Chapter 232: They are here.
~Raphael's POV~
I stayed by Ava's side all night, watching her sleep. Her face looked peaceful, but I could feel the powerful force still moving inside her body. Whatever new power had awakened in her was strong and dangerous.
And one thing, I know, the gods of the third realm never liked a being in the second realm being more powerful than them.
The sun shone through the window, but I didn't move from my chair. I couldn't leave her alone, not when she might wake up confused or scared.
There was a knock on the door. Lucien, Captain Cassius, and Alexis walked in quietly. Their faces looked serious and worried. I knew instantly whatever news they brought wasn't good.
" Your highness, we need to talk," Lucien said softly, not wanting to wake Ava.
I looked at Ava one more time, then stood up and followed them out into the hallway.
"What happened here?" Captain Cassius asked. "We heard there was some kind of explosion of power."
I told them everything. About Lorraine coming back hurt and bloody. About how Ava lost control when she thought her grandmother was dead. About the ice and fire that nearly destroyed the room.
"The gods did this," I said. "Goddess Selene hurt Lorraine." I still can't wrap my head around but Haggar and Gwen is sure of this.
All three of them looked shocked and angry.
"The goddess you've been worshipping hurt one of her own people?" Alexis asked in disbelief.
"Worse than that," I said. "She's been planning this for thousands of years. She wants to steal Ava's powers."
Lucien's hands clenched into fists. "Nonsense!"
"We have bigger problems," Captain Cassius said grimly. "We need to tell you what we found in town."
"Hmm"
"The rumors about the queen are everywhere," Cassius explained. "People are saying she's stealing children to feed her beast mate. They're saying she's evil and can't be trusted."
"And the missing children?" I asked.
"We found them," Alexis said. "They were hidden in an old warehouse. Seven of them had been hurt, but they're all alive."
"Who took them?"
"We don't know yet," Lucien said. "But whoever it was wanted people to blame Queen Ava. They left signs pointing toward the castle."
Captain Cassius looked even more serious. "The nobles are organizing against her. They want to remove her from the throne and make someone else king."
My anger flared. "Who do they want as king?"
"Me," Lucien said quietly.
I felt sick. "You? Do you want the throne?"
" Never, your highness!"
"Good. Because, I will not hesitate to cut you down if you are thinking otherwise."
" I understand, your highness."
"Find whoever started these rumors," I ordered. "Capture them and bring them to me. I want to know who's behind this."
"Yes, Your Majesty," all three said together.
They left to carry out my orders, and I started walking back toward Ava's room.
On the way, I met Gwen in the hallway. She looked at me with those cold, distant eyes she'd had for days.
"Your majesty," she bowed.
"Gwen. How are you feeling?"
"War is coming," she said, ignoring my question. "It's going to be worse than any war ever experienced before. You should prepare yourself."
Her words made me stiffen. "What do you mean?"
"The gods are coming. All of them. And they're bringing armies from the seven kingdoms with them." Using the lesser beings to join in their battles? Truly ruthless of them.
I stared at her. "How do you know this?"
"I can see things now," Gwen said. "Things that others cannot see. The future is dark, your majesty."
She walked away without saying anything else, leaving me standing alone in the hallway.
I continued to Ava's room, but when I opened the door, I found someone else there.
Siwan sat beside Ava's bed, crying softly. She looked up when I entered, and I saw so much pain in her eyes.
"Your Majesty," I said, bowing slightly. "I'm sorry to disturb you."
I felt awkward and worried. Did she hate me like so many of her people did? Did she blame me for all the pain that had come to her family?
"Please, don't be so formal," Siwan said gently. "And don't look so worried. I have nothing against you."
I was surprised. "You don't?"
"No," she said, wiping her tears. "I don't blame you for anything that happened. None of this was your fault."
"But the things I did before I met Ava..."
"Were all part of the moon goddess's plan," Siwan interrupted. "Everything that happened was planned by her."
I sat down in the chair across from her, confused. "What do you mean? The moon goddess is supposed to be good and kind. My mother always spoke highly of her."
Siwan's face became very sad. "The moon goddess deceived all of us. She made us think she was helping when she was really destroying our lives."
"I don't understand."
"It was the moon goddess who sent my second daughter to you," Siwan said quietly.
" Your second daughter?" I asked, still confused.
"Ava's twin."
My blood went cold. " You don't mean Alasia?"
Siwan nodded. "Alasia is Ava's twin sister. She's also the dark one that lives in the rift."
I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "That's impossible. Alasia tried to kill Ava countless times. She destroyed so many lives."
"Because the moon goddess made her that way," Siwan explained. "When Alasia was born, she had black hair instead of silver hair like the rest of our family. The goddess told me this meant she was cursed and would bring destruction."
Siwan started crying again. "The goddess said Alasia would die anyway, so it would be better if I gave her away. She promised to take Alasia's life painlessly."
"But she didn't kill her."
"No. She raised her to be a weapon. She filled Alasia's head with lies and made her hate everyone, especially me and Ava."
I felt sick thinking about it. "Why are you telling me this?"
"Because I don't want you to blame yourself anymore," Siwan said. "Everything bad that happened was because of the moon goddess's lies. She used Alasia to hurt you. She used the curse to hurt Ava. She's been playing with all our lives."
I sat in silence, trying to process everything. Alasia was Ava's twin sister. The woman who had tortured Ava and tried to destroy everything she cared about was her family.
"Does Ava know?" I asked.
"Not yet," Siwan said. "But she will have to know soon. Especially if we're going to save Alasia."
"Save her? After everything she's done?"
"She's my daughter," Siwan said firmly. "And she's Ava's sister. The real Alasia is still in there somewhere, buried under all the goddess's lies and manipulation."
Before I could respond, thunder started clapping outside. But this wasn't normal thunder. It was so loud and powerful that it shook the very ground under our feet. The windows shook, and dust fell from the ceiling.
Siwan's face went pale. She looked toward the window with fear in her eyes.
"They're here," she said quietly, her voice full of defeat.
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