The Seventh Day

Lana woke before sunrise the next morning .

Immediately, she sat up.

“Today's the seventh day.” She muttered.

“The final day i get to fight against the evil plots, i wrote myself.”

She stared at the ceiling.

“This is it.”

Valerie, who was arranging clothes nearby, turned around.

“What is it, Luna?”

Lana spoke without consideration.

“Today is the day, I absolutely refuse to die.”

Valerie blinked.

“Were you planning on dying?”

“No.. I was just making a general statement.”She attempted to cover up.

She threw off the blanket.

“Alright, let's think.”

'In my story, the final assassination attempt, was suppose to take place at the Moon Temple.'

She placed a finger on her lip.

'I think, there would be a sacred ceremony.. Something, like a ceremonial meal, and a gathering beneath the moonlight, for the Mate Revelation.'

She sighed.

'Then, somewhere during the ceremony, the assassin would strike... And, Isadora would die before midnight.'

She gasped, frighteningly.

'Oh, hell no!.. Lana ain't cooperating with that.'

She stood.

'I have to be ready... At least, as ready as any reasonable fella could be.. when she is aware, the universe apparently wanted her dead.'

She nodded.

“That's it.”

Valerie could only stare, with a confused expression.

***

At breakfast, a maid placed a plate in front of Lana.

She immediately pushed it away.

“I'm full.”

Valerie raised an eyebrow.

“But, you haven't eaten.”

Lana stared at the meal.

“I don't trust it.”

Valerie looked at the plate.

“It's only fruit, Isadora.”

“Exactly.” She said.

Valerie frowned slightly.

“How is fruit suspicious?”

“Everything is suspicious today, Valerie.”

Lana's response was instant.

Valerie chuckled.

“You said that yesterday.”

“That was yesterday, today's different.” She argued.

Valerie sighed.

“Luna, you can't survive an entire day without eating.”

She stood.

“Watch me.”

Valerie followed behind her, closely.

“At least eat something.”

Lana frowned.

“No.”

She sighed.

“I have a feeling.”

Valerie stared, confused.

“What kind of feeling?”

She shrugged.

“The kind that keeps people alive.”

Valerie muttered something beneath her breath.

Lana ignored her.

She wasn't going to eat anything at the temple either.

No food, drinks, or mysterious ceremonial cakes.

She would eat absolutely nothing.

***

Later, when a servant brought her ceremonial dress, Lana stared at it.

“Change it.”

The servant looked confused.

“But Luna, this was prepared for you.”

She sighed.

“That's precisely the problem.”

Valerie frowned.

“What problem?”

“It looks suspicious.” She said.

“It's only a dress.” Valerie pointed out, frustratingly.

Lana nodded.

“Exactly.”

Valerie's frustration grew increasingly.

“This makes no sense.”

Lana glanced at her, and smiled.

“It makes perfect sense to me.”

She changed into another dress.

Valerie watched her.

“You're becoming impossible, Isadora.”

She smiled.

“Precisely, why i'm alive.”

***

When they arrived at the Moon Temple that evening, Lana stayed close to Cassian.

He noticed it almost immediately.

“You've been following me around, ever since we left the palace.. Why?”

Lana whispered.

“I need protection.”

He stared at her, confused.

“But, you have guards.”

She hissed.

“I prefer you.”

Cassian raised a brow.

Lana realized how awful, that sounded.

She cleared her throat.

“I mean.. your security.”

He smiled.

“Of course.”

“Don't smile.” She said.

“I wasn't.” Cassian defended.

Lana stared at him suspiciously.

“It looked like you were.”

He shook his head, and gazed ahead.

She narrowed her eyes.

'Why does he always look so amused?'

“I heard that.” Cassian admitted.

She frowned.

“Obviously.”

They entered the temple.

Lana immediately scanned the room.

She glanced at the altar, the doors, pillars, servants, windows, and the ceremonial table.

Everything looked exactly as she had written.

Her stomach tightened.

'This was where it happened.'

She took a slow breath.

“Isadora?”

She looked up.

“Yes?”

Cassian was staring at her.

“You've been looking at the table.”

Lana breathed.

“I'm only inspecting it.”

He looked confused.

“Why?”

“It looks suspicious.” She said.

Cassian glanced at the table, then back at her.

“It's only a table, Isadora.”

She sighed.

“That's what the table wants you to think.”

He looked at her.

She smiled.

“I'm only being careful.”

“You're being over cautious, Isadora” He protested.

“That is exactly what's keeping me alive.”

Lana responded with a careful smile.

Then, a servant approached with a tray.

She immediately stepped backward.

“No, thank you.”

The servant stopped.

“It is part of the ceremony, Luna.”

“I don't need it.” She said.

Cassian looked at the tray, then at her.

“You're refusing everything, now?”

She nodded.

“Yes.”

“Why?” He questioned.

She sighed.

“Because I don't trust it.”

Cassian's frustration grew increasingly.

“It's only ceremonial wine.”

Lana scoffed.

“Exactly what someone would say about ceremonial poison.”

Cassian's mouth twitched.

“Give it to the guards.”

The servant bowed, and left.

Lana looked at him.

“Thank you.”

“You're welcome.” He said.

She exhaled.

“That was surprisingly easy.”

Cassian chuckled softly.

“I've learned not to argue with you, when you look like that.”

She frowned.

“Like how?”

He smiled.

“Like you're preparing to fight the servant.”

She laughed.

“Okay.. That's fair.”

The ceremony began.

Hours passed, nothing happened.

Lana waited.

She watched every doorway, servant, and shadow.

She found nothing suspicious.

An elder, at the central platform, spoke for what felt like eternity.

Lana leaned toward Cassian.

“How long has this speech being going on?”

“Ten minutes.” He replied.

She sighed.

“But he began twenty minutes ago.”

Cassian glanced at the elder.

“He enjoys talking.”

Lana hissed quietly.

'No, he enjoys torturing people.'

Cassian's lips twitched.

Then, she whispered.

“If I die of boredom, tell everyone it was an assassination.”

He smiled, and whispered back.

“I'll make sure the official report says so.”

She smiled.

It was strange.

She had spent the entire day feeling terrified, yet, standing beside the Alpha made it easier.

Each time someone approached, he noticed.

Each time she looked nervous, he noticed as well.

He never asked too many questions, he simply stayed close.

Midnight approached.

Lana's heart began pounding.

Cassian noticed her restless movements.

“You've checked that door six times.”

She replied, still glancing around anxiously.

“I'm making sure nobody sneaks in.”

He breathed heavily.

“We have six guards around.”

“Seven.” Lana corrected.

Cassian looked toward the entrance.

“Where's the seventh guard?”

She pointed at him.

“You..”

He stared at her.

Then, he smiled.

Lana tried not to smile back.

'If I survive today, I'm definitely buying myself a cake.'

Cassian heard her.

“A cake?”

She nodded.

“Exactly.”

He chuckled.

“After refusing every meal?”

She shrugged.

“Cake is different.. It is emotionally necessary.”

Cassian laughed quietly.

Lana stared at him.

“Keep laughing, Alpha.. But i assure you, if I die tonight, I'm haunting you for the rest of your life.”

He tried to contain his laughter.

“I'll keep that in mind.”

Lana hissed, and glanced toward the doors again.

But, found nothing suspicious.

She turned to the altar, still nothing.

Then, to the servants.

Nothing seem to appear suspicious.

She held her breath.

'Ten.. nine..eight..seven..six..five..four..three..two..one..'

She blinked.

'I'm alive, i'm actually alive.'

She slowly looked at Cassian.

He was watching her.

Her lips curved into a tiny smile.

'There was no assassin, poison, or death... The final scene had failed, and i survived.'

She celebrated mentally.

Outwardly, she remained perfectly composed.

Within, she exploded.

'I did it... I survived seven whole days!'

'Take that, death!.. Come take Lana's ass to the grave.'

She laughed mentally.

Cassian's lips slowly curved upward.

She continued.

'No poison!.. No stupid dramatic death scene!'

She laughed mentally.

'I am officially unkillable!'

He laughed.

Lana turned toward him.

She frowned.

“Why the laughter?”

He smiled.

“Because you're celebrating within your head like you've conquered a kingdom.”

Lana's eyes widened.

“You listened to my thoughts.. That's rude, Alpha.”

Cassian smirked.

“The unkillable survivor.”

She frowned.

“Maybe, if you had your life hanging on the line like a thread, you'd value survival.”

Cassian shook his head.

“You're impossible.”

She looked away.

She glanced around the temple.

The candles were still burning, moonlight still filled the room, everyone was still gathered around.

She placed a hand, over her chest.

'I actually did it.'

Cassian's expression softened.

Lana smiled.

For the first time, she allowed herself to believe that the story had changed.

The wine hadn't killed her, the assassin hadn't killed her, the dress hadn't ruined her reputation, and the brothel trap didn't even occur.

Now, the final assassination that was meant to take place, never happened.

She had escaped the fate she had written for herself.

'Maybe, i really could live.. Perhaps, i could build a new life.'

She looked at Cassian, then she smiled.

He glanced at her, and smiled back.

Suddenly, the temple fell silent.

The candles flickered.

Then, a silver glow appeared beneath Lana's feet.

She froze.

Cassian straightened.

“What is that?”

“I don't know.” She replied.

The light rose around her, she gasped.

Suddenly, a strange warmth spread across her wrist, then a silver mark appeared on her skin.

A crescent surrounded by delicate lines.

The crowd gasped.

Someone whispered.

“The Moon Goddess marked her.”

Lana stared at her wrist.

“What?”

Cassian reached for her arm.

At the exact same moment, the same silver light flashed across his skin.

He looked down.

The mark on his wrist was identical.

Lana's heart stopped.

“No.”

He looked at her.

“It's identical, Isadora.”

She looked at his wrist, then at hers.

They both were truly identical.

Same mark, and same silver glow.

The entire temple erupted into whispers.

Lana slowly backed away.

“This wasn't how it was suppose to happen.”

Cassian stared at the mark, then at her.

“What wasn't suppose to happen?”

“The mark.” She said.

“It wasn't meant to be this way.”

She swallowed.

She knew exactly what she had written it.

The Moon Goddess's mark was supposed to be on Cassian's and Seraphina's wrist.

Now, it had strangely appeared on Isadora's wrist, instead of Seraphina.

Her eyes widened.

“Oh, shit.”

Cassian looked at her.

“What is that?”

Before Lana could respond, the silver light between them became brighter.

The identical marks on their skin began to glow fiercely.

The seventh day had ended.

She had survived the death, she had written for Isadora.

But now, something else entire, had happened.

The Moon Goddess had just revealed that she was the Alpha's fated mate, instead of Seraphina.