The interrogation chamber was cold and dimly lit, a single iron table between Selene and Lord Vellis of Dawnridge. Heavy chains bound his wrists, but his gaze was unbroken—defiant, calculating, and disturbingly calm.
"You betrayed your Queen," Selene said, voice low but fierce. "You brought darkness into the heart of Ironclaw. Why?"
Vellis smiled, a bitter curl of lips. "Betrayal? No. I chose truth over lies."
"Truth?" Selene repeated, raising an eyebrow. "Explain."
He leaned forward, voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper.
"The Void isn't the enemy. It's a door. A gateway to the power our packs once wielded. The power our ancestors feared and hunted because it threatened their control. I sought to reclaim what was lost."
Selene's eyes narrowed. "And the cult? Your so-called 'Vessel'?"
"Damien was only the beginning," Vellis said, voice growing darker. "The true awakening comes when the Blood Moon rises again. When the Moon Queen's line is tested... and found wanting."
Selene's heart stuttered. "What do you mean?"
Vellis's grin twisted into a sneer. "You wear the Moonfire, but you do not carry the full bloodline. Your ancestors were not pure—tainted by mortal blood. When the prophecy speaks of the Chosen, it refers to a Queen of unbroken line. One who commands both fang and flame without falter."
Selene's breath caught. "You think I'm unworthy?"
"Not think. Know." Vellis spat. "Your reign is a shadow. The Vessel will rise with the true heir. And the world will burn under their command."
Selene leaned in, eyes blazing silver.
"Then I will burn that prophecy to ash before it can come true."
Outside, Jace paced the hallways, his mind racing.
He entered the chamber silently, kneeling beside Selene.
"What's the truth in that?" he asked softly.
Selene looked up, exhaustion lining her face. "Bloodlines are messy, Jace. History is written by the survivors. I've always known my power wasn't complete. But I believed will was stronger than blood."
He took her hand. "You're more than a line in some ancient prophecy. You're the Queen we follow."
She smiled faintly. "Then let's prove them wrong."
Meanwhile, Elira gathered intelligence on the cult's movements.
"They've retreated deeper into the Wilds," she reported. "Strengthening their forces, preparing for the Blood Moon's rise."
Kael frowned. "If Vellis is right, the next few weeks will decide everything."
Saria joined them. "Then we must prepare. Gather the Lunar Guard. Rally the packs. The Queen will need every blade and every spell."
That night, Selene stood atop the Moon Keep's highest tower, looking out over the realm.
The stars seemed distant, cold.
Yet within her chest, a fire burned steady—unyielding.
She whispered a vow to the moon.
I will not falter. I will not fail. I will be the light that shatters the darkness.
The future was uncertain.
The prophecy was broken.
But Selene's reign had only just begun.