Chapter 42 CHAPTER 42
The morning light felt heavier than usual, thick with the weight of expectation.
Cindy’s fingers twisted together as she followed Ethan through the long marble corridor toward the council chamber. A week had passed since the night in the gardens, and though the court had settled into quiet routine, Cindy still carried the memory like a shadow she couldn’t shake.
Their footsteps echoed softly, mingling with the distant toll of the courtyard bell. The entire palace seemed to hold its breath. Today she would stand before the Lycan Council for the first time - not as an orphan girl from Silverpine, but as Princess Lisa Ashvale, heir of a kingdom she barely understood.
Ethan’s stride was calm and sure, the folds of his royal cloak whispering across the floor. “You’ll be fine,” he murmured without looking back. “They’ve waited for this moment for a long time.”
Cindy tried to smile, but her pulse drummed too fast. “I just don’t want to disappoint you.”
“You couldn’t,” he said simply putting his hand on her shoulder. “You’re my sister.”
The double doors opened before them, tall and gleaming with the carved sigil of the royal crest - a wolf beneath a crescent moon. The moment they crossed the threshold, every conversation in the chamber fell silent.
A crescent-shaped table dominated the space, behind which the council sat: Vaughan, Lora, Kellan, Rufus, and Thorne. Gregory, the court secretary, waited at his smaller desk to the side, pen poised above parchment.
The instant Cindy stepped forward, something in the air shifted. The council members stiffened, eyes widening. A faint shimmer, invisible yet undeniable, rippled through the room - the echo of royal blood awakening. It pulsed from her like light through glass, and even Cindy could feel the strange hum beneath her skin.
Ethan hadn’t spoken a word, but he didn’t need to. The recognition was immediate.
Rufus, the eldest, was the first to rise. His voice, rough with age, broke the silence. “By the goddess… the blood of Alaric flows strong.”
Vaughan, normally quick to question, said nothing this time. Even his irreverent expression softened as the truth settled in.
And then Lora stood.
“Lisa,” she whispered - the name trembling in the air like a prayer. “By the Moon, it’s really you.”
Before Cindy could react, Lora crossed the chamber and pulled her into a fierce embrace. The scent of lavender and parchment clung to her robes. Cindy froze for a heartbeat, then found herself hugging back, warmth flooding her chest.
“I can still feel the child I once held,” Lora said through a trembling laugh, tears streaking her cheeks. “Your mother would have been so proud, sweetheart. She was my closest friend, and losing both of you….” Her voice broke with unsaid emotions. Her hands came up to cup Cindy’s face, thumbs brushing away tears that weren’t hers. “You’ve had it rough, haven’t you? I’m so sorry we didn’t find you sooner.”
Cindy’s throat tightened. “You don’t need to apologize. I didn’t even know who I was.”
Lora smiled through her tears. “But you came home. That’s all that matters now.”
Ethan’s voice, soft but firm, filled the space. “You see now why I didn’t need proof.”
Kellan nodded slowly, his measured tone cutting through the emotion. “We do. The aura alone would be enough to silence even the most stubborn skeptic.”
All eyes turned briefly to Vaughan. He raised both hands in surrender. “I’ll admit it,” he said gruffly. “The resemblance to Queen Elyra is uncanny. Even I can’t argue with that.”
Ethan’s lips twitched, almost amused. “That’s a first.”
Rufus inclined his head, his weathered voice warm. “Forgive our doubts, Your Majesty. The council extends its apology, for questioning your word, and for our failure to protect what should have never been lost.”
Ethan nodded in acceptance. “Your honesty is enough.”
Lora took Cindy’s hand and guided her toward the table. “Come, Princess. Sit beside your brother. You belong here.”
Cindy’s heart stuttered at the title, but she obeyed, settling into the high-backed chair beside Ethan. Gregory bent over his parchment, quill scratching as he recorded every word.
The council began to speak in turns - measured, respectful now, the air lighter though still solemn.
“It’s time,” Kellan said, “for the realm to know its princess lives. But before any public announcement, we must prepare her. The coronation should follow proper tradition.”
Ethan inclined his head. “She’ll need to learn everything her station requires.”
Lora nodded. “Not just the courtly duties - she must understand our laws, our history, the foundation of the packs. Elyra would have wanted that.”
Cindy swallowed. “I’ll do whatever is required,” she said quietly. “I’m still… getting used to all of this. But everyone here has been kind.”
“That humility will serve you well,” Rufus said approvingly. “But knowledge will protect you better. You’ll need both.”
Vaughan leaned forward, his tone softer than usual. “You’ve got spirit, girl. You’ll manage the rest.”
Lora shot him a warning look. “Vaughan.”
He grinned, unrepentant. “What? I’m complimenting her.”
Lora ignored him, turning back to Cindy. “There will be lessons in diplomacy and governance, of course, but also training. Even princesses of the Ashvale line learn the way of warriors. You must know the strength of your people.”
“Training?” Cindy echoed. “You mean… combat?”
Ethan smiled faintly. “You’ll enjoy it. Lisa, you were born with a fighter’s heart.”
Cindy looked down at her hands. “I don’t know. I’ve never really fought anyone before.”
Lora squeezed her hand. “Then you’ll learn.”
Kellan added, “And as for your studies - your education before you were found… how far did it go?”
Cindy hesitated. “Not far. I attended school for a while, but… circumstances changed. I left before finishing.”
A murmur rippled around the table. Rufus gave a sympathetic nod. “Then we’ll have to fill in those gaps.”
Ethan leaned forward. “You’ll study here, with tutors…”
But Kellan interrupted gently. “Forgive me, Your Majesty, but the council agrees that she should attend the Lycan Academy. Formal training alongside her peers will teach her not just knowledge, but leadership.”
“The academy?” Ethan frowned slightly. “You mean the Lunaris Academy?”
“Yes,” Kellan confirmed. “Lunaris remains the finest in the realm. It’s where your brother once trained.”
The name struck Cindy like a physical blow. She blinked, unsure she’d heard right. “Lunaris?” she repeated, voice barely audible.
Vaughan nodded. “A fine school. Many of our best warriors came from there.”
The room blurred at the edges. Lunaris. She knew that name - because it was the same academy where the Silverpine wolves sent their young. They were all home schooled until they reached twelve years, then they were sent to Lunaris. Cindy had never been to Lunaris, the Hales had deemed it a waste of money educating her beyond twelve years. But Cindy had never given up on herself – she had secretly used her younger sister’s materials to educate herself at home.
Now the council was saying she would be walking the halls of the prestigious school- Lunaris. The same halls where Sebastian had once walked.
Ethan glanced at her sharply, sensing her stillness. “Lisa … Cindy… what’s wrong?”
She forced a faint smile, though her fingers tightened around the edge of the table. “Nothing. I just… wasn’t expecting that.”
Lora, unaware of the storm brewing behind her eyes, smiled proudly. “It’s fitting, don’t you think? You’ll study where your brother once trained. The goddess has a way of completing circles.”
Cindy’s gaze dropped to her lap. Her heart pounded so loud she could barely hear Lora’s words. The goddess can be cruel too, she thought silently.
The council continued discussing schedules, guardians, preparations for her lessons. She heard only fragments - words like curriculum, discipline, duty - but her mind had already drifted far beyond the chamber walls, back to the place she’d sworn never to see again.
When the meeting finally adjourned, Ethan rose, his hand light on her shoulder. “You did well,” he said softly.
She nodded, but her smile didn’t reach her eyes.
As they left the chamber, the echo of Lunaris still rang in her mind, louder than the council’s applause, heavier than any crown.