Chapter 18 Get out
SOMA
A dangerous glint shines in Brynne’s eyes as he turns on me. “I knew there was something off about you the day we met.” He folds his arms across his chest, sizing me up. “So, what is it? Dark magic? You’re not just stealing dresses. Now, you’re also stealing titles.”
“Brynne,” Lilith warns.
But he’s on a roll. He steps forward, leaving a safe distance between us. “What spell did you cast that’s powerful enough to harness the power of the moon and even manipulate it?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I tell him.
My head still aches, and I’m famished. I’m not sure how long I was unconscious, but the king was right. I need more rest.
“Don’t fucking lie to me, you stupid bitch,” he spits.
“Okay. That’s enough,” Lilith cuts in.
Tears sting my eyes, mostly from hunger. I need food and rest. The full moon has always made my body’s weakness clearer. But the hunger of a few days has worsened it. How long was I unconscious this time?
Hugging a pillow to my chest as if it will protect me from my reality, my head lowers as I mutter, “Who even wants to be a Luna to an idiot like you?”
The room stills. I didn’t mean for him to hear it, but his whole face clouds with rage. He takes a menacing step forward, and I edge backward, hoisting my legs onto the bed.
“What did you just say to me?”
“Brynne. Enough.” She points a finger at the door. “Get out.”
“She’s not my Luna,” he yells. If a random wolf spoke to the high priestess in that tone, they would be dead. But he carries on like she’s his equal or beneath him, charging forward with each word that exits his lips. “How do you plan to fix this, Priestess? You fucking did this. You brought this mess upon us. Upon me. There’s no way I’m accepting this thief as my Luna.”
“You heard your father,” Lilith supplies. I don’t know how she remains calm in this situation when all I want is to hit him. “We’ll see how it plays out.”
“And I’m not a thief,” I whisper-yell.
They both still, and my back flattens against the wall. Hate and tiredness press into me. It’s exhausting. In case he has forgotten, I didn’t ask for this. If they hadn’t brought me to this room, I would have been out of Shadowspire.
For all I know, Mason might have left. He’s the only one who’s ever wanted me after knowing what I am.
“Soma. Or would you rather I call you Aramide or Somadina?” Lilith begins. “He didn’t mean that—”
“It may come as a shock to you, but I don’t want this. My name is not even Aramide. It’s Soma,” I cut in. I pause, taking a breath to calm myself. It doesn’t work. My head aches, and my body feels like I was run over by a bus. “Just Somadina Bello. Maybe you made a mistake.”
“That’s what the Moon Goddess told me.” I shake my head, but she whispers, “And she can’t be wrong.”
“Maybe this one time she is. Because I don’t want this,” I cry out. “I’m not fit to be the Luna.”
Lilith offers me a smile that shows I’m not getting to her. How can I when she’s not listening to me? If the Moon Goddess can’t give her the right name, why is it impossible for her choice to be wrong?
“This might seem hard right now,” Lilith says. “But you’ll get used to it.”
The tears finally break free, and Brynne grins in the corner like a demon.
“There must be a mistake,” I insist. “I don’t want to be his Luna. I don’t want to be here.”
“So the ambitious little liar says,” Brynne sneers. “Your cousins will kill to be in your position. Those other girls want to be here. And you expect me to believe you didn’t want it? You’re a liar.”
“And you’re stupid.” The words tear out of my throat with a force that surprises me. Lilith’s hand, which was stretched to shove Brynne out of the room, hangs in the air. I avoid her gaze as she turns to me, letting the rest of the words out. “I’d rather die than be your Luna.”
“If that’s what you want,” Brynne begins. His tone holds so much glee that it makes my head snap up. If he feels insulted by my remark, he hides it well. Putting one foot forward, he brandishes his claws with a smile that sends chills running through me. I look to Lilith for help. “I’ll do us all a favor and kill you right now.”
Lilith moves with the speed of lightning, placing herself in front of my bed. “There will be no killing on my watch. Now, Brynne, get out before I call the guards.”
Brynne doesn’t leave immediately. Not without leveling me with a glare that promises horror. I don’t move, but as soon as the door shuts behind him, I sag against the wall.
Lilith settles into the chair King Rowan vacated and crosses her leg at the knee. “You did well, Soma. Good job.”
Is she talking to me? Mason is the only one who ever praises me, and that’s because he likes me. What does she hope to gain from this? My compliance?
“Yes, I’m talking to you. He might be the crown prince, but he doesn’t get away with talking to you like that.”
Oh. More tears well in my eyes, and I let out a small, nervous laugh. Brynne can get away with it, actually, because he’s the prince, and I’m just Soma. A girl everyone overlooks until it’s convenient to punish or parade.
“Everyone is handling this badly,” she adds. Badly is an understatement, but I stay quiet. “As shocking as the selection was, I’m certain the Moon Goddess isn’t wrong. Whomever she chooses to bestow her favor must be deserving of it, even if it doesn’t seem that way now.”
“But I’m a nobody,” I point out. I tug on my dress, letting the truth flow out. “This… isn’t even my dress. I stole it from my cousin. I’m no more than a maid to my aunt. I have no special gifts. My wolf is dormant. The prince might have been rude about it, but he’s right. How can the Moon Goddess pick someone like me? How can you be sure something didn’t go wrong during the selection?”
Lilith sighs. “I don’t have answers to that. But I know what I saw and what I heard. She chose you. I didn’t have to do anything for that to happen.” A small, bitter sound shoots out of my lips, and she flashes me a sad smile. “I’ll implore you to keep an open mind. You don’t have to accept it right away, but you can appreciate the honor that has been bestowed upon you. Make the most of it.”
Yeah, right? This won’t last long, anyway. Soon, she’ll realize everyone is right. That I’m not fit to be a Luna.
Lilith jumps to her feet, her skirt swishing with the motion. The air in the room shifts. Whatever softness she showed me earlier vanishes, tucked behind her cool mask.
Stalking to the door, she twists the handle. “Wait here,” she says without a backward glance at me. “Don’t come out until I say so.”