ed Rowan's approach fel

son gown shimmered beneath the blood-red moon like liquid fire. Her golden hair had been woven with silver chain

ery instinct inside her urged her to step backward and disap

lready underst

moments earlier now trembled w

ped before

raceful curtsy, her eyes gleaming with

the enchanted acoustics carried her

ered her

Lady Vi

erupted in

ration had even been made. Others exchanged satisfied smiles, clea

hear the applaus

ehind her ears, growing lo

he might still be misun

was merely

the Eastern princess before re

fragile even in

forward, her silver robes

arefully, "the Moon Obelisk awaits the name of

r, releasing strands of silver light that cur

sent knew the mean

not bless poli

ly to the decla

ession remai

la

ble second, her

turned towa

, and hundreds of eyes landed on the Omega

loded throug

say he

hea

dess truly ch

rged painfully a

ok a slo

is kingdom faithful

pe inside her

cation, your kindness, and

rise despite her eff

belief, and several women looked openly offended

n's voice

cannot determine the

body so quickly that she felt su

ned away

pable of strengthening the all

ne's hand before

hered Alpha, I choose Lady Vivienne Ashcroft as

absolute silence

ation rose to its feet

s burst above t

eir spears against

laying the ancien

rd like a tidal wave, swallo

a remaine

through her min

ady Vivien

use he l

Moon Goddess h

she wa

she wa

could never be

Rowan, her fingers curling

eternal loyalty to the Blackston

cheered e

rely hea

kind that arrived only after pain b

n ye

elieving that ki

the way Rowan looked at her when no one

mistaking silen

hem twisted sharpl

lf whi

roken that Elara a

r sternum, trying to steady h

ly, someone

oward her, lingering w

sweetly, "shouldn't we thank the ro

tion sound

eneath it was

bles laugh

hesi

rt more than the d

at Vivienn

njoy watching an Omega hu

did not

aid evenly, "

the arena tur

and the center of the courtyar

ld have

ut she still possessed the r

wever, refus

rt would remember her as a disc

chin and stepped

followed he

elieved she h

mbarra

have reminded he

lls hear

ade, yet she continued walking until

lluminated Rowan's

night, she saw something

gr

to change h

gh to ch

t he was hurting someone who

led with pra

he told the crowd. "I hope she will continue se

cation wa

in u

your

wear the crown you

ed directl

t you wish,

more meaning than t

want me

e to watch this

e to keep lovin

w tightene

still needs

need

ay bes

m needs yo

side Elara f

but a deep crack spread through it li

f fell

at familiar warmt

the celebrati

sted the f

s played

of crimson wine throu

lace had alre

still standing in the ruins of the mome

ed her ga

up again, the

mained a quiet, t

ll, she

una before the entire realm, then the entire

d the silver bracelet hidden b

ppeared the night the Moon God

of a fate

ticed her

t

lver, the Moon Obelisk behind the platf

bration

ations

urtyard, carrying a single impossible truth

stood with

n Goddess w