Chapter 34: The Road Back to Lunaris

The crimson glow in the distance painted the night sky.

For several seconds, nobody spoke.

Then Lyra turned toward the horses.

“We leave before sunrise.”

Karl stepped forward.

“We leave now.”

Lucien nodded.

“The longer we wait, the more time the Shadow King has.”

Queen Seraphina immediately began giving orders.

“Prepare the horses.”

“Take only what we need.”

“The wounded will travel in the center.”

Within minutes, the peaceful shrine became a scene of hurried preparation.

Lyra stood alone beside the river.

The water reflected the red glow spreading across the horizon.

She had spent her entire life wondering about her parents.

Now she was finally returning to the place where their story had ended.

But another question troubled her.

Why had her father hidden the truth beneath the throne?

And why had Adrian been trying to protect her?

A quiet voice interrupted her thoughts.

“You shouldn’t be alone.”

Lyra turned.

Karl stood a few steps away.

“I needed some air.”

He nodded.

For a moment, neither spoke.

Then Lyra looked at him.

“Karl…”

“Yes?”

“If I discover something terrible in Lunaris…”

He waited.

“What if it changes everything?”

Karl’s expression softened.

“Then we’ll face it.”

“You don’t know what it is.”

“No.”

“But I know you.”

Lyra looked down.

“You barely knew me when we first met.”

“I know.”

“And I treated you terribly.”

“I remember.”

A small smile appeared on her face.

“You really know how to comfort someone.”

Karl laughed quietly.

“I wasn’t finished.”

He stepped closer.

“I can’t change who I was.”

“But I can choose who I become.”

Lyra looked into his eyes.

“And who are you becoming?”

Karl hesitated.

“Someone who doesn’t want to lose you.”

Lyra’s heart skipped.

Before she could answer, a horn sounded from the camp.

They both turned.

“The road is ready,” Karl said.

Lyra nodded.

“Then let’s go.”

By dawn, the entire group was moving south.

The journey toward Lunaris would take several days.

They traveled through valleys covered in snow, crossed narrow bridges and passed abandoned villages that had once belonged to the old kingdom.

Everywhere Lyra looked…

She saw traces of a forgotten world.

Broken statues.

Collapsed watchtowers.

Old royal banners hanging from ruined buildings.

It was as if Lunaris had been frozen in time.

On the third evening, they reached an abandoned village.

Master Thorne suddenly stopped his horse.

“Wait.”

Everyone halted.

He stared at a ruined stone building.

“I know this place.”

Lucien looked around.

“This was once a royal shelter.”

Lyra dismounted.

“Why would my family need a shelter?”

Master Thorne hesitated.

“Because during the final days of Lunaris…”

“Your parents knew the palace would fall.”

Lyra’s chest tightened.

“They knew?”

“They prepared escape routes.”

“And one of those routes began here.”

They entered the ruined building.

Behind a collapsed wall, Master Thorne discovered a stone door.

A crescent moon was carved into its surface.

Lyra placed her hand against it.

The door opened.

Inside was a narrow staircase descending beneath the earth.

Karl immediately drew his sword.

“We go together.”

They descended carefully.

At the bottom stood a small underground chamber.

There were shelves filled with old documents.

Weapons.

Maps.

And dozens of sealed boxes.

Lyra walked toward a wooden chest bearing her father’s crest.

She opened it.

Inside was a child’s blanket.

A small wooden wolf.

And a faded photograph.

Lyra picked it up.

It showed her parents standing beside Adrian.

All three were smiling.

But something was strange.

Adrian’s hand rested protectively over Lyra’s tiny shoulder.

Lyra stared at the picture.

“He really loved me.”

Master Thorne nodded.

“Very much.”

Suddenly…

A folded piece of parchment slipped from behind the photograph.

Lyra opened it.

Her father’s handwriting appeared.

If Adrian is ever blamed for my death, do not believe it.

Her breath caught.

The room went silent.

Below those words was another sentence.

He was the only one who tried to stop the betrayal.

Lyra’s eyes filled with tears.

Karl looked at Lucien.

“Then who betrayed the King?”

Before anyone could answer…

A noise echoed from the darkness behind them.

Footsteps.

Slow.

Deliberate.

Everyone turned.

A shadow moved at the end of the corridor.

Karl stepped in front of Lyra.

“Show yourself.”

The figure stopped.

Then a familiar voice answered.

“You’ve been searching for me for a long time.”

Lyra froze.

The figure stepped into the light.

It was an older man wearing royal armor.

His face carried scars from an ancient battle.

Master Thorne dropped his staff.

“No…”

Lucien’s eyes widened.

“That’s impossible.”

The man looked at Lyra.

“I suppose you don’t remember me.”

Lyra shook her head.

“Who are you?”

The stranger slowly removed his helmet.

“My name is Caelan.”

Lyra’s heart stopped.

“Caelan…”

Master Thorne whispered.

“Adrian’s older brother.”

The man nodded.

“And your father’s younger brother.”

Lyra stared at him in disbelief.

“Then…”

“There were three brothers?”

Caelan’s expression became bitter.

“Yes.”

“Alaric.”

“Adrian.”

“And me.”

He looked toward the old photograph in Lyra’s hand.

“But only one of us was supposed to survive.”

A sudden crash echoed above them.

Dust fell from the ceiling.

Caelan’s expression changed.

“They found us.”

Karl raised his sword.

“Who?”

Caelan looked toward the tunnel entrance.

“The Shadow King’s hunters.”

Then he looked directly at Lyra.

“And if you want to know who betrayed your father…”

“We need to reach the throne before they do.”