Lilith’s POV
I walked through the fancy halls of the palace, the grand surroundings feeling pointless, as if the gold-plated walls were closing in on me. Every tick of the clock felt like a drum beating in my ears, making me anxious.
Adams had been away for so long, and worry knotted in my stomach. I looked out the window toward the faraway Crescent Grove village.
He had gone out for a normal check, yet just thinking about him dealing with the rogue danger alone filled me with deep fear.
“Why did I let him leave?” I said quietly with my hands tightly balled while struggling with my own feelings.
“Your Highness?” A gentle voice brought me back from my racing thoughts; it was one of my maids with worry showing on her pretty face. “Is everything okay?”
I gave a smile, even though it felt very weak. “Sure, dear. Just… thinking.”
She nodded, but I could see she wasn’t sure. “If you want, I can find someone to go with you. The practice area is right outside, where the soldiers are getting ready.”
“I could use something to take my mind off things.” I said, feeling a little stronger. “Let’s go.”
As we walked through the palace, a sense of worry settled on me like a heavy blanket. The hallways felt like they went on forever, and the big doors seemed to block my anxiety. We finally got to the training area, where I saw Dale, the only woman dressed as a man among the soldiers, finishing her practice fight. She moved with strong energy and with each hit, showing her strong will.
I watched her from far away as she was holding her sword’s handle in a mix of wanting and respect. When the practice ended, Dale wiped her sweat and looked at me with a smile spreading on her face.
“Your Highness! What brings you here? Want to join the fight?” she joked, but her eyes showed kindness.
“Not really,” I said while letting out a small laugh that didn’t feel quite real. “I’ve just been stuck in the palace, thinking about Adams. He went to look into the attack at Crescent Grove.”
Dale’s face changed right away with worry taking over the playful look. “The troublemakers have been getting braver lately. With Augustus in charge, they seem tougher than ever. Have you heard any updates?”
“Nothing yet,” I said at the same time, feeling more worried. “But I can’t stop thinking about the people in the village. Adams really wanted to look into it. I just hope he comes back soon.”
Dale moved in closer and spoke softly. “You know he can take care of himself, right? He won’t take silly chances, not with you expecting him.”
“I understand,” I said with a sigh while looking at the other soldiers. “But what if something goes wrong? I really don’t want to be safe in the palace while he’s in trouble.”
Dale looked at me kindly and put a comforting hand on my shoulder. “You’re tougher than you realize, your highness. You’re the Luna Queen. You bring hope to others, even when things are hard.”
“I guess I need to be strong for my people,” I said, but my voice was unsure. “But there’s something more…”
Dale leaned her head to the side, wanting to know. “What is it?”
“My maid, Cara, has been missing for a bit. I’m getting really worried about her,” I said while feeling nervous inside. “I haven’t seen her for days now .”
“I’ll listen for any news, I promise,” Dale said while showing her strong will. “If anything is wrong, I’ll figure out how to find it. I’ll do that for my Queen.”
I smiled gently at her strong loyalty. As we strolled slowly, the sound of metal clinking from the training area mixed with our talk. “You know, I sometimes think about what would happen if the rogues attacked the palace. It’s a scary thought.”
“Don’t think like that, my Queen,” Dale said, clearly worried. “The guards protecting you are very loyal. And I won’t let anything happen. We will do everything we can to keep you safe.”
“I really appreciate your hard work,” I said kindly while feeling a little bit of my burden ease. “It helps to know you will be there if we ever need it.”
As we got to the edge of the training area, the sun sank lower in the sky, making long shadows on the ground. Even though Dale’s company made me feel better, worry still stuck to me like a shadow.
“Let’s go back to the palace,” I finally said. “I need to see my guards and keep busy.”
“Show us the way, Your Highness,” Dale said, her voice playful but calm.
We walked back to the palace with our steps easy despite the tension around us. But the worry kept nagging at me. As we got closer to the tall building, my heart raced again, feeling a strange vibe that sent shivers down my back.
The guards had always been reliable, but when I got to my home, something felt very wrong. “Stop!” I shouted, stopping in my steps.
“What’s wrong?” Dale asked with worry showing in her eyes.
I frowned while trying hard to hear any sound in the eerie quiet. Where were the guards?
Taking a deep breath, I walked in with my heart racing as I saw the scary scene before me. Three men were spread out on the floor with their bodies twisted and motionless, panic rising up inside me.
I hurried over with my heart pounding as I knelt by them. “Wha-what happened?” I breathed, quickly looking for any signs of life.
“They’re breathing,” Dale said with her voice strangely calm as she looked at their unconscious bodies. “But what could have knocked them out like this?”
As we looked around, fear took over me. Something was seriously off. “We have to help them stand up, Dale,” I said with my heart racing. “Hurry – we need to find out what went down here.”
Dale stepped in to help, but just as we started to lift the guards up, a cold hand grabbed my throat from behind.
The jolt took the air from my lungs, a blade pushed against my skin, stopping any screams that could come out.
“Stop moving!” a cold voice whispered in my ear with fear settling in my stomach like ice water.
I stood still with my mind rushing as I felt the handle of the knife pressing into my skin. “What do you want?” I managed to say while trying to keep the shake out of my voice.
“Your loyalty is really creepy, Luna Queen,” the tone was harsh, and the breath on my neck made me tremble.
Dale got tight beside me with her urge to protect coming alive. “Let her go!” she yelled, with the power in her voice bringing back a spark of hope. “You’ll regret it!”
The hold on my throat got tighter, and I fought against the wave of panic. “Do you really know who you’re messing with?” I pushed while trying to show my power, even though I was scared.
“Sure,” the voice teased and then added, “and I know your small kingdom is weak, and if you want it to stay that way, you should stay quiet.”
“Let her go,” Dale said again with her strong voice breaking through my fear. “You can’t win this battle.”
The cold metal pushed harder against my throat, and my sight started to blur with fear. “Do you think you can scare us? Your fellow Rogues will fall before us!” Dale said with fists tight in a bold move.
“You’re funny,” the voice mocked full of scorn. “But I’m not a rogue!”