The Feather in the Throne

The black feather lay on the broken stone.

No one moved.

Kael stared at it.

He knew that feather.

He had seen one before.

Eighteen years ago, when he was still a child hidden deep within Moonwood, a single black feather had appeared on the windowsill of his home.

The same symbol had marked the Shadow Hunters.

But this one felt different.

Colder.

Older.

Kael slowly crouched and picked it up.

The moment his fingers touched it, pain shot through his hand.

He dropped it.

A flash of silver filled the chamber.

For a heartbeat, Kael saw a woman standing beneath an Eclipse Moon.

Elara.

But she wasn't alone.

Beside her stood a man wearing a black crown.

Kael couldn't see his face.

Then Elara turned toward him.

Her lips moved.

He is not your enemy.

The vision vanished.

Kael staggered.

Lucien caught him.

“Kael.”

He looked at Lucien.

“I saw my mother.”

“What did she say?”

Kael glanced at the feather.

“She said not to trust the Hollow King.”

The Hollow King, who had been standing near the entrance, went completely still.

His golden eyes lowered.

Aeron stared at him.

“You knew?”

The Hollow King didn't answer.

Kael stepped toward him.

“What is she talking about?”

Still nothing.

Kael's voice hardened.

“Answer me.”

The creature finally looked at him.

“Your mother remembers what happened.”

“What happened?”

The Hollow King looked at the broken throne.

“What happened before you were born.”

Kael's heart tightened.

“You knew my mother?”

“Yes.”

“How?”

The Hollow King's expression became unreadable.

“She came to me once.”

Lucien stepped forward.

“When?”

“Before Kael's birth.”

Kael stared at him.

“Why?”

The Hollow King hesitated.

“To ask me to protect her child.”

Kael's eyes widened.

“You knew I existed?”

“Yes.”

“And you did nothing?”

“I did what she asked.”

Kael's anger rose.

“You disappeared.”

“I was forced to.”

“By whom?”

The Hollow King looked toward Elyon.

Everyone turned.

Elyon's face hardened.

“Don't.”

Kael looked between them.

“What happened between you two?”

The Hollow King finally spoke.

“Elyon betrayed the Moon Kingdom.”

Elyon drew his sword.

“That is a lie.”

“You opened the Moon Gate.”

“To save the kingdom.”

“You opened it for the Council.”

“Because the throne had to be destroyed!”

The chamber fell silent.

Kael stared at Elyon.

“You wanted to destroy the throne too?”

Elyon lowered his sword.

“Yes.”

“Then why have you spent all this time trying to stop me?”

“Because you don't understand what destroying it requires.”

Kael looked at the shattered throne.

“What does it require?”

Elyon's eyes moved toward Lucien.

“The Guardian.”

Lucien's expression hardened.

Elyon continued.

“The throne cannot simply be broken. Its power has to be transferred.”

“To whom?”

Elyon looked at Kael.

“To the Moon-born.”

Kael's stomach dropped.

“No.”

“If the throne is destroyed completely, the Moon-born becomes the vessel for everything it contains.”

Aeron went pale.

“That would kill him.”

Elyon nodded.

“And that is why I tried to keep Kael away from the throne.”

Kael stared at him.

“You could have told me.”

“You were a child.”

“And later?”

Elyon's voice softened.

“By then, the Council was already hunting you.”

Kael shook his head.

“You don't get to call this protection.”

Elyon looked away.

“I know.”

For the first time, Kael saw something unexpected in his uncle's face.

Regret.

Not enough to erase what he had done.

But enough to suggest the story was more complicated than betrayal.

A violent explosion shook the palace.

Everyone turned.

Darius appeared at the entrance.

“We have a problem.”

Lucien straightened.

“Report.”

“The Council forces are retreating.”

Kael frowned.

“That's good, isn't it?”

“No.”

Darius looked toward the Hollow King.

“They're being driven toward the western gate.”

The Hollow King's expression changed.

“That's impossible.”

“Why?”

“Because the western gate leads to the Hollow Valley.”

Kael looked at him.

“What is in the Hollow Valley?”

The creature's golden eyes darkened.

“Nothing.”

Kael didn't believe him.

“What are you hiding?”

The Hollow King looked toward the broken throne.

“The place where my kind were created.”

Silence.

Aeron whispered,

“The Foundry.”

The Hollow King nodded.

Kael's eyes narrowed.

“You said the Hollow Wolves were created by the throne.”

“They were.”

“Then why are the Council soldiers going there?”

The Hollow King looked toward the distant western wall.

“Because someone wants to create more.”

Kael's blood ran cold.

“How many?”

The Hollow King didn't answer.

Darius did.

“We don't know.”

Another explosion shook the palace.

Then came a sound unlike any howl Kael had ever heard.

It wasn't a wolf.

It wasn't human.

It was something in between.

The Hollow King's face changed.

“They've awakened the Foundry.”

Lucien immediately turned to Kael.

“We need to go.”

Kael nodded.

“Together.”

The Hollow King moved toward the exit.

Kael stopped him.

“Wait.”

The creature looked back.

“You're coming with us.”

A faint smile crossed his face.

“You trust me?”

“No.”

The Hollow King raised an eyebrow.

“Then why?”

“Because my mother warned me not to trust you.”

Lucien almost smiled.

“That is surprisingly logical.”

Kael continued.

“And if she warned me, she knows something.”

The Hollow King studied him.

“You are very much your mother's son.”

“Good.”

They left the throne chamber.

The western streets were filled with smoke.

The Moon Kingdom that had looked peaceful only moments earlier was now surrounded by chaos.

Hollow Wolves moved through the streets.

Some fought the Council soldiers.

Others stood frozen, staring toward the western mountains.

Kael could feel their fear.

Not fear of death.

Fear of what was waking.

As they reached the western gate, Kael saw it.

A massive valley beyond the city.

Black smoke poured from the ground.

Ancient towers surrounded a huge circular structure built into the mountain.

The Foundry.

And in front of it stood hundreds of Council soldiers.

At their center was Varek.

But he wasn't commanding them.

Someone else was.

A man in black armor.

Silver cracks ran across his chest.

Golden eyes watched the approaching group.

Kael recognized him.

Azrael.

The mysterious rebel from the Moon Kingdom.

Kael stopped.

“Why are you here?”

Azrael smiled.

“I told you the first Moon King's history had been erased.”

He looked toward the Foundry.

“Now you're about to see why.”

Lucien raised his sword.

“Whose side are you on?”

Azrael looked at him.

“Neither.”

Then his gaze returned to Kael.

“I am on the side of the truth.”

Kael looked at the smoking Foundry.

“What truth?”

Azrael's smile disappeared.

“The Hollow Wolves weren't created to protect the throne.”

He pointed toward the mountain.

“They were created to protect something much older.”

Kael's Moon Seal began to glow.

“What?”

Azrael looked directly at him.

“Your blood.”

A deafening roar came from inside the Foundry.

The mountain split open.

Something enormous moved behind the smoke.

Azrael whispered,

“And it has been waiting eighteen years for you to come home.”