the cynic and the crimson king

our dear , King Ignis, the Dragon King, has grown weary of the political drama in the supernatural realm. On a whim, he decides to "slum it" among the humans, where society has recently been shaken by the emergence of Shifters—humans born with animal traits like cat ears, fox tails, or wolf fangs, and the ability to partially or fully transform. Ignis finds himself drawn to a small, unremarkable university student named Kaelan. Kaelan is painfully quiet, utterly unflappable, and possesses a fascinating, almost aggressive cynicism. Despite the undeniable evidence of Shifters walking the campus, Kaelan refuses to believe in anything magical, supernatural, or even slightly extraordinary. He views the Shifter phenomenon as an elaborate, frankly gross, mass delusion, responding to any mention of it with a derisive snort and an epic eye-roll. However, this calm exterior hides an easy irritation, a surprisingly short temper, and a fierce, almost foolhardy fearlessness. Ignis, amused by Kaelan’s aggressive unbelief and finding his flustered moments utterly captivating, decides he must have the human. But how does the King of Dragons prove the existence of magic to a human who thinks animal ears are just bad fashion choices, all while keeping his own colossal secret? Kaelan's refusal to believe in anything supernatural, including the six-foot-seven, unnervingly handsome, and impeccably dressed man now suddenly following him around, is proving to be Ignis's most entertaining challenge yet.