Chapter 40: The Traitor Among Us

The words echoed through Lyra’s mind.

The traitor is already among us.

Everyone became suspicious.

Karl looked at Adrian.

Adrian looked at Caelan.

Lucien’s hand moved toward his sword.

Arnold stepped closer to Lyra.

“Who?”

Adrian’s eyes slowly moved across the group.

“I don’t know.”

Caelan frowned.

“You said the traitor is among us.”

“I said the traitor is among us,” Adrian replied. “I didn’t say I knew who.”

Lyra looked at the black envelope in her hand.

“Then we find out.”

They returned to the ruins before nightfall.

The ancient warriors remained outside the palace while Lyra, Karl, Lucien, Arnold, Adrian, Caelan, and Master Thorne entered the ruined throne room.

The broken Moon Throne stood in the center.

Lyra approached it.

“Someone knew I would awaken the army.”

Master Thorne nodded.

“Which means someone has been watching us.”

Lucien looked toward the doors.

“We should assume every message we’ve received could have been intercepted.”

Karl’s expression hardened.

“Then we stop sending messages.”

Suddenly, a faint sound came from beneath the throne.

Click.

Everyone turned.

A small compartment had opened inside the broken stone.

Lyra reached inside.

She pulled out an old silver pendant.

Adrian immediately recognized it.

“Where did you get that?”

“It was inside the throne.”

Adrian stared at the pendant.

“That belonged to Evelina.”

Lyra held it tightly.

“What’s inside?”

Adrian shook his head.

“Your mother never let anyone touch it.”

Lyra turned the pendant over.

There was a tiny crescent-shaped lock.

Master Thorne examined it.

“This isn’t a normal lock.”

Lyra touched the Ring of Unity to it.

The pendant opened.

Inside was a tiny piece of parchment.

Only five words were written on it.

Trust the one who refuses power.

Everyone went silent.

Caelan suddenly laughed.

“That’s useless.”

Lucien looked at him.

“Why?”

“Because everyone here claims they don’t want power.”

Adrian’s gaze shifted toward the broken throne.

“Not everyone.”

Lyra looked at him.

“What do you mean?”

Adrian pointed toward the ancient crown lying beside the throne.

“The Moon Crown.”

Lyra stared at it.

She hadn’t noticed it before.

It was beautiful—silver, delicate, and covered with tiny moonstones.

But nobody touched it.

“Your mother wore that crown only once,” Adrian said.

“On the night Lunaris fell.”

Lyra looked at the crown.

“Why?”

Adrian’s voice became quieter.

“Because that was the night she realized someone close to the royal family had betrayed her.”

Lyra’s eyes widened.

“Who?”

Adrian shook his head.

“She never told me.”

A sudden noise came from the corridor.

Everyone turned.

Footsteps.

Someone was running.

Karl immediately moved toward the doorway.

“Stop!”

A figure appeared.

It was Riven.

He was breathing heavily.

“Your Majesty!”

Lyra stepped forward.

“What happened?”

“The eastern gate.”

Riven looked terrified.

“The soldiers have disappeared.”

Lucien frowned.

“How many?”

“All of them.”

Lyra looked toward the valley.

“How?”

Riven swallowed.

“They followed someone.”

“Who?”

Riven hesitated.

“A person wearing Lunaris armor.”

Everyone rushed outside.

The valley was empty.

Thousands of warriors were gone.

Only footprints remained in the soil.

They led toward the forest.

Lyra’s heart sank.

“Who could command them?”

Riven looked at her.

“Only three people.”

“Who?”

“The Moon Queen.”

“The Blood King.”

“And the Keeper of the First Legion.”

Riven’s expression changed.

Lyra slowly turned toward him.

“You.”

Riven didn’t answer.

Karl immediately drew his sword.

“Step away from her.”

Riven raised both hands.

“I didn’t take them.”

Then a voice echoed from the forest.

“You should have.”

Everyone turned.

A hooded figure stood among the trees.

Riven’s face went pale.

“No…”

The stranger removed the hood.

Lyra’s eyes widened.

She knew that face.

It was someone she had trusted.

Someone who had traveled beside her.

Someone who had fought for her.

Someone who had promised never to betray her.

Lyra whispered their name.

“How could you?”

The stranger smiled sadly.

“I never wanted to betray you.”

“Then why?”

The stranger looked toward the ruins of Lunaris.

“Because I was ordered to.”

Lyra’s heart pounded.

“By whom?”

The stranger’s smile disappeared.

“The person who has been controlling everything from the beginning.”

A cold wind swept through the forest.

Then the stranger said:

“Your father.”

Lyra froze.

“My father is dead.”

The stranger shook their head.

“No, Lyra.”

They looked directly into her eyes.

“King Alaric is alive.”