Bound To The Luna Queen

Chapter 2

KAEL

“Kael? Where are you?!” Mira’s urgent voice ripped through my dream, pulling me awake. “Hurry up! Come to the back gate near the forest!” she added, her voice tight with fear. I blinked in confusion until I realized she was mind-linking me. She only ever did that when it was life or death.

“Yes, I’m coming,” I replied immediately, turning to glance at Princess Lyra, still asleep beside me. Her long lashes cast shadows on her cheeks, her breathing soft and steady. I looked at the wall clock just past three in the morning. Quietly, I untangled her arm from around my waist and slid out of bed.

Clothes lay scattered across the floor, a reminder of the choice I made last night. I had let her take me, fully knowing our bond had no place in the world she ruled. And yet… I didn’t regret it.

My face burned at the memory. What do I even say to her tomorrow?

I dressed quickly and left her chambers silently. As I moved through the palace, I noticed guards running about in panic. Something had gone terribly wrong.

I didn’t stop to ask questions. I kept to the shadows, slipping toward the back gate just as Mira instructed. I was nearly there when someone grabbed me. I nearly yelled until a hand clamped over my mouth.

“It’s me, Kael. Don’t make a sound,” Mira whispered, her eyes darting around. My heart pounded in confusion.

“What’s going on?” I whispered back.

Her expression was grave. “We need to leave. Now.”

“What? Why?” I asked, alarmed.

“Someone killed Queen Thorne,” she said bluntly.

My heart skipped a beat. Queen Thorne? Princess Lyra’s mother? “I don’t understand why would we need to leave? We didn’t..”

“They’re going to arrest every servant in the palace,” Mira interrupted. “Guilt won’t matter. We have to go. Now.”

I shook my head. “No. I can’t just leave. We’re not guilty..”

“Guilty or not, if we stay, we’ll die,” she snapped. That stopped me cold. Mira was always calm. If she was panicking, things were worse than I thought.

“…Okay,” I said finally. “What about Aunt Elda?”

“She’s already escaped,” Mira replied. “Come on.”

We sprinted toward the forest. Every step away from the palace felt like a betrayal. How will Lyra react when she wakes up and finds me gone?

Would she even care?

We reached the outskirts of the city, blending into the shadows. Guards were everywhere. We had to disguise ourselves, or we’d be caught and executed on the spot.

I let out a deep sigh as I watched the palace become smaller in the distance. Is this the end of it all? Was that our last encounter? It hurt to think that our first kiss might also be our last.

I glanced at Mira, who was adjusting the hood of her cloak. “We’ll get off at the outskirts of the next city,” she said, and I furrowed my brows. Why? “Someone will pick us up,” she added, as if she could read my thoughts.

“Where are we going?” I asked quietly.

“You’ll find out soon enough,” she replied. I nodded and returned my gaze to the road. After a few minutes, we got off the carriage.

On the side of the road, two cloaked figures stood waiting. Were they bandits? I approached Mira quickly, “Calm down, Lyra. They’re here to help,” she said, her voice steady.

I let out a relieved breath as they removed their cloaks. It was a man and a woman. The woman immediately embraced Mira.

“It’s been too long, Mira. I’m glad to see you again,” she said, smiling warmly.

“I’m glad to see you, Seris,” Mira replied. “Laurence.” The man gave a curt nod, but his eyes locked onto me, unreadable.

“This is Kael,” Mira introduced. “He’s the boy Elda and I found thirteen years ago.” Seris smiled. Laurence, however, frowned. “Why bring him with you ?”

Mira sighed. “We raised him. He’s family. I couldn’t leave him, and.. he’s strong.”

Laurence snorted softly. “You still do things your way.”

“Come on, Laurence,” Seris said. “You know it’s your fault Mira and Elda returned early. Accept him into the pack.” Pack? My brows lifted. Was Laurence… the Alpha?

He sighed. “Fine. I’m sorry for the trouble, Mira. I should’ve never sent her in.” What were they talking about?

“It’s over,” Mira said, her voice heavy. “Queen Thorne is dead.”

“What?” My heart lurched. They were responsible?

“What do you mean?” I asked.

Laurence nodded at Mira. She gave me an apologetic glance.

“I’ll explain everything,” she promised. “While we walk.” And so, we did.

“Thirteen years ago,” she began, “Elda and I were assigned to infiltrate the palace and assassinate Queen Thorne.”

I stopped walking. “You… You’re assassins?”

She nodded. “Spies, Assassins, the mission came from higher authority. We didn’t have the luxury of questioning it,” Mira explained. So

Lyra probably thinks I’m involved, too.

“I’m sorry for lying to you, Kael,” she said, her voice softening. I took a deep breath and shook my head. They were just following orders. Without them, I might not have survived that cold, painful night.

“I understand, but what should we do now?” I asked. Mira looked at Laurence, waiting for him to respond.

“You… you’ll join the pack, and you can decide if you want to become an assassin or a spy,” he said. Me? Become an assassin or a spy?

“You don’t have to decide now, Kael,” Seris added, Her voice gentle. I nodded.

“Alright,” I said quietly. Why did all of this have to happen on my birthday?

Thirteen years ago, I was five years old when Elda and Mira found me in the forest, covered in blood and unconscious. I could remember my name and some basic things, but the rest was a blur. I didn’t know where I came from, or what happened to me before they found me.

“We’re here. Welcome to Moon Sanctuary, the land of Assassins,” Laurence’s voice broke through my thoughts.

So, this was where Mira and Elda lived. This would be my new home.

“You have to forget everything about your life in the palace. This place is different. Here, you can be whoever you want to be,” Mira said, smiling softly. I could be whoever I wanted to be, I whispered to myself. But who am I really?