The Secret Beneath the palace

Darkness swallowed the hall.

Kael heard the scrape of chairs.

The hurried movement of guards.

Someone cursed.

Then a wolf growled.

Lucien.

Kael felt the king's hand close around his wrist.

“Stay beside me.”

Kael's instincts immediately bristled at the command.

But Lucien's grip loosened.

“Please.”

That single word changed everything.

Kael nodded.

“I’m here.”

A moment later, flames erupted along the walls.

Torches had been lit by the guards, casting long shadows across the hall.

Everyone was still.

Nothing had changed.

Except the atmosphere.

The palace no longer felt like a home.

It felt like something was watching them.

Kael looked toward the floor.

His Moon Seal was still burning.

“It's beneath us.”

Lucien followed his gaze.

“What is?”

“I don't know.”

Kael closed his eyes.

His wolf listened.

At first, there was nothing.

Then

Thump.

Kael opened his eyes.

“Did you hear that?”

Darius frowned.

“Hear what?”

Thump.

This time, everyone heard it.

The sound came from beneath the palace.

A heartbeat.

Slow.

Heavy.

Ancient.

Theron immediately stepped backward.

“That cannot be.”

Lucien turned toward him.

“You know what it is.”

Theron's face had gone pale.

“I thought it was dead.”

“What?”

The old councilor said nothing.

Lucien's Alpha aura filled the room.

“Speak.”

Theron swallowed.

“Beneath this palace is an ancient chamber.”

Darius stared at him.

“There's no chamber beneath the throne room.”

“Not on any map,” Theron replied.

Kael stepped forward.

“What is inside?”

Theron looked directly at him.

“The reason Blackfang was built here.”

Another heartbeat shook the floor.

Kael's wolf growled.

Lucien looked at him.

“Do you want to leave?”

Kael shook his head.

“No.”

“You don't know what's down there.”

“Neither do you.”

Lucien paused.

Kael held his gaze.

“I've spent eighteen years being told that I don't need to know things.”

His fingers curled into fists.

“I'm done.”

Rowan moved toward him.

“Kael, this may be dangerous.”

“So is everything else.”

Rowan couldn't argue.

Lucien looked at Darius.

“Bring six guards.”

Darius nodded.

Then Lucien looked at Kael.

“You stay behind me.”

Kael raised an eyebrow.

“That's not one of my conditions.”

Lucien almost smiled.

“Then walk beside me.”

Kael considered it.

“Fine.”

They moved through a narrow corridor behind the throne room.

Theron led them reluctantly.

Seraphine followed.

Rowan stayed close to Kael.

After several minutes, they reached a staircase.

It descended into darkness.

The walls were covered in ancient symbols.

Kael ran his fingers over one.

A crescent moon.

Then another symbol.

Three lines.

The same crest from the Silver Fang mask.

His Moon Seal pulsed.

“It's the same.”

Lucien looked at the wall.

“What does it mean?”

Kael shook his head.

“I don't know.”

Theron answered quietly.

“The Silver Kingdom.”

Kael turned.

“You said the Silver Kingdom disappeared.”

“It did.”

“Then why is its symbol beneath your palace?”

Theron looked uncomfortable.

“Because Blackfang wasn't always called Blackfang.”

Everyone stopped.

Lucien's expression hardened.

“What are you saying?”

“Before your kingdom existed, this land belonged to the Moon Kingdom.”

Kael's heart stopped.

The vision returned.

The ancient throne.

The silver-haired king.

The wolves kneeling before him.

The crescent on his forehead.

The same feeling.

You carry my blood.

Kael stepped backward.

“No.”

Rowan caught his shoulder.

“Kael.”

“You knew.”

Rowan's silence answered him.

Kael turned slowly.

“You knew.”

“I suspected.”

“You knew!”

His voice echoed through the chamber.

Lucien remained silent.

He didn't interfere.

Kael's breathing became uneven.

“For eighteen years, you knew there was something about my family.”

Rowan lowered his head.

“I knew your father wasn't simply a king.”

Kael stared at him.

“What was he?”

Rowan looked toward the ancient symbol.

“Your father was descended from the last rulers of the Moon Kingdom.”

Kael couldn't speak.

Seraphine whispered,

“That bloodline was supposed to be extinct.”

Kael looked at her.

“Apparently it isn't.”

Another heartbeat sounded.

Thump.

The stone beneath their feet trembled.

A crack appeared along the wall.

Silver light poured through it.

Everyone stepped back.

Except Kael.

His body moved before his mind could stop it.

He approached the crack.

“Kael!” Lucien called.

Kael didn't stop.

The silver light touched his skin.

His Moon Seal flared.

The wall opened.

Not shattered.

Opened.

As if it had been waiting for him.

Beyond it was a vast underground chamber.

At its center stood a stone throne.

Kael's breath caught.

It was the throne from his vision.

But this time, there was something sitting upon it.

A skeleton.

Ancient robes covered its bones.

A silver crown rested upon its head.

Kael stared.

The crown bore the crescent symbol.

His wolf whispered:

Home.

Kael stepped inside.

Lucien followed.

“Kael…”

“I know.”

He didn't know how he knew.

But he did.

This place was connected to him.

The skeleton's hand suddenly moved.

Everyone froze.

The ancient fingers closed around the edge of the throne.

Then the skull lifted.

A pale silver light appeared inside its empty eye sockets.

Seraphine screamed.

The guards drew their swords.

Lucien stepped between Kael and the throne.

The skeleton spoke.

Its voice wasn't loud.

But it filled the entire chamber.

“Moonblood has returned.”

Kael's heart pounded.

The skeleton turned its head toward him.

“After eighteen years.”

Kael swallowed.

“Who are you?”

The creature raised one skeletal hand.

A silver ring rested upon its finger.

The Moon Seal on Kael's chest burned so fiercely that he nearly fell.

“I am the last guardian of the Moon Throne.”

Lucien's eyes narrowed.

“What do you want?”

The guardian ignored him.

Its attention remained on Kael.

“The throne remembers its heir.”

Kael shook his head.

“No.”

The guardian's head tilted.

“You deny your blood?”

“I deny the throne.”

Rowan closed his eyes.

Lucien looked at Kael.

The guardian spoke again.

“Then you have learned the lesson of your mother.”

Kael froze.

“My mother?”

The chamber fell silent.

Kael stepped closer.

“You know my mother?”

The guardian slowly nodded.

“Queen Elara came here before your birth.”

Kael's heart slammed against his ribs.

“She was here?”

“Yes.”

“Where is she?”

The guardian did not answer.

Kael's voice cracked.

“Where is my mother?”

Silence.

Then—

“Alive.”

Kael stopped breathing.

Rowan's head snapped up.

Lucien stared at the guardian.

Seraphine covered her mouth.

“Alive?”

Kael's eyes filled with tears.

“Where?”

The guardian's silver light began fading.

“Beyond the kingdom that betrayed her.”

“Which kingdom?”

The chamber shook violently.

Stone fell from the ceiling.

The guardian's voice became faint.

“Find the Moon Gate.”

Kael stepped forward.

“Where is it?”

The guardian looked toward Lucien.

Then back at Kael.

“Your mate carries the key.”

Lucien went completely still.

Kael stared at him.

“My… mate?”

The Moon Bond between them suddenly ignited.

Silver light connected their hands.

Neither had touched the other.

Yet the bond pulled them together.

The guardian smiled.

“Fate may have chosen the bond.”

Its gaze rested on Kael.

“But only choice can awaken its true power.”

Then the skeleton collapsed.

The silver light vanished.

The chamber went silent.

Kael stood frozen.

His mother might be alive.

The Moon Throne might belong to his bloodline.

And Lucien

Lucien might hold the key to finding her.

He slowly turned toward the king.

Lucien was already looking at him.

Neither spoke.

Finally, Kael whispered,

“What does the Moon Gate have to do with you?”

Lucien looked down at his wrist.

A symbol had appeared there.

A silver key surrounded by a crescent moon.

His expression changed.

“I've never seen this before.”

Kael stepped closer.

The symbol pulsed.

Once.

Twice.

Then a voice echoed from somewhere deep beneath them.

Not the guardian.

Not Kael's wolf.

Not Lucien.

A woman's voice.

Soft.

Familiar.

Terrified.

“Kael…”

Kael's blood ran cold.

He knew that voice.

He had heard it only in dreams.

His mother's voice.

“Kael, don't trust the crown.”

The chamber exploded with silver light.

And then

silence.