THE TOMB OF MOONS
868 Words
The king was alive.
Those four words haunted Elaria for three days.
Three sleepless nights.
Three endless days of questions.
Questions nobody could answer.
Questions nobody wanted to answer.
Everywhere she went, whispers followed.
The Lost Princess.
The True Heir.
The Girl Chosen by the Throne.
And now—
The Daughter of a Living King.
The kingdom was changing.
Rapidly.
Dangerously.
And Elaria could feel it.
⸻
The riots had not stopped.
They had merely evolved.
Half the kingdom now believed she was the rightful heir.
The other half believed she was a threat.
The Shadow Court had succeeded in one thing.
Division.
The Dominion of Asterlyn was splitting apart.
Exactly as its enemies intended.
⸻
Inside the Council Chamber, the atmosphere was equally tense.
The empty seat of Lord Cassian Veyr sat untouched.
Like a wound in the room.
A reminder.
A warning.
A traitor had sat among them for nineteen years.
If Cassian could hide for that long—
Who else was hiding?
Nobody trusted anyone anymore.
⸻
“The Tomb of Moons.”
Varis stared at the ancient map spread across the table.
His expression was grim.
“Most scholars believe it’s a myth.”
Elaria folded her arms.
“The Throne doesn’t.”
No one argued.
Because no one could.
The Throne had guided her repeatedly.
And so far it had never been wrong.
⸻
Selene studied the map quietly.
She looked tired.
Exhausted.
The events of recent days had aged her visibly.
Yet there was determination in her eyes.
The determination of a mother who had finally found her daughter.
And refused to lose her again.
⸻
“The Tomb exists.”
Everyone turned toward Lucien.
The Crown Prince stood beside a bookshelf.
Holding an ancient journal.
“I found references.”
Varis frowned.
“Where?”
“The Restricted Archives.”
That answer alone silenced the room.
Only members of the royal family could access those records.
⸻
Lucien opened the journal.
Dust drifted from its pages.
Then he began reading.
“When darkness first challenged the Moon…”
“The First Heir was hidden within the Tomb of Moons.”
Silence followed.
Elaria felt a chill.
The First Heir.
Not a king.
Not a queen.
An heir.
Like her.
⸻
Lucien continued.
“There the bloodline was protected.”
“There the First Secret was sealed.”
The room became very quiet.
Because everyone remembered the Throne’s warning.
YOU ARE THE GREATEST SECRET.
⸻
Selene slowly sat down.
For the first time, genuine fear appeared in her eyes.
Not fear of enemies.
Not fear of assassination.
Fear of truth.
⸻
That night, preparations began.
A royal expedition.
Small.
Fast.
Secret.
Only a handful would travel.
Too many people meant too much attention.
Too much risk.
The Shadow Court was already watching.
Everyone knew it.
⸻
Elaria stood on her balcony once again.
The city glittered beneath the moon.
Beautiful.
Fragile.
At war with itself.
A soft knock interrupted her thoughts.
She turned.
Lucien stood at the doorway.
⸻
For a moment neither spoke.
The awkwardness between them remained.
Though it had changed.
The arrogance that once defined him had faded.
Replaced by caution.
Respect.
And something else.
Something Elaria wasn’t ready to name.
⸻
“You should sleep.”
Lucien’s voice was calm.
Elaria almost laughed.
“I could say the same.”
A faint smile appeared.
The first genuine smile she’d ever seen from him.
⸻
For several moments they stood together.
Watching the city.
Then Lucien spoke again.
“This isn’t your fault.”
Elaria looked away.
“The kingdom seems to disagree.”
“The kingdom is afraid.”
The answer came instantly.
Confidently.
Certain.
⸻
She studied him.
And realized something.
He actually believed it.
He believed she wasn’t the problem.
The realization surprised her more than it should have.
⸻
Before she could respond—
A horn sounded.
Loud.
Urgent.
Dangerous.
Both turned immediately.
The sound came from the eastern watchtowers.
Alarm signals.
⸻
A guard burst into the corridor outside.
Panic filled his face.
“Your Highness!”
The man was breathless.
Terrified.
⸻
“What happened?”
Lucien demanded.
The guard swallowed.
Then answered.
“The eastern fortress has fallen.”
Silence.
Absolute silence.
⸻
Elaria stared.
“What?”
The guard’s face had become pale.
“The garrison was attacked.”
Another breath.
“Over three hundred soldiers.”
Another.
“Missing.”
⸻
The room seemed to grow colder.
Much colder.
⸻
Then came the final blow.
The message recovered from the battlefield.
A banner.
Black.
Marked with the symbol of the Shadow Court.
And beneath it—
A sentence written in blood.
A sentence directed specifically at the royal family.
⸻
The guard’s voice shook as he repeated it.
“THE SHADOW KING IS RETURNING.”
⸻
The world stopped.
Selene froze.
Varis looked ill.
Lucien’s expression darkened instantly.
⸻
And deep beneath the palace…
Far below the Lunar Throne…
The ancient chains holding the mysterious prisoner trembled violently.
Cracks spread across silver runes.
Ancient seals weakened.
Something was breaking free.
⸻
A deep laugh echoed through the darkness.
Slow.
Patient.
Victorious.
⸻
“At last.”
⸻
The chains shattered.
- Writer
