Lienna.
I spent several days recuperating, my body slowly regaining its strength. But as soon as I could move without wincing in pain, the summons arrived. A stoic-faced soldier appeared at my doorway, his imposing frame seeming to fill the entire space. His eyes, an piercing brown, locked onto mine, and I felt a shiver run down my spine.
“The Shifter Kings request your presence, Lienna,” he declared, his deep voice firm and commanding.
My heart skipped a beat as I processed the summons. This was it the moment I’d been dreading and anticipating. I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing thoughts.
I quickly arranged my appearance, smoothing my dress and tidying my hair. Mara, sensing my nervousness, offered words of encouragement. “You’ll be fine, Lienna. Just be yourself and tell the truth.”
I nodded, trying to absorb her confidence. With one final glance in the mirror, I followed the soldier out of my quarters.
As we walked, I couldn’t help but notice the stares and whispers from the other maids. They watched me with a mix of curiosity and suspicion, their eyes lingering on the soldier’s broad back. I ignored them, keeping my focus on the path ahead.
The soldier led me through winding corridors and grand halls, our footsteps echoing off the stone floors. I tried to calm myself down, repeating to myself that it was just a regular summon but it didn’t seem to be working much. I finally had time to think about the incidents of that day and concluded it must have been the moon goddess powers that burst out of me in that moment. However, now didn’t seem like the right time to reveal that the moon goddess resided in me and I resolved today to keep that as a secret for as long as I could.
Finally, we arrived at a massive wooden door, adorned with intricate carvings of wolves, tigers, and dragons. The soldier pushed the door open, and I stepped forward, my heart pounding in my chest like a drum. Walking into the throne room, I felt like a small insect under a microscope, with all eyes upon me. The Shifter Kings sat on their thrones, their gazes immediately falling on me like a collective weight. My heart skipped multiple beats, and I almost forgot how to breathe.
Veronica, the mistress, was also present, her face twisted in a venomous scowl. Her eyes narrowed into slits as she glared at me, her presence seeming to darken the air around her. I looked away, bowing deeply as I greeted the Shifter Kings. They acknowledged my greeting with a wave of their hands, beckoning me to raise my head.
As I did, their intense gazes fell upon me once more, my skin prickling under their scrutiny. King Caspian, his piercing blue eyes boring into mine, asked, “Lienna, do you perhaps have any magical powers?”
I stiffened, but proceeded to answer as calmly as I could. “None that I know of, your Majesty.” My voice was somber, trying to convey the truth.
King Caspian leaned forward, his voice probing. “How do you explain the events surrounding your attacks then?”
I took a deep breath before speaking. “The truth is, I can’t.” I began, trying to choose my words carefully. “I truly don’t know what happened.”
Veronica cut in, her tone accusatory. “She is a witch, I tell you!” Her words dripped with venom, and everyone turned to face her. But she wasn’t perturbed, her confidence unwavering. “She probably has made a covenant with dark magic.”
Adonis, his voice characteristically bored, spoke up. “If she did, it would smell on her.” His gaze flicked towards me, his expression unreadable. “There’s nothing unusual coming from her.
His words didn’t seem to sit well with Veronica. Her face twisted in a scowl, she pressed on, her voice hard and unyielding. “Are you sure if we trigger her right now, some kind of powers won’t burst out of her?” She glared at me, her eyes flashing with accusation.
Hermes, his brow furrowed in concern, turned to Veronica. “Why are you so hell-bent on proving Lienna is a witch or has powers, Veronica?” He asked, his voice probing. “Were you there when it happened?” He prodded, his eyes narrowing slightly.
Veronica’s confidence faltered for a moment, and she recoiled, holding back whatever retort she had been about to make. Her eyes darted around the room, her lips pressed in displeasure.
Caspian, his voice calm and authoritative, intervened. “Besides, even if we wanted to, we can’t. She’s just merely recovered from one attack. She’ll need time to gather her strength.” He gestured towards me, his expression inscrutable.
Adonis, his eyes slowly narrowing, glared at Veronica. “If you don’t have anything valuable to offer instead of pointing accusatory fingers at everyone, it would be better for you to just leave.” His voice was low and even, but it carried a hint of menace.
Veronica opened her mouth to speak, but when she saw the expression on Adonis’ face, she promptly snapped her mouth shut. Her eyes flashed with anger, but she seemed to think better of challenging him further.
“I’ll rather take my leave, your majesties,” she muttered underneath her breath, her voice dripping with resentment.
Caspian nodded, his expression stern. “You may go.”
With a deep curtsy, Veronica stalked out of the throne room, her departure leaving an uncomfortable silence in her wake. I stared at the place where she once stood, wondering if she was there when I was attacked. I tried to rack my brain but I genuinely couldn’t remember anything after I was tackled to the ground and eventually running to Daisy for help.
Caspian’s gaze turned back to me, his eyes piercing. “How do we now explain the use of magical powers in the scene, Lienna?” He asked, his voice firm but curious.
I faltered, trying to come up with a plausible explanation. But before I could speak, Hermes cut in, his voice barely above a whisper. “Maybe the prophecy is finally coming true.” He murmured, seemingly lost in thought.
The rest of the Shifter Kings turned to him, their reactions varying. Caspian looked at him in surprise, while Adonis glared at him, his calm voice having an undercurrent of anger. “Don’t joke with that, Hermes,” Adonis growled, his eyes flashing with warning.
Hermes looked taken aback at the intense reaction from Adonis, but he didn’t try to defend himself. Instead, he nodded slightly, his eyes clouding over with thought.
I watched the scene in disbelief and sadness. Have they already lost faith in the moon goddess’ return? I wondered. If so, then now wouldn’t be the time to reveal that the moon goddess resides in me. I felt a pang of fear at the thought of their reaction. It was no doubt they would tear me apart if they found out now.
The room fell silent, the tension thickening like a fog. Finally, Caspian glanced at me, letting out a sigh that seemed to carry the weight of the world. “You will be dismissed for now. We’ll call on you if we learn anything,” he said, his voice as calm at the ocean, betraying the tension in the room.
I nodded, bowing deeply once more, trying to hide the turmoil that churned inside me. “Yes, your Majesties,” I muttered, my voice barely audible.
As I exited the throne room, I couldn’t shake off the feeling of unease that lingered long after I left the Shifter Kings’ presence. With my heart still in my throat, I thought about what happened in there.
Was it just me, or did it feel like there was a rift between the Shifter Kings?