'How could I have forgotten?'
'How could I have forgotten?!'
'HOW COULD I HAVE FUCKING FORGOTTEN?!'
The words screamed inside Florian's skull, looping louder with every frantic step he took.
How could he forget?
Azure wasn't just any creature. He was Heinz's dragon. The King's dragon. A rare, majestic beast that chose to make himself small, yes, but unmistakably blue. Distinct. Powerful. Intelligent. How the hell did Florian manage to lose track of that?
'I don't understand. He should've followed me… right?' Florian thought, chest heaving as he retraced his steps, starting with the garden. 'He always follows me… he always—'
But the garden was nearly empty now. The tea party had long since ended; there were no signs of Alexandria or Athena anymore. Just the scent of wilting petals and faint traces of laughter long gone.
