When the king and prince reached their thrones on the elevated platform, King Hendrix grabbed a goblet of wine and raised it high in the air. “Our kingdom has suffered a great loss with Nina’s death—may she rise to the skies above—and with her loss, I know many of you have been concerned about the protective barrier failing and the arrival of enemy unicorns. It gives me great pleasure to announce we have taken one prisoner and his sins will be punished. With this, we have demonstrated the strength of our kingdom and its people, teaching a lesson our enemies will not soon forget. Let us celebrate this victory with wine and dance!”
The crowd cheered as the music resumed, and Luna was swept into the throng. Slowly, she began to relax. She thought the king would announce her as a party trick, forcing her to transform. But when he hadn’t, she’d been surprised.
Servants moved throughout the ball, dodging dancing couples as they served drinks; one of them walked over to Luna and gave her a goblet as well. But, to Luna’s surprise and deep disappointment, the goblet had been prepared just for her and only contained water. She cursed and turned to where the prince still sat, glaring at him, but he paid her no mind. Why would he joke with her on a night like this? Regardless of whether he was responsible for it or not, she would now have no way of taking the edge off.
The prince stood and disappeared into the crowd—probably off to find Emily—and before Luna could also disappear, a servant approached her, explaining the king had summoned her.
Her heart thundered in her chest. The king had told her she would be expected to transform at tonight’s ball, but would he make her do so this early in the evening? Inhaling as deep of a breath as her garments would allow, she tried to still her frantic nerves as she made her way over to the king.
Standing in front of him now, she felt like a fly caught in a spider’s web. He looked down at her; his eyes were cold, his heart unmoving towards the situation he had put her in. “I have been a generous and, may I say, a patient king. Do you not agree?”
Though the statement was poised as a question, Luna knew he wasn’t really asking. “Yes, Your Majesty, you have.”
“And yet, you disappoint me.” He shook his head.
Luna had to suppress a laugh—if only he knew just how much she would truly disappoint him. But, she kept her expression neutral. She had far more chances to escape as a pampered captive than if she were locked in the dungeons.
“Consider this your last chance to earn my favour,” he continued. “Otherwise, before the night is over, I will have to take extreme measures to prove your usefulness. May you find the motivation you need sooner rather than later, Luna.”
“I have plenty of motivation already, Your Majesty.”
“Good, then I shall make the announcement.” He reached for his goblet of wine.
“Announcement?! What happened to keeping myidentity a secret?”
“In my infinite wisdom, I deemed it unwise to grant anonymity. Secrets, as you should well know, breed nothing but distrust. The people of my kingdom deserve to know who stands between them and danger. Surely, evenyoucan understand that.”
She bowed her head. “Of course.” Though his logic made sense, it pissed her off.
King Hendrix rose from his throne and raised his glass; the crowd immediately went silent, their attention focused solely on him. He then gestured to Luna, and all eyes fell on her. Bile rose to her throat, but she swallowed it down.
“Tonight, we have another reason for celebration. May I present to you a new member of my court. She was once thought of as sick, though in reality, her symptoms were caused by her dormant magic.” The crowd gasped; the words the king hadn’t said were apparent on everyone’s faces. Murmurs grew in the crowd . . . a tide of disbelief and fear. Their whispers darted in the air like a thousand stinging insects, each one carrying its own unique venom.
“Foul beast,” someone hissed.
“She’s been here all along, hiding in plain sight,” another voice answered. “What else has she been hiding?”
Luna’s hands curled into fists at her sides, nails digging into her palms to keep herself grounded. She knew she was different, but to be put on display like this, exposed before the entire court . . . it was more than she had been prepared for. The bile she’d swallowed earlier threatened to rise again, but she pushed it down once more, forcing her expression to remain neutral.
The king continued, silencing the people once again, “Yes, it is true. She is a unicorn and has pledged her loyalty to the Kingdom of Grythorn. In recognition of her dedication to safeguarding us, and the sacrifices she will make during the protection ceremony, I have decided to bestow upon her a new title. Therefore, let it be decreed that, from this day forth, she shall be known asLuna, Lady of Moorlight.”
A hesitant cheer erupted from the crowd; it was hollow, a forced show of enthusiasm that didn’t quite mask their unease. They didn’t trust her, and why should they? No manipulation on the king’s part was going to make her protect them.
The king lowered his goblet, his eyes locking onto hers with a look that sent a shiver down her spine. His voice, though quiet, was laced with the weight of a threat. “Do not fail me, Lady of Moorlight. The fate of Grythorn rests on your shoulders now.”
Luna managed a stiff nod, her voice lodged in her throat.
The king gave a curt nod in return before turning away, dismissing her with a flick of his wrist as if she were a fly to be swatted away.
The crowd began to disperse, their murmurs rising again as they cast lingering glances her way. She scanned the room, searching for her sister; she prayed to the high skies above that Emily had a plan to escape sooner rather than later.
Her new title settled over her like a cloud of smoke would as it suffocates its flame. The crowd parted for her as she moved through the dance floor with Clyde and William trailing behind.
Luna had yet to find her sister when two ladies stepped out in front of her, blocking her path. One wore a beautiful deep blue gown that matched her eyes, and the other wore a bright red dress with her black hair done up in a high bun.
The lady in blue curtsied slightly, her movement less than graceful. “Lady of Moorlight,” she said, her voice shrill. “You made such a grand entrance we just had to introduce ourselves. I am Diera, and this is Quinn.”
Luna nodded politely, resisting the urge to cover her ears against the woman’s grating voice. She had seen these two ladies dance with William at the protection ceremony.
