Lumina paced the length of her childhood chambers, bare feet silent on the cool moonstone floor.

The room glowed softly with its own inner light walls of translucent quartz veined with starfire, a bed draped in pale silk that floated slightly above the ground but none of it brought comfort.

Her beautiful attire, the same moon-silver gown she had worn as a girl of this realm, felt like armor now, heavy and cold against her skin. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

The signature scent of celestial now clung to her, marking her unmistakably as Celestial-born, yet she felt like an intruder in her own home.

She had gotten used to the Drakonis realm; she now felt like an outsider in her own home.

Her mind kept returning to the aide’s words in the throne room. The Drakonis realm was brutally attacked.

The king and prince were gravely wounded and Lumina was accused of orchestrating it all because of her supposed power to control actions.

She knew how badly Ashen would be hurting. The thought twisted like a knife in her chest.

He would be carrying the weight of his father’s life, his brother’s survival, the realm’s survival, all while believing she had betrayed him by leaving him in that terrific moment.

Part of her wanted to teach him a lesson to let him feel the sting of abandonment the way she had felt it when she saw him with Breilla. She had never truly wanted the marriage dissolved, which had been a lie she fed her father to secure the crown princess title.

But she had not expected the Drakonis realm to fall into such chaos so quickly after she had left. She had not expected Ashen to suffer like this, except for her husband suffering

Her hands clenched at her sides. She wanted to know how he was feeling right now. Was he angry? Broken? Did he hate her? The uncertainty clawed at her until she could barely breathe.

Stella stepped in front of her, gentle hands catching Lumina’s wrists to stop the pacing.

"My lady," Stella said softly, "you should not be this worried. He will be fine. He is not the kind to give up easily. He will fight his way through. Stop tormenting yourself. I am sure he knows how to navigate these things."

Lumina wanted to believe her. She wanted to trust that Ashen’s strength, his stubborn dragon heart, would carry him. But the worry refused to loosen its grip. She pulled her wrists free and wrapped her own arms around herself, fingers digging into her sleeves as though she could physically hold herself together.

"I need to know he is all right," she whispered. "I need to know what he is feeling."

Before Stella could answer, the heavy doors flew open. King Ryker stormed inside, face thunder-dark, eyes blazing with fury.

"Luminaira!"

Lumina stiffened. She turned slowly, bracing herself.

"Father."

"Where exactly is Rhynera?" he demanded. "Why can I get no information about my daughter? What have you done to her?"

Queen Mireya appeared from behind him, robes swirling, face twisted with vindictive triumph.

"I told you she is a monster," Mireya hissed. "She hurt me. She controlled their actions to beat me. I told you we should never have let her return."

Ryker shot his wife a sharp look. Mireya pressed her lips together, but Lumina caught the silent exchange.

They had spoken of her plotting against her while she stood in the throne room fighting for her place.

A stepmother who cared for no one but herself and her own daughter. A woman who had spent years poisoning the king against Lumina at every opportunity. This was her moment to strike.

Lumina felt sadness, frustration, and disappointment crash over her in waves. But beneath it all burned a cold, steady rage toward Mireya. She wanted to end the woman right there.

"Father," Lumina said quietly, "why do you think I am the reason your daughter is being punished? I do not even know anything."

Ryker’s hand shot out and closed around her throat. Celestial fire pure, searing light flared along his fingers. Pain exploded through Lumina’s body, white-hot and familiar.

She had almost forgotten the poison he had laced into her, the slow poison that still lingered in her blood. Now it burned anew, reacting to his power.

"Where is Rhynera before I kill you?" he snarled.

"Fa... Father..."

Stella dropped to her knees, tears streaming. "Your Majesty, please free the princess. She does not know anything about the arrest of the princess."

Ryker released Lumina abruptly. She staggered back, coughing, hand at her throat.

"What did you say?" he asked Stella.

Stella kept her eyes on the floor, voice trembling. "Your Majesty... His Highness punished her himself because she is the one behind the death of the queen."

Ryker went still. Mireya’s eyes widened.

"The... queen... dead?" Mireya whispered, as though she had misheard.

Stella nodded. "Your Highness... we need to go check on my daughter. No, my daughter cannot be punished. She carries the next king of the Drakonis realm. Why is she being punished? Why death?"

Mireya rounded on Lumina. "You... you controlled her, right? You are the cause, right? You...."

She rushed forward, hands outstretched. Ryker caught her arm, shaking his head.

"What?" Mireya shrieked. "You want to protect her?"

Lumina turned to leave, tears burning behind her eyes. Ryker’s voice stopped her.

"Save her," he said quietly. "As an elder sister."

Lumina turned back. "Never. Everyone suffered for..."

Ryker moved faster than she expected. A sword of pure starlight appeared in his hand, a long, slender, edge shimmering with celestial fire. Rage contorted his features as he lunged.

"I regret birthing you," he snarled. "I should have killed you years ago! You cursed thing!"

Lumina’s eyes filled with tears, but she reacted on instinct. She raised both hands. A shield of silver light snapped into place just as the blade struck. Sparks exploded on impact, the force driving her back several steps. Ryker pressed forward, sword flashing in precise, deadly arcs. Each swing released bursts of starfire that scorched the air and blackened the moonstone floor.

Lumina danced backward, summoning barriers of shimmering light with every movement. She deflected a thrust that would have split her chest, then twisted aside from a sweeping cut aimed at her throat.

The sword’s edge grazed her sleeve, slicing through silk and drawing a thin line of blood across her arm. Pain flared, but she did not cry out.

Ryker’s attacks grew faster, more vicious. He channeled celestial power into the blade until it blazed like a falling star. He drove forward, forcing Lumina against the wall. She blocked again barely and the impact rattled her teeth. He raised the sword high for a killing blow.

Lumina stared up at him, tears streaming down her face. She had never meant to fight her father. She had only wanted to defend herself.

Something inside her snapped.

A sudden, violent surge of power erupted from her core raw, uncontrolled, brighter than anything she had ever summoned.

It exploded outward in a shockwave of silver light. The force slammed into Ryker like an invisible hammer, hurling him backward. He crashed to the floor, sword clattering away, crown tumbling from his brow.

Lumina gasped, hands shaking. She had not meant to do that. She had not meant to hurt him.

She rushed forward, dropping to her knees beside him. "Father... I never meant it. I do not understand what happened. I only planned to defend myself, not fight you..."

Ryker lay still for a moment, breathing hard. Then he raised one hand painfully, stopping the guards who had rushed in at Mireya’s scream.

"Stop," he rasped. "It is just... a spark between daughter and father. Do not listen to the queen."

Mireya shrieked. "The princess wants to kill the king! Save us! The princess wants to kill us!"

Guards hesitated, swords half-drawn. Lumina knelt beside her father, hands trembling, tears falling freely.

Ryker looked up at her. For the first time in years, he saw past the rumors, past the curse people whispered about her. He saw fear in her eyes. Pure, raw fear. Not malice. Not hatred. Just a daughter terrified of what she had done.

She looked like her mother at that moment, with the same wide silver eyes, same trembling lips. Pure-hearted despite everything the world had done to her. Despite everything he had done to her.

"Take me to my chambers," Ryker said quietly.

Mireya rushed forward, shoving Lumina aside. "Monster!" she yelled at her.

Aides hurried in, lifting the king carefully. Mireya clung to his arm, still hurling insults as they helped him away.

Lumina remained on her knees, staring at the place where her father had fallen. The room was silent except for her ragged breathing.

"Act like your name," her mother’s voice whispered through her memory.

Regret flooded her, thick and choking. "How could I attack my own father?"

She pressed her forehead to the cold moonstone and let the tears come.