chapter one:The boy who fell from the sky
The moon had never looked that beautiful before.
Amara Vale stood at the edge of the forest, her basket hanging loosely from her arm as she stared up at the enormous silver moon.
It was almost midnight.
Bellwyn village was quiet. Most of the houses were dark, and the usual sounds of people talking and moving around had disappeared hours ago.
Amara should have been asleep.
Her grandmother would be furious if she knew she had gone into the forest alone again.
But Amara had never been good at following rules.
Especially when something caught her curiosity.
Tonight, it was the moonflowers.
They only bloomed under a full moon, and her grandmother had asked her to collect a few for a healing mixture.
Amara bent down and carefully picked another flower.
“Just a few more,” she whispered.
A cold breeze suddenly passed through the trees.
Amara stopped.
The forest became completely silent.
Even the insects seemed to disappear.
She slowly looked around.
Something felt wrong.
Then the moon flashed.
Amara looked up.
A bright silver light streaked across the sky.
At first, she thought it was a shooting star.
Then she realized it was moving far too quickly.
And it was getting bigger.
“What the—”
A loud crash shook the forest.
Amara screamed.
Birds flew from the trees as dust and leaves filled the air.
She dropped her basket and ran toward the sound.
A large cloud of smoke covered the clearing.
Amara stopped at the edge.
Her heart was pounding.
“What happened?”
She took one cautious step forward.
Then another.
Something moved inside the smoke.
Amara immediately stepped backward.
A hand appeared.
Then a young man slowly pushed himself out of the hole in the ground.
Amara stared.
He looked around her age, maybe a little older.
His dark hair was messy, and his black clothes were torn in several places. There was a strange silver symbol embroidered across his chest.
He looked injured.
But that wasn't what frightened Amara.
It was his eyes.
They were silver.
Not grey.
Not blue.
Silver.
The stranger looked directly at her.
For several seconds, neither of them spoke.
Then he whispered,
“Where am I?”
Amara blinked.
“Bellwyn.”
His expression changed immediately.
“Bellwyn?”
“Yes.”
He looked around.
“No…”
“What?”
“This isn't where I was supposed to land.”
Amara stared at him.
“You were supposed to land somewhere?”
He ignored the question and tried to stand.
He stumbled.
Amara instinctively reached out and caught his arm.
“You're hurt.”
“I'll be fine.”
“You just fell from the sky.”
He looked at her.
“That happens sometimes.”
Amara stared at him.
“That's not normal.”
A tiny smile appeared on his face.
“I know.”
She released his arm.
“Who are you?”
The stranger hesitated.
“Lucien.”
“Lucien what?”
“Lucien Ardent.”
Amara's expression changed.
She knew that name.
Everyone in Bellwyn knew it.
The Ardent family belonged to one of the oldest legends in the kingdom.
A kingdom that supposedly no longer existed.
The Moon Realm.
Amara took a step back.
“That's impossible.”
Lucien looked at her carefully.
“What is?”
“The Ardent family disappeared hundreds of years ago.”
“So you've heard the stories.”
“Everyone has.”
“Stories aren't always true.”
“Then tell me the truth.”
Lucien didn't answer.
Amara folded her arms.
“Who are you really?”
Before Lucien could respond, a loud horn echoed through the forest.
His entire expression changed.
He looked toward the trees.
“We need to leave.”
“Why?”
“They found me.”
“Who?”
“Hunters.”
Amara heard footsteps.
Several of them.
Lucien grabbed her hand.
“Come on.”
Amara pulled away.
“Wait! Why should I go with you?”
“Because if they find me, they'll find you too.”
“That makes no sense.”
“There's no time to explain.”
Another horn sounded.
This time, it was closer.
Lucien ran.
After a moment of hesitation, Amara followed.
They moved deeper into the forest.
Amara could hear the hunters behind them.
Branches snapped.
Voices shouted.
“Find him!”
“He can't have gone far!”
“Search the eastern side!”
Amara looked at Lucien.
“Who are these people?”
“People who don't want me alive.”
“That is not an answer!”
“It is the only answer I have time to give you.”
They reached a narrow stream.
Lucien stopped.
Amara almost ran into him.
“What now?”
He looked across the water.
“We cross.”
Before Amara could complain, an arrow flew past her head.
She screamed.
Lucien turned instantly.
Three figures appeared between the trees.
They wore dark armour and carried silver weapons.
One of them stepped forward.
“Lucien Ardent.”
Lucien's jaw tightened.
“Captain Darius.”
The hunter smiled.
“You've made this more difficult than it needed to be.”
Amara looked between them.
“You know each other?”
Darius looked at her.
His expression changed.
He stared at the mark on her wrist.
Amara followed his gaze.
A strange silver crescent had appeared on her skin.
She had never seen it before.
Darius went pale.
“No…”
Lucien immediately moved in front of Amara.
“Don't look at her.”
Darius lowered his weapon.
“Who is she?”
Lucien said nothing.
Darius looked at Amara again.
“The mark…”
Amara covered her wrist.
“What about it?”
Darius looked at Lucien.
“You found her.”
Lucien's silence was answer enough.
Amara's heart began beating faster.
“Found me?”
Darius smiled.
“You don't know who you are, do you?”
“Stop talking in riddles.”
Darius took a step forward.
“Your whole life has been a lie.”
Lucien suddenly raised his hand.
Silver light burst from his palm.
The trees shook.
Darius and the other hunters stumbled backward.
“Run!”
Amara didn't argue this time.
She ran beside Lucien.
They crossed the stream and disappeared into the forest.
After several minutes, they finally stopped.
Amara leaned against a tree, trying to catch her breath.
“What is happening?”
Lucien remained silent.
She looked at him angrily.
“You knew them.”
“Yes.”
“You knew they were looking for me.”
“Yes.”
“You knew about this.”
She raised her wrist.
“Yes.”
Amara's eyes narrowed.
“Then tell me the truth.”
Lucien looked at her.
“I can't.”
“Why?”
“Because I don't know which part of the truth will get you killed.”
Amara froze.
“What?”
Lucien looked away.
“There are things about your past that your grandmother never told you.”
Amara's heart sank.
“My grandmother?”
“She knows.”
“She knows what?”
Lucien stepped closer.
“Who your parents really were.”
Amara felt the world around her go quiet.
“My parents died when I was a baby.”
“That's what you were told.”
“What do you mean?”
Lucien hesitated.
“Your mother wasn't an ordinary woman.”
“Who was she?”
He looked directly into her eyes.
“Queen Seraphina.”
Amara laughed nervously.
“No.”
“Amara—”
“My mother wasn't a queen.”
“She was the Queen of the Moon Realm.”
Amara shook her head.
“The Moon Realm doesn't exist.”
“It does.”
“You expect me to believe that?”
Lucien pointed toward the sky.
“Look at the moon.”
Amara did.
The silver moon suddenly turned dark.
Then a thin red line appeared across it.
Amara's breath caught.
Lucien whispered,
“It's waking up.”
“What is?”
“The Moon Realm.”
A sharp pain suddenly ran through Amara's wrist.
She cried out and grabbed it.
The silver crescent began glowing.
Lucien stepped closer.
“Amara.”
“I don't know what's happening.”
The light grew brighter.
Suddenly, the forest disappeared.
Amara saw a palace.
A magnificent palace surrounded by silver towers.
She saw a woman running through the halls while holding a baby.
The woman was crying.
Behind her, flames rose into the sky.
“Take her away!” the woman shouted.
Another voice answered.
“We don't have much time, Your Majesty.”
Amara watched helplessly.
The woman looked down at the baby.
Her face was filled with sadness.
“Promise me you'll keep her safe.”
“We will.”
“Even if they come for her?”
“Even then.”
The vision changed.
A man stood inside a burning room.
He wore a black crown.
His eyes glowed red.
He looked directly at the baby.
“Find the child.”
Amara gasped.
The vision disappeared.
She fell forward.
Lucien caught her before she hit the ground.
“Amara!”
She looked at him with tears in her eyes.
“I saw her.”
“Who?”
“My mother.”
Lucien's face softened.
“What did you see?”
“She was holding a baby.”
“You.”
“She said someone was coming for me.”
Lucien nodded slowly.
“They have been searching for you for nineteen years.”
Amara stared at him.
“Why?”
“Because you're the lost princess.”
Silence.
Amara pulled away from him.
“No.”
“You are.”
“No, I'm not.”
“You carry the Moon Mark.”
“That doesn't prove anything.”
“It does in the Moon Realm.”
“Then why didn't anyone come for me before?”
Lucien looked away.
“Because someone made sure they couldn't find you.”
“Who?”
“Your grandmother.”
Amara's heart dropped.
“My grandmother protected me.”
“Maybe.”
“What does that mean?”
Lucien didn't answer.
Suddenly, they heard footsteps.
Amara turned.
Darius and the hunters were coming.
Lucien reached for his weapon.
“We have to go.”
“Where?”
“Somewhere they can't follow.”
“Where?”
Lucien looked toward the mountains.
“The Moon Gate.”
Amara stared at him.
“What is that?”
“The only entrance to the Moon Realm.”
“And you're taking me there?”
Lucien nodded.
“Why?”
He looked at her for a long moment.
“Because whether you believe it or not, Amara…”
He reached for her hand.
“…your kingdom is waiting for you.”
A loud roar shook the forest.
The ground beneath them cracked.
Amara looked down.
Silver light spread through the earth.
A huge symbol appeared beneath her feet.
The same crescent mark that had appeared on her wrist.
Lucien's face suddenly changed.
“What?”
“What is it?”
He stared at the symbol.
“That shouldn't be possible.”
“What?”
He looked at Amara.
“The Moon Gate only opens for the true heir.”
The ground shook again.
A doorway of silver light began forming between the trees.
Amara stared at it.
Then a voice whispered from inside.
“Amara…”
She froze.
It was a woman's voice.
A voice she had heard in her vision.
Her mother's voice.
“Come home.”
Amara took one step toward the doorway.
Lucien grabbed her hand.
“Wait.”
She looked at him.
“Why?”
His face had gone pale.
“Because I don't think the person calling you is your mother.”
The doorway opened.
And someone stepped through.
Someone who looked exactly like Amara
