All Chapters of MOON MARKED BY THE LYCAN KING: Chapter 91 - Chapter 100

SKYE’S POV The first summer festival of the new kingdom began with lanterns. Hundreds of them. They appeared across Nighthaven at dusk—hanging from windows, floating above the harbor, swaying from the branches of the pines, lining the bridge, the market square, the school courtyard, and every road leading toward the fortress. From the highest terrace, the valley looked as though the stars had descended to earth. I stood beside the railing in a gown of deep midnight blue, watching the lights bloom one by one. Behind me, the fortress hummed with music and preparation. Ahead of me, the kingdom glowed. Eryx stepped onto the terrace carrying two cups of spiced wine. “You escaped.” “Briefly.” He handed me one cup and followed my gaze. For a long moment, neither of us spoke. Then he said quietly, “I’ve never seen Nighthaven like this.” Neither had I. Not even during the coronation. That had been a celebration of survival. This was a celebration of life. The festival had be

SKYE’S POV We left Nighthaven at dawn with far fewer guards than Kael considered acceptable. Which meant we left with far more guards than Eryx and I considered necessary. The compromise involved eight riders, two supply horses, and a solemn promise not to disappear into the mountains without warning anyone. Astrid claimed the promise was "unrealistically optimistic." Kael claimed it was "legally insufficient." Marta simply handed me a pouch of herbs and told me not to get sick. The eastern gate opened as the first sunlight touched the valley. For a moment, I looked back. Nighthaven rose behind us in silver stone and morning light, banners stirring gently above the towers. From this distance, it seemed almost peaceful enough to forget the battles that had once scarred its walls. Almost. Eryx drew his horse alongside mine. “Ready?” I looked at the road stretching east through fields of summer green. “Yes.” And for the first time since the coronation, I felt not the weig

SKYE’S POV The eastern forest changed the sound of the world. In the western valleys, mornings were filled with rivers, market bells, and birdsong. Here, the pines swallowed noise. Even our horses seemed to step more quietly as we left Pinewatch and followed the old watch road deeper into the mountains. Mist drifted between the trees. Sunlight came in narrow silver shafts. And somewhere far off, a woodpecker tapped against a trunk like a distant clock. No one spoke much. The caution of Pinewatch lingered with me. Not because the villagers had been unkind. Because they had reminded me that healing did not move at the same speed everywhere. By midday, the road climbed steeply enough that we dismounted and led the horses. The escort spread out automatically, scanning the forest with practiced attention. Astrid walked ahead with Storm. Pickles trotted beside her carrying a stick twice his size. I was beginning to suspect he collected objects simply to prove he could. Eryx f

SKYE’S POV We left Mirror Lake on the fourth morning carrying more than supplies. Seraphine packed the surviving memory vessels in padded cedar cases with the care of someone handling living hearts. Kael insisted on assigning two guards exclusively to the crystals, which he described as "historically invaluable and probably capable of causing paperwork." No one argued with that assessment. As our horses climbed away from the lake, I looked back one last time. Mist drifted across the water. The ruined tower stood silent. And for a fleeting instant, sunlight caught the surface in a silver flash that looked almost like a farewell. Then the trees closed behind us. The eastern road turned rougher beyond the lake. Old stone markers appeared at intervals, many cracked or half swallowed by moss. These had once guided Veil patrols through the mountains. Now wildflowers grew between them. The sight felt strangely hopeful. Even scars could become gardens. By midday we reached Highpa

SKYE’S POV We reached the western coast five days later. The sea announced itself long before we saw it. First came the gulls, their cries circling above the pines. Then the air changed, carrying salt and sunlight instead of earth and rain. Finally, the road curved around a cliff, and the ocean opened beneath us in a blaze of blue. I stopped my horse instinctively. Even after months of seeing the harbor, the open sea still stole my breath. It stretched beyond the horizon like a promise too large to measure. Eryx drew up beside me and smiled at my expression. “You still do that.” “What?” “Look at the sea as if it personally offended your ability to think.” I laughed softly. “It’s unfairly large.” “Accurate.” Below us lay Seabreak, the largest harbor town in the western kingdom. It had changed even more dramatically than Riversend. New piers reached into the bay. Warehouses lined the waterfront. Colorful sails crowded the harbor. And along the main road, I saw signs p