Run from the King.
Those were the last words Aria heard.
Then everything disappeared.
Darkness swallowed her.
She couldn’t move.
Couldn’t breathe.
Couldn’t even tell whether she was awake or dreaming.
“Aria.”
A woman’s voice called her name.
Soft.
Familiar.
Aria opened her eyes.
She was standing in a field beneath a silver moon.
The grass reached her knees, moving gently beneath a wind she couldn’t feel.
There was no mountain.
No Kael.
No Damon.
No Blood Moon Clan.
Only silence.
“Where am I?”
A figure appeared in the distance.
A woman.
Long dark hair.
A white dress.
Bare feet.
Aria’s heart began pounding.
She knew that face.
She had seen it in old photographs.
She had stared at it every night when she was younger.
“Mom?”
The woman stopped.
Tears filled her eyes.
“Aria.”
Aria ran toward her.
“Mom!”
She tried to embrace her.
Her arms passed through the woman’s body.
Aria stumbled backward.
“What?”
The woman smiled sadly.
“You can’t touch me.”
“Are you dead?”
The woman looked away.
“I’ve been dead for a long time.”
Aria’s eyes filled with tears.
“I don’t understand.”
“You will.”
“Why did you leave me?”
Her mother’s expression broke.
“I didn’t leave you.”
“You did.”
“I was forced to.”
“By who?”
Her mother looked toward the dark horizon.
“Everyone.”
Aria shook her head.
“Kael said he tried to protect you.”
“He did.”
“He said he killed you by accident.”
Her mother’s eyes closed.
“He believes that.”
“Did he?”
“No.”
Aria froze.
“What?”
“He didn’t kill me.”
“Then who did?”
Her mother stepped closer.
“That’s why you must wake up.”
“Wake up from what?”
“This isn’t a dream.”
Aria looked around.
“Then where am I?”
“Inside your blood.”
Aria stared at her.
Her mother continued.
“The Queen’s blood carries memories.”
“So I’m seeing yours?”
“Some of them.”
“Why?”
“Because you are finally strong enough to see them.”
Aria swallowed.
“Tell me the truth.”
“I will.”
“What happened the night you died?”
Her mother looked at the moon.
“Your father betrayed us.”
Aria’s heart sank.
“Lucian?”
“Yes.”
“Kael said he joined the Blood Moon Clan.”
“He did.”
“Why?”
“He wanted power.”
Aria shook her head.
“He wouldn’t.”
“He would.”
“Why?”
Her mother’s voice became bitter.
“Because he discovered what you were.”
Aria’s chest tightened.
“What am I?”
Her mother looked directly into her eyes.
“The bridge between the Moon Realm and the Shadow Realm.”
Aria remembered Azrael.
“What does that mean?”
“Your blood can open the gates between worlds.”
“That’s why everyone wants me.”
“Yes.”
“Who is the enemy?”
Her mother hesitated.
“Not everyone who calls themselves your enemy is your enemy.”
Aria frowned.
“And not everyone who protects you is your friend.”
Her mother’s eyes became serious.
“Especially Kael.”
Aria felt a chill.
“Why?”
“Because he knows the truth.”
“What truth?”
“About your birth.”
Aria waited.
Her mother stepped closer.
“You were not born eighteen years ago.”
Aria’s face went blank.
“What?”
“You were born thousands of years ago.”
Aria stared at her.
“That’s impossible.”
“You were the first Queen’s daughter.”
Aria’s heart pounded.
“The Queen…”
“She was not your ancestor.”
Her mother whispered:
“She was you.”
Aria couldn’t breathe.
“What?”
“The memories you’ve seen aren’t from an ancestor.”
Her mother placed a hand over Aria’s chest.
“They are yours.” The source of this chapter is g.com.
The world around them began shaking.
Aria stepped backward.
“No.”
“You were the first Queen.”
“No.”
“You ruled the two realms.”
“No!”
“You loved Azrael.”
Aria covered her ears.
“Stop!”
“You were betrayed.”
“Stop!”
“And your soul was divided.”
Aria screamed.
The field shattered.
Aria woke violently.
She sat upright.
Her lungs burned.
“Mom!”
Her voice echoed through the chamber.
Kael was beside her.
He immediately reached for her.
“Aria.”
She pushed him away.
“Don’t touch me.”
Kael froze.
She stared at him.
Her eyes were filled with fear.
“Who am I?”
Kael didn’t answer.
“Who am I?”
“Aria…”
“Don’t lie to me!”
Her voice shook the chamber.
Damon stood several feet away.
Mira was behind him.
Everyone looked terrified.
Kael slowly stood.
“You aren’t ready.”
Aria laughed bitterly.
“Again?”
She pointed at the sealed gate.
“My mother spoke to me.”
Kael’s face changed.
“What did she say?”
“She told me to run from you.”
Silence.
Damon looked at Kael.
“Why would she say that?”
Kael didn’t answer.
Aria stepped closer.
“She said you know the truth about my birth.”
Kael’s expression hardened.
“Aria.”
“She said I was the first Queen.”
Damon stared.
“What?”
Kael closed his eyes.
Aria’s breathing became faster.
“Tell me she was lying.”
Kael remained silent.
“Tell me.”
“I can’t.”
Aria felt the world collapse beneath her.
“So it’s true.”
Kael looked at her.
“Not exactly.”
“Then explain.”
“The soul of the first Queen was divided.”
“Into what?”
“Three parts.”
Aria waited.
“One part remained inside the Moon Realm.”
“One part was trapped in the Shadow Realm.”
Kael looked at her.
“And the final part entered your bloodline.”
Aria’s lips parted.
“Me.”
“Yes.”
“Then why did my mother say I was the Queen?”
“Because you carry her memories.”
Aria shook her head.
“But she said I was her.”
Kael didn’t answer.
Damon stepped forward.
“Maybe she was.”
Kael looked at him sharply.
“Don’t.”
Damon ignored him.
“What if Aria isn’t carrying the Queen’s soul?”
Kael’s expression darkened.
“What are you suggesting?”
Damon looked at Aria.
“What if Aria is the Queen?”
Silence.
Mira’s face went pale.
Kael stared at Damon.
“You don’t know what you’re saying.”
“Then tell me I’m wrong.”
Kael said nothing.
Damon turned to Aria.
“You need to know something.”
Kael stepped forward.
“Damon.”
“I’ve seen the prophecy.”
Kael stopped.
Damon continued.
“It doesn’t say the Queen will be reborn.”
Aria frowned.
“What does it say?”
Damon looked at her.
“It says the Queen will remember.”
Aria’s heart pounded.
“Remember what?”
Damon’s voice lowered.
“Who she was.”
A sudden crash interrupted them.
The sealed gate shook.
Everyone turned.
A black crack spread across the stone.
Mira whispered:
“That’s impossible.”
Kael grabbed his sword.
“Everyone move back.”
The crack widened.
A cold wind swept through the chamber.
Then a woman’s voice echoed from behind the gate.
“Kael.”
His face went pale.
Aria recognized the voice immediately.
Her mother.
“Elena…”
Kael stepped toward the gate.
“Elena, don’t.”
A laugh echoed.
“You still give orders?”
Kael’s grip tightened.
“Where are you?” This story is hosted at novelping.com.
“Where you left me.”
Aria looked at him.
“What does that mean?”
The voice answered instead.
“He left me in the Moon Realm.”
Aria’s heart stopped.
Kael closed his eyes.
“That isn’t what happened.”
“Isn’t it?”
The voice became colder.
“You promised to return.”
Kael whispered:
“I tried.”
“You never came.”
“I couldn’t.”
“You chose the throne.”
Kael’s face twisted with pain.
“I chose Aria.”
Silence.
Aria stared at him.
“What?”
Kael looked at her.
Her mother’s voice continued.
“That’s why he can never tell you the truth.”
Aria’s heart raced.
“What truth?”
The gate cracked again.
A hand appeared through the opening.
Pale fingers.
Silver nails.
Aria stepped backward.
“Mom?”
The hand pushed against the stone.
The gate began to open.
Kael immediately moved in front of Aria.
“Stay behind me.”
Aria shook her head.
“No.”
“Aria.”
“I need to see her.”
“You don’t know what is on the other side.”
“I don’t care.”
The gate opened another inch.
A silver eye appeared through the darkness.
Aria’s breath caught.
It was identical to hers.
Then a face appeared.
Her mother’s face.
But something was wrong.
Her skin was pale.
Her eyes glowed silver.
Dark veins covered the side of her neck.
And a black symbol burned across her forehead.
Aria whispered:
“Mom…”
Elena smiled.
“My baby.”
Aria took a step forward.
Kael grabbed her arm.
“Don’t.”
Aria looked at him.
“Let me go.”
“She’s not the same.”
Elena laughed softly.
“He’s right.”
Aria froze.
Her mother’s eyes turned completely black.
“I am not the woman you remember.”
A wave of dark energy exploded from the gate.
Kael threw himself in front of Aria.
The impact sent him crashing across the chamber.
“Kael!”
Aria ran toward him.
Elena stepped through the opening.
Her feet touched the ground.
The chamber went silent.
She looked at Aria.
“My daughter.”
Then she looked at Kael.
“Your King.”
Her expression became cold.
“The man who promised to save us.”
Kael slowly stood.
His sword trembled in his hand.
“Elena.”
She smiled.
“Did you miss me?”
Kael didn’t answer.
Elena lifted her hand.
The shadows around her began moving.
“Because I have spent eighteen years waiting for you.”
Aria stood between them.
“What happened to you?”
Elena’s gaze softened.
For one brief moment, Aria saw her mother again.
Then the darkness returned.
“I died.”
Aria’s eyes filled with tears.
“But something brought me back.”
“What?”
Elena looked toward the sealed gate.
“Your father.”
Aria froze.
“My father is alive?”
Elena smiled.
“Yes.”
The chamber erupted in chaos.
Kael’s face became completely pale.
“No.”
Elena looked at him.
“He has been waiting for his daughter.”
Aria’s heart pounded.
“Where is he?”
Elena pointed toward the gate.
“Beyond the Moon Realm.”
Aria stared.
“And he wants me.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Elena’s smile disappeared.
“Because he needs your blood to open the final gate.”
Aria felt the silver power awaken inside her.
Kael stepped forward.
“No.”
Elena laughed.
“You cannot stop it this time.”
Then the entire mountain shook.
A voice echoed from beyond the gate.
Deep.
Familiar.
And terrifying.
“Aria.”
She froze.
The voice continued.
“My daughter.”
Kael whispered one word.
“Lucian.”
And from beyond the Moon Gate…
Aria heard her father’s laughter.