Chapter One

The twin moons hung low in the evening sky, their silvery glow casting ghostly light over the forested expanse surrounding the kingdom of Lunaris. Willa pressed her forehead against the cool glass of the tower window, tracing patterns in the frost with an absent-minded finger. A year had passed, but the weight in her chest had not lessened. Tonight marked the anniversary—the day Ian should have stood beside her, gazing out at the same constellations.

Her friends’ voices echoed from the great hall below, muffled but persistent in their attempts to draw her from her solitude. They meant well, but Willa couldn’t shake the memories tied to this night. The night everything had changed.

She turned away from the window as an icy wind swept through the room, carrying with it a whisper—soft, almost imperceptible, yet familiar enough to stop her in her tracks. For a moment, she could almost hear Ian's laugh, see his lopsided grin. It was enough to unsettle her resolve.

“Enough,” she muttered under her breath. Gathering her courage, Willa tightened her cloak around her shoulders and descended the spiral staircase. As she reached the bottom, her heart skipped a beat.

The faint hum of magic coursed through the air, mingling with the pull of the twin moons above. Something was stirring in Lunaris tonight—a force beyond grief, beyond her understanding. She didn’t know yet that this night would mark the beginning of a journey that would reshape everything she thought she knew about herself, her kingdom, and Ian’s fate.

The soft murmur of voices grew louder as Willa descended into the great hall, her hands brushing against the cold stone walls for balance. She’d spent months convincing herself that isolation was easier—that the world beyond her tower held only painful reminders of what she’d lost. But tonight was different. The whispers from the window, the faint pulse of magic in the air—it felt as though the moons themselves were urging her to move forward.

Karen was the first to spot her. “Willa?” Her voice was laced with surprise, but her emerald eyes softened with a mix of relief and worry. The others turned as one, a lively group of mismatched souls who had been her lifeline in more ways than she could admit. Beans grinned, tossing an apple from hand to hand. Mango leaned against the edge of the table, arms crossed, her auburn hair catching the firelight. Liam, seated closest to the door, stood instantly, his protective instincts kicking in.

“You didn’t have to come down,” Emma said gently, reaching for Willa’s hand. But before Willa could respond, Ethan chimed in, “Of course she did! We’ve got plans tonight, don’t we? Great plans!” His enthusiasm spilled into the room, earning a chuckle from Tiffani, whose bright laughter was always infectious.

“I just—” Willa faltered, the words sticking in her throat. But Karen stepped forward, her voice steady. “You don’t have to explain, Willa. We’re here, whenever you’re ready.” For the first time in months, Willa felt warmth spread through her chest. These were her people, her friends—those who had waited patiently for her to emerge from grief and silence. And now, they were here to remind her that she wasn’t alone.

But the moment of comfort didn’t last. The faint hum of magic she’d felt earlier grew stronger, prickling the edges of her senses. Willa froze. “Do you hear that?” The group exchanged glances, confusion etched across their faces. Liam stepped closer, his hand on the hilt of the sword he always carried. “Hear what?”

“It’s—” Willa’s voice faltered. The sound wasn’t physical, but something deeper, like the pulse of the kingdom itself. It was as though the moons were speaking directly to her, urging her to pay attention. Her heart raced.

And then the doors to the great hall burst open, the cold night air rushing in. A lone figure stood silhouetted against the moons, cloaked in shadows and mystery. Willa’s breath caught. Whoever this was, they carried something familiar—an aura that tugged at the edges of her memories, whispering of things she couldn’t quite place.

“Willa.” The figure stepped forward, voice low and commanding. “You’re needed. Now.” The figure stepped into the glow of the firelight, revealing sharp features half-hidden beneath the hood of a heavy cloak. His presence sent a ripple through the room, every gaze drawn to him with suspicion and curiosity.

Willa’s fingers instinctively tightened around the edges of her cloak. Something about him felt... familiar. Not in the way of an old friend, but in the way a forgotten dream lingers at the edges of memory. “You’re needed,” he said again, his voice steadier this time, edged with urgency.

Karen took a cautious step forward. “And who exactly are you to demand that?” He exhaled sharply. “Whether you trust me or not is irrelevant. Your kingdom is shifting, Willa. The moon’s magic—it’s reacting. And if you ignore it, you’re going to lose more than you already have.”

The words struck her like a blade, cutting through the defenses she had spent a year fortifying. Lose more? Willa swallowed against the lump forming in her throat. She had lost Ian, her own confidence, and a piece of herself. What more could there possibly be to lose? And then, a terrible thought crept in.

Unless Ian wasn’t truly gone.

The room fell silent, the air thick with unspoken questions. Willa’s heart pounded in her chest, the figure’s words reverberating through her mind. Could he possibly mean…? No. She couldn’t afford to hope—not after all this time.

Karen narrowed her eyes, stepping protectively in front of Willa. “If you’ve got something to say, say it plainly. Enough with the cryptic nonsense.”

The figure hesitated, his gaze flicking to Willa as though debating how much to reveal. “The night that Ian died—” he began, but Willa cut him off, her voice sharp. “Don’t. Don’t you dare speak his name unless you have something real to tell me.”

Her friends glanced between her and the stranger, the weight of her grief a palpable force in the room. For a moment, the figure seemed caught off guard, but he quickly recovered. “You’ve felt it, haven’t you? The magic stirring tonight. The moons are guiding you, Willa. And they’re trying to guide me, too.” Willa shook her head, backing away a step. “This… this isn’t happening.”

“It is,” he said firmly. “And you’re the only one who can uncover the truth.” Liam moved closer, his voice low and steady. “Truth about what? What happened that night?”