Page 78 of His Lost Lycan Luna

The men exchange a few words with the King, their voices low and hushed. Kyson's face remains expressionless, but I can sense tension radiating off him. Something about whatever they're talking about has him on edge, and I can't help but feel a creeping sense of unease as well.

As we continue to explore the castle, I find myself constantly looking over my shoulder, expecting something to jump out of the shadows, but the only thing behind us is the guards trailing us.

We eventually reach a set of large, ornate double doors, which Kyson pushes open to reveal a breathtaking library. Towering shelves filled with books and scrolls line the walls, and a beautiful stained-glass window casts a rainbow of colors onto the polished floor.

"This was the Queen's favorite room," Kyson explains. "She spent most of her time here studying and reading."

"Did you know the Queen well?" I ask. Kyson shakes his head.

"No, I was familiar with her from the trials between kingdoms, but do you really know anybody? Let alone a Queen in a rival kingdom?" he asks. He has a point.

"So, how do you know she spent most of her time here?"

"Cedric, he was one of her guards and now lives in my Kingdom. A few of her personal guards lived, although a lot of the time, I get this bizarre sense they wished they had died when Landeena fell," he tells me, and my brows furrow.

As we make our way back through the castle, the sense of déjà vu becomes even more pronounced. It's as if I'm walking through a memory, one that I can't quite grasp but feel inexplicably drawn to. The castle's beauty and mystery captivate me when I see guards stop in our path.

ChapterForty-Seven

IVY

He motions for them to wait, and they stop their approach as I ask my next question. “What was her name?"

"Azalea," he replies, just as the men step closer to speak to him.

The King stops to talk to one man, and I wander around before stopping at the door. A song I used to love pops into my mind, probably because it is the only one that ever stuck with me, and I whisper the tune as I enter the room.

In this charade, a dance of hate,

A broken alliance, we still create.

The throne may bind us, but I stand tall,

A Queen unbowed, refusing to fall.

Through the fire, I'll rise above,

My spirit strong, my heart full of love.

You'll never break me, I'll never bend,

My voice will echo until the very end.

You have my hand, but not my heart,

A mere possession torn apart.

Bound by duty, a kingdom's will,

In a loveless union, my heart lies still.

It was the King and Queen’s bedroom, and I knew I stumbled into the old murder scene by the old flaking forensic tape. It was like this place was untouched, left in the exact state of how it was in this room. Though no evidence was left behind, I could tell by the disarray it had been combed through but not put back exactly the way it was.

"Where did you hear that song?" the King asks, spooking me and making me jump; his footsteps were silent as he came up behind me.

The King enters beside me, and I look at him. "I don't know, I just know it," I tell him, and he watches me curiously.

"Do you know it?" I ask, and he nods.

---