Chapter 9

Elvanya's Pov

I woke up when Senna unlocked the door. I had not slept well and was still sweating a little, the heat on my back was gone now, but I remembered the dream, the blood red moon and the glowing mark. The memory was very clear.

I sat up slowly, careful that the other girls could not see. I moved to the corner of the room where it was darker and rubbed my back, the skin felt normal again.

I needed to see the mark one more time. I needed proof that it was real.

I waited until the girls left the sleeping room quickly, as Senna made us leave fast. When I was alone in the stairwell going to the kitchen, I looked around. There were no beasts, no other humans, just me and cold stone.

I pulled down the collar of my dress and reached back, pulling the fabric away from my skin. I twisted my head to look.

It was there, right in the middle of my back, between my shoulder blades. It was small, a symbol shaped like a crescent moon with tiny little dots around it, like stars.

The mark was very pale, the color of my skin but clearer. It wasn’t glowing now, but I knew it had glowed. The burning heat I felt last night proved it was real.

I let go of the dress so it covered the mark again and walked down to the kitchen. I had to hide it always, i had to know what it was. I had to get answers.

All day I worked with Senna. I became a machine again: quiet, fast, focused on being invisible. The mark felt heavy on my back, even though it was small. I kept thinking about the King’s eyes fixed on that spot.

When evening came, we were back in the servant quarters. I walked over to Mira, she was the only one I could ask, the only one who had shown me kindness.

I sat next to her on the straw mattress and whispered very low.

“Mira, I have to ask you something important… something secret. You must not tell anyone, it’s about life or death.”

Mira looked tired. “I don’t talk, Elvanya. I promise, I’m quiet like a stone.”

“Last night I dreamed the moon was red. When I woke up, my back was burning. Then I saw a mark on my skin.”

Mira leaned in close. “What did you see?”

“A mark on my back. I need to know what it is, i need to know if you’ve seen it. It looks like the moon.”

I stood and looked around. The other girls lay down and looked asleep.

“I’m going to show you. I need you to look at it quickly and don’t make a sound. You must be silent.”

I turned my back to Mira, pulled my dress collar down hard and far. I showed her the skin between my shoulder blades.

Mira gasped. It was a small sound but loud in the quiet room, a sound of true fear.

I covered the mark again and sat down fast.

Mira was very pale, paler than usual. Her eyes were wide and dark. She looked scared. Her hands shook.

“What is it, Mira? What did you see? Tell me. What’s wrong?” I whispered.

She grabbed my hand with shaking fingers. “Never show that again. Do you understand me? Don’t you ever try it. Not to any human, any beast, or Cordelia. If they see it, you’re dead, instantly and I’m sure you are not ready to lose your life anytime soon.”

“Why? What is it called? Tell me the name. Why would I be dead because of a mere mark?” I asked her, looking confused.

“Did you just call the mark mere? That mark on your body is a legend. A story beasts tell their children to scare them. It’s not real, just a story. They call it the Moon Mark which is the mark of the Moon Goddess.”

“What does that mean? What does a mark mean for a human slave and why do I have the Moon Goddess mark on me?”

“It means bad luck and great trouble. It also means that power is not allowed. The stories say a human born with that mark is not a slave. They are something else. They’re meant to change the world and bring ruin to the Lycan Kings, it’s the only thing said to break Lycan rule. So, anyone with that mark is officially a threat to the Lycan Kingdom.”

“Ruin? But I’m just me. I’m Elvanya and nothing more. There’s nothing special about me, i was sold for bread. There’s no way I can bring ruin.”

“It doesn’t matter who you are. It matters what the mark means. It’s a sign of war, of the Lycan rule’s end. A curse to them, a weapon. They will destroy the weapon if they find it.”

I shivered cold inside. I remembered the King’s silver eyes, how he looked at me and said I smelled different. He saved my life twice. Was he saving the mark? Waiting for it to show? He must have known. Felt the power.

“The King looked at me. He touched me, he saved the tray. Did he see it? Did he know what I am?”

Mira shook her head fast. “He can’t know everything. If he did, you’d be dead on the first day. He’s playing a game, testing you, checking. Don’t let him see the mark, cover it with thick fabric. Never let it glow again, if you feel the heat in your dream, fight it. Stay cold.”

“How do I fight a dream? How do I stop the glowing on my skin?”

“I don’t know but you must try. Your life depends on it, mine too. If they find a marked human here, they’ll kill us all. Burn the basement.”

Mira stood up, scared. She didn’t speak anymore. She lay down and pulled her blanket over her head. She was done, didn’t want to see or know me.

I lay down too. I touched my back through my dress, the small crescent moon, the stars. I was the Moon Mark, the prophecy, the ruin. I was terrified, worse than being a slave. I was a target.

The next day I wore my dark dress, pulling the fabric tighter at the back. I walked quietly and worked hard. I tried to be a ghost. I tried to forget the mark and the fear, i made myself forget everything but the task in front of me. I had to be perfect.

I had to serve dinner again, the big feast. I was tired, scared, a walking lie.

The High Hall was full of beasts again. They were loud and drinking. King Kael sat at the head of the table, talking to Thorne, the Beta. I kept my eyes on my feet and moved like a shadow.

I served wine with Senna. I cleared plates. I was perfect, invisible, a machine. I made no sound or mistake. I did well.

I walked by the King’s chair, carrying an empty silver tray. I was moving fast.

A clean napkin had fallen near the King’s feet. It was white and stood out against the black stone. Cordelia would be angry if I left it, it was too close to ignore.

I had to pick it up.

I stopped and bowed my head low. I bent slowly at the waist, trying to be quiet. I reached toward the napkin.

As I bent, my dress pulled tight across my back. The thin fabric shifted just an inch too far. I felt a breath of cold air touch the skin between my shoulder blades. The mark showed, just the top of the crescent moon. I knew it.

I grabbed the napkin quickly and stood fast, put the napkin on my tray, i didn’t look up, walked fast. I didn’t breathe until I hit the wall.

I was almost to the door. I had made it, i was safe.

But I had to know. I looked up and across the wide hall to the head of the table. I looked at the King.

Kael wasn’t talking to Thorne. He wasn’t looking at his food or drinking his wine.

He was staring at me.

His silver eyes were locked on me. Not angry, amused, or bored.

His face was blank, like flat stone. It gave me no clue.

But his eyes fixed on my back, where my dress shifted. Where the top of the Moon Mark was hidden.

He was staring right there.

He didn’t move or speak, he just stared. His cold silver eyes held me in place.

I couldn’t look away. I was caught and trapped. He saw it, he knew.

I felt the burning start again on my back. The mark woke up and started to glow again. The heat grew fast.

It was too late. He knew my secret.

I wasn’t invisible or a slave any longer.

I was the prophecy and the enemy.

The King knew.