Olivia’s POV
The council doors closed behind us with a groan that echoed through my bones. For a heartbeat, I stood frozen in the courtyard, the chill morning air slapping my face. It should have felt like victory—the council had spared me, named me Luna still—but the weight of their decree pressed harder than chains.
Find the truth of your bloodline.
It wasn’t a choice. It was an order.
Lucas’s hand rested at the small of my back, steadying me as if he knew my knees threatened to buckle. His warmth anchored me, but it couldn’t smother the wildfire of dread spreading through my chest.
The crowd that had gathered outside the council hall erupted into noise the moment we stepped out. Some cheered, voices rising with relief. Others whispered, eyes sharp, suspicious. I felt their gazes bu
