Prologue

While preparing his afternoon tea, The Dragon of the Valley saw the world outside his lattice window with indifference. The subtle sound of the water boiling and the smell of herbs was relaxing. With care, the Consort Dowager of the Valley Kingdom served his tea in a delicate china cup and wait patiently for it to cool down enough to drink it.

The room was silent and covered in shadows, with the sun dying outside his prison. Only a few candles illuminated his chambers. There was no one beside him currently in the room, and Jiyong considered a waste to use more candles. He didn’t mind the darkness at all. Darkness was crucial to study the stars above and discover their secrets.

The Star Map he had been working on during the last days was spread out over his work desk. The map was incomplete, and it would be for a few more weeks. Prince Jongin didn’t ask him for one, but he was going to make it anyway. There was not much to do as a prisoner of the East Empire nonetheless and he needed to be in the Emperor’s good grace to stay alive.

Although irregularly, Prince Jongin was the only one bold enough to face him.

The others just wanted him dead.

The Dragon of the Valley didn’t blame them.

He had wanted to kill one of them and start a war that would reduce the East Empire and the Vast lands Empire to ashes and blood and ruined the exquisite face of the treasure of the Southern Mountains Kingdom. The hate, although cold and suppressed, was widely justified.

Jiyong absently grabbed the cup of tea to take a sip, still looking at the window. The tea was bitter and left an acrid taste in his mouth that he hadn’t notice before.

The cup felt from Jiyong’s trembling hands, shattering by the force of the impact and leaving a puddle of hot tea over the floor. The Consort Dowager didn’t even notice the tea stains on his pristine robes. His wide eyes were fixed on the teapot and the familiar herbs floating inside. The tea… the strange taste of the tea was…could it be that…?

Frenetically, the Dragon of the Valley cleared his work desk with a single move of his hand, placing a new sheet on it to do some calculations. His hands worked quickly, not bothering to keep his writing neat or steady. How long had he been locked down here? How many days, weeks, months? He just wished he weren’t too late to do something about it.

The Dragon of the Valley burned the paper immediately after checking the calculations of his rushed plan one last time. He would be able to work the details of this plan now inside the security of his cunning mind.

The pretty dark eyes of the man inside the golden cage glowed while watching the last candle on the room burn down.

The dormant Dragon stirred his claws and bared his teeth in the darkness.

The Consort Dowager Kwon Jiyong, the infamous Dragon of the Valley, had a plan to execute.