Chapter 22
Chapter
Twenty-Two
Senara
For some reason I’d thought the light coming in the window had been sunlight, but it wasn’t. It was moonlight. Unless we’d just been so busy that it had changed from sunlight to moonlight while we were strengthening our bond. A small smile spread over my face at the thought and I almost lowered my head to hide it from Thorne, but I felt the same smile echo back through our bond, so I didn’t bother.
We hadn’t made it more than a few steps into the woods that lay beyond the patio when I knew what Thorn wanted to show me. The stars, and the bright, full moon.
It was as though the moon goddess was there in the grove with us. “It always felt special when I could see the moon in the daytime, like I was getting a glimpse at something I shouldn’t,” I murmured. “Seeing it at night though? That was always my true joy. Watching it shine exactly the way it was supposed to, surrounded by stars? It was comforting to me, and the fact that I knew Wyn could look out at the same sky and see the same moon and stars, helped when I felt completely alone.”
Thorn looked at me out of the corner of his eye and I knew that my words probably didn’t surprise him given the fact that I was marked by the moon goddess herself.
Suddenly, the air around us began to shimmer with an otherworldly glow. Tiny motes of silvery light danced between the trees, swirling in mesmerizing patterns. I gasped as I realized they were miniature moons, each no larger than a firefly, but radiating with celestial energy.
Thorn gently took my hand, his touch sending a spark of magic coursing through my veins. "Watch," he whispered, his breath warm against my ear as he moved to stand behind me, his body pressed against mine and his hands looped around my waist.
It felt so natural, so right. How had we ever thought about trying to change this?
As if Thorn’s words had been the trigger, the forest floor began to ripple like water. Ghostly blue flowers erupted from the earth, their petals unfurling to reveal centers that glowed like starlight. The trees around us seemed to come alive, their bark shifting and swirling with luminescent patterns that pulsed in time with my heartbeat.
I felt a tugging sensation deep within my chest, and looked down to see the abnormal skin on my shoulder glowing softly, the only place that didn’t was the mark that Thorn had just left. Whatever magic was within me was truly free now. It flowed through me like a cold drink on a hot day, soothing everything, making me feel more like myself than I had in a long time.
As the magic surged through me, I felt a profound connection to the enchanted forest around us. The tiny moons danced closer, their light caressing my skin like a gentle breeze. I reached out, and to my amazement, one of the celestial orbs alighted on my fingertip, its glow seeming to sink into my skin, adding to the magic that was already within me.
Thorn's arms tightened around me, and I could feel his own magic intertwining with mine. "This is the true nature of your gift," he murmured, his voice filled with awe and reverence. "You're not just marked by the moon goddess. You're a conduit for her power in this world."
As if in response to his words, the glowing flowers at our feet began to sway, their petals reaching towards us like supplicants before a queen. The forest seemed to bow, branches bending inward to create a natural cathedral around us.
As he spoke, I felt a surge of energy within me, as if the very essence of moonlight was flowing through my veins. The mark on my shoulder pulsed with a warm, comforting heat. I realized then that this was more than just a blessing–it was a responsibility, a destiny I was only starting to understand.
I turned in Thorn's arms, my eyes meeting his. In the ethereal light, I could see flecks of silver in his irises, mirroring the celestial dance around us, whether it was just the reflection of the magic around us or his eyes had actually changed due to our deepened connection I wasn’t sure yet, and only time would tell.
"I never understood," I whispered, my voice thick with emotion. "All this time, I thought the mark was a burden, but it's... it's beautiful."
Thorn cupped my face in his hands, his touch infinitely tender. "You're beautiful," he said softly. "And now you can see what I've always seen in you."
As our lips met, the forest erupted in a symphony of light and magic. The tiny moons swirled around us in a dizzying waltz, and I felt as though we were floating among the stars themselves. In that moment, I knew that whatever challenges lay ahead, whatever darkness we might face, we would face it together–bound by love, magic, and the eternal light of the celestials. When we broke apart the moon above seemed to wink at us, as if sharing a secret. Thorn leaned in to kiss me, again as though he couldn’t resist. I was truly starting to understand what the goddess had meant when she said I’d find my sun.
This time when he pulled back he said, “We should probably go and find High Lord Echo before he gets too impatient. He did command me to bring you to him as soon as you woke up, so you better look sleepy when we get there,” Thorn teased. “Oh I should probably warn you, the elves have a thing, each leader, no matter their age, gets imbued with the memories of the previous leaders. High Lord Echo might look young, and he probably is physically, but there’s an ancient wisdom within him not that he’s the High Lord as well. It can be a little…disconcerting.”
I wasn’t sure what to make of Thorn’s words so I just nodded as we made our way back to the room. We dressed in clothes that had apparently been bestowed on us by the High Lord, and proceeded to the throne room. My dress was flowy and made me feel fancy, the gray and purple suiting my hair and complexion perfectly. Thorn wore more traditional elven garb apparently, a long green tunic with a mixture of leaves embroidered all over it in intricate patterns, which barely fit his broad shoulders.
As we approached the ornate doors of the throne room, my heart raced with anticipation. I tried to school my features into a sleepy expression, as Thorn had suggested, but it was difficult to contain the exhilaration coursing through my veins. The guards stationed at the entrance bowed deeply as we passed, their eyes widening slightly at the sight of us, or maybe it was just me. Thorn almost looked like he could fit in at the elven court, but I stuck out like a sore thumb.
The throne room was a marvel of elven architecture, its vaulted ceilings adorned with intricate murals depicting ancient battles and celestial events. At the back of the room was the same throne I remembered, but the person occupying it couldn’t have been more different even if they were related.
The High Lord’s piercing gaze fell upon us as we approached, and I felt a shiver run down my spine. There was power in those eyes, ancient and unfathomable, which didn’t match the young man it looked out of. As we drew closer, I noticed a slight furrow in his brow, as if he sensed something different about us.
"Welcome, Senara. I trust you've rested well?" The High Lord asked, looking more like a kid than I’d expected.
I bowed my head respectfully, trying to maintain the illusion of having just woken. "Yes, my lord. Thank you for your hospitality."
His eyes narrowed slightly, flicking between Thorn and me. "Curious," he murmured, almost to himself. Then, louder, "I sense a change in you both. The goddess has blessed you, hasn't she?"
I hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal. Thorn's hand found mine, squeezing gently in reassurance.
"My lord," Thorn began, his voice steady, "we have indeed been touched by the goddess's grace this night as Senara took in some fresh air upon awakening. But we are here now, as you requested, ready to discuss the challenges that lie ahead."
The High Lord leaned forward, his interest piqued. "Indeed. And what a fortuitous turn of events this is. For you see, the darkness that threatens our realm grows stronger by the day. We will need every ounce of divine favor to overcome what's coming."
Unease stirred inside me. What exactly was he talking about? His father had barely believed the blight had existed and now there was a darkness threatening the elven lands as well?
The High Lord rose from his throne, his movements fluid and graceful which wasn’t surprising given his youthful appearance but his gaze looked so world weary. He descended the dais, coming to stand before us. Up close, the contradiction between his ancient eyes and young face was even more striking. The odd juxtaposition made me realize that some kind of magic had to be at play. When Thorn had mentioned the memories, I’d thought he’d just read diaries or something, but that was clearly underestimating the elves and their magics.
"Walk with me," he said, gesturing toward a side door. "There is much to discuss, and these walls have too many ears."
Thorn and I exchanged a glance before following the High Lord through yet another ornate door and into a lush garden. The scent of night-blooming flowers filled the air, and the soft glow of bioluminescent plants lit our path.
"The goddess's blessing is rare indeed," the High Lord mused as we walked. "It may be the key to saving us all."
"Saving us from what, my lord?" I asked, unable to contain my curiosity any longer.
He stopped beside a shimmering pool, its surface reflecting the starry sky above. An old scholar sat at a table not too far away, books stacked high on one side, tree branches forming a canopy over his head.
“That’s Rys, one of our oldest, and finest scholars. He has been studying the signs of the blight since I took control of the elven territories. What he has found is worrying to say the least. An ancient evil stirs in the Shadowlands," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "One that threatens not just our realm, but all realms."
As if in response to his words, a chill wind swept through the garden, causing the flowers to tremble. I felt Thorn tense beside me, his hand tightening around mine.
The High Lord's eyes met mine, and I saw a flicker of something—fear, perhaps?—before it was quickly masked. "The rumors that have been floating around are but a sliver of what is likely the truth," he said. "According to the signs and the tales of old, everything points to the awakening of a new Void Dragon Empress, and she hungers for the light of all living things."
The name sent a true shudder through me, though I'd never heard it before. It felt like a curse, a blight upon the very air.
"A Void Dragon Empress?" I whispered, the words feeling heavy on my tongue.
"I thought they were just legends, stories to frighten children," Thorn muttered.
The High Lord shook his head solemnly. "If only that were true. The last Empress nearly destroyed our world a thousand years ago. It took the combined might of all the realms to seal her away."
Thorn's grip on my hand tightened further if I’d still been my old size he probably would have crushed the bones by now. "And now she's awakening?"
"Not quite," the scholar, Rys, spoke up, his weathered voice carrying across the garden with surprising clarity. He stood from his table, joints creaking as he shuffled his way over to us. "The old Empress remains sealed, but a new one is rising to take her place. The cycle is trying to begin anew."
Cycle? What cycle? I felt my heart racing, the gravity of the situation settling over me like a shroud. "But...what does this have to do with me? With the goddess's blessing? We just wanted help for the fae, to get rid of the blight before it destroyed the fae people and their–our–lands."
The High Lord's gaze softened as he looked at me, a mixture of pity and resolve in his eyes. "My dear, I'm afraid the blight in the fae kingdom and the rise of the Void Dragon Empress are intrinsically linked. The darkness spreading through your realm is but a symptom of a far greater malady."
The garden suddenly felt too small, too confining, as if the weight of this revelation was pressing in from all sides.
"The goddess's blessing," Rys continued, his rheumy eyes fixing on me, "is not just a gift, but a responsibility. It marks you as a key player in the coming conflict. As does the sun god’s blessing." He glanced at Thorn at the last part which made my mind fill with questions.
"But I'm just...I'm nobody," I protested. "I’m an orphan who became a warrior because it was that or starve. How could I possibly stand against something so powerful?"
The High Lord stepped forward, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder in a gesture that didn’t match his age. "Power comes in many forms, Senara. The light within you, bestowed by the goddess herself, is a formidable weapon against the encroaching darkness. But more than that, it is a beacon of hope. And just as the light is in Senara, so is it in you, Thorn. You have felt its call, have you not?”
Thorn's voice was tight with concern as he sidestepped the question and asked, "What exactly are you asking of her? Of us?"
The High Lord's expression grew grim. "We are asking you to embark on a perilous journey. To seek out the ancient artifacts that once sealed away the previous Void Dragon Empress. To rally any allies we can find and prepare them for the coming storm. And ultimately, if we have to, to face the Void Dragon Empress herself."
I felt the world spinning around me, the enormity of the task threatening to overwhelm me. It sounded ridiculous. Surely this was some elaborate joke from a new High Lord trying to sound more important than he was or something?
But beneath the fear, I felt something else stirring–a sense of purpose, of destiny. The goddess's blessing thrummed within me, a quiet reassurance.
The High Lord's gaze caught my own. "The blessing isn’t just any power. It's a weapon against the darkness that threatens us all."
Rys’ eyes gleamed with an ancient knowledge as he spoke up, "It is a fragment of pure light, capable of piercing even the deepest shadows. It's why the Void Dragon Empress fears it so."
"And why she'll come for you," the High Lord added grimly. "The blight in the fae kingdom? It's no coincidence. It's the first tendril of her influence, reaching out to snuff out the light before it can grow strong enough to challenge her."
I shook my head, overwhelmed. "So everything that was happening, the blight and the corrupted fae, it’s all to wipe out the fragments of light?"
“Somewhat, yes,” Rys replied with a hum. "The power lies within you, child. Within both of you really. It is up to you to unlock it, nurture and strengthen it, to understand it. It is why you must go to Moonweaver's Grove. It's a sacred place, hidden deep in the Whispering Woods that was once where the moon goddess and sun god lived when in our world. If anywhere has answers about the moon goddess and her connection to you, it'll be there.”
As if in response to his words, that same quiet reassuring thrum from earlier grew into a warm glow emanating from my chest, spreading through my body. I knew exactly what it was without having to ask Rys or High Lord Echo.
The goddess's blessing had awakened to the threat.
Senara and Thorn’s adventure will continue in book four, Favored by the Stars!