Chapter 7 - The Truth About Isolda's Birth Destroyed Everything She Believed About Her Mother
The black mist was worse than anything Isolda had seen.
It moved like smoke.
Where it touched grass, the grass died.
Where it touched water, fish floated to the surface.
Children cried behind locked doors.
Wolves howled from empty houses.
Isolda stepped off her horse.
She could feel the land begging for help.
Cedric grabbed her wrist.
“Stay close.”
She nodded.
They entered the village.
A little girl sat beneath a broken cart.
Isolda knelt.
“Are you hurt?”
The girl shook her head.
“Where's your family?”
“Gone.”
Isolda swallowed.
She reached toward the child.
Silver light flowed from her hand.
The black mist disappeared around them.
The girl gasped.
“You're the Moon Queen.”
Isolda smiled.
“I think I'm just Isolda.”
The child hugged her.
Cedric watched.
He realized then that Isolda's greatest strength wasn't her blood.
It was that she cared.
They reached the tower at sunset.
Adrian waited.
Beside him stood Rowena.
Isolda froze.
“Rowena?”
Adrian smiled.
“You trusted her.”
Rowena looked ashamed.
“I had no choice.”
Cedric drew his sword.
“Step away from him.”
Rowena shook her head.
“I can't.”
Adrian laughed.
“She was always useful.”
Isolda stepped forward.
“What did you do to her?”
“Her father holds her brother.”
Rowena's voice trembled.
“They'll kill him.”
Isolda looked at her.
“Then you shouldn't have to choose.”
Adrian suddenly attacked.
Dark energy erupted.
Cedric blocked it.
The tower shook.
Isolda raised her hands.
Silver energy met black.
The collision exploded.
She fell.
Cedric caught her.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes.”
Adrian appeared behind them.
“Still pretending your mother loved you?”
Isolda froze.
“What?”
Adrian smiled.
“She wasn't your mother.”
Elara gasped.
Cedric looked at her.
“Elara?”
She looked away.
Isolda's heart broke.
“What is he talking about?”
Adrian laughed.
“Tell her.”
Elara's eyes filled with tears.
“Isolda…”
“Tell me.”
Elara whispered:
“Eleanor was your aunt.”
The world stopped.
“My aunt?”
“Yes.”
“Then who is my mother?”
Elara looked at Adrian.
“Queen Seraphina.”
Isolda shook her head.
“My mother was Eleanor.”
“Eleanor raised you.”
“But gave birth to you?”
Elara closed her eyes.
“No.”
Isolda stepped backward.
Every memory of her childhood fractured.
The woman who had held her.
Fed her.
Loved her.
Wasn't her biological mother.
But she had been her mother in every way that mattered.
Then Adrian said the cruelest thing.
“Your real mother died giving birth to you.”
Isolda whispered:
“No.”
Elara nodded.
“Seraphina died the night you were born.”
“Then why didn't you tell me?”
“Because Eleanor promised her.”
A memory returned.
Her aunt Eleanor standing over a newborn baby.
Fire outside.
Men shouting.
Her father dying.
A voice saying:
“Take her.”
Eleanor had taken the infant.
And run.
Isolda cried.
“Why did she let Tristan reject me?”
Elara's expression collapsed.
“She was dead by then.”
Isolda stared.
Her mother had died seven years earlier.
She had spent years believing Eleanor chose to hide the truth.
But the real reason was different.
Eleanor had been protecting her.
She had erased Isolda's identity completely.
Even from herself.
Then Adrian attacked again.
Cedric fought him.
Their blades collided.
Rowena ran to Isolda.
“Please.”
Isolda looked at her.
“What?”
“Your sister.”
Rowena pointed toward the lower tower.
“Elara is inside.”
Isolda turned.
Elara was gone.
Adrian had captured her.
“No!”
Isolda ran.
Cedric followed.
They reached the chamber.
Elara was chained beside an ancient stone.
Adrian stood before her.
“You have one choice.”
He held a dagger to Elara's throat.
“Give me the Moon Mark.”
“I can't.”
“Then she dies.”
Cedric raised his sword.
“I'll kill you first.”
Adrian laughed.
“You won't.”
He cut Elara.
A small drop of blood fell.
Isolda screamed.
Her power exploded.
Silver turned black.
Cedric felt the change.
“Isolda!”
Her eyes became violet-black.
Adrian smiled.
“Yes.”
The Dark Moon had awakened.
“Now kill me.”
Isolda lifted her hand.
The tower trembled.
The entire continent felt it.
Cedric ran toward her.
“Look at me.”
She barely heard him.
“Look at me.”
He grabbed her face.
“You are not their weapon.”
Her eyes flickered.
“You are not Adrian.”
The black energy weakened.
“You are not the prophecy.”
Her breathing slowed.
“You are Isolda.”
The darkness withdrew.
Isolda collapsed against him.
Adrian stared.
“No.”
Cedric looked at him.
“You lost.”
But Adrian smiled.
“No.”
He looked toward the sky.
“The Dark Moon woke.”
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Then lightning split the clouds.
And somewhere beneath the earth, something ancient opened its eyes.
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