The Memory Between Us
1366 Words
“You.”
The word slipped out of Luna in a broken whisper.
Darius was above her, one hand braced beside her head and the other gripping her shoulder. His eyes glowed gold in the dark, his wolf close to the surface through their bond.
Not threatening.
Terrified.
“Tell me what happened,” he said.
Luna tried to answer, but couldn’t breathe properly.
The room still felt like the dream. Smoke clung to her senses. Heat burned under her skin.
And every time she looked at Darius, she saw him lying behind the woman with her face.
Blood beneath him.
A sword in her hands.
Darius sat beside her.
“Look at me, Luna.”
“I am.”
“No. You’re looking through me.”
His voice softened.
“Come back to me.”
She closed her eyes.
It only made it worse.
The Guardian Queen in fire.
The golden blade.
Leave him before he remembers who killed him.
Luna opened her eyes.
Darius was still there.
Warm. Alive.
Watching her like nothing else mattered.
She reached for him and pressed her palm to his heart.
A steady beat grounded her.
Once. Twice.
Darius covered her hand.
“I’m here,” he said.
“In the dream, you weren’t.”
His jaw tightened.
“What did you see?”
“The burning palace. The Queen.”
“The woman who looked like you?”
Luna nodded.
“She had a sword. You were there… behind her.”
“Alive?”
“No.”
Silence fell.
“Did she kill me?”
“No.”
Relief flickered through the bond.
“But she said she did.”
“What exactly did she say?”
“She said you would love me… and I had to leave before you remembered.”
Darius went quiet.
Luna pulled her hand away.
“Don’t decide what I’m thinking.”
“I’m thinking.”
“Then talk.”
“I don’t remember dying.”
“You say that like it’s possible to remember.”
“In our world, it might be.”
“That’s not comforting.”
“I know.”
He stood by the window, back turned.
“What else do you see?” she asked.
“A woman.”
“Does she look like me?”
“I never see her face.”
“That doesn’t help.”
“She stands with a sword. Everything burns.”
“What does she say?”
“She’s sorry.”
“And you?”
“I tell her to do it.”
“Why?”
“I don’t remember.”
“I know I’m not afraid of her.”
“I’m afraid for her.”
Luna’s chest ached.
“What if it really happened?”
“Then it happened to two people who are dead.”
“What if we’re them?”
“We’re not.”
“You don’t know that.”
“I know who I am.”
“And I don’t.”
Darius stepped closer.
“You are still Luna.”
“For how long?”
“What does that mean?”
“What if I become her?”
“You won’t.”
“You can’t promise that.”
“I can promise what I will do.”
“If you lose yourself, I’ll bring you back.”
“How?”
“I’ll argue with you. I’ll make you angry. I’ll stay.”
A weak laugh escaped her.
“And if that doesn’t work?”
“I’ll remind you who you are.”
Luna exhaled.
“You are not a dead queen.”
“How can you be sure?”
“Because you make jokes when you’re scared.”
“That’s your evidence?”
“Part of it.”
His thumb brushed her wrist.
“You choose mercy.”
“I might not be the only one.”
“You defended Serena.”
“I haven’t.”
“You will.”
“That’s annoyingly confident.”
A faint smile.
“You see people.”
“And the woman in my dream judged herself.”
Luna went still.
Darius pressed her hand to his chest again.
“You’re here.”
The beat stayed steady.
“So am I.”
His other hand touched her chest.
“And neither of us is holding a sword.”
A beat of silence.
Then Luna noticed it.
A black thread under her Sun Mark.
She pulled back.
“What is it?”
“I don’t know.”
Pain shot through her when Darius touched it.
He let go instantly.
“The Shadow King,” he said.
“We don’t know that.”
“He was in your dream.”
“Or the Queen was.”
Darius moved toward the door.
“Where are you going?”
“To Alden.”
“It’s the middle of the night.”
“He doesn’t sleep.”
“That explains a lot.”
“Get dressed.”
“You want to wake the Keeper because of a nightmare?”
“Because something touched your mark.”
Fear sharpened.
“What if it’s still here?”
“Then it made a mistake.”
Luna grabbed his arm.
“You can’t fight smoke.”
“I can try.”
“That’s your plan?”
“It’s worked so far.”
“You were shot this morning.”
“A minor setback.”
“You’re impossible.”
“You keep saying that.”
“Because you keep proving it.”
He handed her a robe.
When he finished tying it, his hands stayed at her waist.
“Are you afraid?”
“Yes.”
“So am I.”
“You say that more now.”
“You asked for honesty.”
“And this is your version?”
“Poorly.”
Luna touched his cheek.
“It’s a start.”
A scream cut through the estate.
Darius moved instantly, stepping in front of her.
Another scream.
“Fire!”
The alarm rang.
“Mason!” Darius called.
Mason appeared.
“Secure Luna.”
“No,” she said.
“Not now.”
“I’m not leaving you.”
“I am the Alpha.”
“And I can stop things midair.”
Smoke rose.
Children cried below.
Darius exhaled.
“Mason stays with you.”
“I’m coming.”
“Luna.”
“One decision at a time.”
He nodded.
“You stay with me.”
“I know.”
They went down together.
The eastern dining hall was burning.
Flames climbed the walls. Smoke filled everything.
“Evacuate!” Darius ordered.
Evelyn appeared with Nora.
“She’s scared,” Evelyn said.
A beam cracked.
Darius pulled Luna and Evelyn back as it fell.
Luna lifted her hand.
Golden light stopped it midair.
She pushed it outside.
Darius stared.
“This is not the time to be proud.”
“It helped.”
“It did.”
A guard rushed in.
“Three ignition points.”
“No scent,” Darius said.
Luna stared at the fire.
Wrong.
Too dark.
“Darius.”
He followed her gaze.
“This isn’t natural.”
A laugh echoed.
The Shadow King formed in black flame.
Darius stepped in front of her.
“You entered my territory.”
“You invited me.”
“I didn’t.”
His gaze locked on Luna’s mark.
“She did.”
“What did you put in me?”
“A memory.”
“That’s a lie,” Darius said.
“Not this time.”
“What is she to me?” Luna asked.
“Not an ancestor.”
The words hit hard.
“What are you saying?”
“A beginning.”
Pain tore through her wrist.
Darius caught her.
“Ask your Keeper,” the Shadow King said.
“The scar you got as a child should not exist in her.”
The room tilted.
“What are you saying?” Luna whispered.
The fire collapsed.
“You returned as Luna.”
Silence.
Darius held her.
“Whatever he meant,” he said, “you are still you.”
A voice rose inside her.
Not hers.
No, the Guardian Queen whispered.
I am finally awake.
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