Chapter 40 The Bond And The Blade

• The sun had barely risen, yet the palace was alive with movement. From the highest spires to the lowest courtyards, banners of silver and midnight blue fluttered in the early wind, their embroidered crescent flames catching the light. The air smelled faintly of rain and incense—a sign, the elders whispered, that the Moon Spirits were watching.
• Lucia stood before the mirror in her chambers, not in her usual leather or battle gear, but in the ceremonial regalia of the Northern Luna Sovereign. A flowing gown of layered silver silk trailed behind her, each fold edged in threads of gold that shimmered like captured sunlight. Across her chest rested a sash embroidered with the crescent flame, and at her throat hung the pendant of Altheon, the heirloom she had uncovered from Lysandra’s hidden vault.
• Kelvin leaned casually against the doorway, half-smiling as he watched her adjust the sleeves. “You’ve fought beasts and enemy warriors without flinching, Lulu. Yet I’ve never seen you look so… nervous.”