Chapter 53: The Mother Who Returned

Lyra couldn’t breathe.

Her mother stood at the entrance.

Alive.

Not a spirit.

Not a memory.

Not a vision.

Alive.

Evelina’s silver eyes met hers.

For several seconds, neither of them spoke.

Then Lyra whispered,

“Mother?”

Evelina’s lips trembled.

“My little moon.”

Lyra ran toward her.

Evelina opened her arms.

They held each other tightly.

For the first time in twenty-one years, Lyra felt the warmth of the woman she had spent her entire life believing she had lost.

“I thought you were dead,” Lyra whispered.

“I know.”

“Why didn’t you come back?”

Evelina pulled away and touched Lyra’s face.

“Because I was being watched.”

“By the Blood King?”

Evelina shook her head.

“By someone much closer.”

Lyra’s expression changed.

“Who?”

Evelina looked toward Selena.

Selena lowered her eyes.

Lyra immediately understood.

“You knew.”

Selena swallowed.

“I knew your mother was alive.”

Karl stepped forward.

“Why didn’t you tell Lyra?”

Selena looked at him.

“Because I was afraid.”

Lucien’s expression hardened.

“Afraid of what?”

Selena turned toward the darkness.

“Of the person who ordered me to keep her secret.”

The chamber fell silent.

Evelina’s expression became serious.

“Selena was never the mastermind.”

Lyra looked at her.

“Then who was?”

Evelina glanced toward Alaric.

Alaric lowered his head.

“I should have told you.”

Lyra’s voice became quiet.

“Tell me now.”

Alaric took a breath.

“There was a council before Lunaris fell.”

“A council?”

“The Moon Council. Four rulers and their closest guardians. They were responsible for protecting the balance between humans, werewolves, Lycans, and the Moon Kingdom.”

Master Thorne nodded.

“The Forgotten Oath.”

Evelina continued.

“One member of that council betrayed us.”

Lyra looked at her.

“Who?”

Evelina’s gaze shifted toward Caelan.

Caelan immediately shook his head.

“It wasn’t me.”

Evelina nodded.

“I know.”

Caelan looked relieved.

Then Evelina said,

“It was someone we trusted even more.”

The chamber doors suddenly opened.

Everyone turned.

A figure walked inside.

He wore a long silver cloak.

His face was hidden beneath a hood.

He stopped beside Selena.

Then he removed the hood.

Lyra’s eyes widened.

Master Thorne whispered,

“No…”

The stranger smiled.

“I believe it’s time you all remembered me.”

Evelina stepped backward.

Lyra looked at her mother.

“Who is he?”

Evelina’s face had gone pale.

“He was the first guardian of the Moon Throne.”

The man smiled.

“And I was the one who created the Blood Crown.”

Elias stepped forward.

“You.”

The man looked at him.

“Yes.”

Elias’s eyes darkened.

“You trapped me beneath Lunaris.”

“I protected you.”

“You turned me into a prison!”

The man’s smile disappeared.

“I turned you into a key.”

Lyra stepped forward.

“A key to what?”

The man looked directly at her.

“To the final chamber.”

The Heart inside Lyra began to pulse.

The ancient symbols around them lit up.

Evelina grabbed Lyra’s hand.

“Don’t let him touch you.”

The stranger laughed softly.

“You still don’t understand.”

He pointed toward Lyra.

“She is not the key.”

Then he pointed toward Elias.

“He isn’t the key either.”

He looked toward Karl.

Everyone became still.

“The key is him.”

Karl’s expression changed.

“What?”

Lyra turned toward Karl.

The stranger smiled.

“The prophecy was never about Lyra destroying the Moon Throne.”

He took one step forward.

“It was about the person she would trust enough to open it.”

Karl stared at him.

“That makes no sense.”

“It will.”

The stranger raised his hand.

A dark symbol suddenly appeared on Karl’s palm.

Lyra gasped.

“Karl!”

Karl grabbed his hand.

The mark began glowing.

Evelina whispered,

“The prophecy…”

Lyra looked at her mother.

“What prophecy?”

Evelina’s eyes filled with fear.

“The one I prayed would never come true.”

The stranger smiled.

“The Moon Queen will love the key.”

The chamber shook.

“And the key will open the throne.”

Lyra stared at Karl.

Karl stared back at her.

Then the stranger whispered:

“And when the throne opens…”

The ground beneath them split.

A vast golden light erupted from below.

“…the First Moon King will return.”