The edge of Lumina was always half-dark, where the bright sun started to fade. Lyra liked it here. The rest of Lumina was too bright, too happy.
Tonight, the moon was a thin curve in the sky. Lyra sat by the Whispering Stream, the water shining with moonlight. She closed her eyes and felt the night air. Then, she did something secret.
A soft, silver light appeared at her fingers, like trapped moonlight. It was her magic, the Lunar Bloom. In Lumina, sun magic was good. Moon magic, like hers, was bad. It was tied to Umbra, the dark world below.
Lyra loved the moon. Its quiet mystery felt right to her. She practiced her magic alone, making shapes with moonlight.
But tonight, the moon felt different. Its light was strong, like it was calling her. As she used her magic, she felt a pull, not from herself.
A soft voice said, "Lyra…"
Her heart jumped. It was Caelum.
He was a prince from Umbra, a dark world. Their link was secret and dangerous.
She opened her eyes, looking into the shadows. "Caelum?" she whispered.
The voice came again, louder. "Lyra, be careful. They watch."
"Who?" she asked, scared.
Before he could answer, a cold feeling came over her. The air felt thick. Her silver light went out.
She stood up, her heart pounding. The shadows seemed to move.
A figure came out of the trees. Even in the dark, she saw his cold eyes.
"Lyra," he said, his voice cold. "What secrets do you hide?"
He was a Luminary guard, a magic hunter. He had seen her Lunar Bloom.
Panic clawed at Lyra's throat. She had been so careful, so secretive. Now, everything was exposed. Her forbidden magic, her connection to Caelum—it all hung by a thread.
The guard stepped closer, his shadow falling over her like a cage. "Don't try to run," he said, his voice a low growl. "Moon magic is forbidden. You know the consequences."
Lyra's mind raced. Consequences. Imprisonment. Or worse... exile to the Shadow Realm itself. A shiver ran down her spine. Umbra. A place of whispers and shadows, where even the bravest Luminary feared to tread.
"I... I wasn't doing anything," she stammered, her voice barely a whisper.
The guard smirked. "The moonlight tells a different story." He reached out, his hand closing around her wrist like a vise. "Come with me, Lyra."
But as he pulled her forward, a new voice cut through the tension. A voice that sent a thrill of fear and something else... something dangerous... down her spine.
"Leave her be."
The guard froze, his grip tightening on Lyra's wrist. He turned slowly, his eyes searching the shadows.
Lyra followed his gaze, her heart pounding in her chest. There, emerging from the darkness beneath the trees, was Caelum. His eyes, usually filled with warmth, now burned with an icy fire. Shadows clung to him like a second skin, and a faint, purplish glow emanated from his hands.
"This is not your concern, Shadow Prince," the guard snarled, but there was a tremor of fear in his voice.
Caelum took a step forward, and the temperature seemed to drop. "She is under my protection," he said, his voice low and menacing. "Touch her again, and you will face the wrath of Umbra."
The air crackled with tension. Lyra, caught between the guard's iron grip and Caelum's chilling presence, felt a wave of dizziness wash over her. The world seemed to tilt, the moonlight blurring into streaks of silver and black.
This was no longer just about her forbidden magic. This was about something far bigger, far more dangerous. She was caught in a clash of realms, a battle between light and shadow. And she had a terrifying feeling that this was only the beginning.