before sunrise. No one was supposed to hear abo

eastern

itated before bowing.

ers of the court." Kael's voice wa

s what happened to

went pale. "Not

oo

r the council chambers. He walked straight down to the old interrogation cha

was twisted in terror not the fear of dying, but of something deeper. Something Kael recognized from the bat

tepped

were

e assassin wore regular black clothes nothing fancy, no

nada. He found a poison vial in a pocket, but that

man's skin. Kael lifted the fabric. There it was: a thin line of dark me

d as ice. At the center, the royal c

yal family members and the highest ranking officials carried o

ightened.

rely understood now. Only tonight, the ancient bell had rung. The Moon Temple awakened. A girl marked with a silver c

corpse. "You weren't sent to kill her," he r

lace would've sent a soldier. No assassin necessary. No need to hide. No need to search her out.

scared face, her dark hair, those impossible eyes, and that mark. He'd ordered the soldier to kill her. He r

very book about magical bloodlines in Aurelia Ember, Tide, Storm. But the Moon Blood?

one knew the Moon Princess had lived, and they'

s thoughts. He hid the ro

nt

n. Loyal, careful. One

High

did yo

ered through the

lo

aren

wed. "Apparently

ses. No companions. No tracks

t come from th

. "We found roy

roze.

forest

w m

r se

ifo

N

call the

kened. "One dropped a

ightened. "Br

zed it right away. This belonged to a pal

t whose

our Hig

wan tell

at the door.

ara. Was she safe out there, or was

long shot. If they knew about h

ked peaceful, but Kael's gut said otherwise. Tonight had changed everything. The ancient bell. The Moon Tem

oon. But why? What had the king known all alo

un for

re my

ed at once. "Where are

stern f

ga

sharp. "I'm look

e g

ing crinkled beneath his coat. He stopped, reached in, pul

. Only seven words

BEFORE THE MOO

into his coat without anyone noticing. Whoever they were

signature. Only a symbol a silve

before eighteen years ago, the night t

e parchment in

age was true, the Moon Princess didn't just survive. Her power was

he girl he'd tried to kill. The girl whose pain was his own. T

. He whispered he

r you are..." He folded the message and tucked

if he wasn't racing to save Elara? What if

astern forest, something stirred. An a

is wa

t as old, just as certain"

se. W

gdom wil