00:00My cousin. She carried another dragon egg. I kept my eyes closed, breathed steady,
00:06let her think I was sleeping. Cinder stopped beside the cradle. Then she lifted my golden
00:11shelled egg and replaced it with her own dull, cracked one. Behind her, ash stood in rags,
00:17bruises everywhere, scalp bleeding where hair had been torn out. No dragon spark in her eyes,
00:23just fear. My daughter. Born from the egg, Cinder had stolen from me.
00:28The dragons gather. The weavers watched from the heavens.
00:31Serafina descended in a gown of woven starlight. The crowd gasped at her beauty, her power,
00:37her perfection. Cinder stumbled through the crowd, clutching a bloodstone.
00:41Ash trailed behind her on an iron chain, crawling across the marble like an animal.
00:46Stop the trial! It's all a lie! Serafina's is my daughter! Swapped the eggs a century ago!
00:54Very well, let's swap them back.
00:55Cinder froze. She'd prepared speeches, arguments, threats. None needed. Kale's face darkened.
01:03Ash is my daughter. I watched the eggs get swapped.
01:06Ash's eyes went wide. She crawled toward me, mouth opening, trying to say,
01:11Mother! through her ruined taan. I watched my cousin steal my dragon egg.
01:18And I let her. For one hundred years, she tortured my real daughter.
01:28While I raised hers as the future dragon queen.
01:34Then, at the air ascension trial, my cousin exposed the truth.
01:39Stop the trial!
01:41She thought she had won.
01:43She thought she was about to take back her daughter and steal my future.
01:49Because I had been waiting one hundred years for this exact moment.
01:54Moonlight spilled across the crystal cradle beside my bed. Inside rested a golden dragon egg.
02:00My heir. The future of the dragon empire. Then the door opened.
02:05My cousin. She carried another dragon egg.
02:10I kept my eyes closed. Breathed steady. Let her think I was sleeping.
02:15Cinder stopped beside the cradle. Tears filled her eyes.
02:19It should have been me. Kale should have chosen me.
02:22Then she lifted my golden shelled egg and replaced it with her own dull, cracked one.
02:28My nails dug into my palms. Cinder left with my egg. The door closed behind her.
02:33I opened my eyes. A stranger egg sat in my cradle. I stared at it. I could have stopped her.
02:40But I didn't.
02:42Tired opposite it's love. The world is another labyrinth and chaste.
02:50Elyria! You're working Seraphina too hard! Poor thing. Are you hungry? Tired? You don't deserve this.
03:01I've got a flame gem that can help you get through the dragon trial. I'll send it to you tomorrow.
03:06This was her ritual. Ever since the swap,
03:09Cinder found every excuse to be near her daughter. Criticizing my parenting. Offering gifts.
03:16Stealing moments with the girl she'd stolen from my arms. I said nothing. Behind her,
03:23Ash stood in rags. Bruises everywhere. Scalp bleeding where hair had been torn out. No dragon spark in her
03:30eyes. Just fear. My daughter. Born from the egg Cinder had stolen from me. Cinder turned, grabbed Ash by the
03:38hair and dragged her forward. Look at Seraphana. Look at what you can never be! Ash whimpered.
03:49Cinder pulled harder. A clump of bloody hair came free. Teach you what happens when you forget your place.
03:58She held the bloody hair in front of my face. See Aurelia? This is how you train trash.
04:09You're too kind. Cinder's smile faltered. She wanted me to care. Because the girl in chains?
04:16She was never my daughter. Not really. Serafina loved firefish. And Cinder spent dinner deboning it for
04:24her. Never eating as her full attention stayed on the daughter she believed was hers. Ash sat chained to
04:31the table leg. Iron collar, rusty and tight, digging into her neck. Mother, may I have bread?
04:41Cinder's face transformed into something demonic. She seized Ash's head and shoved it into the slop
04:47bucket leftovers, bones, grease. Eat! Eat, you ungrateful worm! Ash's face emerged covered in filth.
04:58Tears cut through the grime. She looked at me, pleading, begging for the mother who had never once
05:04defended her. I lifted my wine glass. I took a sip. Didn't move. Serafina turned pale.
05:12Cinder noticed immediately. What's wrong, dear? You look pale.
05:16She hauled Ash away by the collar.
05:23You've upset your eminency. I'll deal with you later.
05:27The next morning, Cinder brought the flame gem as promised.
05:31Last night, I sent three males to teach the little brat some manners.
05:37She watched my face for a reaction. She's just an Ashborn. What matters is Serafina.
05:42Right, cousin? I gave her none. Kale, my husband,
05:46shot me a look of disappointment. He'd always behave the honorable type.
05:51Cinder pressed the flame gem into Serafina's hands.
05:58This will protect you through the Ascension trial. Then leaned down to Serafina's ear.
06:04On the day you win, I'll tell you a great secret. I closed the door behind them,
06:10masking the cold fire in my eyes.
06:16Yes, some secrets are overdue.
06:19Serafina's clothes gradually disappeared, and her body was enveloped by an orb of light.
06:25Then the orb of light shattered into fragments, and her body transformed into a dragon.
06:33Cinder watched, mesmerized. Then her gaze snapped to the tail.
06:38She's missing a scale! How could you miss this? What kind of mother are you?
06:44Your daughter's nearly bald from lesson lets, but Serafina loses one scale, and you're screaming?
06:50Cinder trembled with rage. Then her lips twisted into something venomous. She activated her communication crystal.
06:59Scar the little one's face. Your eminency lost a scale. She must have cursed her.
07:08From the crystal, screams.
07:12Please, I beg you! I'll be good!
07:17Cinder closed her eyes in bliss.
07:24Serafina frowned.
07:26Auntie, I knocked the scale off myself. It doesn't affect my power.
07:31Every scale matters!
07:33Auroria, you must infuse her again with Heart Flame!
07:36I stared until Cinder squirmed.
07:38I'm sure Serafina appreciates your concern.
07:42You should worry about your own daughter, not mine.
07:45I said it flatly, then turned and walked away.
07:49I heard Cinder whisper,
07:51When you're the Ascended Queen, I'll tell you everything.
07:58I smiled. She'd tell Serafina nothing.
08:02Because I would tell everyone first. And the great secret she planned to reveal?
08:07The Ascension trial was three days away. I had waited 100 years.
08:12I could wait three more days.
08:25The dragons gather.
08:27The weavers watched from the heavens.
08:30Serafina descended in a gown of woven starlight.
08:33The crowd gasped at her beauty, her power, her perfection.
08:38Elders raised his staff.
08:44By blood and fire, we name the-
08:47Wait!
08:48Cinder stumbled through the crowd, clutching a bloodstone.
08:52Ash trailed behind her on an iron chain, collarbone bleeding, crawling across the marble like an animal.
08:59Stop the trial!
09:01Stop the trial! It's all a lie!
09:04Serafina's is my daughter! Swapped the eggs a century ago!
09:08Alaria, give me back my baby!
09:15Cinder fell to her knees, grasping my skirt.
09:19Alaria, take your ashborne back!
09:21Serafina is my daughter!
09:24The crowd erupted.
09:27Serafina's an ember-class dragon! You're a wizened! How could you birth an ember-class-
09:32The ashborne's been ruined! You want to swap now?
09:34The ashborne does look more like Araria. Ash glanced at me, looked away.
09:42Kale rose from his throne.
09:44This is absurd. My wife would never-
09:47I raised my hand. Silence fell. Then I smiled.
09:51Very well, let's swap them back.
09:53Cinder froze. She'd prepared speeches, arguments, threats. None needed.
09:59Kale's face darkened. He rushed to me.
10:03You can't this alone! We've invested everything in Serafina!
10:07I looked at the crowd. At Ash.
10:10Ash is my daughter.
10:14I watched the eggs get swapped.
10:16Ash's eyes went wide. She crawled toward me, mouth opening, trying to say,
10:21mother through her ruined taan.
10:25His eyes were red with fury.
10:34Why, Alaria? Why?!
10:48The dragons gather.
10:51The weavers watched from the heavens.
10:54Serafina descended in a gown of woven starlight. The crowd gasped at her beauty, her power,
11:00her perfection. Elders raised his staff.
11:08By blood and fire we name the-
11:11Wait!
11:12Cinder stumbled through the crowd, clutching a bloodstone. Ash trailed behind her on an iron chain,
11:18collarbone bleeding, crawling across the marble like an animal.
11:23Stop the trial!
11:25Stop the trial! It's all a lie! Seraphina's is my daughter! Swapped the eggs a century ago!
11:32Alaria, give me back my baby!
11:39Cinder fell to her knees, grasping my skirt.
11:43Alaria, take your ashborne back! Seraphina is my daughter!
11:47The crowd erupted.
11:51Serafina's an ember-class dragon! You're a wizened! How could you birth an ember-class?
11:56The ashborne's been ruined! You want to swap now?
11:58The ashborne does look more like Ariria.
12:01The ashborne does look more like Ariria.
12:03Ash glanced at me, looked away. Kale rose from his throne.
12:08This is absurd. My wife would never-
12:11I raised my hand. Silence fell. Then I smiled.
12:15Very well, let's swap them back.
12:17Cinder froze. She'd prepared speeches, arguments, threats. None needed.
12:23Kale's face darkened. He rushed to me.
12:27You can't this alone! We've invested everything in Seraphina!
12:31I looked at the crowd. At Ash.
12:34Ash is my daughter.
12:38I watched the eggs get swapped.
12:40Ash's eyes went wide. She crawled toward me,
12:43mouth opening, trying to say,
12:45mother through her ruined taan.
12:49His eyes were red with fury.
12:58Why, Ariria? Why?!
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