Zuri sat up in the massive, velvet-lined bed, rubbing her temples.
"How did I even get here?" she muttered. "One minute, I'm scrolling TikTok… next thing, boom. Medieval castle, glitter chandeliers, armored strangers, and apparently I'm evil."
A soft clatter sounded behind her.
She turned—and froze again.
A small, golden egg sat on the floor, glowing faintly like it had stolen a tiny sun.
"Uh… excuse me?" Zuri whispered. "Why is there a literal glowing egg in my bedroom?"
From behind the bed came a voice, squeaky and terrified.
"You're… supposed to take care of it," said a tiny, trembling figure.
Zuri blinked.
A boy? A child? A knight? No—this was Rowan, the last surviving servant of the real Lady Zelaria. He looked like he had aged ten years in the last five minutes.
"Take care of it?" Zuri repeated. "Like… feed it cereal? Or… pet it? Or… just stare at it menacingly?"
Rowan stared at her like she was a dangerous alien.
"No!" he whispered. "It's a dragon egg! It must be nurtured, or—"
"Or what?" Zuri asked.
"Or it will hatch and destroy the kingdom."
Zuri raised her eyebrows. "That's… chill. Just a tiny Sunday thing, right?"
Rowan gave her a look like he might faint.
"Tiny? It's a DRAGON."
Before she could process that, the door burst open.
Prince Caden, still in his pristine armor, stepped inside.
"Ah, you've met Rowan," he said, voice even but clearly amused. "And… the egg."
Zuri tilted her head. "You're amused? I'm in a scary castle, everyone thinks I'm the villainess, and there's a glowing egg. And you're amused."
Caden gave a faint shrug. "It's… unusual. I admit it. But somehow… not threatening."
Zuri squinted. "Not threatening?" She leaned closer to the egg. "You've clearly never seen a dragon eat someone."
"Perhaps not," Caden said. "But I've seen Lady Zelaria. I think you're… different."
Zuri blinked.
Different?
Did he mean she's funny, chaotic, completely unprepared to wield magic, or that she's actually good?
Before she could ask, the egg trembled violently.
A faint crack appeared.
"Oh no. Oh no. Oh no," Zuri muttered. "We're not ready. This is happening already. I didn't even read the care instructions!"
Rowan began chanting something under his breath, waving a tiny wand like a panicked waiter.
Caden stepped forward, raising his hands.
"Step back," he ordered.
The egg cracked open with a small pop.
A tiny dragon emerged. Its scales shimmered like liquid gold, and it blinked at Zuri with enormous, curious eyes.
Zuri froze.
"Uh… hello?" she whispered.
The dragon blinked again… then sneezed a tiny spark.
Zuri screamed, "IT'S BREATHING FIRE!"
Rowan dove behind the bed.
Caden just… calmly sighed.
"This is going to be interesting," he muttered.
Zuri groaned and sat on the floor.
"Okay. So, apparently I'm a villain, I have to take care of a fire-breathing baby dragon, and everyone thinks I'm dangerous. Sounds like a normal Monday."
The dragon blinked, tiny smoke curls rising from its nostrils.
And then… it nuzzled her hand.
Zuri froze.
"Oh no," she whispered. "I think… we're going to be friends."
Caden's lips twitched.
"Interesting choice of companions, Lady Zelaria," he said.
Zuri shot him a look.
"I'm not Lady Zelaria. Please, can we get that straight?"
Caden's eyes softened just slightly.
"I'll try," he said.
"But I'm keeping my sword close… just in case."
--