The Queen's Last Secret

Chapter 11

"Lyra!"

Ronan's voice sounded distant.

Muted.

As though she were underwater.

The vision still burned behind her eyes.

Blood on white marble.

A silver crown falling to the ground.

A dagger piercing Queen Selene's chest.

And those final words.

Protect the heir.

Lyra's hands trembled.

"She was murdered."

The words escaped before she could stop them.

Ronan's expression darkened.

"What did you see?"

For a moment, she couldn't answer.

The images felt too real.

Too vivid.

Finally, she explained everything.

The crown.

The dagger.

The voice.

The warning.

When she finished, silence settled over the ruined archive.

Mara looked uneasy.

Ronan looked furious.

Only Seer Elara appeared unsurprised.

"As I feared," the old woman murmured.

Everyone turned toward her.

"You knew?"

Elara nodded slowly.

"The visions have begun."

Lyra frowned.

"What does that mean?"

The Seer picked up the silver ring.

Moonlight reflected from its ancient surface.

"It means your bloodline is awakening."

A chill ran down Lyra's spine.

"The Moonborn do not inherit power alone."

Elara's gaze sharpened.

"They inherit memory."

The world seemed to stop.

Memory?

"You're saying that vision was real?"

"Not merely real."

Elara carefully handed the ring back.

"It was history."

Lyra stared at the ring.

Suddenly it felt far more dangerous than any weapon.

The next morning, Shadow Hollow remained on high alert.

The attack on the archives had changed everything.

Warriors patrolled every street.

Guards doubled at every gate.

No one trusted anyone.

Especially after learning the enemy had already infiltrated the city.

Inside the strategy hall, Ronan studied a list of names.

Visitors.

Merchants.

Travelers.

Every outsider who had entered Shadow Hollow within the past month.

"Anything?" Lyra asked.

Ronan shook his head.

"The Shadow Fang is too careful."

Mara crossed her arms.

"He could be anyone."

The thought unsettled Lyra.

An assassin hiding among thousands.

Watching.

Waiting.

Perhaps even standing beside them yesterday.

The idea made her skin crawl.

A sudden knock interrupted them.

One of Ronan's captains entered.

"My King."

"What is it?"

The captain's face was grim.

"We found a body."

The room fell silent.

"Where?"

"Near the eastern gate."

Ronan immediately stood.

"Show me."

The body belonged to a young guard.

No older than twenty.

His eyes stared blankly toward the sky.

A single wound marked his throat.

Clean.

Precise.

Professional.

Lyra swallowed hard.

This wasn't a fight.

It was an execution.

The captain pointed toward a symbol carved into a nearby tree.

A black wolf.

Its eyes painted crimson.

The sight made Mara pale.

"The Shadow Fang."

Ronan's jaw tightened.

A message.

The assassin wanted them to know he was here.

Wanted them afraid.

Unfortunately, it was working.

Lyra stepped closer to the symbol.

Something about it felt wrong.

Familiar.

Her gaze narrowed.

Then she saw it.

A tiny mark hidden beneath the wolf.

A crescent moon.

Her heart skipped.

"Ronan."

He moved beside her.

"What?"

She pointed.

The Rogue King's eyes widened.

For the first time, genuine shock crossed his face.

"What is it?" Mara asked.

Ronan didn't answer immediately.

Instead, he traced the small crescent with his fingers.

Then he looked at Lyra.

"The Moon Queen's crest."

A chill spread through the group.

Why would an assassin leave the Moon Queen's symbol?

Unless...

The realization struck Lyra instantly.

"He wasn't trying to hide it."

Ronan nodded.

"No."

His expression darkened.

"He wanted you to find it."

Someone wasn't simply hunting her.

Someone was communicating with her.

Playing a game.

And she had just received the first move.

That night, Lyra couldn't sleep.

Again.

The silver ring sat on the table beside her bed.

Moonlight gleamed across its surface.

Inviting.

Dangerous.

Curious despite herself, she picked it up.

The moment her fingers touched the metal—

The vision returned.

Only this time, it was different.

She wasn't watching.

She was there.

Standing inside a grand palace.

Music filled the air.

Laughter echoed through golden halls.

Then suddenly—

A scream.

The room exploded into chaos.

Warriors burst through the doors.

Blood stained the marble floor.

And Queen Selene turned.

Looking directly at Lyra.

Not through her.

At her.

As if she could see her.

The Queen's silver eyes widened.

"You're alive."

Lyra froze.

The vision had never spoken to her before.

Selene rushed forward.

Fear etched across her face.

"Listen carefully."

The palace trembled.

More screams echoed outside.

"They betrayed us."

Lyra's heart pounded.

Who?

Who betrayed you?

"The Council."

The words hit like lightning.

"The Council murdered the Moonborn."

Everything shook.

The vision began collapsing.

Selene grabbed Lyra's shoulders.

Her voice desperate.

"The heir must never—"

The vision shattered.

Lyra gasped and fell backward.

The ring rolled across the floor.

Silence returned.

Only silence.

But one sentence echoed endlessly in her mind.

The Council murdered the Moonborn.

And if that was true...

Then the conspiracy against her wasn't five years old.

It was centuries old.

Is Lyra the heir, or is someone else carrying the true moonborn legacy ?