Chapter 7 - The Traitor Within
1525 Words
The throne room fell silent.
Luna stared at Rowan.
“The traitor is still inside Lunaris?”
Rowan nodded.
“Someone who has been hiding among your people for eighteen years.”
Kael's grip tightened around his sword.
“Who?”
Rowan looked toward the ruined throne.
“I don't know.”
Kael's eyes narrowed.
“You expect us to believe that?”
“I expect you to understand that the person who betrayed the queen was powerful enough to erase every trace of their identity.”
Luna stepped forward.
“Then how do we find them?”
Rowan looked at her.
“The Moonfang blood can reveal what ordinary eyes cannot.”
Luna frowned.
“What does that mean?”
“Your ancestors created a ritual called the Moon's Judgment. It can reveal the truth hidden within a werewolf's heart.”
Kael shook his head.
“The ritual hasn't been performed in centuries.”
“Because there hasn't been a Moonfang heir.”
Luna looked around the throne room.
“So I can perform it?”
“Perhaps.”
“Perhaps?”
Rowan's expression became serious.
“The ritual can also destroy the person who performs it.”
Kael immediately shook his head.
“Then we're not doing it.”
Luna turned toward him.
“We need to find the traitor.”
“Not at the cost of your life.”
“You don't get to make that decision for me.”
Kael stared at her.
“I swore to protect you.”
“And I never asked you to sacrifice yourself for me.”
His expression softened.
“I would.”
Luna's heart skipped.
Kael seemed to realize what he had said.
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then Rowan cleared his throat.
“We don't have time.”
Luna looked toward him.
“What happens if we don't find the traitor?”
“The kingdom will fall again.”
---
Later that night, Luna stood alone on the balcony of the ruined castle.
The valley stretched beneath her.
Thousands of stars filled the sky.
She touched the Moonfang pendant around her neck.
Her mother was alive.
Somewhere beyond the mountains.
The thought was almost impossible to believe.
“You should be sleeping.”
Luna turned.
Kael stood behind her.
“You should too.”
“I was checking the perimeter.”
“At midnight?”
“Yes.”
“You really don't sleep.”
Kael smiled.
“Sometimes.”
Luna turned back toward the valley.
“Do you think my mother is really alive?”
“I do.”
“Why?”
“Because Rowan wouldn't risk coming here if he wasn't certain.”
Luna nodded.
Then she whispered:
“I don't remember her.”
Kael remained silent.
“I remember her voice from the vision. But I don't remember what it felt like to be held by her.”
Her voice trembled.
“I want to meet her.”
“You will.”
“How can you promise that?”
Kael stepped closer.
“Because I'll take you to her.”
Luna looked at him.
“You make everything sound so simple.”
“It isn't.”
“Then why are you so certain?”
Kael looked into her eyes.
“Because I've spent eighteen years preparing for this moment.”
Luna's heart tightened.
“Waiting for me?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Kael hesitated.
“Because your mother asked me to.”
Luna smiled sadly.
“Only because of her?”
Kael didn't answer.
Luna noticed.
“Kael?”
He looked away.
“You should get some rest.”
Luna stepped closer.
“You didn't answer.”
His golden eyes returned to hers.
“Because I'm not sure I know the answer.”
Their eyes remained locked.
The distance between them disappeared.
Luna could feel his warmth.
Kael slowly raised his hand and gently touched her cheek.
Then he stopped.
His expression changed.
He pulled his hand away.
“We should find your mother first.”
Luna smiled faintly.
“Yes.”
But neither of them looked away.
---
The next morning, the council gathered.
Elder Rowan stood before the ancient map of Lunaris.
“We cannot march directly into Bloodfang territory.”
“Why?” Luna asked.
“Because the mountains are heavily guarded.”
Kael pointed toward the map.
“There is another route.”
He indicated a narrow passage.
“The Moonshadow Pass.”
Elder Rowan's expression changed.
“No.”
Kael looked at him.
“It's the fastest route.”
“It's forbidden.”
“Why?”
“Because nothing that enters the pass returns.”
Luna looked at the map.
“Then that's our route.”
Kael shook his head.
“No.”
She turned toward him.
“You said we were going after my mother.”
“We are.”
“Then why are you refusing?”
“Because the pass is filled with creatures older than the werewolf clans.”
Luna crossed her arms.
“I thought you weren't afraid of anything.”
“I'm not.”
He looked directly at her.
“But I'm afraid of losing you.”
The room became silent.
Luna's heart pounded.
Elder Rowan looked away.
Several council members exchanged uncomfortable glances.
Luna finally said:
“Then don't lose me.”
Kael stared at her.
After a moment, he nodded.
“We leave at sunset.”
---
That afternoon, Luna entered the castle archives.
She wanted to learn more about the Moon's Judgment.
Old books covered the walls.
Ancient scrolls described forgotten rituals.
After hours of searching, she found something.
A black book hidden behind a stone panel.
She opened it.
The first page contained a warning:
The Moon's Judgment does not reveal lies.
It reveals intentions.
Luna turned the page.
The traitor will not appear as an enemy.
Her heart began beating faster.
The next line made her blood run cold.
The greatest betrayal comes from the hand you trust most.
A sound came from behind her.
Luna spun around.
No one was there.
She slowly closed the book.
Then she noticed something on the floor.
A single black feather.
Luna picked it up.
The moment she touched it, a vision flashed before her.
She saw the throne room.
Her father.
Her mother.
And someone standing behind them.
The figure wore a black cloak.
Their face was hidden.
Then the vision changed.
The same figure stood beside her mother.
A knife was pressed against the queen's back.
Luna gasped.
The vision vanished.
“Luna?”
She turned.
Kael stood in the doorway.
“Are you all right?”
Luna quickly hid the feather.
“Yes.”
Kael studied her.
“You're lying.”
Luna froze.
“I saw something.”
“What?”
“A vision.”
She showed him the feather.
Kael's expression changed.
“Where did you find that?”
“In here.”
He took it carefully.
“This isn't Bloodfang.”
“What is it?”
Kael stared at it.
“It's the mark of the Nightclaw.”
Luna frowned.
“Who are they?”
Kael's expression became grim.
“The royal assassins of Lunaris.”
“Royal assassins?”
“They served the Moonfang family.”
“Then why would one betray my mother?”
Kael looked at her.
“That is what we need to discover.”
A sudden noise came from the corridor.
Kael immediately drew his sword.
Luna turned.
A shadow disappeared around the corner.
“Someone was listening.”
Kael ran after it.
Luna followed.
They reached the end of the corridor.
Nothing.
Then Kael saw something on the floor.
A black feather.
He picked it up.
His expression darkened.
“The traitor knows we are looking.”
Luna looked around.
“Then they're close.”
A voice suddenly whispered from the darkness.
“You should have stayed away.”
Luna turned.
A dagger flew toward her.
Kael stepped in front of her.
CLANG!
The dagger struck his sword.
A masked figure appeared on the balcony above them.
Kael raised his weapon.
“Who are you?”
The figure smiled.
“You'll find out soon enough.”
Then they jumped from the balcony and vanished into the shadows.
Luna rushed to the railing.
“Kael!”
He stopped her.
“Don't follow.”
“But—”
“They want us to chase them.”
Luna looked at the darkness below.
Kael picked up the fallen dagger.
There was a symbol carved into its handle.
The Moonfang crest.
Luna stared at it.
“The traitor has access to the royal weapons.”
Kael nodded.
“And that means they're not an outsider.”
Luna's eyes widened.
“They're one of the people closest to the royal family.”
Kael looked at her.
Neither spoke.
Then a terrible realization crossed Luna's mind.
Someone inside the castle had betrayed her family.
Someone who might still be standing beside her.
And as the sun disappeared behind the mountains, Luna realized something even more frightening.
She couldn't tell who she could trust.
Not even the people she loved.
Especially not them.
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