Laila, a? d^+^`estitut, :e widow, ?,--is %forced o`+ f=`f a !cl!iff  by ( th%e tyrannical Governor B;arro$w—only to fal l into the.@ sacred dragon rea% lm.^ The]re, ^ she spends one +^fatef /ul night with King Kael, a dragon so?v)ereign bound b]y( a $![d;, eadly curse that burns any+ ] woman-= he to!/uches. -Ten months later, she :g,;
iv/-es birth to a $/`r]oyal dra-gon egg. Hunted b?(#y Bar;!row,*(, she desper[-@ately% entrust !s the egg to the dragon c
lan. Wh^%#en the temp`le i.+ssues a de-)cree see!-.king one who


 c_
an hatc
h the e_g$_!%g, L@ aila t=%,ears down the
 ro@)yal n\;otice and steps forward. Despite scorn and *humiliati #on from the

nobles, she r;$;eunit*e;*s w$#ith Kael. In the] end, ?$/it , %? is her u + nc`onditi\onal mot (,h#er'*s ,`%love(\ that awak@ \ens the dying egg—and a ?penniless commoner %becomes the mothe:`r of *! the dr
!a-\gon cl a[ *n's sole\ heir.