Curse of the Dragons Series by Raven Storm

I've lived in the mud quarter in the entire life, watching as the fireguards came every five years to select the prettiest girls to go to the Seat to start new lives--husbands, houses without a speck of dirt, and enough food that hunger wasn't a constant pain in your belly. This year it's my turn. And the dragon that forces our kingdom to cower under our magnificent dome and hide behind stone walls hasn't shown any signs of leaving.

The princes have lied. The queen controls everything, including the dragons. At first I just wanted to save my people in the mud quarter, but I can't do it alone. I'm not running away; I'm regrouping so I can return to finally free everyone from the dragon's curse. In order to defeat evil, I'm going to have to embrace the darkness, and journey into the abandoned mines on the outskirts of the kingdom, meeting the demons themselves... moreThe princes have lied. The queen controls everything, including the dragons. At first I just wanted to save my people in the mud quarter, but I can't do it alone. I'm not running away; I'm regrouping so I can return to finally free everyone from the dragon's curse. In order to defeat evil, I'm going to have to embrace the darkness, and journey into the abandoned mines on the outskirts of the kingdom, meeting the demons themselves. And the princes? If they have truly chosen me, then we will see in time just how much weight a dragon's promise holds. I won't end up like the king, discarded and forgotten. No one will forget the name of Marigold Mudthrice; Queen of Bones & Ashes. less

Cast aside since birth and denied my true heritage, they know me as the bastard prince. For years I played their game, doing allI could to assist my half-brothers shuffle refugees from the castle, while keeping them and the dying Nobles safe in the old mine tunnels. The Prince of Rats, one girl called me. The others view the curse as their doom, but they don't realize the golden opportunity it presents. With magick coursing through my blood, I've greedily hoarded all the knowledge I could... moreCast aside since birth and denied my true heritage, they know me as the bastard prince. For years I played their game, doing allI could to assist my half-brothers shuffle refugees from the castle, while keeping them and the dying Nobles safe in the old mine tunnels. The Prince of Rats, one girl called me. The others view the curse as their doom, but they don't realize the golden opportunity it presents. With magick coursing through my blood, I've greedily hoarded all the knowledge I could. They left us all for dead, and once I'm through with them, they'll wish they'd stuck around to finish the job. All of Dorea will tremble under the might of their new Overlord. less