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Chapter 14: The Stranger In The Shadows
publish date:
2026-08-25 16:20:08
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THE LUNA HE TOOK FOR GRANTED 95: The Mothers He Silenced
The anonymous message remained on Kael's desk the following morning.Elara Voss was not the only mother Theron kept away from her child.Lyra had read it several times, searching for something that might reveal the sender's identity. The handwriting was deliberate, almost unnaturally careful, as though the writer had wanted to leave no trace.Rowan stood beside the desk with three old guard registers."These are the assignments from Theron's private guard during the final five years of his reign," he explained. "Most concern border patrols, council security, and protection of the northern estates."Kael turned a page."Find the transfers."Rowan placed a finger against a column."Already did."There were seven.Seven separate assignments involving children moved between territories under council authority.Lyra studied the dates.They were spread across several years, but two occurred within the same month as Elara's disappearance."Where were the children sent?""Three northern settl
THE LUNA HE TOOK FOR GRANTED Chapter 94: The Promise That Kept Her Away
Mara did not open the journal until they returned to Mooncrest.She carried it against her chest throughout the journey, occasionally running her fingers over its worn leather cover as though the words inside might disappear if she loosened her grip.Adrian stayed beside her.He had offered to read it with her, but she had declined."I want to hear her voice myself," she had explained.Nobody argued.By the time they reached Mooncrest, the evening bells were ringing.Lyra found Mara in the eastern sitting room after dinner. The young woman sat beside the window, the journal open across her knees. A half-finished cup of tea rested on the table."You haven't eaten much," Lyra observed.Mara looked up."I wasn't hungry."Lyra settled into the chair opposite her."Did you find anything?"Mara hesitated before turning the journal around."She wrote about me."The first pages contained ordinary things: descriptions of weather, the names of villages, small observations about people Elara had
THE LUNA HE TOOK FOR GRANTED Chapter 93: The Woman at Eastbridge
The photograph remained on Mara's lap throughout the journey.She had barely spoken since leaving the house with blue shutters. Occasionally, she turned it over, tracing the faded words on the back with her thumb.Wait for me, little star.Adrian sat beside her, giving her the quiet she seemed to need.Across from them, Liora leaned against Lyra's shoulder. The road had become rough, and the carriage swayed gently with every turn."Do you think she's still there?" Mara finally asked.Nobody answered immediately.Kael looked toward the window. "Eastbridge Infirmary has been operating for decades. We can find out whether someone remembers her.""That's not what I meant."He turned toward her.Mara lowered her eyes."Do you think she's still alive?"Lyra reached across the carriage and gently covered Mara's hand."I think you deserve the chance to find out."It wasn't a promise.Mara seemed to understand that.She nodded and returned to the photograph.By late afternoon, Eastbridge came
THE LUNA HE TOOK FOR GRANTED 92: The House with Blue Shutters
The road to the old mill was narrower than Lyra remembered.Tall grass crowded its edges, and the trees had grown thick enough to hide most of the buildings beyond the bend. The morning rain had left the ground soft beneath their boots, forcing Rowan to slow the carriage before they reached the abandoned mill.Mara sat beside Liora, holding Elara's pendant in her palm.She had barely spoken since they left Mooncrest.Lyra glanced at her through the carriage window. "You don't have to go inside if you're not ready."Mara's fingers closed around the pendant."I've spent my whole life being told where I belonged." Her voice was quiet but steady. "I'm not letting fear decide this for me."Adrian, seated opposite her, offered his hand. Mara looked at it briefly before taking it.Nobody commented.The house appeared beyond the mill, tucked behind a row of old trees.Blue shutters.Exactly as the notebook had described.The paint had faded, and one shutter hung crookedly from its hinges. The
THE LUNA HE TOOK FOR GRANTED 91: The Address She Left Behind
Mara barely slept that night.The photograph remained beneath her pillow, and every few hours she found herself reaching for it to make sure it was still there.A mother.For most of her life, she had believed her childhood began with Nessa and Garrick. She remembered their home, the meals they shared, and the ordinary moments that had made her feel loved. Now she knew there had been another woman before them. A woman who had carried her, protected her, and apparently spent years searching for her.She didn't know whether to feel grateful or angry.Perhaps both.By sunrise, the group was preparing to leave for the riverside residence.Lyra found Kael waiting beside the carriage. He had already arranged for Rowan and two trusted guards to accompany them."You didn't have to wait outside," she said."I know. I wanted to."She gave him a questioning look."Are you planning to tell me something?""Only that I remembered how you used to complain whenever I left before breakfast."Despite h
THE LUNA HE TOOK FOR GRANTED Chapter 90: The Mother Who Never Returned
For a moment, Mara couldn't move.She stared at the photograph in Lyra's hand, studying the young woman's face and the little girl resting against her shoulder."That's supposed to be my mother?"Darian nodded."Yes."Mara shook her head slowly. "You expect me to believe you knew who she was all these years and never told me?""I didn't know where you had been taken after I left you with the family Harlan arranged. I only learned later that you had been raised under the name Mara Voss.""That isn't an answer.""I know."Her voice broke. "Did she look for me?"Darian lowered his eyes."Everywhere she could."Mara turned away, pressing both hands against her face. Nessa moved towards her, but stopped when Mara raised a hand."Please. I need a moment."Lyra understood. Discovering that her identity had been altered was painful enough. Discovering that her mother might have spent years searching for her was another kind of wound."Where did you meet her?" Lyra asked Darian."At the old bo
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