Crown of Hidden Scales

Evelyn Vance wins a contest, but her father denies her the territory because she is a woman and plans to marry her off to the king. She refuses, uses a drug to mask her female dragonborn scent, and enters the all-male Saint Aurelian Academy to earn her own land and right to rule.

Evelyn publicly rebukes Cassius for preying on the weak, shocking the onlookers. Cassius approaches her and detects a faint, floral scent, noting that only female dragonborn carry such a fragrance. Evelyn realizes her disguise may be unraveling.

Evelyn deflects Cassius's suspicion about her floral scent by claiming she passed some roses, and gives the name Evan. Cassius backs off with a veiled warning. She then learns that Cassius has applied for a regular dormitory and is blood-bound to the king, the very man her father wants her to marry, leaving her dreading another encounter.

Evelyn walks in on Cassius bathing and claims she gets sick at the sight of another man's body. Cassius notes her racing heart and says her reaction is more like a woman's, leaving Evelyn afraid he has seen through her disguise.

Evelyn declines Cassius's offer to share his private hot spring and heads to dinner. In the dining hall, Seth and his friends corner her, mock her small frame, accuse her of cheating on the entrance test, and deliberately spill a drink on her.

As Seth provokes Evelyn in the dining hall, Cassius intervenes and declares Evelyn his prey, warning others not to touch her. Seth backs down and apologizes, but Cassius insists they settle the matter on the training grounds. An academy announcement then summons everyone to the central training grounds.

The instructor announces the Freshman Unarmed Combat Challenge, ordering everyone to face Evelyn one by one for ten credits. Seth publicly doubts Evelyn's courage, but Evelyn counters by demanding the right to challenge someone personally after defeating all opponents, and tells them to come all at once.

After defeating all the freshmen, Evelyn calls out Cassius Blackwood. During their exchange, Cassius notices she lacks an Adam's apple, and Evelyn's dragonborn scent flares out of control. She hastily thanks him and leaves.

Cassius forfeits their match, saying Evelyn held back and that he is more interested in her secrets. She tries to dismiss her lack of an Adam's apple as a family trait, but he points out she reeks of alcohol and needs a shower. When she heads for the spring, he urgently stops her from opening the door.

Cassius barges into the shower and remarks that Evelyn wraps her towel like a woman, with a frame more delicate and scales finer than any man. When he declares she is his soulmate, Evelyn deflects by insisting his scent only flared because he is going into rut, then leaves abruptly.