His Shadow Luna

Chapter 4: Game-changer-2

“Tell me, Elene, what are you ready to do to save your Kingdom’s reputation?” The King asked, and everything inside her recoiled.

What was he really asking? Questions like that were never simple in her world. She was beginning to regret being so impulsive and leaving her guard, Claire, behind. Kai was warning her not to stay alone with anyone she did not fully trust, but she had to have this conversation. What if there really was something that could help them avoid the war and save their people? They’d had enough battles for a lifetime and as their princess, she wanted to give them that.

In the meantime, the King looked at her expectantly, the corners of his lips dancing as if he knew more about her than she could imagine. It was time to answer his question.

“I am Elene Fionnlagh, the Princess of the Northern Lycan Kingdom, the only sister of King Kai Fionnlagh. I am ready to do what it takes, but—”

“Very well,” Devoss interrupted her. “That means I made the right choice.”

“A choice?” Elene swallowed uncomfortably, hearing the same word again and still unsure what he was talking about. What did he choose her for?

“You see, I came to acquire something very special,” he teased her. “Something that will prove the North’s innocence.”

“Excuse me?” she gasped. He had proof all this time and hadn’t said a word? “What is it?”

Maybe Devoss found the traces of the bombs used in the Southern capital or got his hands on footage incriminating someone else? Maybe he caught the ones who activated the detonators, and this nightmare would soon be over?

“Something that requires a reliable person to deliver it to the Alpha Convocation in the South.” Devoss informed her bluntly, opening double doors with a fingerprint. The East was surprising her more and more.

“Deliver?” Elene furrowed her brows. “You want me to deliver the proof?”

“It’s for the sake of your country, is it not?” The King shrugged, and she found no arguments against it. “They need to see it with their eyes. Right there in their own territory. It’s a total and complete game-changer. Trust me.”

It wasn’t perfect, and Kai wouldn’t be happy if she left straight for the South now, but as long as she could put an end to the burgeoning war, she had to try. After all, her brother already had an heir. Now Elene was officially disposable and she could afford to take the risk.

“I will need all the information first, of course.” She decided to play hard to get because it still wasn’t clear what the East was getting out of all of it.

They walked through a dark corridor to another set of doors, and Devoss waved his hand, using magic this time. Elene’s eyes darted to him.

“Are you also a Changed One?” She asked, noticing how he tried to suppress a smile.

“We can use that term, I guess,” he chuckled after a short pause. “Anyway, I hope you got a great gift in the Battle of the Avalanche. Fenrir knows you will need it.”

Elene froze.

Here it was again.

Around a year ago, her Kingdom faced a devastating attack by enemies, starting a war. Luckily, the Wolf God Fenrir intervened and blessed the Northern warriors together with their allies. He made them stronger and helped them win, but the miracles did not end there. Months later, the survivors of the final battle began to notice changes in themselves. Sometimes, they were subtle at first, yet soon, everyone she knew found themselves with the consequences of divine favour. The Northerners and Westerners on their side began to discover divine gifts. Gradually, it became clear that almost everyone who fought that day now possessed a special power. Some could wield elements, some could heal others, some could create illusions, while others could turn invisible. The list went on. All her friends had a gift now, their reward for bravery and loyalty on that day they were supposed to die. Even her maid could read minds now, and she was on the battlefield not to fight but to drag the wounded to the first aid camp.Everyone seemed so happy with their blessings, and it completely changed the political game as the rumours spread.

However, one warrior had not received any special powers.

Just one out of everyone.

We don’t need a special power. Bia grunted, feeling Elene’s distress. We are already outstanding as it is. And strong. Fenrir did not forget us. He simply decided we were already strong enough.

Yeah, sure. Elene rolled her eyes. They’d already had this conversation many times, and it still stung.

Some of her friends had trouble identifying their gifts; at first, she thought this was her problem, too. But days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months.

Everyone discovered their gifts.

Everyone but her.

It was a hard pill to swallow. Once again, she wasn’t chosen.

Once again, she was discarded and forgotten. The princess who was supposed to help her brother and his wife lead the country was considered less deserving than a castle maid.

That hurt. Especially since everyone assumed she was one of the Changed Ones, too. After all, they knew she was fighting right next to Queen Savannah in the very centre of the battle.

“So, what is your gift, exactly?” Devoss was working on door number three, allowing it to scan his eye. “It’s probably something good!”

“Oh, it’s good,” Elene forced the words out of herself, “but it’s a secret.”

“And here I thought we were getting friendly.” The Easterner playfully pouted his lips.

“Don’t worry, it will not disappoint.” She lied, and he watched her closely for a few seconds.

“Of course not.” The man hummed to himself as the last door finally unlocked.

Elene was astonished by the level of security here.

“I think you are perfect for this mission,” the fox smirked and gestured for her to walk inside first. “After you, Princess.”

Elene stepped into a spacious, well-lit room with glass walls, the bright morning light blinding her.

“What is thi—” She did not get to finish her sentence because a large glass vase flew straight into her head. Not thinking twice, Elene elongated her claws and broke it into pieces at the last moment.

“So, I guess your gift is not shielding.” Devoss carefully walked between the shards of glass as if trying to protect his shoes. His cape was now wrapped around him extravagantly not to be torn. Elene realised the fox expected this kind of greeting.

“I hate you!” She heard a piercing voice and met a pair of angry blue eyes.

“What the hell?” She glared at the King, who did not feel guilty for tricking her.

“Princess Elene, meet the Game-changer!” He flashed her a pearly white smile.

"This is not funny!" Elene commented dryly, pressing her lips together.

"Of course, it’s not!” Devoss agreed sternly. “Morgan, that was my favourite vase!”

Elene’s eyes shifted back to the girl in front of them.

A child.

Barely a teenager, she seemed scared and lost more than she was angry. Her intense emerald gaze fixed on the Eastern King as she swept her fingers through rebellious auburn locks that cascaded to her shoulders. Her chest rose and fell quickly , and Elene could swear she had seen a flash of a wolf inside her. This one was a fighter.

Still, this must be a joke!

“Good! I’m glad I broke it!” the child screamed and picked up a chair, ready to throw it at the King. "Let me go! You can't keep me here!"

"Oh, sweetie," Devoss sighed, masterfully finding a safe place for himself behind a marble column, "it's not as tempting to keep you here as you may think. I'd be happy to pass that torch and share the burden. Speaking of which, here is the nice Northern princess who is going to take you home."

"Wh-what?" Elene's eyes widened in shock.

"Is this true?" Now, the child was looking at her, a glimpse of hope in her eyes. How could she say no to that? Not to mention that she still did not know what was going on in the first place.

"Wait a minute," Morgan furrowed her red brows. "I know that princess! Elene Finn-something! From the North!"

"Elene Fionnlagh," Devoss nodded, "the one and only Princess of the Northern Lycan Kin—"

"The b*tch who tried to rig The Luna Trials!" the teen spouted, immediately unimpressed by the royal presence before her.

Elene swore inwardly. Was she for real?

Undoubtedly, The Luna Trials she hosted for her brother almost two years ago wasn't her best moment. Initially, Elene tried to save Kai from an unwanted marriage with Gideon's sister, and when the latter decided to take part in the event instead of being insulted and leaving as Elene had hoped, the Northerner did her best to lessen Savannah's chances of becoming victorious. Little did she know that her brother and Savvy would fall in love and reduce all her efforts to be an exercise in futility.

Had she possessed such foresight, she wouldn't have wasted her energy attempting to sabotage Savvy. Back then, Elene was under the mistaken impression that she was aiding her brother. Despite some remorse over her past actions, she knew her intentions came from a place of love. She was the kind of person ready to do anything for people she cared about, whether it was a good thing or a questionable one. Regrettably, few could understand that.

She hated the way the kid looked at her now. She couldn't possibly comprehend the full situation and was too young to be the judge of her actions or motivations.

Yet it did not stop the fiery teenager.

"Yeah, I am not taking her anywhere." Elene folded her arms over her chest. "Whoever that is."

"You sure?" Devoss gave her a sinister smirk, causing a shiver to run down her spine. She immediately knew it was a bad sign. "Princess Elene, meet Morgan Pierce, also known as Morgan Lothgar. The only surviving heir of Alpha Lothgar, the former High Chancellor of the Southern Lycan Republic."

Elene gulped, returning her gaze to the kid, who threw the chair back to the ground and lifted her sharp chin with a cute dimple in the middle.

"Impossible!" the princess muttered.

Elene had studied Alpha Randall Lothgar's dossier many times, trying to find something, anything, that could help her country. She knew the Alpha's only son had died in an unfortunate accident, followed soon by the Alpha himself. In a matter of weeks after the tragedy, a man appeared and claimed to be an illegitimate son of Alpha Lothgar, thus assuming the position of his heir and started causing trouble.

Following the explosion, he levelled accusations against Elene's country, citing the projected Northern flag and the substantial portion of the Northern military amassed at the Southern frontier. As a result, he swiftly ascended to the role of High Chancellor, exploiting his authority to derail the peace talks between their nations, edging them nearer to conflict as if it was his primal goal.

Yet most importantly, just as abruptly as he emerged, he vanished without a trace, never to be seen again.

Kai was searching for him, or at least for any information about his whereabouts, but found nothing. And of course, as usual, the North was accused of taking him down despite the lack of any proof. Just the rumours and the fact that the Northern Kingdom gained the most after Vincent's disappearance were enough to further tarnish their reputation.

Yet, amidst all of this, there was never a single mention of a Lothgar daughter. Elene would have remembered that.

"I believe the words you are looking for now are thank you," Devoss grinned at her, and once again, she questioned whether she could trust him at all. That King was — odd to say the least.

"Randall Lothgar did not have a daughter. His brothers died young, so he had no nieces either. What in the—"