His Second Funeral
Everyone said what a tragedy it was, how pitiful I was.
But I knew the truth. The man standing beside her wasn’t her husband, Kael. It was my husband, Kaiden.
They were identical twins, their power so closely matched that no one could spot the difference.
“Lyra, you have to understand,” Kaiden had explained to me in secret. “I’m doing this for the stability of the kingdom.”
“My brother was the Crown Prince,” he’d said, his voice a low murmur. “If the Dragon Lords learn their heir has fallen, it will trigger a civil war.”
“Besides,” he added, his hand finding mine, “your sister… Sera is so gentle, so pure. She couldn’t handle the grief. I’m just looking after her until things settle.”
“Once the succession is secure, I’ll come back to you. I promise.”
And I, like a fool, believed him.
I believed him right up until the moment he had me sentenced to death for colluding with the enemy, my flesh torn apart by a thousand arcane blades. As my life faded, I saw him holding my sister, his touch intimate and possessive. It had all been a lie. A calculation.
I open my eyes again, and I’m back. Back to the day of the Dragon Lords’ great victory, the day the news of my husband’s death arrived like a shroud.
Kaiden, wearing his brother’s face, holds my sister’s hand while she weeps. The assembled Lords look at me with expressions of profound sympathy.
This time, I don’t hesitate. I will remarry.
Kaiden thinks that by stealing the Crown Prince’s identity, he can claim a life of power and prestige. He has no idea that by casting me aside, he has just lost his one and only chance to become the true sovereign of the Dragon Lords.
1
“Lyra, Kaiden… he fell in battle!”
The phantom agony of a thousand cuts makes my entire body tremble. When my eyes flutter open, those are the first words I hear.
The man speaking is the Dragon King.
He had two sons. One was the Crown Prince, who married my sister, Seraphina. The other was my husband, Kaiden.
Now, the King, who should have been long dead in my previous life, sits on his throne, his face a mask of grief as he stares at the ornate coffin before us.
A wild, fierce joy surges through me.
I’m alive. I’m back.
Before I can speak, my sister’s voice cuts through the haze, soft and condescending. “Little sister, I know you’re hurting. It’s okay to cry. Let it all out.”
Sera looks down at me, her expression a perfect portrait of compassion, but the powder on her cheeks is flawless, undisturbed by a single tear.
I lift my head, but my gaze travels past her to the man at her side. Her husband.
No. Not him. Her husband is the one lying in that coffin.
The man standing before me is Kaiden. My Kaiden. The man who should be holding me in my grief is instead entwined with my sister, their fingers laced together.
He feels my stare and turns, his eyes widening in what looks like expertly feigned surprise.
A bitter laugh dies in my throat. Kaiden’s acting is as impeccable as ever.
In my last life, it took me months of doubt and secret searching to finally confirm my suspicions, to be certain that the man at Sera’s side was truly mine.
This time, I see the truth instantly.
A wrenching sob echoes through the hall.
“My son! Oh, my beautiful boy!”
The Queen throws herself against the coffin, tears like jewels spilling down her cheeks. Then, her grief-stricken eyes find me, and her face twists into a snarl. She points a trembling finger. “You! It was you! Your cursed luck killed my son!”
The Queen and I had never seen eye to eye. She found me too headstrong, not graceful enough—unworthy of her perfect son. I had worried about it once.
Kaiden had sworn to me, his voice earnest and full of devotion, “If my mother ever gives you trouble, I will always, always side with you.”
Crack.
The Queen’s palm connects with my cheek, the sting sharp and humiliating. Still not satisfied, she raises her hand again.
The King, shaken from his sorrow, quickly orders his guards to intervene.
“Enough!”
The throne room dissolves into chaos.
Through it all, Kaiden stands silently to the side, his hand still holding my sister’s. He even seems to be shielding her from the commotion.
He reaches into his tunic and pulls out a shimmering blue gem, a Tide Jewel, presenting it to Sera as if it were a holy relic. “For you, my love,” he murmurs, his voice a low comfort meant only for her. “I found this just for you.”
A hollow laugh escapes my lips.
Phoenixes are creatures of fire, but I had always been drawn to the sea, always longed for a Tide Jewel of my own. I had begged Kaiden to bring one back from the war for me.
He promised he would, but it never arrived.
So, this is why. He did find one. He just never intended for it to be mine. He gave it to my sister, who has no need for it, no love for the water. The man who promised he would always protect me now watches impassively as his mother assaults me.
Sensing my gaze, Sera shifts slightly, defensively, as if to shield Kaiden from my view.
“Lyra, why are you staring at my husband?” she chides, her voice sharp. “Father is speaking to you.”
The King’s voice is weary. “Lyra, by law, when a warrior falls, his widow must observe a century of mourning.” He sighs. “I will not force you, but I must ask… what are your intentions?”
I shake my head, my voice clear and steady. “I choose the second path. I will remarry.”
A stunned silence falls over the hall. Every eye in the room is on me, wide with disbelief.
Kaiden is the first to speak, his voice cracking with indignation. “Absurd! Lyra, how could you marry another?”
Now, even the King and Sera notice that something is wrong.
The King, though puzzled, speaks gently. “Kael, this is a private matter for your sister-in-law. The choice must be hers.”
Kaiden falls silent, his jaw tight, his eyes boring into me.
My sister, however, is even more incensed. She steps forward, her eyes flashing with condemnation. “Lyra, your husband’s body is still warm, and you’re already screaming to remarry instead of mourning him?” Her voice rises. “Do you want the entire world to think everyone from the Phoenix bloodline is as cold-hearted and faithless as you?”
The Queen glares at me with pure venom. “If Kaiden hadn't insisted on marrying you, I never would have allowed a viper like you into this family!”
I meet their fury with a calm I don’t feel. “If Kaiden truly loved me as much as you all say, he wouldn’t want me to waste my life away in mourning.” I raise my chin.
“I will remarry!”
“You—” Kaiden starts, desperate.
The King cuts him off. “Enough. Lyra has made her decision. So be it.” He looks at me, his gaze heavy. “However, the ancient pact between our houses stands. You may remarry, Lyra, but you must choose a son of the Dragon Lords.”
I turn to face the crowded hall, the sea of stunned faces. I raise my voice so that all can hear. “Is there any man here who will take me as his wife?”
No one moves.
A few younger lords look like they might step forward, only to be yanked back by their families. Others meet my gaze for a split second before looking away as if they’d just seen a serpent.
A flicker of despair touches me. The Fates have given me only two paths: a century of lonely widowhood or remarriage. Is my destiny truly unchangeable?
Seeing my predicament, Kaiden can’t resist a smug, cutting remark. “You see, Lyra? No one dares to marry a faithless woman like you. You should accept your fate and mourn properly.”
His tone is so confident, so utterly certain of my defeat, it makes my stomach churn.
And then, a figure descends from the vaulted ceiling, landing silently before the throne.
“I will.”
My eyes focus, and I recognize him. It’s Jax, the Warlord of the Dragon Lords. He has a fearsome reputation, a man they call the God of Slaughter, yet he kneels now on one knee before the King.
“Your Majesty,” he says, his voice a low gravel. “I will marry Lyra.”
Kaiden’s composure shatters. “Jax! This is none of your concern!” He points a finger at me. “A word of friendly advice. My brother just died, and she’s already rushing to find a new husband. Are you sure you want to bring that kind of curse into your house? Are you not afraid she’ll be the death of you, too?”
Jax rises and steps in front of me, shielding me from Kaiden’s venom. His brow furrows. “Your Highness, Lyra is your brother’s widow. Instead of protecting her, you’re slandering her.”
“I’m speaking the truth!” Kaiden insists.
Jax ignores him completely, turning to face me. His eyes, intense and serious, meet mine. “Lyra, will you marry me?” he asks. “I will be loyal to you for all my lives, forever by your side. Let the Heavens be my witness. If I break this vow, may my soul be extinguished.”
I’m stunned. In his gaze, there is nothing but unwavering sincerity. I find myself nodding. “Yes.”
It is done. Kaiden has no further grounds to object.
Jax and I are bound in union right then and there, a simple, powerful ritual before the court.
When it’s over, the exhausted King waves a dismissive hand at me. “Go.” He then turns to the rest of the court, his voice heavy with sorrow. “I am old, and I have lost a son. I no longer have the strength to rule.”
“In three days, I will pass the crown to Kael.”
Kael. My sister’s dead husband, whose name Kaiden has stolen.
A chill runs down my spine. In my past life, the King never abdicated. Not once, right up until the day Kaiden had me executed. Why has he decided to step down so soon this time?
Before I can process it, Kaiden walks past me with the departing crowd. As he passes, he leans in close, his voice a venomous whisper only I can hear.
“You bitch. You will regret this.”
That night, I move my belongings from Kaiden’s grand palace to Jax’s stark, militaristic domain. The servants’ whispers follow me down the halls.
“The Warlord is a great man, but his judgment in women is questionable.”
“The second prince’s body isn’t even cold, and she’s already moved on. How could she possibly be a good wife?”
“Didn’t the Queen say she was a bad omen? I fear for the Warlord’s life.”
…
I listen to the gossip from outside my window with a wry smile. I turn to Jax and gesture with my chin towards the door. “The great Warlord’s reputation, ruined by me,” I say, my tone light and self-mocking.
Jax’s brow darkens. “Don’t say that.” His voice is stern. “Lyra, give me half a day. I will make sure you never hear them speak ill of you again.”
I sigh, a genuine wave of weariness washing over me. “Honestly, I don’t care.”
Compared to my last life—a living widow to Kaiden, suffering endless humiliation only to be publicly executed by a thousand cuts—this is paradise. Jax has provided for me with the finest of everything, equal to what I had in the royal palace. I am comfortable and safe. I am more than content.
Before the lights are extinguished, I hear him mutter under his breath, so quiet I almost miss it. “Let them talk. As long as I have you, none of it matters.”
I don't sleep at all that night.
A few days later, a summons arrives from my sister. She is about to be crowned Queen, and handmaidens are fussing around her with a heavy, opulent coronation gown.
She excitedly holds the crown above her head, turning to me with a glint in her eye. “Lyra, tell me honestly. Who looks better in this, me or the old Queen?”
I remain silent.
She continues, talking more to herself than to me. “You know, sometimes a person just has to accept their fate.” A cruel little smile plays on her lips. “You were always the more talented one, weren’t you? But in the end, who’s becoming Queen? Me.”
She has been like this since we were children, always needing to feel superior.
My gaze drifts over the cluttered vanity table and lands on the Tide Jewel Kaiden gave her.
A flash of memory, sharp and clear, sparks in my mind.
When we were young, during a training exercise, my sister was dragged into the sea by a water sprite. She nearly drowned. Ever since, she has had a deep-seated fear of the ocean and hates anything related to it. She despises Tide Jewels.
Kael, her actual husband, was meticulous. He knew this. He remembered every little detail about her.
My voice is a raw whisper when I finally speak. “Did you honestly not know it wasn’t him?”
Sera’s hand freezes mid-air.
And in that single, frozen moment, I have my answer.
In my last life, through all the pain and confusion, I never once suspected my sister. To me, she was just another victim of Kaiden’s deception, even if we were never close.
But her reaction now tells a different story. She knew. She was part of it.
Tears well in my eyes, hot and furious. “Sera, are you insane?” I demand.
Clang.
She slams a phoenix-shaped hairpin onto the table, her patience gone. She turns to me, her eyes cold as ice. “What if I did?”
I stare at her, stunned into silence.
A chilling smile spreads across her face. “Let me be perfectly clear. As long as he is the Crown Prince, and as long as I become Queen, I don’t give a damn who my husband is.” She leans in, her voice dropping to a threatening whisper. “As for you, you will be a good little widow.”
“If you behave, I’ll be sure to take care of you once I’m Queen. But if you breathe a word of this to anyone,” she hisses, “I will destroy you.”
An icy dread washes over me, colder than any fear I’ve ever known. Her words are almost identical to the ones Kaiden used on me in my last life.
In the end, neither of them showed me any mercy.
Just then, voices sound from outside the chamber. The curtain parts, and Kaiden enters with the King and Queen.
They all stop short when they see me.
Kaiden’s brow furrows, a flicker of guilt in his eyes. “Lyra? What are you doing here?”
The Queen’s voice is dripping with sarcasm. “Shouldn’t you be with your new husband? What business do you have in the royal palace?”
Sera immediately begins to cry, pressing herself against Kaiden’s side. “It’s not Lyra’s fault. She’s just… she’s in so much pain from losing her husband, she’s not thinking clearly.”
Kaiden wraps an arm around her, glaring at me. “Lyra, none of us wanted to see my brother die. But you not only refused to mourn him, you remarried in defiance of his memory, and now you come here to harass your sister?” He points toward the door.
“Get out.”
I stare at Kaiden, at his false righteousness and his stolen life, and suddenly, a slow smile spreads across my face.
“Gladly.”
Justice is not denied, merely delayed.
The next day, Jax and I are summoned to attend Kaiden’s coronation. He is masquerading as Kael, and the King has named him as the successor. Although he still needs the formal recognition of the Heavens to complete the ceremony and receive the ancient power of the Dragon Kings, everyone—including Kaiden himself—believes it’s a mere formality.
He stands there now, clad in gleaming silver armor, with an equally radiant Sera on his arm. He greets the assembled lords with the easy grace of a man born to rule.
I watch him, and I can’t help but remember something from my past life.
The King had once asked Kaiden if he felt any resentment that his twin, Kael, had been named Crown Prince.
Kaiden had answered with perfect sincerity, “My brother is noble and kind, his talent far surpasses my own. He is the rightful heir. As his younger brother, I am nothing but proud.”
His actions today are a grotesque mockery of those words.
I shake my head, a bitter smile on my lips. How could I have been so blind to such a deeply false man?
Soon, Kaiden and Sera make their way over to us. He glances at Jax, a flash of jealousy in his eyes, before speaking to me with feigned concern. “Lyra, I know you still carry a torch for Kaiden. But you’re the one who chose to remarry. You should focus on your new life now.”
Before I can respond, Jax replies smoothly, “Your Highness need not worry. Lyra is very good to me.”
A warmth spreads through my chest. I look at the smug, triumphant couple before me and offer a gentle warning. “Your… Highness. Are you so certain that the Heavens will accept your claim today?”
Sera’s brow immediately crinkles. “What’s that supposed to mean? Lyra, are you cursing us?”
Kaiden’s glare is filled with hatred, but with so many watching, he restrains himself. He simply pulls Sera closer. “Don’t lower yourself by arguing with her, my love. Let’s go.”
I sigh and lean back against Jax’s solid frame, saying no more.
The coronation begins.
Kaiden ascends the ceremonial steps, his eyes fixed greedily on the crown in the King’s hands. The High Priest begins the incantation, his voice booming across the silent square. “We beseech the Heavens to bestow their blessing and pass the sacred power to the heir!”
CRACK-BOOM!
Thunder rolls across the sky, gathering in dark, angry clouds.
Just as the leader of the Phoenixes must endure a rebirth through fire, every new Dragon King must undergo a baptism by celestial lightning. If the Heavens approve, the King and his Queen are left unharmed, infused with divine power.
Kaiden takes Sera’s hand, and they stand together at the center of the altar.
BOOM!
The first bolt of lightning strikes.
I see it clearly—the color drains from both of their faces.
Then comes the second bolt, and the third…
Sera coughs violently, spitting a mouthful of blood, and collapses to her knees.
Kaiden’s face is now ashen.
The King and Queen leap to their feet in shock. A murmur of confusion and fear ripples through the crowd.
“When the last King received the blessing, it wasn’t like this.”
“Could it be… that the Crown Prince and his wife are not recognized by the Heavens?”
There are eighty-one bolts in total. What should be a blessing has become torture.
By the tenth bolt, Kaiden is on his knees beside Sera.
In a panic, the King throws up a magical barrier, shielding them from the storm’s fury. But in doing so, he has invalidated the coronation.
The square is deathly silent.
Everyone is staring at Kaiden and my sister, waiting for an explanation.
Kaiden struggles to his feet, looking up at his father. “Father, perhaps there was an error in the ritual. I am willing to try again.”
The King hesitates, his face a canvas of doubt.
I let out a soft sigh, but my voice carries clearly across the silence. “It’s useless. Stop struggling.”
All eyes turn to me.
“How can the Heavens recognize two impostors?”
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