Chapter 15

Kael’s Pov

I sat in my private chamber. I wasn’t looking out the window today, i was sitting at my large stone desk, staring at the carvings on its surface. The room felt cold, even though a fire was burning high in the hearth. I felt cold inside my chest, i had a problem more dangerous than a simple rebellion by a neighboring pack. I had a prophecy living in my palace right under my nose.

I had sent the order to summon Eldric. He was the High Priest of the Lycans. He was older than any other beast in the kingdom and remembered things no one else did about the ancient magic. He was my most trusted advisor for matters of old history and magic that touched the core of our existence. Eldric was coming now, and I needed to know the full truth about the girl Elvanya and the symbol on her back.

I walked to the door and told the guard outside to let him in alone when he arrived. I gave a strict order, i didn’t want Thorne to know about this meeting or problem. Thorne would react badly and violently, only thinking of the quick solution. He would demand the human girl’s death immediately, and that was too simple an answer. I needed the full scope of the danger first.

I didn’t wait long for the priest to arrive. The heavy black door opened slowly and quietly. Eldric walked into the room, he was very old and bent over, but his silver eyes were still sharp and intelligent. He wore long robes made of thick white wool, he bowed low before standing straight and looking at me.

“You summoned me, Your Majesty,” Eldric's voice was dry and raspy, like dead leaves scraping the ground. “I came quickly because your summons carried a heavy tone. You sounded urgent and deeply troubled.”

“I am urgent, Eldric. I am more troubled than you know,” I told him honestly. “I have seen something that worries me greatly and strikes at the heart of our law. I need you to confirm an old fear, close the door fully and make sure no one can hear us.”

Eldric shut the door and walked slowly to the center of the room. He moved with dignity despite his age, he didn’t ask any more questions. He just waited for me to speak and lay out the facts.

I walked toward him. I didn’t waste time with politeness or preamble. “I have seen a mark on a human servant. A new one, it appeared suddenly on her body. I need you to tell me what it means, i need the truth, only and quickly.”

Eldric paused. He looked at my face closely, searching for hidden details. “A mark. Describe it, Kael, describe the exact symbol you saw on the human’s skin and tell me where it sits.”

I leaned against the desk and crossed my arms over my chest. I kept my voice low so no one could hear through the thick walls. “It’s on her back, between her shoulder blades. It’s a crescent moon shape. A small one, the crescent moon has small dots around the edge, like tiny stars arranged in a circle around the moon.”

Eldric didn’t need to hear more. His old face went pale beneath his fur. His sharp silver eyes widened quickly and filled with dread. His hands started shaking visibly inside the sleeves of his white robe. His reaction was exactly what I had feared when I first saw the symbol under the flickering light of the feast hall.

“By the ancestors,” Eldric whispered in shock and reverence. “You have truly seen it, it is real. It has finally returned.”

“Answer me, Eldric. Stop speaking in riddles,” I commanded with cold edge. “What is it called? Tell me the name of the symbol you recognized from the ancient scrolls.”

Eldric took a deep shaky breath and tried to regain composure. He held his head high again. “It is the Mark of the Moon, Your Majesty. It is the symbol from the ancient prophecy that was forbidden to speak of. It’s the thing we fear most and thought was only a legend told to keep young beasts obedient.”

I had to control my growing anger and fear of the unknown. I had to stay calm to get the exact answers I needed. “I thought it was only a legend too. We all did. Tell me the details of the legend now, tell me everything you know about this symbol and its origin.”

Eldric walked over to the hearth and stared into the high burning fire. He spoke to the flames, recounting the old memory. “The prophecy is old, older than this palace and our kingdom. It speaks of a time when the Lycan rule will end completely, it speaks of the Moon Goddess abandoning her favored children, the beasts. It says that every thousand years a human is born under a very specific sign in the sky. They are born under the light of the blood red moon.”

“The blood moon,” I repeated slowly. The words matched perfectly the story the girl had told me. I remembered Elvanya telling me about her dream. She saw the blood red moon in her sleep just before the mark appeared and started burning her skin. Her simple story matched the ancient destructive legend exactly.

“Yes. They are born under the blood moon and bear the Moon Mark on their back. We call them the Moon Child or the Ruin, they are not simply human. They are vessels for powerful, destructive magic, the magic of the forgotten Moon Goddess,” Eldric explained carefully and solemnly.

“Destructive power. What kind of power does this mark give a human servant? What can a weak human do against the might of the Lycans?” I asked directly, demanding a clear answer.

“The power to destroy the beast species entirely, Kael. The prophecy is clear on this terrible point, the Moon Child will come and unite the other human tribes against us. They’ll use the Moon Goddess’s power against us, they will tear down the palace and kingdom, and scatter our people. They are meant to bring our final and complete end.”

I walked to the window and stared at the dark night sky. The moon wasn’t visible, but I felt its power in the room. I felt the full weight of my crown and my responsibility as the Alpha. My singular purpose was to protect my pack and people. I had a child of destruction living in the servant quarters under my roof, eating my food.

“The girl has no knowledge of this power yet. She’s clumsy and afraid and hides from others. She’s just a servant who cleans the floors,” I tried to argue, hoping for denial.

“It doesn’t matter if she knows or not. The mark is the power. It will wake up. It will grow stronger every day. The prophecy doesn’t care if she is clumsy or afraid of the Lycans, it only cares that the symbol is on her flesh. I should have told you before, but I believed it was a dangerous fable.”

“The human Elvanya felt the heat of the mark after I touched her arm. She saw the red moon in a dream that caused her pain,” I told him about my secret encounter. “I saved her life from Jaxian and from a fall, i kept her here to watch the mark and keep it contained.”

“You did well to watch her closely and keep her here. The mark is awakening and you started it with your touch. You must act now, Your Majesty. The Moon Child cannot be allowed to grow into her full power and destiny. The longer she lives, the stronger the magic becomes and the easier it will be for her to ruin us all.”

I turned away from the window and faced the priest. My voice was steady, cold, and final, i had made my decision. There was only one path for the Alpha.

“I understand the threat, Eldric. I will not allow the prophecy to destroy my kingdom and pack. I won’t allow the Lycan rule to end because of a mistake in the kitchen and i must end this now before the Moon Child grows into the ruin.”

I looked Eldric in the eyes. I was the King giving a direct order to my oldest advisor. I needed the final piece of information, the flaw in the legend.

“Tell me, Eldric. How do I kill the Moon Child before she becomes a threat? What weakness does the prophecy give me to use?” I demanded and waited for the answer.

Eldric looked back. His old silver eyes were full of terrible pity and deep sorrow, he didn’t look like a loyal advisor now. He looked like he was delivering a final curse or death sentence for us all.

“You can’t, Kael,” he said simply.

His simple words chilled me more than the whole prophecy, they felt absolute.