THE KINGDOM BENEATH THE MOON

Chapter 7: The Stone Heart

The word echoed through the cavern.

"Open."

Elyan stood completely still.

The sound had not come from the creature.

It had not come from Orra.

It had come from beneath them.

Something was calling him.

The silver mark on his arm pulsed once.

Then again.

The Stone Heart responded.

A deep c***k appeared across its surface.

Orra's face went pale.

"No."

Lyra looked at her.

"What is it?"

"The Heart is breaking."

Seraphine stared at the floating stone.

"You said it couldn't be broken."

"I said it was impossible."

Another c***k appeared.

The creature that had emerged from the ground slowly stood.

Its body seemed to be made from darkness itself.

The Nymorian warriors backed away.

Even the masked woman who had commanded them lowered her weapon.

The creature looked at Elyan.

"Open."

Elyan shook his head.

"I don't know what you want."

The creature tilted its head.

"Yes."

"What?"

"You know."

A flash of pain passed through Elyan's mind.

He saw a door.

Not the gate to Nymor.

Something much larger.

It stretched across an endless black space.

Seven locks covered its surface.

Behind it was nothing.

Then two enormous silver eyes opened.

Elyan gasped.

The vision disappeared.

He fell to one knee.

Lyra rushed toward him.

"Elyan!"

"I'm fine."

"No, you're not."

He looked at his hand.

The silver fire was moving beneath his skin.

Orra approached carefully.

"Don't resist it."

Elyan looked up.

"What?"

"The Moonfire."

"Why?"

"Because resistance will only make it stronger."

"That doesn't make sense."

"It doesn't have to."

Orra looked at the Stone Heart.

"Your mother learned that too late."

Elyan stood.

"You knew my mother."

"Yes."

"Then tell me what happened to her."

Orra hesitated.

"She came here sixteen years ago."

"You said that."

"She was carrying you."

Elyan's expression changed.

"She was already pregnant?"

Orra nodded.

"She knew something was coming."

"What?"

"The Firstborn."

Elyan looked toward the creature.

"That thing?"

"No."

Orra shook her head.

"That is merely a servant."

Elyan stared.

"A servant?"

Orra's voice became quiet.

"The Firstborn are not creatures."

"Then what are they?"

"Kings."

The cavern shook.

A piece of the ceiling collapsed.

Orra pointed toward the forge.

"Inside. Now."

Everyone moved.

Marrow soldiers formed a defensive line.

The Nymorian warriors retreated toward the tunnels.

The masked woman looked at Elyan one final time before disappearing.

Elyan followed Orra into the forge.

The massive doors slammed shut.

For a few moments, all they could hear was the distant roar outside.

Seraphine looked at her father.

"Can he walk?"

Aldric nodded.

"I'm fine."

"You've been saying that for hours."

"I'm still standing."

"That's not the same thing."

Aldric ignored her.

His attention remained on Elyan.

"The Stone Heart has chosen him."

Orra looked at him.

"You knew?"

"I suspected."

"You knew enough to bring him here."

"I brought him here because Marrow was the only place where he might survive."

Elyan turned toward Aldric.

"Survive what?"

Aldric didn't answer.

"King."

Aldric looked at him.

"Tell me."

The king sighed.

"The Stone Heart isn't a weapon."

"What is it?"

"A key."

"To the door?"

"Yes."

Elyan looked at the cracks in the floor.

"And I'm the key too?"

"No."

Aldric shook his head.

"You're the person the key responds to."

Elyan frowned.

"What's the difference?"

"The Stone Heart can open the door."

Aldric paused.

"But only a Moonbound can decide whether it should."

Orra walked toward a large metal table.

On it lay a collection of ancient objects.

A silver dagger.

A black stone.

A broken crown.

A small glass sphere filled with blue light.

And a wooden pendant.

Elyan recognized it immediately.

His mother's pendant.

He stepped toward it.

"Where did you get that?"

Orra picked it up.

"She left it here."

"Why?"

"She told me to give it to you when the Stone Heart awakened."

Elyan took it.

The moment his fingers touched the pendant, a memory appeared.

His mother stood inside the forge.

She looked younger.

Elyan was a baby in her arms.

Orra stood opposite her.

His mother was crying.

"I don't know if he'll ever forgive me."

Orra replied:

"You're saving his life."

"By hiding him?"

"By giving him a chance."

His mother looked down at the baby.

"If the Moon King finds him..."

"He won't."

"And if he does?"

Orra became silent.

His mother whispered:

"Then tell Elyan the truth."

The memory ended.

Elyan opened his eyes.

His mother was gone.

But her voice remained in his mind.

"I'm sorry."

He closed his fist around the pendant.

Lyra stood beside him.

"What did you see?"

"My mother."

"What did she say?"

"She wanted me to know the truth."

Lyra looked at Orra.

"Then tell him."

Orra nodded.

"There were seven Moonbound families."

Elyan looked at her.

"Seven?"

"Each was connected to one of the seven crowns."

"Why?"

"To maintain the balance."

"Then why was my mother special?"

"Because she belonged to the first line."

"What does that mean?"

Orra looked at Aldric.

He answered.

"The first Moonbound were created by Aethron."

Elyan froze.

"Created?"

"Not born."

Aldric continued.

"Long before Nymor was sealed, Aethron discovered the Moonfire."

"He created the Moonbound from it."

"Why?"

"To protect the world from the Veil."

Elyan looked at his hands.

"So I'm not completely human."

Aldric shook his head.

"You are human."

"Then what am I?"

"A descendant of the first Moonbound."

Elyan stared at the silver fire.

"Why does the Moonfire feel like it's alive?"

Orra answered.

"Because it remembers."

"Remembers what?"

"Everything."

The doors suddenly shook.

Boom.

Everyone looked up.

Another impact.

Boom.

The metal bent inward.

Orra grabbed her hammer.

"Get ready."

Seraphine drew her sword.

Lyra's hands began glowing green.

Aldric picked up a fallen blade.

Elyan raised his hands.

The silver fire appeared.

"Don't use it," Orra warned.

"Why?"

"The creature outside wants your magic."

"Then what am I supposed to do?"

"Trust yourself."

The doors exploded.

The dark creature entered.

Behind it stood dozens of Nymorian warriors.

But the warriors weren't attacking.

They were watching.

The creature looked at Elyan.

"Come."

Elyan stood his ground.

"No."

The creature tilted its head.

"Come."

"No."

A low sound escaped it.

"You will open."

Elyan felt anger rise.

"I said no."

The creature charged.

Elyan released the Moonfire.

The silver blast struck it.

This time, the creature stopped.

Its body cracked.

Silver light spread across its chest.

The creature looked down.

Then it laughed.

"You are stronger."

Elyan's eyes widened.

The creature's wounds closed.

It continued forward.

Lyra attacked from the side.

Roots erupted from the ground.

They wrapped around the creature.

Seraphine charged next.

Her sword struck its shoulder.

The creature roared.

Aldric raised his hand.

A golden beam of magic struck it.

For a moment, the creature staggered.

Orra shouted:

"Now!"

Elyan didn't understand.

"Now what?"

"Use the Heart!"

Elyan looked toward the Stone Heart.

It floated above the forge.

"I don't know how!"

"Tell it what you want!"

Elyan stared at the stone.

He reached out.

The Stone Heart flew toward him.

The moment it touched his palm, everything stopped.

The creature froze.

The warriors froze.

Lyra froze.

Seraphine froze.

Even the flames stopped moving.

Elyan stood alone in a silent world.

The Stone Heart pulsed.

Once.

Twice.

Then a voice spoke.

Not the voice of the Firstborn.

A familiar voice.

His mother's.

"Elyan."

He closed his eyes.

"Mom?"

"You need to listen."

"I need to find you."

"You must not come to Nymor."

"But you're there."

"Yes."

"Then I'll find you."

"No."

Elyan's eyes filled with confusion.

"Why?"

"Because I am the reason the gate is opening."

The world began moving again.

Elyan opened his eyes.

The Stone Heart was glowing.

His mother continued inside his mind.

"I made a mistake."

"What mistake?"

"I trusted Aethron."

Elyan looked at the creature.

His mother spoke again.

"He isn't the one you should fear."

"Then who?"

Silence.

"Elyan."

"What?"

"Your father."

Elyan froze.

He had never known his father.

His mother had always told him he had died before Elyan was born.

"Who was my father?"

The Stone Heart went dark.

His mother's voice disappeared.

Elyan screamed:

"WHO WAS MY FATHER?"

The chamber exploded with silver light.

Elyan was thrown across the room.

He struck the wall.

The Stone Heart fell from his hand.

The creature disappeared.

The Nymorian warriors were gone.

Lyra ran toward him.

"Elyan!"

He pushed himself up.

"I'm okay."

She stared at him.

"What happened?"

Elyan looked toward Aldric.

The king was staring at him.

Not with fear.

With recognition.

"You know."

Aldric said nothing.

"You know who my father is."

Seraphine looked at her father.

"Father?"

Aldric turned away.

Elyan walked toward him.

"Tell me."

Aldric remained silent.

"Tell me!"

The king finally spoke.

"Your father was a Nymorian."

Elyan froze.

"What?"

"One of Aethron's generals."

"What's his name?"

Aldric looked at him.

"Kael."

The name meant nothing to Elyan.

"Where is he?"

Aldric didn't answer.

"Where is he?"

"He died."

"How?"

Aldric looked toward the Stone Heart.

"Your father was the first person to enter the Veil."

Lyra's eyes widened.

"That's impossible."

Aldric nodded.

"He returned."

"And?"

Aldric's voice became quiet.

"He was no longer human."

A silence filled the forge.

Elyan couldn't speak.

His father.

A Nymorian general.

A man who had entered the Veil.

A man who had returned changed.

Aldric looked at him.

"Your mother feared what would happen if the Firstborn discovered that you existed."

"Why?"

"Because your father wasn't simply a servant of Aethron."

Elyan's voice trembled.

"Then what was he?"

Aldric looked toward the cracked Stone Heart.

"He was the first human ever chosen by the Firstborn."

Elyan stepped backward.

"No."

Aldric continued.

"And if your mother was telling the truth..."

He looked toward Elyan.

"...then whatever is awakening beneath Nymor may not be searching for the Moon King."

"What is it searching for?"

Aldric's face hardened.

"You."

Far beneath the mountains, something opened its eyes.

A voice traveled through the darkness.

"My son."

And for the first time in seventeen years, Elyan heard his father's voice.

It whispered one word.

"Come."