Location: Dragon Palace - Family Quarters (Dragon Domain, Upper Realm)
Time: Day 213 (Doha Actual) - Late Evening | Calendar: 4 Voidmarch, 9938 AZI
Xingteng hadn't spoken during the initial revelation.
Had sat quietly in the family sitting room while her father explained about silver queens and sacred duties and quintet bonds. While her brothers erupted with questions—How? When? Where?—and her mother spoke of protection details and search territories.
She'd just... listened.
Let the words wash over her like water over stone. Let her sister's hand anchor her to reality. Let the weight of destiny settle onto shoulders that already carried too much.
A silver queen.
Young. Vulnerable. Alone somewhere on Doha.
And Xingteng—broken, damaged Xingteng who couldn't even leave the family quarters without panic clawing up her throat—was supposed to protect her.
The irony would have been funny if it didn't hurt so much.
