The rain fell in slow sheets, washing the blood from the castle stones, but it couldn’t cleanse what had just happened.Selene stood frozen.Her father’s face, aged, scarred, alive.He had been the heart of her nightmares. The question that never had an answer. The ghost that lingered behind every throne room door she opened alone. But there he was, in the colors of the enemy.Not a prisoner.A general.A commander of the very force that hunted her bloodline to near extinction.Her knees buckled, but she didn’t fall.She wouldn’t give them the satisfaction.Behind her, Ryker stood silent, holding his side where the beta’s blade had torn into his ribs. But his pain wasn’t just physical. She felt it. A dull throb in the bond between them. Weak. Flickering. As though something sacred was slipping."Selene," her father said, his voice like gravel after a decade of silence. "You’ve grown into her spitting image."She didn’t respond.Couldn’t.He walked slowly toward her, ignoring Ryker’s p
The moon bled red in the sky.An omen.A warning.Selene stood at the highest tower of the Moonspire Fortress, arms folded tightly across her chest, wind snapping her cloak behind her like black wings. Below her, the outlands stretched in shadows, forests once ruled by peace now patrolled by fear. Her eyes gleamed silver in the darkness, and for the first time in weeks… they were dry.Ryker was alive.But he was no longer hers.He walked the corridors like a ghost; silent, lost, glancing past her as though she were a stranger. The bond that once pulsed between them had shattered with the crystal’s light, and whatever piece of him remained behind the glow in that magical coma… wasn’t coming back on its own.And Selene? She no longer had the luxury of heartbreak.Not when the Council had declared war on her throne.Not when her own people were too afraid to speak her name aloud.Not when her own people were too afraid to speak her name aloud.She turned away from the window, her fingers
Chapter 17: The Moon’s Secret KeeperThe moon hung low over the ravaged sky, smeared with silver clouds that danced like restless ghosts. Deep in the heart of the Rogues' reclaimed territory, Selene sat beside a flickering fire surrounded by the loyal few who remained at her side. The smoke twisted upward, casting shifting shadows against her solemn face.Her eyes were far away, locked on something no one else could see."She's calling again, isn't she?" Lucien asked, crouching near the fire with a hand on his sword hilt.Selene nodded slowly. "Every time I close my eyes... it's her voice. The same chant. Over and over. Something ancient. I can’t understand it yet, but I think I can feel it."He glanced around the clearing. "And you're sure it's not a trap?""Yes." Her voice was sharper than she intended. "It’s not the council. It’s older than them. It's her."Lucien stilled. “The Moon’s Secret Keeper?”Selene's lips parted at the name. She hadn't spoken it aloud. Not yet. But somethi
The earth beneath Selene trembled as she dropped to her knees in the Vale, her chest heaving with a scream that never left her lips.Her bond to Ryker... was tearing.She clutched her chest, eyes wide in horror as searing pain cracked through her soul, splintering her breath, unraveling her strength."No," she whispered, the word too small to contain the terror inside her.Then came the scream. Raw, visceral, and ancient.It echoed across the mountains and burned through the sky.Animals bolted. The trees quivered. The moon itself dimmed.Selene's eyes glowed silver, tears cascading down her cheeks as the bond between her and Ryker snapped like brittle glass. The force of it hurled her backward against the stones of the sacred Vale.She didn’t move.Didn’t speak.Didn’t breathe.The world had gone silent.And for the first time in her life, Selene wanted to die.Back at the BattlefieldLucien was drenched in blood; most of it not his own. He gripped Ryker’s body, dragging it out of th
The wind carried the scent of ash and jasmine.Selene stood at the balcony of the reclaimed Council fortress, overlooking the now-quiet ruins of what had been a battlefield. She wore a robe of midnight silk that billowed like shadow around her. The Lunar Crown, jagged and imperfect, rested in her hand instead of on her head. She hadn’t decided if she would wear it.Not yet.Not when her heart still ached.Not when Ryker, alive but… changed, slept behind her.Because bringing someone back from the dead didn’t come without cost.And the weight of that truth had begun to seep into her bones.One week earlier…The night Ryker drew his first breath again had been the most euphoric and terrifying moment of Selene’s life.He’d clutched her hand with urgency, as though returning from a place of nightmares. His golden eyes glowed with a strange silver undertone—remnants of the Moonborn power that brought him back.His touch was warm. His voice was the same.But something in his spirit… wasn’t.
"Ryker, please…"Selene’s voice was barely above a whisper as she cradled him against her chest.The world around her was eerily silent. The battlefield, once alive with the chaos of war, now lay still. Bodies of warriors, both ally and enemy, were strewn across the blood-soaked ground. The air was thick with the scent of death, the metallic tang of blood still clinging to her tongue.But none of it mattered.Not when he lay lifeless in her arms.Her hands trembled as she brushed his damp, raven-black hair away from his face. Ryker had always been so full of life, so untamed. Even in the midst of battle, he fought with a smirk, as if death could never touch him.But now…Now, his body was limp, his golden eyes closed, his once-powerful chest unmoving.A sob tore through Selene’s throat."No, no, no... don’t do this to me," she begged, pressing her forehead against his. "You promised. You promised we would do this together."But there was no answer. No teasing remark. No cocky grin.On
The darkness was alive.Selene gasped as the Void surged toward her, tendrils of shadow coiling around her limbs like sentient chains. It wasn’t just darkness; it was hunger, an endless abyss that wanted to consume her whole. She struggled, thrashing as the cold seeped into her bones, her power flaring wildly in resistance."Selene!" Ryker’s voice barely reached her ears before he was wrenched back by an unseen force. He hit the ground hard, his growl of frustration muffled by the swirling storm of shadows.Selene’s breath came in short, sharp bursts. The Void whispered to her, its voice a chorus of lost souls, of forgotten nightmares."You are mine… you were always meant to belong to the darkness…"“No!” Selene roared, her golden eyes flashing as she summoned every ounce of her strength. The Lunar Flame ignited within her, blazing through her veins like liquid fire. The shadows recoiled at the searing light, hissing and writhing as she pushed back against their suffocating grip.A f
A void of endless darkness. A silence so absolute it pressed against her bones.Selene was nowhere and everywhere, her body weightless, floating in a place that had no beginning or end. Her heartbeat was the only sound in the abyss, pounding in a frantic, uneven rhythm.She reached for the fire inside her; the Lunar Flame that had always been a part of her, her greatest weapon, her light.But it was gone.A hollow space remained where it once burned, replaced by something… different. Colder. Darker. Hungrier.She clenched her fists, frustration and panic warring inside her."Where am I?"The void did not answer, but something else did."You are home."A shiver crept down her spine at the voice. It was deep, smooth, wrapping around her like silk. It carried a power that seeped into her skin, into her very essence."Who are you?" she demanded, pushing against the pull of the void.A figure emerged from the darkness.Tall. Cloaked in shadows that rippled like liquid night. Eyes like burn
The corridor outside the Crimson Court’s private chambers was thick with tension. Torches flickered against blood-red walls, their flames dancing like hungry eyes. Nyra Duskbane paused, her hand resting on the hilt of her moonsteel dagger, heart pounding. Moments ago, she had stormed in here, intent on demanding answers from Prince Kaelan of the Raven Court. Now, she found herself inches from the door, every nerve on fire.Inside, she could hear voices: Kaelan’s low drawl, and her own retort; sharp, furious. She took a steadying breath and pushed the door open.Kaelan stood by a high window, moonlight casting his silhouette in silver. His cloak of midnight leather hung open, revealing the lean lines of his chest. His dark hair was mussed, and his golden eyes blazed with something she couldn’t name: challenge, desire, defiance.“You shouldn’t have followed me here,” he said without turning.Nyra stepped inside, closing the door. “You kidnapped me,” she replied, voice steady despite the
The Temple of Ash rose from the blackened cliffs like a crown of obsidian, its spires etched with runes that pulsed with faint red light. Nyra Duskbane stood before its grand entrance, the mark on her chest throbbing like a war drum. Two sentries in ash‑streaked robes flanked the carved doors, their eyes hidden beneath cowl’s shadow.Beside her, Ryker adjusted his cloak, face set in grim determination. Selene stood opposite, regal and proud, yet her silver eyes betrayed worry. “Remember,” Selene whispered, “this trial is as much about control as it is about power.”Nyra nodded. “I understand.”With a creak, the great doors swung open. Inside, the air was stifling; warm as a forge. Elder priestesses formed a semicircle around a dais of scorched marble. The High Priestess, robes embroidered in molten gold, raised a hand.“Daughter of Ash,” she intoned, voice echoing, “to prove your worth, you must conquer the Trial of Fire.”A chamber beyond opened to reveal a ring of living flame; tall
The council chamber smelled of incense and polished stone. Morning light filtered through high, arched windows, illuminating tapestries depicting the Moonborn’s victories. Nyra Duskbane entered on her mother’s arm, her dark gown of ash-gray silk trailing behind her. The mark on her chest throbbed beneath the fabric, a reminder of the power she barely controlled.She scanned the assembled Alphas, Betas, and elder advisors. At the far end, Selene presided from the high dais, Ryker at her side in human form—his gaze sharp as a blade. The atmosphere crackled with unease. Rumors of rebellion, demon pacts, and Nyra’s recent trial in the Temple of Ash had left the realm divided.Selene’s silver eyes met Nyra’s. She inclined her head. A signal: prove yourself today.Nyra drew a steadying breath. She had prepared her report on border skirmishes with the Crimson Claw pack; her sister’s old allies, but her thoughts churned elsewhere. Today she would meet the rogue prince.A hush fell as the cham
The first light of dawn filtered through the shattered stained-glass windows of the Grand Banquet Hall, painting the once‑opulent chamber in fractured hues of ruby and gold. Long before the sun’s rays reached the highest towers of the Eternal Palace, Nyra Duskbane stirred on the cold marble floor, her silk gown torn and stained with blood. Every muscle in her body ached, her head throbbed, and her chest burned with the unrelenting pulse of the mark that had appeared on her skin the night before.Slowly, she rose to her feet, clutching the edge of a fallen table for support. Plates and goblets lay scattered among spilled wine and remnants of last night’s feast. Velvet tapestries, shredded by claws and flame, fluttered in the morning breeze that seeped through the broken windows. Candles, long since guttered, left behind pools of black wax on the floor.A groan escaped Nyra’s lips as she straightened. Her silver hair, tousled and damp, fell in tangled waves around her face. She pressed
The moon hung blood-red above the shattered castle, its glow casting an eerie shimmer across the palace walls. Everything that had once been Selene’s was now Nyra’s. But Nyra had never felt more like a stranger in her own kingdom.She stood before the cracked mirror in her private chamber, staring at the strange mark blooming across her chest—an intricate sigil formed of interwoven thorns and flame. It pulsed with heat, rhythmic as a second heartbeat. Her fingers brushed against it, and the pain that surged through her spine was blinding.“Happy twenty-first,” she muttered under her breath.The wind howled outside the balcony doors, rattling them with restless fury. Nyra ignored it. Her mind was still tangled in the fragments of her dreams—visions soaked in blood, ash, and a voice that kept repeating the same word.Queen.A knock came at the door. Not a servant’s knock—too quiet for that. Too hesitant. Nyra turned.“Enter,” she said.The door creaked open. A man stood at the threshold,
Chapter 50: The Eternal QueenA silver dawn broke over the Lunar Citadel, the first light of a new era cascading across its spired towers and gleaming ramparts. Where once the Citadel had been scarred by war, now banners of midnight blue and silver—Selene’s colors—fluttered in the gentle breeze. The scent of healing herbs and moonblossoms filled the air, a testament to the renewal her reign had already brought.Selene stood atop the Grand Terrace, overlooking the gathered multitude. Thousands of Moonborn, rogues, and allied clans had come to witness the ceremony of ascension. Even the distant peaks of the Shadow Vale—once shrouded in darkness—now caught the sun’s rays, as if acknowledging her triumph.Clad in resplendent armor woven from moonsteel and starlight, Selene radiated power. Her silver hair fell in cascading waves, and her eyes—brighter than any moon—held the promise of eternal guardianship. At her side stood Ryker, the bond between them shining like a beacon. Their children
The dawn light filtered through shattered battlements, painting the courtyard in pale gold. What had once been a scene of triumph now lay scarred by sacrifice: smoldering rubble, broken weapons, and the silent forms of those who’d given everything. Selene stood at the center, her silver eyes hollow with grief and exhaustion. Ryker knelt before her, cradling their child in his arms—an infant wrapped in moon‑white swaddling that seemed to glow against the devastation.For a heartbeat, they existed in silence—two souls bound by love, yet torn apart by the cost of Selene’s ultimate sacrifice.Ryker’s voice broke the stillness. “Selene… are you well?”She swallowed, lifting her hand to touch his cheek. Her fingers trembled. “I am,” she lied, though every bone in her body ached. “I… I thought I would feel relief. But all I feel is emptiness.”Ryker’s golden eyes darkened with concern. “You saved the realm. You saved us. You saved our child.”Her lips trembled. “At the cost of my soul. Part
The air over the Shadow Vale was thick with ash and despair. A gray pall clung to the jagged peaks, and the ground itself seemed to shudder under the weight of countless undead souls. Selene stood on the precipice of the valley’s entrance, her silver eyes reflecting the devastation below. Before her lay the amassed legions of the Revenant—fallen warriors, corrupted beasts, and spectral phantoms—stretching as far as the eye could see.Ryker knelt beside her, his black fur matted with blood from the skirmish at the citadel’s gates. His golden eyes were fierce with determination, but Selene could see the weariness in his stance. The child of power slept soundly in Ryker’s saddlebag, its soft coos a stark contrast to the howls of the undead.“We can hold them here,” Ryker said quietly. “We have the high ground, the wards, the bond… but not forever.”Selene nodded. Every moment they delayed, Orion’s forces grew stronger. The blood bond and the Forbidden Blood Bond had granted her unparalle
The Grand Hall of the Lunar Keep was suffused with an unnatural chill. Moonlight filtered through cracked windows, casting fractured silver beams across the shattered marble floor. Selene stood at the dais, her cloak pooled around her feet like spilled ink, every rune upon her skin pulsing with dread. Ryker knelt beside her, one hand on her belly, the other clenched in the broken stone.Moments earlier, they had faced her mother’s resurrection—an act of dark magic that twisted love into horror. Now, the true architect of all their torment would be revealed, and Selene’s heart pounded with the terrible knowledge that this enemy was no distant warlord but someone woven into the very fabric of her life.A hush fell over the assembled Moonborn and allies as the double doors creaked open. Light spilled in from the corridor, and a lone figure stepped forward, cloaked in the obsidian robes of the High Council. As the hood fell back, gasps rippled through the hall.Elder Callista. The woman w