Chapter 1

On Helen's first day at the temple, Cynthia watched the frail woman in silence. By mortal custom, a newcomer to the household was expected to present its lady with a ceremonial cup of wine.

But Cynthia drank only moon-dew.

No mortal wine could pass her lips.

"Take it back."

Helen's eyes immediately welled with tears. "Cynthia, if you can't stand having me here, I'll just leave."

Then came the sound of the cup shattering.

Helen suddenly dropped to the floor, a broad patch of skin on the back of her hand turning red.

"Helen!"

Arthur burst through the doors and shoved Cynthia aside.

Cynthia's slender frame stumbled, her back slamming hard against the edge of the stone altar.

I heard the dull thud clearly.

"What do you think you're doing?"

Arthur gathered Helen carefully into his arms.

He looked up at Cynthia, his eyes full of blame.

"Helen is just a mortal. She can't withstand your divine aura.

"She brought you a ceremonial cup out of respect. Why would you push her?"

I was shaking with rage.

I kicked off hard with my hind legs and lunged for Helen's ankle, jaws wide open.

That woman had dropped the cup on purpose.

Cynthia hadn't so much as touched her.

"Ahh!"

Helen let out a piercing shriek.

She burrowed frantically into Arthur's arms.

"Arthur, save me! This beast is going to eat me!"

Arthur's expression changed at once.

He raised his hand, a blinding ball of golden divine fire forming in his palm.

He hurled it straight at me.

That was the primordial fire Cynthia had spent a century helping him refine.

Now he was using it on me.

"Puff, come here."

Cynthia's voice was as calm as ever.

She raised her hand, and a silver arc of moonlight formed a shield above my head.

The divine fire struck the moonlight, and the two forces canceled each other out.

Arthur withdrew his hand, his expression dark.

"Cynthia, you'd actually protect an animal over Helen?

"It bit Helen."

Cynthia bent down and scooped me into her arms.

"Puff is not an animal. She is my family.

"And Helen's injury?"

Cynthia's gaze fell on Helen's ankle, which bore not a single mark.

"Why don't you look for yourself and see whether Puff actually bit her?"

Arthur looked down.

Helen's ankle was smooth and unblemished. There wasn't even a red spot.

Helen's crying faltered.

She bit her lip, tears flowing even harder.

"I was just so scared. I'm sorry, Cynthia.

"I grew up in the forest. I've never seen such a fierce pet."

A flicker of sympathy crossed Arthur's eyes.

He pulled Helen close again.

"It's not your fault. This rabbit's just too wild."

He turned to Cynthia, his tone edged with command.

"Helen is delicate. She can't handle being startled.

"Lock the rabbit away on the mountain behind the temple."

Cynthia's hand, which had been stroking my fur, went still.

She looked at Arthur as though seeing a stranger.

"And if I refuse?"

Arthur frowned. He clearly hadn't expected her to say no.

"Cynthia, you never used to be this unreasonable.

"Helen's life is bound to mine. If anything happens to her, I'll suffer the backlash.

"Can't you give me even that much consideration?"

Cynthia laughed.

"Arthur, half your divinity came from my own essence.

"And you want to talk to me about backlash."

Arthur's face turned scarlet.

It was the one vulnerability he could not bear to have exposed.

Helen, ever so understanding, immediately tugged at his sleeve.

"Arthur, please don't fight with Cynthia over me.

"I'm fine. I can bear it."

Her gaze swept the hall and landed on the moonvine throne at its center.

It was woven from thousand-year thunderwood and moonlight vines.

"Cynthia, I'm so cold. Could I borrow your chair, just for a little while?"

Helen pointed at the throne, her eyes wide and innocent.

Arthur nodded at once.

"Go ahead. It'll be good for you."

He had completely forgotten.

That throne could only be touched by those of the Moon Goddess's bloodline.

Any mortal who sat in it would have their soul scorched by its light.

Helen lifted her skirts and walked toward it.

Cynthia did not stop her.

I watched as Helen sat down.

The next second, it happened.

Blinding silver light erupted from the throne.

Helen screamed and was flung backward, crashing hard to the floor.

"Helen!"

Arthur rushed to her like a man possessed.

He whipped around, eyes bloodshot, and glared at Cynthia.

"Cynthia, how did you become so cruel?"

Cynthia lowered her gaze, hiding the desolation in her eyes.

"That is the Moon Goddess's sacred throne.

"Any mortal who touches it will suffer its backlash.

"I thought you still remembered."

Arthur froze.

Of course he remembered.

That had been eight hundred years ago.

He had accidentally touched that very throne and nearly been destroyed.

It was Cynthia who saved him.

But now he chose to forget.

"If she can't sit in it,"

Arthur rose, his face cold. He lifted a hand, and golden light flashed across the hall.

The priceless moonvine throne was split clean in two.

"then there's no need to keep it."

Arthur scooped Helen into his arms.

He walked out without looking back.

"From now on, Helen can come into this hall whenever she pleases.

"You'd better put away anything that could hurt her."

The great hall fell silent once more.

Cynthia stood motionless where she was.