The night had drawn to an end, and the once-lively feast hall now lay in scary silence. Servants moved swiftly through the space, gathering goblets and remnants of the evening's feast, while the last of the drunken nobles were escorted away to their chambers.
Amaya stood on the balcony, overlooking the courtyard below. The cool night air brushed against her skin, carrying the distant echoes of laughter and song that had long faded into the dark. Yet, down in the courtyard, there was no rest for her father and his men.
She watched as Alpha Lucian stood at the center of a small gathering, his posture rigid, his tone commanding as he spoke to those before him. By his side was Philus, his expression serious. But it was not just any meeting, it was a gathering of the Sacred Pack of Hades, an elite force sworn to defend the throne and the kingdom against the supernatural threats that lurked beyond their borders.
The rest of the soldiers, those not blessed, or burdened, with the mark of Hades, would receive their orders later, passed down from Philus and Zurix. This was a matter too delicate to be spoken of freely, not when fear had already begun to creep into the hearts of their people.
Amaya felt a gentle hand rest on her shoulder, pulling her from her thoughts. She turned to find her mother standing beside her, her piercing gaze fixed upon the scene below. Selene stood at her other side.
"Mother," Amaya murmured.
Luna Jamayah exhaled softly, the weight of the night evident in her voice.
"Your father and I are increasing our defenses. Fortifying the land. Whatever came upon us tonight was no weak enemy."
Amaya swallowed, her mind still turning over the events of the evening.
"Did the spirits tell you what exactly this evil was?"
Jamayah shook her head.
"The spirits communicate how they deem fit. Sometimes they make their message clear, other times they speak in riddles. It is up to us to decipher their meaning."
"But why?" Amaya pressed.
Jamayah turned to her daughter, her expression both patient and firm.
"As High Priestess, I have the privilege of summoning them, seeking their counsel, and asking for guidance. That is my duty, and one day, it will be yours. When you take your place upon the Luna throne, you will inherit the connection to the spirits, just as I did from my mother, and she from hers."
A shadow passed over her face, but her voice remained steady. "When I leave this world, I shall join them, as all High Priestesses before me have. From the spirit realm, we will guide those who come after us."
Amaya hesitated, her chest tightening at the thought. It was not just the weight of responsibility that unsettled her, but the quiet inevitability of loss.
Sensing her daughter's unease, Jamayah took her hand.
"You have nothing to fear," she said gently.
"You are strong. I know it."
Amaya managed a small smile.
"Thank you, Mother."
Satisfied, Jamayah gave her hand one final squeeze before stepping away, leaving Amaya alone with Selene. The two young women exchanged a glance before turning toward the hall, walking side by side. Amaya sighed.
"Where were you earlier, Selene? You should have seen the disaster outside. It was… unnatural."
Selene glanced down, her voice quiet but firm.
"I was with the other servants, my lady. Serving wine, clearing dishes."
Amaya scoffed.
"You are my friend. I do not see you as a servant. And if we must abide by titles, you are my personal handmaiden. You are meant to serve me alone."
Selene looked at her, surprised by the warmth and sharpness in her tone.
Amaya turned to her fully, eyes intense.
"Never leave my side again."
For a moment, there was silence. Then Selene's lips curled into a small, warm smile. She had served Amaya since she was sixteen, and though their stations were different, their bond had grown into something beyond mere duty.
"Yes, my lady," she said softly.
Amaya nodded, her expression softening.
"I shall speak with the head of staff. She will not trouble you again."
Selene bowed her head in gratitude, and together, they continued toward Amaya's chambers.
Elsewhere in the palace, Luna Jamayah sat in her private chambers when the door creaked open. She looked up to see her husband step inside. The weariness in his face did not go unnoticed. She crossed the room to him, her fingers grazing his arm.
"Dearest," she murmured.
"How was the meeting?"
Lucian let out a slow sigh, rubbing his forehead.
"Word has spread like wildfire throughout the kingdom. Fear breeds rumors, and now they whisper that the lycans attacked us."
Jamayah's brows knit together.
"Amaya and I fear the same thing, but that is absurd. We have upheld a truce with the lycans for years. Why would they break it now?"
Lucian exhaled, shaking his head.
"What you say is true. But the lycans are an unpredictable kind. They are not wolves like us. They cannot be tamed for long, nor bound by treaties they do not truly honor."
Jamayah frowned.
"They have a ruler. The Lycan King. He would never allow his kind to move against us recklessly."
Lucian hesitated and Jamayah caught the flicker of doubt in his eyes.
"What is it?"
"The Lycan King has not been seen in years," Lucian admitted.
"No word of him has reached us. Perhaps that is why his people have begun to lose their way."
Jamayah's jaw tightened. If the lycans were truly without leadership, then the threat was greater than she had feared. She turned away, her mind already made up.
"I must seek the counsel of the spirits," she said firmly.
"This is beyond just our pack."
Lucian met her gaze and nodded in agreement. As the night deepened and silence fell over the land, Luna Jamayah prepared herself for what was to come. The spirits had warned her of an evil presence, but their message had been unclear. Now, she would summon them directly. For if the Lycan King had truly vanished, then the balance of power had shifted.
And in the shadows, something far worse might be waiting to take his place.