Luna’s Legacy: Born in Lies

Chapter 1 | Luna

Chapter 1 | Luna

“Everything felt normal. That should’ve been my first warning.”

Fifteen years later – Valmer Port, Vantress

The city moved the way it always did. Fast. Unbothered. Alive.

Valmer Port never slowed down, not for the weather, not for people, and definitely not for someone like me standing at the edge of a crosswalk, balancing a tote bag full of fabric samples while mentally reorganising my entire week.

I shifted the weight on my shoulder and glanced at my phone.

No new messages.

Good. For once.

The light turned green, and I crossed with the rest of the crowd, weaving between people who didn’t look up, didn’t slow down, didn’t care. It was familiar. Predictable. Safe. And still, something felt off.

I ignored it.

I had more important things to focus on.

Like the fact that if I didn’t finish the Navarro dress by tomorrow, I would lose my biggest returning client. Or that I still needed to confirm fabric delivery for next week. Or—

My phone rang.

I frowned, pulling it out of my pocket.

Unknown number.

I almost let it ring out. Almost.

Then I answered. “Hello?”

“Is this Luna Varell?”

My posture straightened instantly.

“Yes.”

“This is Admissions from the Velmora Veil campus.”

Everything else just stopped. The noise of the street faded. The movement blurred.

“Yes,” I said again, quieter now.

There was a pause on the other end. Just long enough to stretch my nerves tight.

“We’re calling regarding your application.”

My fingers tightened slightly around the phone. “I—yes.”

Another pause.

“We’re pleased to inform you that you’ve been accepted into the Dual Degree program—Business Leadership and Corporate Law.”

For a second, I couldn’t breathe.

Accepted.

The word echoed, but it didn’t land yet.

“And,” the voice continued, “you’ve been awarded a full scholarship.”

That landed.

A full scholarship. Not partial. Not conditional. Full.

“You’ll receive the official documentation later today,” the voice continued. “We’ll also include next steps regarding your start date and program orientation.”

I should say something. Anything.

“Thank you,” I managed.

“We look forward to welcoming you.”

The call ended.

I didn’t move. Didn’t think. Didn’t breathe.

A full scholarship.

My grip tightened slightly around the phone as the world slowly came back into focus around me.

Cars. Voices. Movement.

Everything exactly as it had been before. Except it wasn’t.

A slow breath escaped me as I dragged my hand through my long, dark brown hair.

Okay.

Okay!

This was good. This is what I wanted. Right?

A small laugh escaped me, quiet and disbelieving.

“I did it,” I murmured to myself.

For a moment, it felt real.

Everything I had worked toward. All the late nights. All the pressure. All the expectations I had placed on myself. It meant something.

But then, reality followed. A full scholarship didn’t mean everything.

It meant tuition. Access. Opportunity.

It didn’t mean housing. Food. Independence. That part was on me.

My gaze dropped to the tote bag still hanging from my shoulder. Fabric. Work. Income.

Mine.

And suddenly, the weight of it all settled differently. Not overwhelming. Grounding. Good.

I could handle that. I always did.

I turned toward the boutique, pushing the door open as the bell chimed softly.

“Back already?” the owner called.

“Deadline,” I replied automatically.

“Of course there is.”

I moved toward the counter, laying out the fabrics carefully.

“I got in,” I added.

A pause.

“Well,” he said, stepping forward now, finally looking at me properly. “That was never really in question, was it?”

I shrugged slightly. “Full scholarship.”

That made him stop. For a moment, he just looked at me. Then he nodded once. “Good,” he said simply.

Those words meant more than anything else.

I finished up quickly after that, my mind already moving ahead, calculating, planning, adjusting. By the time I stepped back outside, the sun had shifted lower, casting long shadows through the streets.

I should go home. The thought came with that same strange feeling again. That hesitation. I frowned slightly.

It was nothing. Just a long day.

I adjusted my bag and started walking.

The streets were familiar. Every corner. Every turn. Every shortcut.

The cafe where Luca once tried to convince the owner that he deserved free coffee. The bookstore where Cole could disappear for hours without speaking. The spot where Alphi used to wait for me, while pretending he hadn’t been watching the entire time.

A small smile tugged at my lips. They had always been there. Alphi. Luca. Cole.

Different. But constant.

Which was exactly why, when I reached the house, the silence felt wrong.

Not loud. Not obvious.

Just wrong.

I paused at the door.

Then pushed it open. And stepped inside.

The door clicked shut behind me.

“Josie?”

No answer.

The silence settled wrongly. Not empty. Not peaceful. Tense.

Voices drifted from the kitchen. Low. Careful.

I frowned slightly. That wasn’t normal.

I moved closer, slower now, my steps quiet against the floor. The kitchen door was slightly ajar. Just enough.

“…you can’t just leave like that,” Josie said. Her voice was calm. Too calm.

“I don’t have a choice.” Alphi.

I didn’t think. Didn’t hesitate. I pushed the door open.

All five of them looked up instantly.

And whatever had been happening just stopped.

“Hey,” I said, glancing between them.

Alphi leaned back slightly in his chair, one arm draped over the back as if he hadn’t just been in the middle of something serious. “Hey, Lu.”

Luca pushed himself off the counter, a grin already forming. “Look who survived another day of education.”

Cole didn’t move.

He stood near the window, arms crossed, his gaze flicking over me briefly before settling somewhere else. Always observing.

Something in my chest tightened slightly. But I ignored it.

“I got in.”

The words slipped out before I could stop them. Too fast. Too excited. Too much.

All eyes snapped back to me.

“I got in,” I repeated, breathless now, the grin spreading before I could stop it. “The Dual Degree, Business Leadership and Corporate Law, and I got a full scholarship.”

For a second, no one spoke.

And then Luca let out a low whistle. “Of course you did.”

Josie smiled immediately, pushing herself up from her seat. “Oh, sweetheart—”

She pulled me into a quick embrace. Warm. Familiar.

“I’m so proud of you.”

Something in my chest loosened.

“I know,” I said lightly, though my voice betrayed just a little too much.

Alaric gave a small nod from his place at the table. “That’s a big achievement.”

Simple. But solid.

I smiled. “I know, right?”

Luca laughed. “Careful,” he said. “She’s going to get unbearable now.”

“I’m already unbearable,” I shot back.

“That’s fair.”

Cole still hadn’t said anything.

I looked at him. “Well?” I asked.

His gaze met mine.

Steady. Unreadable. “Congratulations,” he said. Just that.

But something about the way he said it made it feel heavier. More real.

“Thanks,” I said, softer now.

A small silence settled over the room. Not uncomfortable. Just… different.

I shook it off.

“I have to figure out housing,” I continued, already pacing slightly now, energy buzzing under my skin. “The scholarship covers tuition, but everything else, rent, food, all of that, I’ll have to handle myself.”

“That’s manageable,” Luca said immediately.

“Easy for you to say,” I muttered.

“I believe in you.”

“That makes one of us.”

“You built a complete business before you could legally sign your own contracts,” he shot back. “You’ll survive.”

I rolled my eyes. “Barely.”

But he wasn’t wrong.

I glanced at Alphi. He was watching me. Not smiling. Not relaxed. Just watching.

The excitement dimmed slightly.

“What?” I asked.

He shook his head.

“Nothing.”

That was a lie. I knew it. They all did.

“Okay,” I said slowly.

Silence stretched again.

Alphi leaned forward. “We need to talk.”

There it was. The thing I had walked into. The thing I had interrupted.

I crossed my arms. “That sounds serious.”

“It is.”

My stomach tightened slightly.

“About what?”

A pause.

Alphi glanced at Luca. Then Cole.

And there it was again.

That silent check. That permission.

Something cold slipped into my chest.

“Tomorrow,” Alphi said finally, “I’m leaving.”

Everything inside me stilled.

“For what?”

“A mission.”

The word didn’t sit right.

“What kind of mission?” Another glance. Another pause. And suddenly, my good news didn’t feel so big anymore.

“What kind of mission?”

Alphi didn’t answer immediately. His gaze flicked, just for a second, first to Luca, then to Cole.

There it was again. That silent check. That permission.

My eyes narrowed slightly. “You’re doing it again.”

“Doing what?” Luca asked lightly.

“That thing,” I said, gesturing vaguely between them. “Where you all look at each other like you’re having a conversation, I’m not part of.”

“We’re not,” Luca said.

“You are.”

“We’re really not.”

“That’s not convincing.”

Luca smiled. “I didn’t intend for it to be.”

I looked back at Alphi. “Well?”

He exhaled slowly, leaning back in his chair. “It’s just… work.”

“Work,” I repeated.

“Yes.”

“That requires you to leave suddenly.”

“Yes.”

“And you can’t explain.”

A pause.

“…Not really.”

I stared at him. “That sounds like a terrible explanation.”

“It’s the only one you’re getting.”

That wasn’t Alphi. Not really.

My gaze shifted slightly to Cole. Still by the window. Still watching.

“You’re lying,” I said.

Luca laughed. “She’s too smart for this.”

“Not helping,” Alphi muttered.

“Never do.”

I crossed my arms. “How long?”

Another pause.

Alphi looked at Cole again.

I let out a quiet, disbelieving laugh. “Seriously?”

“It’s not like that,” Alphi said.

“It looks exactly like that.”

Cole finally spoke. “A week.”

All eyes shifted to him.

“A week?” I repeated.

“Approximately.”

“That’s very specific for someone who apparently can’t explain anything.”

His expression didn’t change. “It’s the part that matters.”

I didn’t like that answer. I didn’t like any of this. “You’re just… leaving,” I said again, softer now.

“It’s not like that.”

“Then what is it like?”

Silence. Heavy this time. Real.

I glanced at Josie.

She was watching Alphi closely. Too closely.

“You didn’t tell us before today,” she said.

“I found out recently.”

“How recently?”

Another pause.

“Today,” Luca cut in smoothly.

My head snapped toward him. “Really?”

“Yeah,” he said easily. “Last-minute thing.”

“That sounds suspicious.”

“Everything sounds suspicious to you.”

“Because you’re all being suspicious.”

Alaric shifted slightly in his chair. “What kind of work is this?” he asked. His voice was calm. Measured. But there was something underneath it. Something sharp.

Alphi didn’t answer right away.

Again, that look. That check. And this time, I saw it clearly. Permission.

“It’s… security-related,” Alphi said.

I blinked. “Security?”

“Yes.”

“You?”

Luca snorted. “That sounded worse than you meant it to.”

“No, it didn’t,” I said.

Alphi rolled his eyes. “I can handle myself.”

“I know that,” I blurted. “That’s not what I meant.” But it kind of was. Because this, this didn’t feel like something normal. This felt like something bigger. More dangerous. And no one was saying it out loud.

Josie leaned forward slightly. “Is it safe?”

The question hung in the air. Too heavy.

Alphi hesitated.

That was all the answer I needed.

“It’s fine,” he said.

“That’s not what I asked.”

“It’s under control.”

“That’s still not what I asked.”

Another silence. Longer this time. Colder.

I felt it settle under my skin. Something shifting. Something I couldn’t name.

“I’ll be back before you know it,” Alphi said, softer now.

That didn’t help. Not at all.

“You always say that,” I muttered.

He frowned slightly. “When?”

I hesitated. I didn’t know. It just felt that way. “I don’t know,” I said finally.

But something about this felt like a line being drawn. Like something was about to change, and none of us was ready for it.

Luca pushed himself off the counter. “Well,” he said lightly, clapping his hands once, breaking the tension just enough, “since we’re all pretending this isn’t dramatic, what’s the plan for tonight?”

I looked at him. “You’re deflecting.”

“Obviously.”

“At least you admit it.”

“Always.”

Cole moved toward the door. “We’re not staying in.”

That wasn’t a suggestion. I exhaled slowly.

“Good,” I said. “Because if he’s leaving tomorrow, I’m not spending tonight sitting in this kitchen pretending everything is normal.”

A slight pause.

Alphi then offered a brief, understanding nod. “Yeah.”

But the word felt heavy. Like, even he didn’t fully believe it. And for the first time since I walked in, I wished everything actually was normal.

Cole didn’t ask. He never did.

“We’re going out,” he said, already grabbing his keys.

That was all Josie and Alaric would get. Not where. Not why. Just a decision made.

Luca grinned immediately. “Finally. I was suffocating in here.”

“That’s dramatic,” I muttered.

“It’s accurate.”

Alphi stood, running a hand through his hair before glancing briefly at Josie. “We won’t be late.”

Josie’s eyes lingered on him. Too long. “Be careful,” she said quietly.

“I always am.”

That was another lie. I felt it, but I didn’t call him out on it. Not yet.

The car ride was quiet. Too quiet.

Cole drove. Of course he did.

Alphi sat in the passenger seat beside him, leaning back slightly, his gaze fixed ahead.

Luca slid in next to me in the back, stretching his legs out as if he owned the entire car.

“Comfortable?” I asked dryly.

“Very.”

“Good. I’m glad one of us is.”

He grinned. But I barely noticed. Because I was watching Alphi.

The way his shoulders were just a little too tense. The way he didn’t turn around once. The way he wasn’t talking. That wasn’t normal.

“You’re quiet,” I said.

Luca leaned slightly closer. “Observation skills. Impressive.”

“I wasn’t talking to you.” I shot back.

“I know. I just felt included.”

I ignored him.

Alphi didn’t respond. Of course he didn’t.

Cole turned into a dimly lit street lined with restaurants, the kind that tried to look casual but wasn’t. He parked without a word. We got out. We remained silent until we sat down.

A table near the window. Four seats. Cole and Alphi are on one side. Luca and I on the other. Alphi and I were directly across from each other.

Perfect.

“Nice place,” Luca said, already reaching for a menu he wasn’t going to read.

I didn’t look at mine. I looked at Alphi. “You’re really leaving.”

No one reacted immediately.

The waiter approached, we ordered drinks, and the waiter left.

Silence settled again.

“I told you,” Alphi said.

“That wasn’t telling,” I replied. “That was avoiding.”

Luca leaned back. “She’s got a point.”

“Not helping,” Alphi muttered.

“Still not my job.”

I leaned forward slightly. “What kind of mission?”

Alphi’s jaw tightened. “It’s not something I can explain.”

“You keep saying that like it’s a real answer.”

“It is.”

“No, it’s not.”

A pause.

“Why won’t you tell me?” That question came out softer. More honest. More dangerous.

Alphi looked at me. Really looked. And for a second, something shifted in his expression. Something close to guilt. “Because you don’t need to worry about it.”

I let out a small, humourless laugh. “That’s not your decision.”

“It is if it keeps you safe.”

“I’m not a child.”

Luca snorted quietly beside me.

I shot him a look. “Not helping.”

“Still not my job.”

I looked back at Alphi. “You’re just leaving.”

“It’s not like that.”

“It feels like that.”

Silence. Heavy. Real.

“You’re leaving me.” The words slipped out before I could stop them. They were honest and raw. My voice sounds immature.

Alphi’s expression shifted instantly. “That’s not what I’m doing.”

“It is,” I said, my voice quieter now. “You’re just… going. And I don’t even know why.”

“I’ll be back.”

“You don’t know that.”

That hit something. I saw it. Just for a second.

“Of course I do.”

“That’s not what it sounded like earlier.”

Another pause. Longer. Colder.

I looked down briefly, and then, without thinking, kicked forward under the table. Hard enough to make a point.

Only, not hard enough to hit Alphi.

Instead—

“Watch it.”

The words snapped low and sharp.

I froze. Slowly looked up at Cole.

His gaze locked onto mine. Cold. Annoyed.

“You aiming for someone?” he added.

Heat rushed to my face instantly.

“I—no, I thought—”

“You thought wrong.”

The words weren’t loud. But they cut.

“I didn’t mean—”

“Then don’t.”

Silence dropped hard over the table.

Luca shifted slightly beside me.

“Alright,” he said lightly, but there was an edge under it now. “Let’s not start a war over bad aim.”

I swallowed. “I wasn’t—”

“I know,” Luca cut in gently this time.

But Cole was still watching me. Still tense. Still, something else.

And for the first time, not only did I feel like the youngest at the table. I felt like the one who didn’t know what was going on. Which was worse!

Alphi leaned forward slightly, mumbling, “Drop it.”

Cole’s jaw tightened.

Then he looked away. Just like that. As if it were nothing. But it wasn’t nothing. None of this was.

I sat back slowly. The energy at the table had shifted. Not loud. Not obvious. But broken.

My excitement from earlier felt like it belonged to someone else.

The silence didn’t lift. It just… settled. Heavy. Uncomfortable.

I stared at the table for a moment longer than necessary. At nothing. At everything.

Then I pushed my chair back. No one stopped me. No one asked.

Good.

I walked away before anyone could say anything, anyway.

The restaurant felt louder once I stepped away from the table. Voices overlapping, cutlery clinking, laughter echoing just a little too sharply against the walls.

It didn’t reach me.

I found the restroom without really looking, pushing the door open and stepping inside. Quiet. Finally.

The mirror caught me immediately. I looked… fine. Normal. That almost made it worse.

I stepped closer, gripping the edge of the sink.

“You’re leaving me.” The words echoed back in my head.

I squeezed my eyes shut. This was stupid.

He wasn’t leaving me. Not really. He’d be back. He always was. Right?

My throat tightened. I let out a shaky breath, pressing my lips together as something hot stung behind my eyes.

No, I wasn’t doing this. Not here. Not because of this.

I inhaled slowly, steadying myself. But it didn’t stop it.

The first tear slipped anyway. Then another. I wiped them away quickly, almost irritated with myself.

“This is dumb,” I muttered under my breath.

It was. I wasn’t a child. I knew how things worked. People left. People had lives. People didn’t revolve around me.

Still, he was my person, and something about this didn’t feel like normal leaving.

It felt like something else. Something I didn’t understand. And that scared me more than I wanted to admit.

I exhaled slowly again, forcing myself to straighten.

“Stop.”

One more breath.

Then I turned on the tap, splashing cold water against my face. Once. Twice.

Better.

I looked at myself again. Composed. Fine.

Like nothing had happened. Good.

I pushed the door open and walked back out.

By the time I reached the table, they had already ordered. Of course they had.

Luca glanced up first. “You good?”

I nodded once. “Yeah.”

He didn’t push. Good.

I slipped back into my seat.

A glass had already been placed in front of me. I didn’t ask what it was. I just picked it up and took a few slow sips. Something cold. Grounding.

Across from me, Alphi and Cole were talking. Low. Too low to hear.

But I didn’t need to hear the words. I saw it.

The way Alphi leaned in slightly. The way Cole responded without looking at him. Controlled. Deliberate.

Like whatever they were saying wasn’t meant for me. Of course it wasn’t.

Luca shifted beside me.

Without saying anything, his hand settled lightly on my knee. Not heavy. Not obvious. Just there.

A small squeeze. Grounding. I stilled for a second. Then, letting out a quiet breath, I hadn’t realised I was holding.

“Don’t overthink it,” he murmured under his breath.

I didn’t look at him.

Too late. I already was.

The food arrived. Plates placed. Voices exchanged. I barely noticed.

I picked at it more than I actually ate, taking slow bites just to avoid the silence pressing in again.

Across from me, Alphi tried. I could see it. The way he glanced at me. The way he almost said something, and then didn’t. I really hated it when he did that.

Cole stayed quiet.

Luca filled the gaps when they got too wide. But it wasn’t enough.

The night didn’t recover. It just dragged.

Eventually, I set my fork down. “I want to go home.” The words came out calm. Flat. Final.

Luca stilled slightly.

Alphi looked up immediately. “Already?”

“Yes.”

Cole leaned back slightly. “We just got here.”

I looked at him. Really looked at him this time. “I’m done.”

“That’s not a reason.”

Something in my chest snapped. “It is for me.”

His gaze hardened slightly. “You can stay a little longer.”

“No.” The word came sharper than I intended, but I didn’t take it back.

“Everyone has their own life, right?” I added, my voice quieter now but edged with something that hadn’t been there before. “I want to go back to mine.”

A pause.

“Fine,” Cole said, clearly not convinced.

I pushed my chair back.

Silence followed.

No one argued this time.

I grabbed my bag and stood up. For a moment, no one moved.

Then Alphi stood too. “I’ll come with—”

“No.” Too fast. Too sharp.

I saw it hit him.

Good. No. Not good. But I didn’t take it back.

“I’m fine,” I said, softer now. A lie, but one I needed.

Because if he walked me home, I might say something I couldn’t undo. And I didn’t trust myself not to. So instead, I gave my big brother one last big hug. The kind you look back on.

“Be careful and come back safe and sound.”

I let go and walked away. Tears rolled down my cheeks as every doomsday scenario haunted my mind. Each one worse than the last, and there was nothing that would stop my mind.

The walk home felt longer than usual.

Or maybe I just wasn’t ready to get there.

The streets had quieted slightly, the earlier rush replaced by softer movement. Lights glowed behind windows, people settling into their evenings, into something steady.

Normal. Everything still looked normal.

I hated that.

By the time I reached the house, the knot in my chest hadn’t loosened. Not even a little.

I pushed the door open.

“Luna?” Josie’s voice came almost immediately.

I stepped inside, slipping off my shoes without answering right away.

“I’m home.”

She appeared in the doorway to the living room, her expression softening the moment she saw me.

“That was quick.”

I shrugged lightly. “Didn’t feel like staying.”

Her eyes searched my face. Too carefully. “What happened?”

“Nothing.” That was a lie. We both knew it.

Alaric looked up from his seat, his gaze steady but quieter than Josie’s. “Where’s Alphi?”

“He stayed.” Another lie. Or maybe not. I didn’t actually know.

Josie frowned slightly. “With them?”

I nodded once.

A pause.

“You don’t look fine,” she said softly.

“I am.” Another lie.

Silence stretched, and I hated it. Hated how easily she could see through me. So, I filled it.

“I got the call today,” I said, a little too quickly. “For the program.”

Both of them stilled.

“I start soon,” I continued, my voice steadier now, not because I felt steady, but because I needed something that sounded like control. “Dual Degree. Business Leadership and Corporate Law.”

Josie’s expression softened again.

“I know,” she breathed. “We talked about this.”

“I know.” I nodded, forcing a small smile.

“It’s just… real now.” That was the truth.

“And the scholarship,” I added, quieter this time. “Everything’s covered. At least, the important part.”

Alaric leaned back slightly. “That’s still a big step.”

I nodded again. “Yeah.” The word felt smaller than it should have.

Josie stepped closer, her voice softer now. “You don’t have to prove anything tonight.”

I swallowed. “I’m not.” Another lie, but I didn’t let it linger.

“I’m just tired,” I said, already stepping back. “I’m going to bed.”

It was early. Too early. But neither of them stopped me.

“Goodnight,” Alaric said.

“Goodnight,” I echoed.

Josie hesitated for a moment. “Goodnight, sweetheart.”

I nodded once and turned toward the stairs. Each step felt heavier than the last. The house creaked softly around me, familiar sounds that usually made everything feel safe. Not tonight.

I pushed my bedroom door open and stepped inside, closing it behind me with a soft click. Silence. Finally.

I dropped my bag onto the floor and sat on the edge of my bed. I simply stayed there for a moment, the world around me fading away.

Then, everything I had been holding in broke. The tears came fast. Quiet, but impossible to stop.

I pressed my hand against my mouth, trying to keep the sound in, trying to keep it contained, like that would somehow make it easier. It didn’t.

“You’re leaving me.” The words slipped out again. Softer this time. Smaller.

I curled in on myself, pulling my knees closer, letting the weight of it settle fully now.

He always came back. He had to. Right?

My breathing slowed eventually. The tears didn’t stop right away, but they softened.

Exhaustion followed. Heavy. I didn’t remember lying down. Didn’t remember closing my eyes. Only that at some point, everything faded. And I fell asleep.

Somewhere in the background of my sleep, I heard the door carefully opening.

Someone stepped inside, closing the door behind him without making a sound. Didn’t turn on the light.

The soft glow from the hallway was probably enough.

“I’m sorry,” Alphi said quietly. The words barely made a sound.