Velkynara stood a few feet from the window, her silver hair catching the last light of the afternoon sun. Her green eyes watched the tree line beyond the palace walls, but her mind was elsewhere. She had been standing there for an hour. Waiting.
A soft tapping came from the glass.
She moved forward and opened the window. A black raven sat on the sill, its leg wrapped with a tiny scroll bound in red thread. She recognized the bird and the seal pressed into the wax was from The Temple Of Lycanthria.
Velkynara removed the scroll with steady fingers. She unrolled it and read.
To Queen Velkynara of Lythorien, House of Duskaryn Court. The time has come. The heiress is ready. You are needed in Lycanthria. Come as soon as you are able.
—Caelina, High Priestess Of The Moon Goddess.
As she read the words over and over again, a warmth spread across her chest. It was something she had not felt in years. It felt like a release. Like the door of a cage finally swinging open.
