Chapter 1

Kavryn of the Sun Crown had trained his entire life for many things.

Swordplay. Strategy. Dragons before breakfast.

Goblins, however, were firmly filed under *myths*, somewhere between talking turnips and knights who enjoyed paperwork.

Until today.

“RUN!” a soldier shrieked, abandoning his post with impressive speed.

Kavryn and Preston jolted awake to shouting, crashing, and the unmistakable *boom* of something exploding far too close for comfort.

“What’s going on?” Preston muttered, scrambling for his boots.

“Dragons!” someone screamed while sprinting past them.

“RUN!” another echoed, running in the exact same direction, just slightly more on fire.

The Knights of the Sun Crown Order did not run.

They suited up.

Drawing swords at dawn was a regular Tuesday for them. Seven knights, one camp, and a sky suddenly very rude with wings. They formed ranks while everyone else scattered for the hills.

Kavryn -one of the finest knights in the Order and annoyingly aware of it- cut through twelve flying lizards like he was slicing warm bread. Green goo splattered everywhere.

Preston looked down at his boots and groaned. “I just got these…”

Just when the dragons seemed to retreat, the sky darkened.

Something massive thundered down, shaking the ground as it landed.

“That’s the Alpha!” Preston shouted.

Kavryn, ever the overconfident idiot, raised his shield and advanced alone.

The Alpha roared, jaws snapping, heat rolling off its scales. Kav danced around it with practiced grace—until he didn’t.

Teeth sank into his shoulder.

Kav’s shout of pain echoed across the camp.

Preston reacted instantly, yanking out a canister of Dragon-Off- the brand that worked every time. One sharp spray to the snout.

The Alpha released Kav immediately and fled, sneezing so violently it nearly tripped over its own wings.

“We need a doctor!” Preston yelled, hauling Kav onto his back.

The world went dark.

---

Kav woke to warmth.

And… chocolate?

“Don’t get up,” a soft voice said, calm and certain, like it had already read his thoughts.

“The camp. The dragons. The fires.” He blinked weakly.

“Relax,” the voice continued gently. “The camp is safe. The fires are out.”

Kav exhaled.

Then frowned.

This wasn’t the infirmary.

Glowing trinkets dangled from the ceiling, casting soft blue light across shelves lined with jarred herbs. Books, tomes, and half-unrolled maps were everywhere, stacked in delightful chaos. The air smelled sweet and earthy.

“This isn’t the infirmary…” he murmured.

A cloaked figure sat beside him. Small. Very small.

Gentle, gloved hands finished stitching the bite on his shoulder. “You’re going to be fine.”

That’s when Kav sat straight up and yanked the hood away.

Both of them froze.

His breath vanished.

Hers did too.

A stunning pair of blue eyes stared back at him, framed by long dark lashes and sleek black hair that brushed a round, delicate face. Freckles glimmered across Kashmir-blue skin. Pointed ears peeked out shyly from her hair.

She was otherworldly.

And short.

Very short.

At least four feet and ten inches.

“You-” Kav croaked, suddenly forgetting how lungs worked.

“Don’t panic!” she blurted, even as he was very clearly panicking.

Kav stared.

Pointed ears.

Blue skin.

Freckles.

“Oh no,” he whispered.

She winced.