Two

Lila’s POV

He had broken me.

I stared at Elias from across the hall, waiting. Waiting for him to say something.

Anything.

To tell them this was a mistake. To tell the guards to release my mother. To tell Clara to take off the crown that belonged to me.

But he said nothing.

I watched the crown settle onto Clara's head as the entire hall erupted into applause. It was supposed to be me.

I felt my stomach twisted.

No.

This couldn't be happening.

Not after yesterday. Not after he had held me in his arms and promised there would be no coronation until I was safe.

Why?

I pushed myself away from the doorway.

"Elias!"

My voice cracked across the hall.

The music stopped as well as the celebration and every head turned toward me.

For a brief moment, our eyes met. His blue eyes were as cold as winter. It wasn’t the look I remembered yesterday. No worry. No care. Nothing.

I searched them desperately for the man I had spoken to last night. The man who had brushed my hair away from my face. The man who had promised me.

But I couldn't find him.

"Come here," I whispered but I knew he heard me just right, and yet…he didn't move.

I swallowed.

"Please."

Clara turned toward him and reached for his hand. My heart shattered when he let her take it. Without any questions. He took it so easily, so…naturally.

Something inside my chest broke.

"Elias," I said, forcing myself to stand straight despite the pain, "W-what is this?"

He didn’t say anything at first. It was pure and complete silence, then he finally spoke.

"The coronation will proceed."

My lips parted.

"B-but you promised me."

His expression didn't change.

"I changed my decision."

I stared at him in both hurt and disbelief.

"Just like that?” He said nothing. "Why, Elias? Give me one good reason why." My voice trembled and I forced myself to stop the tears from falling. "I am your mate. You promised…”

Everyone knew. They knew that the Moon Goddess had chosen us yet Elias stood beside another woman wearing my crown. It wasn’t even about that anymore. I just want the man I love.

Clara squeezed his hand while staring directly at me.

"I'm sorry, Lila."

I looked at her. There was something different about her face.

She wasn't crying anymore.

She wasn't pretending to worry.

She was smiling. A small, satisfied smile.

My blood ran cold.

"You..."

She tilted her head.

"Me?"

"You planned this."

Her smile widened.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Lila!"

My mother's voice tore through the hall.

I looked toward her and immediately saw two guards holding her arms.

"Don't listen to them!" she cried. "I told them the truth! You saved Elias! You took that blade for him!"

"I know." Elias's voice silenced her.

My mother looked at him.

"Then why are you doing this? My daughter saved your life! You wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for her!”

His jaw tightened.

"You are being detained for questioning."

My lips parted in shock.

"My mother? For what?"

The King stepped forward, his voice carried through the hall.

"For conspiring with the assassin."

My mother's face went pale.

"What?" I froze. "No."

The King continued.

"The assassin entered this palace disguised as a servant. He had access to the royal dining hall. Someone had to help him."

My mother shook her head violently.

"That's a lie! I didn't do anything!"

I stumbled forward.

"My mother would never—"

"Enough." Elias's voice cut through mine.

I stared at him with wide eyes.

"She's innocent."

"That has yet to be determined."

"But you know her!"

"I know enough."

His words struck harder than the venom.

I pressed my hand against my side. My fingers trembled.

"Then ask me." Everyone looked at me. "I was there." I looked directly at Elias. "I saw the assassin. I saw what happened."

"You're injured and disoriented."

"I'm not confused! I remember everything including your promises! If there’s a liar here, it’s you!”

Gasps erupted through the hall. I caught a glimpse of surprise from Elias but they instantly vanished when Clara spoke.

“Lila, there was never a promise.” She smiled at me with fake pity. “It was the poison.”

I shook my head and looked at Elias.

"The assassin attacked you. I pushed you out of the way."

Elias looked away.

"And your mother?"

"She wasn't there!"

"She could have arranged it."

My eyes widened.

"You believe that?" My voice sounded small–hurt.

He didn't answer and that silence was enough.

My mother broke down.

"Lila, don't fight them." She looked at me with tears in her eyes. "Just go."

"No." I shook my head. "I'm not leaving you."

A guard grabbed my arm but I immediately pulled away.

"Don't touch me!"

The sudden movement sent a wave of pain through my body. My knees buckled but I quickly caught myself against the doorway.

A few people gasped.

The healer rushed forward.

"She needs to be taken back to her room."

"No." Clara's voice was soft. "She needs to be removed from the ceremony."

I looked at her.

"You..."

She approached me.

For everyone else, she wore the same gentle expression she had shown me the night before. But when she came close enough, her voice dropped.

"You really should have stayed asleep."

My breath caught.

She smiled while I stared at her in pure disbelief and hatred. I finally saw her for what she truly was but what are the costs?

"You did this."

Her expression didn't change.

"I don't know what you mean."

"You knew about the assassin."

"Careful, Lila." Her smile disappeared. "You're in no position to accuse anyone."

I looked toward Elias.

"Tell him."

Clara stepped closer.

"Tell him what?"

"Tell him what you did."

She leaned toward my ear.

"You still don't understand." Her voice was barely a whisper. "You're already dead."

I pulled away.

"What?"

She straightened and immediately put her innocent expression back on.

"She seems delirious." Her brows scrunched in fear.

I stared at her in horror.

Elias looked at me.

"Take Lila away."

My heart stopped.

"No." The guards approached. "No!" I fought them. "Don't touch me! I need to talk to Elias!"

They seized my arms so tightly that I almost stopped struggling from the pain of their hold and the venom.

I looked at him. "Elias!" But he didn't move. He was just watching me. "Please." I cried. "I-I saved your life…”

His expression remained unreadable.

"I know."

"Then why?"

For the first time, something flickered across his face but everything was too painful for me to recognize it.

"Take her away."

The guards dragged me toward the corridor as I heard my mother scream.

"Lila!"

I struggle against their hold, my eyes desperately trying to find her.

"Mama!"

I twisted around but I saw her. She was being dragged in the opposite direction.

"No!" I fought harder. "Let me go!"

"Take her to the dungeon!" A guard yelled.

“No! Mama!” I tried to kick the guards that were holding me.

My mother's eyes widened.

"Lila, don't!"

"Mama!"

Our hands reached for each other but we were too far apart. I watched as her fingers slipped from mine. Then, the doors between us closed.

I collapsed against the guards.

"No…” I felt a sudden exhaustion take over me. It didn’t feel normal. “Mama…” My voice barely came out.

The palace that had once felt like my home suddenly felt like a prison. The place where I was always looking forward to going was the same place I suddenly wanted nothing to do with.

They dragged me down a different corridor.

Every step hurts. It felt like something was stabbing me every time I moved.

My vision blurred and my breathing became shallow. That’s when I realized that the venom was spreading.

I could feel it.

The healer had warned them yet nobody cared.

Eventually, the guards stopped in front of a small chamber. They pushed me inside like trash that needs to be disregarded.

I stumbled and caught myself against the wall. The door slammed shut with a loud bang.

I stared at it.

"Please..." But there was no answer.

I slowly slid down the wall. My body felt unbearably heavy.

I thought of Elias.

I thought of yesterday.

His hand in mine. His voice, promising to protect me. To save me. That everything will be better. That I don’t need to worry about anything else.

A bitter laugh escaped me.

He had been the one to let everything happen. If he really wanted to protect me, nothing could have stopped him but he chose to do the opposite.

I closed my eyes and let the time pass until hours goes by like slow and absolute torture…or perhaps minutes.

I couldn't tell.

The pain had dulled into something distant, but my body was becoming weaker.

The door finally opened.

I looked up and there she was. Clara stood there still wearing my crown.

I stared at it.

"You shouldn't be wearing that." I said using the last string of strength I had.

She smiled.

"I think it suits me."

"It belongs to me."

"Did it?" She stepped inside.

I forced myself to stand or at least sit with my back against the wall.

"Why?" She didn't answer. "Why did you do this?” I couldn’t understand. “I thought…I thought you were my sister.”

She walked closer.

"Because you had everything."

"Everything?"

"You had a Mother's love. You had the sympathy of the entire kingdom. And then the Moon Goddess gave you Elias."

Her eyes hardened.

"Even after everything I did, you still got him."

I stared at her.

"What did you do?"

She laughed quietly.

"Do you really want to know?"

I didn't answer.

She leaned closer.

"I made sure Elias noticed me." My heart sank. "I made sure he heard every lie I told him."

"You..."

"I told him your mother hated the royal family."

"You're lying."

"I told him you were obsessed with becoming Luna."

"Stop."

"And when the opportunity came..." She touched the crown on her head. "I took it."

I shook my head.

"Elias wouldn't believe you."

"He already did. He even believed me more than you.”

Those words destroyed the last piece of hope I had.

I looked away.

"Why didn't you just kill me?"

Clara's smile returned.

"Because I wanted you to see this." She gestured toward herself. "The crown."

My eyes burned with tears.

"You wanted me to suffer."

"Of course." She turned toward the door. "But don't worry." She looked back at me. "You won't suffer for much longer."

And the door closed.

I felt myself sink deeper into the floor. My body was freezing, my heart felt even colder.

I thought of my mother.

Was she alive?

Was she safe?

Would I ever see her again?

I tried to stand but my legs refused.

"Mama..." Tears slipped down my cheeks.

I had spent my entire life believing that loving Elias would lead me somewhere safe. Instead, it had taken everything from me.

My family.

My future.

My mother.

My life.

My eyes slowly closed and for the first time, I wished I had never met him.

If I had known where loving him would lead me...I would have walked away. I would have rejected him. I would have chosen myself.

A strange warmth brushed against my fading consciousness. A voice seemed to whisper from somewhere far away.

If you could choose again...

My breathing slowed.

My last thought wasn't about the crown. It wasn't about Clara. It wasn't even about Elias. It was about the one thing I had spent my entire life protecting.

My mother. I would save her.

That day, I died wishing I had never loved him. I died wishing I had never trusted them. I died wishing I had chosen myself.

My body finally went still. My last breath left my lips and with the last fragment of consciousness I had left, I made one final wish.

If there is another life...I will never love Elias again.

And then suddenly, everything went dark.