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."
