian's expression turned colder. “Apologize to Celeste.”

Behind him, Lucien laughed. “Lady Elena, if you cannot stand one sister, what will you do when Adrian has lovers after marriage? Burn down the whole court?”

“Maybe she will. The dragon girl who fights every woman in the sky.”

I had once trained in blade dance and combat because of Adrian. I had even declared that any woman who tried to steal him would answer to my fists. Remembering it now made me embarrassed for the girl I had been.

Adrian leaned closer, smug and cold. “Grandfather will announce our betrothal today. If you still want to marry me, remember what I said. After the wedding, we each do what we want. You do not interfere.”

I stared at him, honestly amazed. How could someone raised in the Holy Court speak so shamelessly and still think himself noble?

Before I could answer, Lord Alaric's steward stepped out. “What is all this noise? It is a festival. Do you want to anger His Lordship?”

Behind him came Cassian.

He was not in a chair today. He wore a dark formal coat embroidered with silver feathers, and although his face was pale, he stood steady. The cloak on his shoulders could not hide the broken line of his wings, but there was dignity in the way he carried himself.

When he saw my cheek, he walked past everyone and stopped before me.

“Are you all right?” he asked softly.

Seeing him, I remembered my last life. After Adrian broke me, I wandered the streets like a ghost. A black carriage stopped beside me, and Cassian lowered the window.

“Elena, why are you here?”

He never saw me as a sister-in-law. Back then, I thought he refused to acknowledge me. Only after death did I learn the truth.

“Does it hurt?” Cassian asked again.

I looked into his dark eyes and smiled. “No.”

Adrian snorted. “Whether it hurts has nothing to do with you, Cassian. She is your future sister-in-law.”

Steward's face changed slightly, but he only said, “Go inside. Lord Alaric is waiting.”

As Adrian passed me, he murmured, “Do not forget what I said.”

He sounded as if he could already feel the crown of House Seraphiel on his head.

His pride did not last long.

When everyone entered the great hall, Lord Alaric came down the stairs with his staff. His hair was white, but his eyes were still sharp enough to cut through a lie.

He stepped onto the platform and took my hand. “Today, I announce the promise I made to Lord Evander Drakon. Elena has reached her twentieth year. She may choose a husband from the sons of House Seraphiel. After the marriage, I will transfer eighty percent of my private holdings to the couple.”

A wave of envy moved through the room.

“Now,” Lord Alaric said, “let the two children come forward.”

Adrian straightened and took a step.

Lord Alaric raised his staff and stopped him. Then he smiled toward the side of the hall.

“Cassian.”

The room froze.

Cassian had changed into ceremonial white and silver. Under the chandeliers, he stood tall, nothing like the helpless shadow everyone mocked. He carried moon lilies to the platform and looked at me.

“Elena,” he said, “are you ready?”