ANMELDENAriana’s POVI froze and the voice was still inside my head.“Mother, they are coming.”I pressed both hands against my stomach.“Who are you?” I whispered.The baby moved again and a sharp wave of power passed through me.“Ariana?”Kael held my shoulders.“What happened?”I looked at him.“The baby spoke to me.”His eyes widened.“What?”“I heard a voice.”“Your baby?”I nodded.“It said, ‘Mother, they are coming.’”Kael stared at my stomach and for a moment, he said nothing and then he looked at me.“I believe you.”I blinked.“You do?”“Yes.”“You don’t think I imagined it?”“No.”His hand moved carefully over my stomach.“Can you hear me?” he whispered.Nothing happened and I almost laughed.“It only spoke to me.”My mother stepped closer.“That is possible.”I turned to her.“How?”She looked at my stomach.“Moonborn children can sometimes communicate through their mother’s power before birth.”Kael frowned.“Even before they are born?”“Yes. But it is rare.”“What does it mean?”
Ariana’s POVI woke up screaming.“No!”I pushed myself away from the throne and then my hands shook as I looked around the chamber.The fire, the screams and my baby crying in my arms.Kael covered in blood and Lyra on the floor.Damien fighting someone and the burning kingdom.It was still inside my head.“Ariana!”Kael rushed to me.I grabbed his shirt.“The kingdom was burning.”He knelt before me.“Look at me.”I shook my head.“I saw the baby.”“You had a vision.”“I saw us.”“It was a vision, Ariana. Not a promise.”I stared at him.“What if it happens?”“It won’t.”“You don’t know that.”“No, I don’t.”His hand closed around mine.“But a vision is not a fixed future.”My breathing became uneven.“What if I cannot stop it?”“You can.”“How?”“By making different choices.”I looked at the throne.“I saw the kingdom burning because of my child.”“No.”Kael lifted my chin.“Your child did not burn the kingdom. Someone did.”I swallowed and then the door opened behind us and my mot
Ariana’s POV“The throne is beneath us.”The hunter leader’s words would not leave my head.Kael turned toward the floor.“Then we find it before they do.”My mother shook her head.“If that throne is awakened, the entire kingdom could be affected.”“Then we cannot leave it here,” I said.Kael looked at me.“You’re coming with us?”“Yes.”“Ariana…”“I am not staying behind while everyone else risks their lives.”He sighed.“Fine. But you stay beside me.”We moved through a hidden passage beneath the palace.The stairs seemed to go deeper with every step.My stomach tightened.I held the wall.“Ariana?”“I’m fine.”Another pulse moved through my body.Silver light appeared around my fingers.I quickly closed my hand.“It is getting stronger.”My mother looked worried.“Your pregnancy is increasing your Moonborn power.”“Why can’t I control it?”“Because the child is connected to it.”Lyra walked ahead of us.“I know where we are.”I looked at her.“How?”“The hunters brought me here wh
Ariana’s POV“The sacrifice.”Kael’s words broke something inside me.I looked down at my stomach.“My baby?”Nobody spoke.Then one of the royal warriors stepped forward.“The child must die.”My head snapped up.“What did you say?”He held his weapon tightly.“If the child is the reason the hunters are attacking us, then the child must not be allowed to live.”Another warrior nodded.“He is right.”“Kill the child before it becomes a greater threat.”My hands began shaking.I stepped forward.“You are talking about my baby.”The warrior looked at me.“I am talking about the kingdom.”“No.”My voice came out stronger.“You are talking about my child.”The elder raised his voice.“Queen Ariana, think about the lives that will be lost.”“I am thinking about them.”I looked around the hall.“But I will not save your lives by killing an innocent child.”Someone shouted,“That child is not innocent! It carries Moonborn and Alpha blood!”The hall erupted.“Silence!”Kael’s voice cut throug
Kael’s POV“The King who carries my blood must sacrifice the Moonborn Queen.”I read the words again, they did not change and my hands tightened around the ancient scroll.No.I looked at Ariana, she stood across from me, and one hand resting over her stomach.Her eyes were fixed on mine.“Kael,” she whispered.I could not answer and the royal council entered the chamber.Seven elders and behind them stood dozens of royal warriors and the oldest elder stepped forward.“You have received the command.”I stared at him.“You knew about this?”“We have known for generations.”“You knew it existed?”“Yes.”“And you waited until now to show me?”“The time has come.”I crushed the scroll in my hand.“The time has come for what?”The elder looked at Ariana.“For the Queen to die.”Ariana’s face changed.Kael’s blood rushed through my body.“No.”The elder remained calm.“If the Moonborn Queen dies, the ancient hunters will lose their reason to continue this war.”“You expect me to kill my Que
Ariana’s POVThe man’s words followed me long after he disappeared.“He hid it from the man standing beside you.”I stood in the hallway, staring at Kael’s back and my heart wanted to run to him.My mind told me to be careful but then Kael turned.“Why are you looking at me like that?”I said nothing and his eyes searched my face.“Ariana.”“Did you know?”His expression changed.“Know what?”“Whatever my father hid.”“No.”“You’re sure?”Kael stepped closer.“I swear.”I looked away and the hunter leader’s words returned to my mind.“The man standing beside you.”There was only one man beside me.Kael.“Ariana,” he said quietly. “You think it is me.”I could not answer and his face fell.“You actually think I could have something to do with your father’s death?”“I don’t know.”The words left my mouth before I could stop them and Kael stepped back.“You don’t know?”“I am trying to understand everything.”“So am I.”“I have been lied to by everyone around me.”“I know.”“My father di







