LOGINDahliaI woke up with a dull ache in my head and an uncomfortable stiffness in my wrists. When I tried to move, I realized my hands were tied behind my back, and the rope digging into my skin made my stomach drop.Panic rushed through me. I pulled against the ropes, but they only dug deeper into my skin. I looked around the unfamiliar room, trying to remember how I'd ended up there. The last thing I could recall was running through the community after people recognised me, then crashing into someone. After that, everything had gone dark.I lifted my head and found three young men sitting a short distance away, watching me like they had been waiting for me to wake up.“What is this?” I demanded, struggling against the ropes. “Why am I tied up? Who are you people?”None of them answered. The one sitting closest to me glanced at his companions before looking away, and the other two continued watching me without saying a word.I swallowed my fear and tried a different approach. “Listen, I
DahliaDuring the drive to the Moon Temple, I couldn't stop thinking about the people I'd seen in the community. Their faces kept coming back to me, especially the frightened children and the patients lying helplessly in overcrowded treatment centres. I had agreed to go with Castle because I couldn't bear the thought of an entire community dying, but I still didn't understand what was expected of me once I arrived.I glanced at Castle, who sat beside me, while Marcel sat in the front passenger seat and Andrew drove.“Now that I've agreed to come with you, what happens next?” I asked. “How exactly will this stop the outbreak?”Castle regarded me calmly. “We don't need to do anything, Lady Dahlia. Once the Moon Temple claims you, the plague will cure itself.”I frowned. “What do you mean by the temple claiming me? I thought you wanted me to take my rightful place there.”“That is what we want,” he replied. “Your presence is what matters. Once you are where you belong, the balance will b
DahliaI was beginning to hate the news.Every report brought more deaths, more sick people, and more grieving families. The Moon Temple continued insisting that the outbreak was a curse from the Moon Goddess and would only end if I moved into the temple.Sitting on the edge of the bed, I watched a woman cry over her sick husband before the camera showed patients struggling in an overcrowded treatment centre. My chest tightened as I wondered how many more people would suffer while everyone blamed me for refusing to go with the priests.Zevran insisted that his people were handling the situation, and he refused to let me anywhere near the affected community. I understood his concerns, especially since nobody knew how the illness spread, but watching people suffer while I remained safely inside the palace was becoming unbearable.I switched off my phone and walked to the window. Outside, the palace grounds looked peaceful, but beyond the gates, the protests continued to grow. People wer
ZevranI had no intention of giving Dahlia up to the Moon Temple, regardless of how many people they turned against me or how many petitions the palace received.Dahlia and I hurried throughour hygiene routine and by the time I had breakfast and settled in my study, the temple's statement had spread across the country, sparking protests and accusations that I was endangering every pack by refusing to surrender my queen. I dropped my phone onto the desk, furious that everyone seemed determined to ignore Dahlia's decision.A knock sounded, and Lucien entered with Sebastian.“The protests have started gathering outside the palace,” Lucien informed me. “The crowd is growing, and more people are arriving every few minutes. They're demanding that you release Dahlia to the temple.”“Have they forgotten that Dahlia is a person? She made her decision, and they have no right to demand that I force her to do something she doesn't want.”“They aren't looking at it that way,” Sebastian replied. “T
DahliaCastle's question hung in the air as everyone turned to me. I wanted to refuse, but a strange calm suddenly settled over me, making the idea of going to the temple feel right. For a moment, I even wondered whether I was fighting against my own destiny. But, when I remembered the ritual and how they had tried to take away my freedom, my anger returned.“No,” I said firmly. “I won't go to the Moon Temple. I don't know why you believe I'm your goddess or what the mark on my wrist means, but I have a choice, and I'm not going with you.”Castle's expression hardened. “Your Grace, you may not fully understand the situation. You have been recognised, and the temple has a duty to protect what has been returned to us.”“Protect me from what?” I demanded. “You keep talking about my powers and destiny, but nobody has explained anything. How can I trust you when you won't give me straight answers?”Andrew frowned. “You are refusing to understand the seriousness of this situation.”“No,” Ze
ZevranI was already annoyed before the meeting began. Lucien had arranged a private restaurant to discuss the Moon Temple incident discreetly, but I suspected the delegates would make things difficult.I sat at the head of the table with Lucien beside me and Sebastian opposite us. When Castle, the High Priest, entered with his assistants, Marcel and Andrew, I stood to greet them, but he barely acknowledged me.“Where is the Moon Goddess?” he demanded.I stared at him. “Good afternoon to you too, High Priest.”“I asked where the Moon Goddess is, Your Majesty.”“And I heard you. Courtesy demands that you should greet when you enter a room.”“We came here because we understood that this meeting would concern the return of the Moon Goddess. Her presence is essential to this discussion. We cannot proceed without her.”My irritation deepened as I returned to my seat. “This meeting was arranged to address your decision to mark a woman without her consent and your followers' attempt to preve







