A Promise Within the Mist

I never imagined my steps would feel this heavy as I descended the stairs toward the audience hall. The mist outside the window thickened, curling among the stone arches like curious spirits waiting for answers.

After everything that happened in the Inheritance Chamber, my head still pounded. The glimpse of my mother's shadow, the voice in the mirror, the breath of that black wolf… they all tangled into a single knot tightening inside my chest.

I was no longer anybody. Or at least, not the same nobody I had once been.

Now, every guard I passed lowered their head, casting me a strange respect I didn't fully understand. They could smell something in my blood-something I wasn't even sure I was ready to accept.

**

In the throne room, tension pressed down like an invisible second wall. Lucan stood staring at a huge map on the stone table, surrounded by his advisors and a few clan elders.

I took a deep breath, standing at the doorway. Lucan turned quickly, his eyes catching mine with unsettling precision. There was something in that look-not just a king toward his subject, but… a deep unease.

"Elara," he called me, his voice softer than usual.

I stepped forward slowly. Each footstep echoed, reminding me there was no place left to hide.

Lucan dismissed the advisors with a subtle nod. They obeyed without question, leaving the hall until only the two of us remained.

When the door shut, silence wrapped around us like a cold shroud.

"You look different," he said, studying me head to toe.

"I have changed," I answered quietly. "And you know why."

Lucan took a deep breath, then approached me, stopping just a step away. His gaze was sharp, but not angry-more like… afraid to lose control.

"I can't control everything anymore," he whispered.

I steadied my breathing. "Maybe you were never meant to control everything."

His eyes narrowed, but he didn't argue.

I turned to the window, where the mist outside grew even thicker, swallowing the Lycanthra forest in a pale veil.

"Lucan," I said at last, "I want to know the whole truth. Not pieces. Not what you choose to share."

He watched me for a long moment, then finally lowered his head.

"I promise," he whispered. "You will know everything."

A strange ache tore at my chest. Hearing that promise frightened me because I sensed the truth might hurt even more than the lies.

Suddenly, a sharp knock broke the tension.

Aleron appeared at the door, his expression dark. "My King, the Silverhide elders demand answers. They sense the Luna's blood has awakened."

Lucan tensed, glancing at me before returning his focus to Aleron. "Tell them to wait. I will summon them when I am finished here."

Aleron nodded shortly and withdrew.

I stared at Lucan, torn between anger and resignation. "They're all just waiting for me to fail, aren't they?"

Lucan stepped closer, eyes unwavering. "They fear you."

"Fear me?" I asked, my voice trembling. "Or fear what I could become?"

He had no answer.

Outside, the mist coiled tighter, as if it too listened to our conversation.

"If you want me to stay here," I said firmly, "then stop treating me like a threat you must constantly guard."

Lucan looked down, his jaw clenching. "I will try."

My chest loosened, just a little, even though tension still sat heavy in the room.

A sudden howl broke through the silence, echoing from the balcony.

It wasn't an ordinary wolf's howl-something deeper, more resonant, powerful enough to shake the blood in my veins.

I moved to the balcony, stepping into the cold air. There, beyond the mist, something massive moved at the edge of the forest. A silver-white wolf, its fur glowing faintly, its eyes soft and sad-unlike any wolf I had ever seen.

Lucan appeared beside me, voice rough. "That…"

"Who is it?" I gasped, breath uneven.

"The Moon Guardian," Lucan replied softly. "It only appears when the rightful Luna blood has returned."

I swallowed hard. The creature stood so still, gazing at me as if it understood everything. There was something mournful in its eyes, or maybe it was just my fear reflecting.

We stood there for a long time, watching the great creature. My heart thundered, but somewhere deep inside, a voice whispered:

You are not alone.

And maybe… that was all I needed to hear.

I walked back into the room, each step a little lighter, though countless questions still circled me. Lucan followed, silent but with a look I couldn't quite decipher.

"Tomorrow," he said suddenly, "we leave for the north. There is something there you must see."

"The north?" I echoed.

Lucan's gaze was unflinching. "Where it all began."

A shiver ran through me-not just from the chill, but from the sense that whatever waited for me in the north… would change everything.

That night, alone in my chamber, my mother's book trembled atop my table. The pages turned on their own, settling on a single glowing line:

"Do not fear your own shadow. For within it, your power is born."

I traced those words with my fingertip, tears stinging my eyes.

Maybe, for the first time, I was worthy of being called Luna.

And maybe, just maybe… I didn't have to face this alone.

**

I lay awake all night without truly sleeping. My thoughts spun, tangled with my mother's words, Lucan's gaze, and the voices of the elders echoing down the castle halls.

Every whisper felt like an accusation, every soft knock on the door seemed to demand answers I still wasn't ready to give.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm my heartbeat. But how could I quiet my heart when my future felt like a doorless labyrinth?

As dawn neared, I finally rose and began packing. I tucked Lucan's map between folded cloaks, along with my mother's book and the dagger she left me.

Pausing to look out the window, I saw the mist still thick, swallowing the world outside like a dream-turned-nightmare.

In my mind, I saw my mother's face again-strong, brave, wounded. Could I walk her path?

The soft sound of footsteps broke my thoughts.

Yana appeared at my doorway, her face etched with worry.

"Are you ready?" she asked gently.

I nodded, even though my chest trembled.

"If you're afraid… it's okay," she added. "No one will call you weak."

I gave a small smile. "I'm not afraid of leaving, Yana. I'm afraid… of not coming back."

Yana squeezed my hand, tears shining in her eyes. "Wherever you go, come home. There will always be a place for you here."

I hugged her tightly, taking in her warmth, before pulling away with a heavy heart.

My steps to the main courtyard felt strange-equal parts strong and fragile.

Lucan was already waiting, standing beside his sleek black horse. His expression was unreadable, almost cautious, like measuring how far I was willing to go.

"We ride now," he said shortly.

I mounted my horse, adjusting the saddle and checking that the dagger was safely hidden.

"Are you sure you're prepared?" he asked.

"No," I answered honestly. "But if I wait until I'm ready, I might never go."

Lucan sighed, swallowing down his worry.

"Then let's go."

The castle gate creaked open, revealing the long road north. Mist wove through the trees, cloaking boulders and shadows far ahead.

A lone raven cried in the pale sky, its harsh call breaking the morning's silence.

In my chest, fear still pulsed-but hope pulsed with it, a fragile thread I refused to let go of.

As my horse stepped forward, I glanced one last time at the castle towers that had been both my prison and my sanctuary.

For a brief second, I thought I saw a glimmer of light in the highest window—like someone watching, or maybe… blessing my path.

I didn't know who it was, but I chose to believe it was my mother.

Lucan urged his horse through the mist, and I followed, trying to keep my breathing steady.

Every sound in the forest felt strange, every shape unsettling, but I held onto my mother's words:

"Do not fear your own shadow."

And as the muddy road pulled us north, I realized-

Maybe I could conquer my fear after all.