Daughter of Selena

The Silver Haired Woman

The laughter lingered long after the vision disappeared. It wasn't loud, and it wasn't even human either, Yet it echoed through Lyra's mind like a curse, sending chills racing down her spine.

For several terrifying seconds, she remained frozen where she stood, struggling to breathe. Noah was alive. That should have been the only thing that mattered, but the vision had shown her far more than she wanted to know, the giant black gate, the ancient symbols, the silver-haired woman, and those final words.

"Hurry. He's coming."

The warning repeated endlessly inside her head.

Then reality crashed back into her when a deafening roar shook the village. Lyra looked up. Draven was losing, the massive scaled creature slammed him through the side of a house. Wood exploded into the air as his body crashed through two walls before finally coming to a stop.

The monster didn't hesitate. It charged after him immediately. Its claws tore through stone and timber as though they were paper. The sight sent panic surging through Lyra's veins.

"Draven!"

Her scream vanished beneath the storm, the creature disappeared into the collapsing building.

A second later, silver light exploded from the ruins. The blast illuminated the entire village.

Draven burst through the wreckage with sword in hand, blood running down the side of his face.

For the first time since meeting him, he looked vulnerable. Human, and somehow that frightened Lyra more than the monster itself, because if someone as powerful as Draven could bleed...

Then they were all in danger, a terrible danger.

The monster laughed, the sound resembled grinding stone.

"You are weaker than the rumors claimed."

Its voice froze everyone, the creature could speak, draven wiped blood from his mouth.

"I've been called worse."

The monster smiled. Its rows of jagged teeth gleamed beneath the crimson sky.

"You should have stayed buried with the others."

Something dark flashed across Draven's face.

The words clearly meant something, something personal. Before Lyra could think about it further, the creature lunged again. This time Draven met the attack head-on, their collision shook the ground. Silver light and crimson energy exploded across the street.

Nearby houses shattered beneath the force, villagers screamed and fled through the storm, Moonveil was becoming a battlefield, and the night was far from over, a hand suddenly grabbed Lyra's arm. She turned, Her father stood beside her.

"We have to go."

She shook her head.

"No."

"Lyra—"

"Noah is alive."

The words escaped before she could stop them.

Her father froze.

"What?"

"I saw him." Lyra said

Hope and fear collided in his eyes. "What do you mean you saw him?"

The vision replayed in her mind, the chains, the gate, the woman.

"He was underground somewhere." Her voice trembled. "They've chained him."

Her mother's face went pale. "Oh God..." she exclaimed

"And the woman from my dreams was there."

Silence followed, a strange silence. When Lyra looked at her parents, she noticed something unexpected, recognition, both of them knew exactly who she was talking about.

Her heart skipped.

"You know her."

Neither answered, that confirmed it. Anger flared inside her chest.

"Enough." Her voice cracked like thunder. "Everyone keeps hiding things from me."

Another roar echoed through Moonveil, the battle continued outside. Yet nobody moved, nobody spoke, finally, her mother lowered her gaze, tears filled her eyes.

"We prayed you would never see her."

The words sent ice through Lyra's veins, her pulse quickened.

"Who is she?" Lyra asked

Her mother looked terrified, not of the question, but of the answer, then a calm voice spoke from behind them.

"Her name is Selene."

Lyra spun around, Draven stood in the doorway, breathing heavily, blood stained his clothes.

The monster was nowhere in sight, fir now.

"Selene?" Lyra repeated.

Draven nodded. "The last Moon Queen."

The title meant nothing, yet the moment she heard it, the Blood Mark burned, and Pain shot through her wrist, with Images flashed across her mind. A silver throne. A moonlit kingdom. Countless stars hanging over an endless sea.

And a woman sitting alone. Crying. The vision vanished instantly.

Lyra stumbled, but Draven caught her before she fell. Their eyes met, and for the briefest moment, she saw genuine concern there. Then it disappeared. Replaced once more by determination.

"We don't have time." His voice was urgent.

"The village won't survive the night."

As if to prove his point, another explosion echoed outside, the ground shook violently, a scream followed, then another.

The creatures were spreading through Moonveil.

Hunting, killing, and Searching for her, then a horrible realization struck Lyra. Everyone here was in danger because of her, the Blood Mark, the vampires, the monsters. Everything led back to her. Guilt tightened around her chest.

"We need to leave," Draven continued. "Now."

This time nobody argued, even her father nodded, the situation had become impossible to deny. Moonveil was lost, the thought broke something inside Lyra.

This village had been her home for eighteen years. Every memory she cherished existed here.

Yet tonight it was being destroyed, Piece by piece, monster by monster. She swallowed hard, then forced herself to move.

Minutes later they stood at the edge of the village, while rain continued to pour from the heavens.

Behind them, fires burned throughout Moonveil.

the crimson glow from the forest painted the clouds blood-red. Ahead stretched the Blackwood Forest, dark, silent, ancient.

Draven studied the trees carefully, his hand never left the hilt of his sword.

"What now?" Lyra asked.

"We head east."

"Where?"

"A sanctuary." The answer sounded vague, deliberately vague.

Lyra almost questioned him, then she noticed his expression. Draven was listening, to something, or someone.

"What is it?"

His silver eyes narrowed. "We're not alone."

The words sent fear racing through the group.

The forest suddenly felt colder, darker, watching.

Then a voice emerged from the shadows, soft, beautiful, familiar.

"Of course you're not."

Lyra's heart stopped, and a woman stepped from between the trees, silver hair, and pale skin. Eyes like liquid moonlight.

The exact woman from her dreams. The exact woman from her vision. **Selene.**

For several seconds, nobody moved, nobody breathed normally. The woman smiled sadly.

Her gaze settled on Lyra, then she spoke. Not aloud.

Inside her mind.

"I've finally found you."

The Blood Mark exploded with light, and the entire forest trembled.