chapter 5
1578 Words
Lady Seraphine Vale walked swiftly through the dimly lit corridor, her expression composed.
To anyone watching, she was nothing more than a high-ranking noblewoman tending to late matters. There was no reason for anyone to suspect her.
But beneath that calm exterior, her mind worked carefully, calculating every move.
Timing was everything.
Discretion was survival and what she was about to do… required both.
She stopped just before a narrow side passage, her sharp gaze flicking briefly behind her. It was empty, good.
Without hesitation, she turned and slipped into the passage.
It was darker and quieter here, hidden from the usual routes of guards and servants.
At the far end stood a figure waiting.
Seraphine approached slowly, her eyes narrowing slightly as she took in the woman before her.
she was in a plain dress and her head was slightly bowed.
A perfect image of a palace maid if one didn’t look too closely.
“You made it,” Seraphine said quietly.
The woman lifted her head.
Her eyes sharp, knowing and far too aware met Seraphine’s.
“Barely,” she replied, her voice calm but edged with something deeper. “Your guards are thorough.”
“As they should be,” Seraphine said.
A faint smirk tugged at the woman’s lips. “You say that like I wasn’t nearly caught.”
“You weren’t,” Seraphine replied coolly. “Or you wouldn’t be standing here.”
The woman studied her for a moment… then gave a small nod.
“Fair enough.”
A brief silence passed between them.
Then Seraphine spoke again.
“From this point forward, you are a servant,” she said. “You will keep your head down, speak only when necessary, and follow my lead.”
The woman tilted her head slightly. “And if I don’t?”
Seraphine’s gaze hardened just a fraction.
“Then you won’t leave this palace.”
it was a pretty clear warning.
The woman held her gaze… then smiled faintly.
“Understood.”
Seraphine exhaled softly. “Good.”
She turned.
“Follow me, Morwenna.”
The witch fell into step behind her without another word.
The path they took avoided the main halls. They passed the back corridors and service passages.
Routes meant for those who were not meant to be seen.
Morwenna walked silently, her eyes observing everything despite her lowered gaze.
She studied the structure and the energy that lingered there, she could feel the old magic lingered here. It was strong, ancient even but something was amiss.
Her fingers twitched slightly at her side.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
They reached a set of heavy doors.
Two guards stood at either side, their posture immediately straightening as Seraphine approached.
“My lady,” one of them greeted.
Seraphine inclined her head slightly. “I will see His Majesty.”
The guards exchanged a brief glance… then stepped aside without question.
No one denied her in this palace.
The doors opened slowly and she felt it immediately the power.
It filled the room instantly, pressing against Morwenna’s senses the moment she stepped inside.
Her breath stilled for just a second.
So this was him.
At the far end of the chamber stood the king. he was tall and still, commanding without effort.
King Kael Draven.
The name alone carried weight and seeing him confirmed it for her. Who would have thought she would ever met the king.
This was not a man who needed to demand obedience.
He simply was obeyed.
Seraphine stepped forward, bowing her head slightly. “Your Majesty.”
Kael’s gaze shifted from her to the maid behind her.
His gaze was sharp and piercing, like he was assessing her.
Morwenna kept her head lowered, just as instructed but the moment his eyes settled on her everything changed.
A sharp pulse of energy struck her senses.
Her breath caught and her vision blurred and then all she saw was darkness then a flash.
A forest....No....different place. There was a girl and then a glow and a stone.
she felt the power, it was wild, unbalanced and slipping through cracks it was never meant to escape.
And him, he was standing at the center of it, tied to it.
Bound...
Her eyes snapped open.
“Where is the Moon Stone?”
The words left her mouth before she could stop them.
The room fell still and Seraphine immediately stiffened.
Kael didn’t move, but the shift in his presence was immediate and dangerous.
Slowly… very slowly… His gaze darkened.
“Raise your head.”
Morwenna hesitated only for a second before obeying.
Their eyes met fully now and this time there was no mistaking it.
He saw her not a servant or a disguise but her.
“What did you just say?” Kael asked, his voice low. it made her swallow but Morwenna held his gaze.
“The Moon Stone,” she repeated. “Where is it?”
The silence that followed was suffocating.
Seraphine stepped forward slightly. “Your Majesty, I...”
“Leave it,” Kael said without looking at her.
Seraphine fell silent immediately.
His attention never left Morwenna.
“Why,” he asked slowly, “are you asking about something that does not concern you?”
Morwenna didn’t flinch.
“Because it does concern me,” she said calmly.
It was a dangerous answer and it made Kael take a step forward.
The air in the room grew heavy and suffocating.
“Explain.”
Morwenna exhaled softly.
“The balance is broken,” she said. “You already know this.”
His jaw tightened slightly.
She continued.
“The Lycans are losing control. Their instincts are overriding their minds. They are becoming… feral.”
A flicker of something passed through his eyes but It was brief.
“You speak as if you understand something you shouldn’t,” he said.
“I understand enough,” she replied.
“Then explain the cause.”
Morwenna paused for a mome
“The Moon Stone is no longer in this realm.”
Silence reigned in the room now, it was cold and immediate.
Kael’s expression didn’t change.
But the room it did.
The temperature seemed to drop and the tension sharpened.
“That,” he said slowly, “is impossible.”
Morwenna didn’t look away.
“It isn’t.”
“It is,” he countered, his voice firm now. “Because I know exactly where it is.”
“It has been kept hidden for generations,” he continued. “Passed from king to king. Its location known only to those who sit on this throne.”
His gaze hardened.
“No one else.”
Morwenna studied him carefully.
“You believe that makes it safe?”
“I know it does.”
A dangerous edge crept into his tone.
“Then you are wrong.”
The words landed heavily.
Kael’s eyes darkened further.
“Careful,” he warned.
Morwenna didn’t back down.
“It’s gone,” she said simply. “And you can feel it, can’t you?”
There was a pause and it was a fraction too long.
But it was there.
She saw it, the doubt, it was small and buried but it was still there.
“The imbalance,” she continued, softer now, “the shift in your kind… that doesn’t happen unless something fundamental is missing.”
Kael’s jaw tightened.
“And you believe that something is the Moon Stone?”
“I don’t believe it,” she said.
“I know it.”
Silence stretched between them again before he spoke.
“Where?” he asked.
Morwenna held his gaze.
“In the human realm.”
The reaction was instant.
“No.”
“There is no way,” Kael said, his voice cutting through the air. “It has never left this realm.”
“And yet it has,” she replied.
“Enough.”
The word snapped like a blade.
Kael turned away abruptly, his expression dark, his patience clearly at its limit.
“This is a waste of time.”
Seraphine tensed slightly.
“Your Majesty....”
“Dismiss her,” he ordered coldly.
Morwenna didn’t move or speak but her eyes remained on him.
“You can deny it,” she said quietly. “But that won’t change the truth.”
Kael didn’t turn back.
“Remove her.”
The guards at the door moved instantly.
Seraphine hesitated for only a moment before stepping forward, placing a hand lightly on Morwenna’s arm.
“This way,” she said under her breath.
Morwenna allowed herself to be led but as she reached the door she paused.
“You’ll go after it,” she said without turning. “Because deep down… you already know I’m right.”
Kael said nothing as the doors closed behind her.
The chamber fell silent once more.
Kael stood still unmoving.
But his mind was not.
Her words echoed in his mind. it was very persistent yet…
His jaw clenched.
Without another moment wasted he moved.
That night the palace remained unaware.
The guards stood at their posts and the halls stayed quiet.
Nothing seemed out of place but deep within its walls a shadow slipped through unnoticed.
King Kael Draven did not announce his departure.
He did not take an escort or leave a word behind.
He simply left the palace discreetly and siilently into the night.
Toward a truth he refused to believe but could no longer ignore.
- Writer
