Chapter 50: The World Beneath the World

Lyra opened her eyes.

Silence surrounded her.

There was no Karl.

No Lucien.

No Arnold.

No palace.

No Moon Throne.

She was standing alone in a vast underground kingdom.

The walls were covered in ancient symbols that glowed faintly beneath the darkness.

Lyra looked down.

Her hands were trembling.

“Karl?”

Her voice echoed.

No answer.

She turned around.

Nothing.

Then she heard footsteps.

Slow.

Heavy.

Approaching from somewhere beyond the darkness.

Lyra stepped backward.

“Who’s there?”

A figure emerged.

Lyra froze.

It was a woman.

Long dark hair.

Silver eyes.

A crescent-shaped mark on her forehead.

Lyra recognized her immediately.

The woman from the portrait.

Her mother.

“Mother?”

The woman smiled sadly.

“My little moon.”

Lyra’s eyes filled with tears.

She rushed toward her—

but stopped when she realized the woman was only a spirit.

“You’re alive?”

“Some part of me is.”

Lyra’s voice shook.

“Where are you?”

Her mother looked toward the darkness.

“Somewhere between this world and the next.”

“Who did this to you?”

The woman didn’t answer immediately.

Instead, she reached toward Lyra.

“You have grown so much.”

Lyra swallowed.

“I spent my entire life believing you were dead.”

“I know.”

“Why didn’t you come for me?”

Pain crossed her mother’s face.

“Because I couldn’t.”

“Couldn’t?”

“I was trapped.”

The ground beneath them trembled.

Her mother quickly looked behind Lyra.

“We don’t have much time.”

Lyra stepped closer.

“Tell me everything.”

Her mother nodded.

“Twenty-one years ago, the Blood King tried to take the Heart of the Moon.”

“I know.”

“No.”

Her mother shook her head.

“You know the story they wanted you to know.”

Lyra frowned.

“The truth is that the Heart was never stolen.”

She pointed toward Lyra’s chest.

“It was placed inside you.”

Lyra touched her heart.

“Why?”

“Because you were the only one strong enough to carry it.”

A deep growl echoed through the underground kingdom.

Her mother looked frightened.

“He’s waking.”

“Who?”

“The real Blood King.”

The darkness behind them began moving.

Lyra’s mother grabbed her hand.

“You must leave.”

“Not without you.”

“You can’t save me yet.”

“Then tell me how.”

Her mother looked directly into her eyes.

“Find the Four Sacred Relics.”

Lyra nodded.

“I have the Ring of Unity.”

“Then you have already begun.”

“The Crown of Winter?”

“Hidden beyond the Frost Court.”

“The Tide Crystal?”

“Beneath the Eastern Sea.”

“And the Heart?”

Her mother touched Lyra’s chest.

“You are carrying it.”

Lyra’s eyes widened.

“Then what’s left?”

Her mother’s expression became serious.

“The fourth relic isn’t an object.”

“What is it?”

“A person.”

Lyra stared at her.

“Who?”

Before her mother could answer, the darkness behind them exploded.

A massive shadow rose from the ground.

Her mother pushed Lyra backward.

“Run!”

“Mother!”

“Find the person who carries the Blood Crown.”

The shadow rushed toward them.

Lyra screamed

and suddenly woke.

“LYRA!”

Karl was holding her shoulders.

She gasped and sat upright.

Everyone surrounded her.

Karl looked relieved.

“You disappeared for almost a minute.”

Lyra looked around.

The Heart Chamber was still shaking.

Caelan stood near the broken pendant.

Lucien was watching the doors.

Arnold was beside Master Thorne.

Lyra looked at Karl.

“I saw my mother.”

Karl’s expression changed.

“What did she say?”

Lyra slowly stood.

“She said the Four Sacred Relics aren’t what we thought.”

Master Thorne’s face went pale.

“What did you see?”

Lyra looked toward the ancient doorway.

“The fourth relic isn’t an object.”

Silence.

“It is a person.”

Nobody spoke.

Then Caelan whispered,

“The Blood Crown.”

Lyra turned toward him.

“You know who carries it.”

Caelan’s eyes widened.

“Yes.”

“Who?”

Before Caelan could answer, the palace shook violently.

A terrible sound echoed from beneath them.

The ancient doors began to open.

Slowly.

Something was coming.

Orion stepped forward.

“Everyone prepare yourselves.”

Karl moved beside Lyra.

This time, Lyra didn’t tell him to stay back.

She reached for his hand.

Not because she needed saving.

Because she trusted him to stand beside her.

Karl squeezed her hand.

“We’ll face it together.”

Lyra looked into the darkness.

Her mother’s final words echoed in her mind.

Find the person who carries the Blood Crown.

Then a figure stepped through the doorway.

A black crown rested on his head.

Lyra’s heart stopped.

She knew him.

Everyone did.

Because the person carrying the Blood Crown was

King Alaric.