Chapter two
1297 Words
Morning arrived cold and gray over Noctara.
Rain struck the palace windows in sharp violent bursts while servants rushed through the royal halls preparing for the emergency Council gathering.
Kael had not slept.
Every time she closed her eyes, she heard the voice again.
You are running out of time.
The words crawled beneath her skin like poison.
She stood in front of the mirror fastening the dark silver clasps of her formal uniform with controlled movements. Her expression remained calm, but exhaustion shadowed her eyes.
No one could know.
Not about the voice.
Not about the pain beneath the Moon Mark.
And definitely not about the fear slowly growing inside her chest.
A knock sounded against her chamber doors.
“Enter.”
Darius stepped inside immediately.
His expression was tense.
“The Lunar Council moved the Sacred Moon Rite forward.”
Kael’s hands paused.
“What?”
“It was supposed to happen in three weeks.” He lowered his voice. “Now it happens in five days.”
Cold unease spread through her instantly.
“That makes no sense.”
“No,” Darius agreed quietly. “It does not.”
Kael grabbed the black ceremonial jacket resting near the chair and pulled it over her shoulders.
“The Council never changes sacred timelines without reason.”
Darius watched her carefully.
“There are rumors spreading through the territories.”
She looked at him.
“What rumors?”
His hesitation lasted half a second too long.
“That you are unstable.”
The room went silent.
Kael felt the words like a blade sliding beneath her ribs.
Not because they surprised her.
Because part of her feared they might be true.
Darius exhaled slowly. “The fight in the arena yesterday caused problems. Several Alpha leaders believe you lost control.”
“I won.”
“That is not the issue.”
Kael’s jaw tightened.
Of course it was not.
In Varelis, power alone was never enough.
Power without control terrified people.
Especially when it belonged to the future ruler.
“She attacked like a beast.”
“She looked unhinged.”
“The heir is becoming dangerous.”
Kael heard the whispers even when nobody spoke them aloud.
Darius stepped closer. “Kael.”
“I am fine.”
“You punched through another Alpha’s jaw with your bare hand.”
“He challenged me.”
“You nearly killed him after he surrendered.”
Silence.
Kael looked away first.
Because he was right.
The memory disturbed her more than she wanted to admit.
The rogue’s words had gotten inside her head too easily.
Something is wrong with you.
Her chest suddenly tightened again.
Pain flashed beneath the Moon Mark.
Kael inhaled sharply.
Darius noticed immediately. “Again?”
“I said I am fine.”
The lie sounded weaker this time.
Before Darius could respond, another knock echoed through the room.
A royal messenger entered quickly and bowed.
“The Council requests the heir’s presence immediately.”
Kael nodded once and walked toward the doors.
But before leaving, Darius caught her wrist gently.
“Be careful what you say in there.”
Kael met his eyes briefly.
Then she pulled away.
The Council chamber sat at the highest point of the palace overlooking the storm covered capital city. Massive silver doors opened as Kael approached.
Every Elder inside turned toward her instantly.
Too quiet.
Too tense.
Kael walked toward the center of the chamber without lowering her head.
Elder Malachai stood near the throne platform dressed entirely in silver robes. Unlike the others, he watched her with something colder than judgment.
Worry.
“The heir arrives,” one Elder announced sharply.
Kael ignored him.
“You moved the Sacred Moon Rite,” she said directly. “Why?”
Murmurs spread across the chamber immediately.
Most people feared speaking to the Council that way.
Kael did not care.
Malachai studied her for several long seconds before answering.
“The kingdom faces instability.”
“Political instability does not alter sacred ceremonies.”
Another Elder slammed his hand against the table. “Watch your tone.”
Kael slowly looked toward him.
The Elder immediately fell silent.
Fear.
There it was again.
Always fear.
Malachai stepped forward calmly.
“Several territories are questioning the strength of the throne,” he said. “The Sacred Moon Rite will silence those doubts.”
Kael narrowed her eyes.
“Or confirm them?”
The chamber temperature seemed to drop instantly.
One Elder whispered something under his breath.
Another refused to meet her eyes.
Kael noticed all of it.
They were hiding something.
Again.
“You think I will fail,” she realized quietly.
“No heir has ever failed the Rite,” Malachai replied.
“That is not an answer.”
His gaze sharpened slightly.
For the first time, Kael noticed exhaustion beneath the Elder’s controlled expression.
“You should focus on surviving the next five days,” he said quietly.
The words hit wrong.
Not politically.
Personally.
Kael stepped closer.
“What is happening to me?”
Silence spread through the chamber.
The Elders exchanged brief uneasy looks.
Malachai’s face revealed nothing, but something dangerous flickered briefly inside his eyes.
“You are under pressure,” one Elder answered quickly.
Kael ignored him completely.
Her attention stayed locked on Malachai.
Because unlike the others, he looked almost angry.
Not at her.
At the situation itself.
Last night’s voice echoed inside her mind again.
You are running out of time.
Kael lowered her voice.
“You know something.”
Malachai stared at her for a long moment before finally speaking.
“Yes.”
The chamber went still.
Kael’s pulse quickened.
“Then tell me.”
“You are not ready.”
Anger flared instantly.
“I am tired of hearing that.”
“And I am tired of watching you walk blindly toward danger.”
The harshness in his voice shocked the entire room.
Kael froze.
So did the other Elders.
Malachai never lost emotional control publicly.
But now tension radiated from him violently.
His next words came lower.
“Enemies are already inside the capital.”
Kael’s expression hardened.
“The assassins from yesterday.”
“That was only the beginning.”
A cold chill slid down her spine.
Malachai stepped closer.
“You think the territories are restless because of politics?” His voice dropped further. “No. Something older is moving beneath this kingdom.”
Kael felt her chest tighten again.
Pain pulsed beneath the Moon Mark.
Stronger this time.
Almost reacting to his words.
“What are you hiding from me?” she demanded.
Malachai looked at her differently then.
Not like an Elder speaking to the future ruler.
Like a man looking at someone already standing near the edge of disaster.
“You need to trust no one right now,” he said quietly.
Even the Council.
The unspoken warning settled heavily between them.
Before Kael could speak again, the chamber doors suddenly burst open.
A palace guard stumbled inside breathing hard.
Panic filled his scent immediately.
Every Elder turned sharply.
“What is it?” Malachai demanded.
The guard swallowed hard.
“There’s been another attack.”
Kael’s body went rigid.
“Where?”
The guard looked directly at her.
“Outside the heir’s chambers.”
Something cold moved through Kael’s stomach.
“The servant carrying your ceremonial robes…” His voice shook. “We found her dead.”
Silence crashed through the chamber.
Then the guard spoke the words that made Kael’s blood run cold.
“Someone carved a me
ssage into the wall beside the body.”
Kael’s pulse thundered violently beneath her skin.
“What message?”
The guard hesitated.
Then finally whispered:
“The false king must die.”
- Writer
