Luna No More

Chapter 15

The Queen's Tomb



The sacred valley was forbidden.

Not restricted.

Not protected.

Forbidden.

There was a difference.

A restricted place could be entered with permission.

A forbidden place was never meant to be disturbed.

Ever.

The moment General Lyra spoke those words, a heavy silence settled over the room.

Even Aetherion, resting somewhere deep within the mountain, seemed restless.

Isabella could feel it through the strange connection they now shared.

The giant guardian was worried.

And that terrified her more than anything.

Because creatures like Aetherion did not worry about ordinary threats.

"What secret is hidden in the tomb?" Isabella asked.

Nobody answered immediately.

Lucian's jaw tightened.

General Lyra looked away.

Even Seraphina seemed uncomfortable.

The reaction alone was enough to tell her the truth.

Whatever lay inside Queen Elara's tomb was important.

Very important.

Unfortunately, everyone seemed determined to avoid discussing it.

Isabella crossed her arms.

"I'm getting tired of being the only person who doesn't know what's happening."

Seraphina sighed.

"You deserve answers."

"Then start talking."

The older woman exchanged a glance with Lucian.

A silent conversation passed between them.

One Isabella couldn't understand.

Finally, Seraphina spoke.

"When Queen Elara died, something disappeared."

The room grew quiet.

"The Lunar Heart."

Isabella frowned.

"The source of royal power?"

Seraphina nodded.

"The same artifact that once united the kingdoms."

A chill ran through Isabella.

She remembered Lucian mentioning it weeks ago.

The legendary object gifted by the Moon Goddess herself.

The object everyone believed had been destroyed during the m******e.

"You're saying it still exists?"

"No."

Lucian finally spoke.

"We're saying nobody knows."

The answer wasn't reassuring.

At all.

Seraphina continued.

"The night the palace fell, the Lunar Heart vanished."

A pause.

"Some believed it was destroyed."

Another pause.

"Others believed Elara hid it."

The implication settled over the room.

And into Isabella's stomach like a stone.

"It might be inside the tomb."

Nobody corrected her.

Which meant she was right.

Wonderful.

The enemy wasn't simply after her.

They were after enough power to reshape the world.

Again.

Her life had become absurd.

Three hours later, a war party departed the kingdom.

The moon hung high overhead.

Silver light illuminated the mountain paths.

More than one hundred warriors accompanied them.

General Lyra led the vanguard.

Scouts moved through the forests ahead.

Archers protected the flanks.

And at the center rode Isabella and Lucian.

The journey remained quiet.

Too quiet.

Everyone understood the stakes.

If the Blood Hunters reached Queen Elara's tomb first...

Nobody knew what would happen.

Isabella adjusted her cloak against the cold wind.

Beside her, Lucian rode in silence.

His expression remained unreadable.

Yet she could sense tension radiating from him.

Something about this mission affected him personally.

More personally than usual.

After several minutes, she finally spoke.

"You've visited her tomb before."

It wasn't a question.

Lucian's fingers tightened slightly on the reins.

Confirmation.

Interesting.

"Many times."

The answer was quiet.

Almost reluctant.

A strange ache settled inside Isabella.

Again.

That ridiculous jealousy.

The woman had been dead for seven centuries.

She needed to get over it.

Immediately.

Preferably yesterday.

Unfortunately, her emotions disagreed.

"What was she like?"

The question surprised both of them.

Lucian looked over.

His golden eyes softened.

Just slightly.

For a moment, the haunted king disappeared.

And a young man emerged.

A man carrying memories.

"Stubborn."

Isabella blinked.

"Really?"

A faint smile appeared.

"Very."

That sounded familiar.

Too familiar.

"She hated being told what to do."

The smile widened.

"Frequently ignored good advice."

Isabella narrowed her eyes.

Lucian's amusement deepened.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Because she sounds familiar."

His gaze lingered.

Longer than necessary.

The meaning was obvious.

And annoyingly accurate.

A small laugh escaped her.

The sound seemed to surprise him.

For a brief moment, neither looked away.

The world faded.

The guards disappeared.

The mission disappeared.

Only the two of them remained.

Then General Lyra rode back toward them.

Ruining everything.

Naturally.

"Movement ahead."

The atmosphere instantly shifted.

Warriors reached for weapons.

The moment was gone.

The danger remained.

The sacred valley appeared shortly before dawn.

It was beautiful.

Breathtakingly beautiful.

Ancient trees surrounded the valley floor.

Silver flowers covered the ground.

Crystal streams reflected moonlight.

The entire place felt sacred.

Alive.

Powerful.

Old.

The moment Isabella crossed the valley boundary, energy rushed through her body.

Recognition.

Welcome.

Home.

The sensation nearly stole her breath.

She had never been here before.

Yet somehow it felt familiar.

The warriors spread out immediately.

Securing the area.

Searching for signs of enemy activity.

General Lyra approached moments later.

Her expression was grim.

"They were here."

Isabella's stomach dropped.

"What?"

Lyra pointed toward the eastern ridge.

Footprints.

Broken branches.

Signs of movement.

Recent movement.

Very recent.

"They arrived hours before us."

The news spread quickly through the warriors.

Unease followed.

Lucian's expression hardened.

"Can you track them?"

Lyra nodded.

"Yes."

A pause.

"But you won't like where they went."

The answer became obvious immediately.

The tomb.

Of course.

Where else?

The hunters were already ahead.

Already moving.

Already winning.

Not for long.

Lucian turned toward the valley center.

Toward a massive hill covered in silver flowers.

The ground beneath it felt different.

Powerful.

Ancient.

Important.

And suddenly Isabella knew.

The tomb was there.

The entrance had been opened.

Forced open.

Ancient stone doors lay shattered across the ground.

The sight made something inside Isabella furious.

Not because she understood the history.

Because she respected it.

The place felt sacred.

The hunters had desecrated it.

Lucian stood motionless before the ruined entrance.

The anger rolling off him was terrifying.

Nobody spoke.

Nobody interrupted.

Even the wind seemed afraid.

Finally, the king stepped forward.

And entered the darkness.

The others followed.

The tomb was enormous.

Far larger than Isabella expected.

Ancient hallways stretched into darkness.

Silver symbols illuminated the walls.

Beautiful murals depicted forgotten battles.

Lost kingdoms.

Royal ceremonies.

Entire histories preserved in stone.

Then Isabella stopped.

A painting covered the far wall.

And the woman in it looked exactly like her.

The same eyes.

The same features.

The same expression.

Queen Elara.

A chill ran through her.

The resemblance was impossible.

Unnatural.

Unsettling.

The others noticed too.

Several warriors exchanged nervous looks.

General Lyra muttered a curse.

Lucian remained silent.

His eyes fixed on the mural.

On Elara.

On the face Isabella shared.

Something painful crossed his features.

Gone almost immediately.

Yet she saw it.

The grief.

Still there.

After seven hundred years.

Still there.

A scream echoed through the tomb.

Everyone froze.

The sound came from deeper inside.

A woman.

Terrified.

In pain.

Seraphina.

Without hesitation, Lucian moved.

The warriors followed.

The deeper they traveled, the stronger the energy became.

Power pulsed through the walls.

Through the floor.

Through the air itself.

Then they reached the final chamber.

And everything changed.

The room was enormous.

At its center stood a crystal coffin.

Inside rested Queen Elara.

Perfectly preserved.

As though she had fallen asleep yesterday.

The sight stole Isabella's breath.

But it wasn't what shocked her most.

The Blood Hunters surrounded the coffin.

More than twenty of them.

Armed.

Waiting.

And standing at their center was a man dressed entirely in crimson.

Tall.

Elegant.

Terrifying.

His eyes glowed red.

Ancient red.

The same eyes from Isabella's visions.

The same eyes from her nightmares.

The leader smiled.

A cold.

Cruel smile.

"At last."

The Blood Hunters stepped aside.

Revealing Seraphina.

Bound.

Injured.

Held captive.

Relief flashed through Isabella.

She was alive.

For now.

The crimson-eyed man bowed dramatically.

"Allow me to introduce myself."

The room felt colder.

Much colder.

"My name is Malakar."

The name caused several warriors to pale.

General Lyra's hand tightened around her sword.

Even Lucian looked dangerous.

Very dangerous.

Malakar smiled wider.

"I've been searching for your family for seven hundred years."

His gaze shifted toward Isabella.

Predatory.

Obsessive.

Hungry.

"And now I've finally found the last queen."

Silence.

Deadly silence.

Then Malakar turned toward Queen Elara's coffin.

His smile deepened.

"You know the funny thing?"

No one answered.

No one moved.

Malakar placed one hand against the crystal.

"The world thinks Elara died protecting her kingdom."

His red eyes gleamed.

Amusement danced across his face.

"That isn't how she died."

Lucian's entire body became rigid.

The reaction didn't escape Isabella.

Or Malakar.

The hunter laughed.

A terrible sound.

Ancient and cruel.

Then he revealed the truth.

The truth powerful enough to destroy everything Isabella thought she knew.

"Queen Elara wasn't murdered by her enemies."

The room went silent.

Every heartbeat seemed to stop.

Malakar's gaze shifted toward Lucian.

And his smile became vicious.

"She was betrayed by someone she loved."

The words struck like lightning.

Lucian went pale.

Seraphina closed her eyes.

General Lyra looked horrified.

And Isabella suddenly realized—

Everyone here already knew.

Everyone except her.