The forest swallowed us as we ran, shadows stretching long beneath the moon. Kael moved ahead with effortless speed, barely touching the earth, while I stumbled to keep up, my breath ragged, heart pounding like a wild drumbeat in my chest. The moonlit mark on my arm burned with every step, a beacon I couldn't turn off, like some cosmic countdown that had just begun.Kael's silhouette blurred ahead, his presence like something beyond human—something older, darker. I didn't know if I should feel safe or terrified.
The sounds of the forest grew louder as we pushed deeper into the wilderness. Leaves rustled, and branches clawed at my skin, but I barely felt them, too focused on the confusion swirling in my head.
"Where are we going?" I gasped, barely managing to duck beneath a low-hanging branch.
Kael didn't answer immediately. He darted ahead, then glanced back. His eyes were focused, calculating—like he was reading the terrain with more than just his senses. "Somewhere safe. For now."
"For now?" I echoed. "That doesn't sound reassuring."
He ignored my sarcasm, and I couldn't tell if it was because he didn't hear me or because he had no time for it. His body was in constant motion, the way a predator stalks its prey.
We broke through a thicket into a clearing, the moon above casting an ethereal glow on everything. I blinked, my eyes adjusting to the stillness of the space, a place that felt different, like it wasn't entirely bound by the laws of nature.
"What is this?" I asked, my voice barely more than a whisper. "Where are we?"
He stopped, holding up a hand. "We're here."
I followed his gaze. The clearing was small, but at its center stood an archway—an ancient stone structure covered in ivy, glowing softly with a silvery light that made it seem like it was breathing. As if it were waiting. It was beautiful and unsettling all at once.
"What's going on?" I asked, panic creeping into my voice. "You can't just bring me here without explaining anything."
Kael turned to me, his face cast in the shadows. "I know it's a lot to take in, but there's no time to waste. The mark… it's a beacon. We can't risk staying in the open."
I was about to argue, but before I could say anything, Kael reached into the collar of his shirt and pulled out a pendant—a silver disc, worn but sturdy, etched with the same crescent moon and stars that now burned into my skin. His fingers brushed over it, and as if responding to his touch, the air around us shimmered.
Reality bent.
It was as if the world itself opened up and revealed a hidden door, one that pulled the forest away, twisting it like a curtain. The trees, the ground, the very air—everything peeled back to reveal something more.
Beyond the arch, the forest faded into a hidden grove. Larger, grander trees stretched to the sky, their bark silvered by the moonlight, casting long shadows over the space. The ground beneath us was covered in soft moss, and in the distance, I could see the outline of a stone structure, old and weathered, standing in quiet defiance of time. But it wasn't the building that caught my attention—it was the feel of the place. It was alive. It hummed with power, ancient and primal.
"This is...?" I breathed, stepping forward, almost in awe. "What is this place?"
Kael didn't answer right away, his expression unreadable as he walked through the arch. "This is an old sanctuary. Hidden from those who would destroy it."
I followed him through the arch, my every instinct screaming that we were entering a world I didn't belong in, a world I didn't understand.
Inside, the air was thick with energy. A calmness that vibrated beneath the surface, as if the very earth was holding its breath. I didn't know why, but I felt it, too—a strange pull, a sense of being home mixed with fear. There were no voices, no sounds except for the occasional rustling of leaves in the wind. It was a place that should not exist, yet here I was, standing in its midst.
Kael led me to a stone bench beside a pool of water, its surface perfectly still despite the breeze that blew through the trees. The moonlight reflected off the water, casting ripples of light that seemed almost like they were alive, shifting with a pulse.
He motioned for me to sit.
I hesitated for a moment before doing so, my body still trembling. The glow on my arm was faint now, but I could feel it—still burning, still alive.
Kael sat across from me, his gaze steady but distant. "I know you have a million questions, Aria. But we don't have time for all of them right now."
"Then answer the most important one," I said, my voice tight. "What the hell is going on? Why is this happening to me?"
Kael didn't flinch. "Because you're not just anyone. You are the heir to the Moonborne Queen. Her blood runs through your veins."
His words hit like a punch to the gut.
I blinked, trying to process. "The… the Moonborne Queen? What does that even mean?"
He leaned forward, his voice low and serious. "The Moonborne Queen was a ruler, but not in the way you think. She wasn't a queen in the sense of a kingdom. She was the protector of the veil—the barrier between the world of humans and the world of shadows. The moon's magic flowed through her, keeping the balance. But when she fell, the veil began to weaken. Monsters, shadows, creatures from the other side—they've been slipping through ever since."
I swallowed hard, trying to wrap my head around this. "And you expect me to believe that I'm this heir? The one who can fix all of that?"
"Yes," Kael said, his eyes unwavering. "Your bloodline holds the key to restoring the balance. The mark on your arm is a sign of that. The prophecy has begun. The veil is weakening, and creatures from the other side are coming for you. For your power."
I wanted to deny it. I wanted to scream that this was all a nightmare, that there was no way in hell I could be some magical queen's heir. But as I looked at Kael, I saw the truth in his eyes. He wasn't lying.
"What am I supposed to do?" I asked, my voice small.
Kael's gaze softened, though the tension in his body never eased. "For now, we survive. We train. The mark has awakened something inside of you—something that you'll need to understand if you're going to face what's coming. But it won't be easy."
I stared at my hands, still shaking. "I don't even know where to begin."
Kael stood, taking a deep breath as he paced the clearing. "First, you have to accept that this is real. There's no going back. You can't pretend to be just a normal girl anymore. The sooner you accept that, the sooner you can begin to control what's happening to you."
I closed my eyes, trying to steady my breath. "How do I do that?"
Kael's voice was firm. "We'll start by training. You'll learn to control the power within you. How to channel it. And most importantly, how to defend yourself."
I looked up at him, my thoughts swirling. "And then?"
"And then," he said, his expression darkening, "we prepare for the inevitable. Others will come. And they will stop at nothing to control you."
A chill ran through me. "What others?"
Kael's jaw clenched. "Hunters. Shades. And the worst of all—those who would use your power to tear down the veil entirely. If that happens, the world as you know it will end."
I shuddered at the thought. "So, this is it, huh? My life is over."
"No," Kael said, his tone softening slightly. "It's just beginning."
Suddenly, the air shifted. A low, haunting howl broke the silence, distant but unmistakable.
Kael's eyes narrowed. "They're here."
I stood, panic rising in my chest. "What do we do?"
"We run," he said, his voice sharp. "We don't have a choice."