Chapter 67

Raven

By the time I returned, the battle was over. But that didn’t mean that the chaos had subsided.

As I cautiously wound my way through the village, careful not to be seen, I could hardly even see because the air was so thick with smoke and blood. I could smell the wreckage before I even saw the castle walls, the acrid tang of burnt wood and the faint scent of copper in the air.

It felt wrong to be here—like I was stepping into something that I wasn’t entirely prepared for.

But I had no choice. I needed to find Neil. I needed to be with him. And if I truly was the Luna from the prophecy, then I needed to be by his side before something horrible happened.

I carefully pulled the hood of Neil’s cloak low over my face, casting shadows that I prayed were enough to conceal my identity. The streets were quieter than I expected, but figures still lingered near broken buildings, sweeping rubble from their doorsteps or dragging bodies from the wreckage.

Thankfully, hardly anyone looked my way. They were too busy dealing with their own devastation to pay attention to a single figure hurrying through the wreckage.

Still, just to be safe, I kept my head down and moved quickly.

Eventually, the castle gates came into view, blackened and scorched but thankfully still standing. I slipped between two guards, barely a breath away from their spears as I hugged the edge of the wall. I didn’t look up, didn’t make eye contact. If anyone recognized me, I wouldn’t make it two steps before they dragged me off to the dungeons—or worse.

Inside the castle, the damage was worse than I expected. Chunks of the ceiling had caved in, leaving jagged beams exposed like broken bones. The grand columns that once stood tall and proud now wore cracks like old scars.

This place… it felt hollow. Empty. Strangely quiet, save for the occasional echo of an agonized moan or a guttural sob.

I slipped down a corridor, pausing just long enough to scan the empty hall. I knew where I needed to go. The throne room was deeper inside. If I was going to find Neil at this point, it would likely be there. But I had to be careful not to just walk in, because I’d likely be met with an arrow to the throat. No, I had to try and catch Neil’s or one of the guard’s attention without anyone else seeing me.

I crept further into the castle, keeping to the edges of the corridor. Every breath I took felt too loud, like every little sound echoed through the empty halls.

I didn’t hear him coming until his hand was already around my arm.

Before I could react, I was yanked backward into the shadows of a crumbling archway, my back slamming into the stone. A hand clamped over my mouth, and I thrashed instinctively, the blade strapped to my thigh half-drawn when I finally looked up and met Castor’s sharp eyes.

“It’s me,” he hissed, pulling his hand away as I let out a shaky breath. “What the hell are you doing here, Raven? Are you trying to get yourself killed?”

I swallowed, yanking my hood lower as I glanced down the hall. “I need to find Neil.”

Castor’s eyes darkened, his grip tightening around my arm. “No. Absolutely not. Do you have any idea what’s happening right now? The King was killed by a Werewolf. Caleb has been taken into custody as a potential traitor of the crown. Neil is about to fight Edrick in a succession duel. Half of the kingdom thinks you’re a spy.”

The words hit me like a punch to the gut. I shouldn’t have been surprised, but it didn’t make the sting any less sharp.

“I don’t care,” I said, my mind already made up. “I’m not leaving him to fight alone.”

Castor exhaled, dragging his free hand through his hair. “Raven… I know you think you can help, but if they see you here, it’ll only make things worse. Edrick’s been feeding the court lies for weeks. They’ll kill you on sight.”

Shaking my head, I reached into my cloak and pulled out the pendant that still hung around my neck. The faint light caught the smooth curve of the crescent moon etched into its surface, and I held it up so Castor could see it.

“I have to be here,” I said, letting the pendant fall against my chest. “I’m the Luna from the prophecy. If Neil is about to fight, I need to be there for him.”

Castor’s eyes flickered between the pendant and my face, disbelief written plainly across his features. “You… you’re serious?”

I nodded. “I’m not leaving. Not until I know Neil is safe.”

For a long moment, Castor didn’t say anything. His gaze hardened, lips pressing into a thin line, but eventually, he stepped back and released my arm.

“Fine. But stay out of sight. If you die, Neil will probably throw himself onto Edrick’s sword out of sheer grief.”

I almost smiled in a bitter way. “I’ll be careful.”

Castor didn’t seem convinced, but he led me through the darkened halls without another word, guiding me up the winding staircase toward the rafters overlooking the throne room. As we climbed, the faint murmur of voices drifted up from below.

When we reached the balcony, I crouched low, my hands gripping the edge as I peered down at the scene unfolding beneath us.

Neil stood in the center of the room, his back to me, shoulders tense as Ember adjusted the straps of his armor. The Queen lingered near the throne, her face pale, eyes red-rimmed as she wiped at her tears with trembling hands. The King’s body was gone now, carried away, but his crown sat waiting on the throne for the new King.

And there, standing just a few feet away, was Serena.

The real Serena.

She looked thin, weaker than I expected, but she was alive. Her golden hair fell in soft waves around her shoulders, and she wore a simple silver gown with a silver chainmail sheath, her hands folded neatly in front of her as she watched Neil.

Even though there was a look about her as if she had just gone through hell, blood caked along one temple and tangles in her hair, her dress was pristine—as if she’d just changed into it, solely for the battle—and her back was straight.

Poised. Perfect. Brave.

All of the things I wasn’t.

I should have felt something—anger, jealousy, maybe even relief. But all I could feel was the ache in my chest, the longing that curled through me as I watched Neil standing there, so close but still out of reach.

I pressed a hand to the pendant at my neck, gripping it tightly as I forced myself to breathe. All I could do now was hope that he would win. Hope, beyond all hope, that he would take the throne and live.

And even if he had to marry Serena in the end, I could rest happy knowing that my presence had maybe, just maybe, kept him alive. I could live with that, I thought to myself. I could let him go, for his sake and for the Lycan kingdom’s sake, if it was what we all truly needed.

I hoped that wasn’t the case. I hoped we could be together. But for now, all I cared about was seeing him live.

Finally, Ember finished adjusting Neil’s armor. She rapped her knuckles against his chestplate and murmured something in his ear, causing him to nod. And then Neil turned slightly, his raven hair catching the flickering light of the torches lining the walls, and my breath hitched in my throat.