Moonlit Vows Of Vengeance-Chapter 71: Ruining My Mood

"Pick one. It’ll tell your mood for the day."

I chose a bird with blue-tipped wings. It fluttered from my palm and shimmered gold.

"Joy," the vendor said. "Your heart has found a moment of light."

Lira beamed. "Told you I was good for you."

We moved from stall to stall. I tasted sweet rice pearls wrapped in seaweed leaves, watched a puppet show where the strings were threads of moonlight, and even tried my hand at a throwing game where I won a tiny jade turtle.

There was laughter, music, and above all, life.

Lira dragged me to a tiny teahouse nestled between two flowering trees. The moment we entered, the scent of lavender and roasted dates wrapped around us. Inside, the floor was glass, showing koi fish swimming beneath. Each table floated an inch above the ground.

We sat cross-legged on cushions while a cat with wings delivered our tea.

"You seem lighter," Lira observed, blowing on her drink.

I nodded. "I think I’d forgotten what it feels like to... exist without fear."

She looked at me, her eyes soft. "You don’t have to tell me everything, Athena. But I hope you know you can."

"Maybe one day," I said. "For now... this is enough."

We left the teahouse in the late afternoon, bellies full and arms heavy with silly trinkets.

I had a bracelet that changed color depending on my mood, and Lira had convinced me to buy a floating music orb that now hovered behind us, playing soft tunes.

As we passed a mural wall alive with moving art, we stumbled upon a crowd gathering near a ring of stones.

A street beast-tamer was performing, surrounded by awe-struck children.

"Oh, he’s good," Lira whispered. "Wait till you see this."

The tamer summoned a wind tiger made of air and light. It danced and roared and leapt through rings of fire. But suddenly—

Something shifted.

A real beast burst from the forest edge—twice the size of a lion, scales glinting, snarling and wild. Panic spread like fire.

The tamer lost control of his illusion, and the crowd began to scatter.

I didn’t hesitate.

Magic pulsed in my veins—raw, untrained, but mine. I stepped forward, baring my teeth.

The beast lunged, but I was faster. I rolled, grabbed a staff from a nearby vendor’s cart, and jabbed it between the creature’s legs, flipping onto its back. It bucked and roared, but I held tight.

Lira joined me, weaving an incantation that tethered the creature to the ground. I focused, pushing my energy into its mind—not to dominate, but to calm.

Its eyes flickered.

Then dimmed.

It collapsed, breathing heavily, but alive.

The crowd erupted in cheers.

The beast-tamer ran up, breathless. "Thank you—both of you. That was a mountain guardian. Someone must have disturbed its den."

I looked at the creature, chest heaving. Even here, danger followed.

But also... I had done that. I had protected. I felt pretty good.

"That was incredible," Lira whispered as we walked back to the palace, the stars beginning to blink to life above.

"It felt right," I murmured.

Not easy. Not safe. But right.

Maybe this realm held more than I expected.

And maybe—just maybe—there was a reason I ended up here after all.

As the sun began to dip behind the buildings, we turned a corner into a quieter street, the sounds of celebration fading behind us. I was a bit ahead of lira.

And there he was.

Lucas.

Standing outside a small stall, talking quietly with a vendor. His hair was longer now, pulled into a loose tie. He wore robes, deep blue, the mark of a royal advisor sewn into the collar.

My breath caught.

I didn’t think. I moved faster.

"Lucas."

He turned, slowly.

His gaze landed on me. Recognition flickered—but just for a second.

"Athena, I’m sorry for everything" he said, voice careful.

I stared at him. "You remember me."

His eyes were unreadable. "Of course I do."

"Then why—"

He stepped closer, lowering his voice. "Not here. I will come to you a bit later on ."

Before I could respond, Lira was at my side. "Lucas. Fancy seeing you."

"Always a pleasure, Princess," he said with a half-bow. Then to me, "Until tonight."

He vanished into the crowd.

Lira grabbed my wrist. "What was that about?"

I shook my head, heart pounding. "I don’t know."

She studied me for a long moment. "Okay."

My thoughts churned.

He remembered.

He lied.

And I was going to find out why.

Later that night....

The moon was high when he came to my room.

I did expect the knock. I was sitting by the window, knees hugged to my chest, staring out at the sprawling lights of the city that now felt like a gilded cage.

When I opened the door, Lucas stood there.

Not in robes of power. Not in armor. Just him—quiet, solemn, tense as a bowstring.

"We need to talk," I said, before he could speak.

His jaw tightened. "Can we talk elsewhere?"

"This is my room. Come in and let’s talk, or leave."

His eyes flicked past me, to the empty hallway behind, then finally settled on my face. "Fine."

I stepped back and let him in. The door clicked shut behind him. The silence that followed was suffocating.

He paced a little, didn’t sit. I stayed by the window, needing the moonlight more than I needed distance from him. The tension between us was electric—too much unsaid, too much broken.

Then he turned. "You need to leave the kingdom."

I blinked. "What? How is that the very first thing that you say to me after all that has happened!"

"You can’t stay here. Not another day."

I straightened. "Why did you pretend like you didn’t know me?"

"Athena," he said sharply, voice strained. "It’s not that simple."

"No?" I snapped. "Then make it simple. Because from where I’m standing right now, it looks like you’re just trying to shove me out of this kingdom.