Ileana's POV

My status as royalty entitled me to live in beautiful palaces and castles all my life, however, none compared to the stunning structure facing me now. The sheer size of it was five times larger than any other castle I had ever seen. Maybe it made sense to have such immeasurable space—dragons did roam the halls. 

Effervescence streaks of moonlight sparkled and refracted off of majestic spheres and turrets jutting into the sky, pinnacles of splendor, decadent and breathtaking. I took a moment to let it all sink in.

With elegance belying the expectation such a huge creature would be clumsy or cumbersome, Tavian swept through the air,...