The moon hung heavy in the sky over the capital, its light dull and veiled in clouds, as if the heavens themselves were unsure whether to bear witness to what was to come.
Kaelin stood in the moon garden, alone except for the soft rustle of wind through silver-leafed trees. Her crown lay on a stone bench behind her, the weight of its meaning never far from her.
Footsteps. Familiar.
Lira appeared, her silhouette sharp as a blade against the torchlight.
"You’ve called them all to the capital," she said without preamble. "That makes us a target."
Kaelin nodded slowly. "Then let them come. It’s better to know the poison than to drink it in ignorance."
Lira stepped forward. "What if you are the prophecy, Kaelin? What if the child they fear... is real?"
Kaelin turned to face her. "Then le
