Chapter 6 — The Hidden Queen
941 Words
Elena stared at the man standing before her.
Her father.
Alive.
After eighteen years of believing he was gone, she finally stood face-to-face with him.
Yet instead of feeling relieved, Elena felt betrayed.
“You knew where I was.”
Her father lowered his eyes.
“I always knew.”
“Then why didn't you come for me?”
“Because if I did, they would have found you.”
Elena shook her head.
“You let me believe you were dead.”
“I had no choice.”
“You always had a choice.”
Silence filled the observatory.
Kael stepped closer.
“Who are they?”
Elena's father looked at him.
“The five ruling kingdoms.”
Adrian frowned.
“What do they want with Elena?”
“The same thing every ruler wants.”
He looked at the glowing crown.
“Power.”
Elena stared at the crown.
“You said they're coming for their queen.”
Her father nodded.
“Your ancestor was the first Alpha to unite the kingdoms. When he disappeared, the kingdoms were divided again.”
“And now they think I can unite them?”
“They don't think.”
Her father's expression became serious.
“They know.”
The crown suddenly moved toward Elena.
She stepped back.
“I don't want it.”
“You don't get to choose.”
Elena looked at him sharply.
“I've spent my entire life being told what I couldn't choose.”
Her voice trembled.
“I chose to come here. I chose to survive. And I'll choose what happens to me.”
Her father smiled sadly.
“That is exactly what your mother hoped you would become.”
Before Elena could respond, a loud crash came from outside.
The academy walls shook.
Adrian looked through the window.
“They've breached the eastern gate.”
Kael turned to Elena.
“We have to move.”
Her father shook his head.
“No.”
Kael frowned.
“Why?”
“Because running won't help anymore.”
He looked at Elena.
“She has to awaken.”
Elena's face paled.
“No.”
“You don't understand.”
Her father pointed toward the crown.
“That crown isn't a weapon.”
“What is it?”
“A key.”
“To what?”
He looked at the floor beneath them.
“To the kingdom that was erased from every map.”
Lucian's expression changed.
“You found it.”
Elena looked between them.
“What kingdom?”
Lucian answered quietly.
“The Moon Kingdom.”
Elena's heart skipped.
“My mother's stories…”
Her father nodded.
“They were real.”
---
Another explosion shook the tower.
Dust fell from the ceiling.
Kael grabbed Elena's hand.
“We're leaving.”
This time she didn't pull away.
Adrian looked at them, then toward the door.
“We have seconds.”
Lucian walked toward the center of the room.
“There is another way out.”
He pressed his palm against the wall.
A hidden passage opened.
Kael stared at him.
“You knew about this?”
Lucian shrugged.
“I know more about this academy than you think.”
Elena looked at him.
“Who are you really?”
Lucian hesitated.
“Someone who owes your family a debt.”
Before she could ask anything else, another crash sounded.
They entered the passage.
Elena's father stayed behind.
She stopped.
“You're not coming?”
“I can't.”
“Why?”
“Because they need to believe you're alone.”
Elena stared at him.
“I just found you.”
He stepped closer.
“I know.”
He touched her forehead gently.
“And I'm not losing you again.”
Then he pushed the hidden door shut.
Elena stood frozen.
Kael placed a hand on her shoulder.
“We'll come back.”
She nodded.
---
The tunnel led beneath the academy.
Ancient symbols covered the walls.
Elena's mark began glowing again.
Adrian noticed.
“It's reacting to the symbols.”
Lucian nodded.
“The academy was built over the old Moon Kingdom.”
Elena stopped walking.
“Then why did nobody know?”
“Because the kingdom was deliberately erased.”
“By whom?”
Lucian looked at her.
“Your father.”
Elena's eyes widened.
“What?”
“He destroyed every record of it to protect you.”
Kael frowned.
“That doesn't make sense.”
“It will.”
They reached the end of the tunnel.
A huge stone door stood before them.
At its center was a symbol identical to Elena's mark.
She slowly raised her hand.
The door opened.
Beyond it was an enormous underground city.
Silver towers rose from the darkness.
Ancient statues lined the streets.
At the center stood a massive palace.
Elena could barely breathe.
“This was real.”
Lucian nodded.
“The Moon Kingdom.”
Suddenly, hundreds of lights appeared across the city.
One after another.
Someone had awakened.
Adrian whispered:
“We aren't alone.”
Kael reached for his weapon.
A figure appeared on the palace steps.
Then another.
Then dozens more.
All of them looked toward Elena.
And together, they bowed.
Elena stared in shock.
Lucian lowered his voice.
“They've been waiting for eighteen years.”
Kael looked at Elena.
“For what?”
Lucian answered.
“For their queen to return.”
Elena's silver eyes began to glow.
Then a voice echoed throughout the forgotten kingdom.
“Welcome home, Princess Elena.”
She froze.
Princess?
Her entire life had been a lie.
And somewhere in the darkness, another voice whispered:
The war has begun.
- Writer
- chap_listContents
- likeADD