Chapter 36: The Prison Beneath the Throne

Nobody moved.

Adrian stood at the entrance of the ancient chamber, his dark cloak hanging heavily around him.

Lyra stared at him.

“Something has been trapped inside the Heart for twenty-one years?”

Adrian nodded.

“Since the night Lunaris fell.”

Karl stepped beside Lyra.

“What is it?”

Adrian’s eyes shifted toward the glowing cracks beneath the Moon Throne.

“I don’t know.”

Caelan suddenly laughed bitterly.

“You always say that.”

Adrian looked at him.

“And you always pretend you know everything.”

The tension between the brothers filled the chamber.

Lyra looked between them.

“You both knew.”

Neither answered.

Her voice became firmer.

“You both knew something was beneath my family’s throne, and nobody told me.”

Caelan lowered his gaze.

Adrian finally spoke.

“Because your father made us promise.”

“What promise?”

Adrian looked directly at her.

“To keep you away from Lunaris until you were ready.”

Lyra’s eyes narrowed.

“Ready for what?”

“The truth.”

The silver light beneath the throne suddenly intensified.

A deep heartbeat echoed through the chamber.

Boom.

Everyone froze.

Boom.

The ground trembled.

Boom.

Lyra felt the Ring of Unity become warm against her finger.

“What is happening?”

Master Thorne looked terrified.

“The Heart has recognized her.”

Caelan shook his head.

“No.”

Another pulse shook the chamber.

“The prison has recognized her.”

A crack appeared across the floor.

Lyra stepped backward.

Something was moving beneath the stone.

Karl reached for her hand.

“Stay behind me.”

Lyra shook her head.

“No.”

She looked toward the throne.

“If that thing has been imprisoned for twenty-one years because of me, I need to know why.”

Karl didn’t argue.

He simply remained beside her.

Adrian walked toward the throne.

Caelan immediately blocked him.

“You can’t go near it.”

“I have to.”

“You nearly destroyed the kingdom once.”

Adrian’s expression hardened.

“I was trying to save it.”

“Then why did you disappear?”

Adrian’s eyes filled with old pain.

“Because I was ordered to.”

“By whom?”

Adrian looked at Lyra.

“Your mother.”

Lyra froze.

“My mother?”

Adrian nodded.

“Queen Evelina knew what was beneath the throne.”

“She knew?”

“She discovered it shortly before the palace fell.”

Lyra’s voice became quiet.

“What did she discover?”

Adrian took a breath.

“The Heart of the Moon wasn’t created to give power.”

He looked at the glowing floor.

“It was created to contain something that could destroy every kingdom.”

A cold wind swept through the chamber.

The torches went out.

Darkness swallowed everything.

Then a voice whispered from beneath the throne.

“Lyra…”

She froze.

The voice sounded familiar.

Too familiar.

“Who are you?”

No answer.

Instead, the silver cracks beneath the throne spread farther.

Karl raised his sword.

Lucien stepped forward.

“Everyone move away from the throne!”

But Lyra couldn’t move.

She had heard that voice before.

Not in the chamber.

Not in a dream.

Somewhere deeper.

Inside her memories.

A woman’s voice.

Soft.

Loving.

Her mother’s voice.

“My little moon…”

Lyra’s eyes widened.

“Mother?”

The voice came again.

“You came back.”

Tears filled Lyra’s eyes.

Adrian whispered:

“Evelina.”

Caelan stared at him.

“That’s impossible.”

Adrian shook his head.

“I thought so too.”

The throne suddenly illuminated the entire chamber.

A figure appeared within the silver light.

A woman.

Lyra couldn’t breathe.

She recognized her immediately.

Her mother.

Queen Evelina.

But she wasn’t standing.

She appeared like a reflection trapped inside the Heart.

Lyra stepped toward her.

“Mother…”

The figure smiled sadly.

“My little moon.”

Lyra’s tears fell.

“Are you alive?”

Evelina shook her head.

“No.”

Lyra’s heart broke.

“I don’t understand.”

“I couldn’t leave you completely.”

Evelina looked toward Adrian.

“He kept his promise.”

Lyra turned toward him.

Adrian looked away.

“I failed.”

“No,” Evelina said.

“You protected her.”

Then her expression changed.

Fear appeared in her eyes.

“Listen to me carefully.”

The chamber became silent.

“The thing beneath the Heart is waking.”

Lyra swallowed.

“What thing?”

Evelina looked directly at her daughter.

“The first Blood King.”

Everyone froze.

Master Thorne whispered:

“That’s only a legend.”

Evelina shook her head.

“It was never a legend.”

The silver light began to flicker.

“And he has been waiting for you.”

A violent crack split the throne.

Lyra stepped back.

Adrian shouted:

“Everyone out!”

But before anyone could move, a dark hand emerged from beneath the throne.

The Heart began to pulse violently.

Karl grabbed Lyra’s hand.

“Run!”

Then the ancient voice beneath the throne laughed.

“At last… the heir has returned.”

The Moon Throne shattered.

And something ancient opened its eyes beneath Lunaris.