MAYA POV“Maya.”My mother’s voice came from behind me, steady as ever. I turned slightly, finding her already watching me, her expression calm in a way that anchored something restless inside me.“They’ve arrived,” she said.The word “arrived” felt odd.Lucien stood to my right, his posture already sharpened, instincts tuned to danger whether it came or not. Maverick lingered further back, arms crossed, eyes narrowed, not relaxed, but curious.“Let’s not assume anything,” Maverick muttered. “Groups don’t just show up at the Lunar kingdom like this unless they want something.”“They always want something,” Lucien added quietly.“Open the gates,” I said.A ripple of surprise moved through the guards.“Your Majesty…” one of them started.“I said open them.”My voice didn’t rise, but it didn’t need to.Power threaded through it, not sharp, not forceful but undeniable.The gates obeyed.Slowly, the massive stone barriers parted, revealing the figures beyond.A small group, no more than t
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