MOONBOUND: Love, War and Destiny

Lena

I had never felt more exposed in my life.

Standing in the middle of the forest, Kael's words weighed heavily on me, pressing against my chest like an unseen force. Our fates were entwined? What did that even mean?

The air between us seemed to hum with energy, like the forest itself was holding its breath. I wanted to ask more questions, but the silence stretched long and uncomfortable, my thoughts racing faster than I could process them.

"You're not telling me everything," I finally said, my voice shaky despite my best efforts to sound firm.

Kael's silver eyes flickered with something—regret, perhaps—but his face remained unreadable. "I can't tell you everything," he replied, his voice steady. "Not yet. But if you want to understand who you are, if you want to understand why you're here, you need to listen carefully."

I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat. I wasn't sure if I was ready for the truth. But then again, could I ever truly be ready for it?

He motioned for me to sit, and I did, awkwardly lowering myself to the soft ground beneath the trees. Kael paced in front of me, clearly thinking, trying to find the right words.

"I'm sure you've heard stories of the Voss bloodline," he said after a moment, his tone laced with tension. "Of a family destroyed in a fire. A family with blood that ran deeper than anyone knew."

I stiffened, my heart rate picking up. He knew. Of course, he knew. The fire—the one that had taken my parents when I was just a child. The one that had left me orphaned and alone.

"Those stories weren't just stories, Lena," Kael continued, his voice softer now, like he was carefully choosing each word. "The Voss family wasn't destroyed. They were hidden. Protected."

I stared at him, confused. "Why? Why would anyone want to protect us?"

"Because your bloodline is powerful. More powerful than you can imagine." He paused, watching my reaction. "The Voss family has always been connected to the Lythari, but only a few knew the truth. Only a few knew the real reason your family was targeted."

My chest tightened. I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Kael's words were sinking in, and with each passing second, I realized how little I knew about myself.

"We were a war family," Kael said, his voice growing darker. "The Lythari and the Voss family once fought side by side in a war that spanned centuries. Our fates were tied to yours, and yours to ours. But something happened, something that changed everything."

"What changed?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Kael looked away for a moment, as if he couldn't bear to meet my gaze. "The fire," he said, his voice tight. "It wasn't just an accident. It wasn't just an attack on your family. It was a betrayal. Someone wanted to erase the Voss bloodline, to make sure that the power within it would never rise again."

A cold shiver ran through me. "Who?"

Kael's eyes met mine again, and I could see the pain there. "That's what I need to find out. That's why I'm here."

I leaned forward, trying to process everything he was telling me. "But why me? Why now? Why didn't you tell me this before?"

He hesitated, his expression haunted. "Because I didn't know if you were ready. I didn't know if you would understand. But the truth is, Lena, you're not just anyone. You're the last of the Voss bloodline. And you're the key to everything."

The words hit me like a physical blow. The last of the Voss bloodline.

The weight of his words pressed down on me, and I could feel the ground beneath me shift. Everything I thought I knew about myself—the life I had lived, the family I had lost—none of it was real.

Kael knelt down in front of me, his gaze intense. "Lena, you are more than just a girl from Blackthorn. You are the last hope of the Voss family. And your connection to the Lythari is stronger than you realize."

I swallowed hard, my throat dry. "What do you mean?"

He reached for my hand, his touch warm against my skin. "The power inside you, the abilities you've felt stirring inside you, they're only the beginning. But you must learn to control them, Lena. You must learn to harness them before it's too late."

"Before what's too late?" I asked, my voice shaky with the fear I had been trying to suppress.

Kael's gaze darkened. "Before the ones who want you dead find you first."

A sharp chill went through me. "Who?"

Kael's jaw tightened. "The same ones who started the fire. The ones who have spent generations hunting down those like you."

I stared at him, my pulse roaring in my ears.

He has given me answers, but they only led to more questions.

I took a shaky breath before whispering, "The silver eyes..." I hesitated, looking up at him, searching his face for any sign of recognition. "I remember silver eyes in the fire that night. They were watching me."

Kael's entire body stiffened, his expression darkening. His silver eyes gleamed under the moonlight, but there was something else there—something raw and conflicted.

"You saw me," he said quietly. It wasn't a question. It was a statement.

My breath hitched. "It was you, wasn't it?" My voice cracked. "You were there that night."

He didn't deny it.

"I was," Kael admitted, his voice rough with something unreadable. "But not the way you think."

Anger and confusion twisted inside me. "Then tell me the truth," I demanded. "What did you do that night? Were you—were you part of it?"

Kael exhaled sharply. "No. I wasn't there to destroy. I was there to protect."

"Protect?" My voice shook. "Then why did my family die? Why did I lose everything?"

His silver eyes held mine, unflinching. "Because I failed."