Chapter 118: Court Gala
The court gala began beneath the light of a crimson moon.
My reflection stared back at me in the mirror, draped in silver and deep indigo. The gown was regal but deceptively armored. The fabric shimmered with tiny woven runes, old protections layered into every thread—not divine, but Kieran’s idea of a precaution. My hair was swept up, adorned with crystal pins that once belonged to the last Luna Queen before me. Everything about my appearance was crafted to say one thing: I am still your ruler. Even without my powers, I am not afraid.
But the truth pulsed beneath my ribs like a second heartbeat. I was terrified.
Kieran stood just outside the chamber as I stepped out. His gaze swept over me, the tension in his jaw telling me he was thinking like a soldier, not a man.
"You look—" he began.
"Like I’m about to step into a pit of wolves?" I offered, forcing a faint smile.
His lips twitched. "I was going to say radiant. But yes. That too."
We didn’t speak as we made our way to the grand hall. Words felt dangerous now—every one potentially overheard, misinterpreted, twisted into weakness.
The palace had been rebuilt faster than I imagined possible. Gold and obsidian banners draped the towering archways. Chandeliers made of carved bones and glowing crystals hung low, casting shifting light across the polished marble floor. Servants flitted between the nobles like shadows, bearing silver trays and wine goblets filled to the brim.
The gala had begun.
As we entered, heads turned. Conversations dropped. Nobles and high-ranking wolves stepped aside as I walked through the hall, flanked by Kieran.
It was quiet respect on the surface.