Chapter 18

Chapter 18
Ella's POV

I woke in the dead of night, my throat parched and aching.

The bedroom was pitch black, only faint moonlight filtering through the sheer curtains. I sat up groggily, my head still foggy—images from the ritual flashing through my mind like shattered glass: Celeste being whipped, the rioting crowd, those desperate screams.

I remembered falling asleep against Julian's shoulder in the carriage on the way back. He must have carried me to bed.

I reached for the nightstand, searching for water, but found nothing. As I rose from bed, my gaze instinctively turned toward the dresser—where the Orta Crown should have been.

In the moonlight, the velvet box's lid stood open.

I froze, thinking I'd simply forgotten to close it. But as I drew closer, my heart plummeted.

The box was empty.

My hand gripped the box's edge, knuckles white with pressure. No, impossible. I clearly remembered placing the crown here before we left, even checking that the box was properly secured—

Low voices drifted up from downstairs.

I practically bolted from the room. The hallway was dark, only weak lamplight spilling from the living room below. I gripped the banister and hurried downstairs, bare feet striking cold wooden floors, chill shooting up through my soles.

In the living room, Julian stood with Brian, Gregory, and Zachary, their expressions grave. Their voices were hushed, but I still caught fragments—"lighthouse," "didn't find it," "leads."

"Julian!" My voice cut harshly through the night's silence.

All four heads turned at once. Julian's expression shifted instantly from stern to gentle, but the transition was too quick, quick enough that I realized he was deliberately hiding something. He strode forward, reaching to steady my shoulders, but I stepped back.

"Where's the crown?" I met his eyes directly, struggling to keep my voice steady, but it trembled anyway. "Why is the box empty? Why are you all meeting down here? What happened?"

Julian fell silent for a moment, guilt flickering in his blue eyes. He took a deep breath: "The Orta Crown was stolen. When we returned, we discovered the villa had been broken into and the crown was gone. I took Brian and the others to track the thief, all the way to the Wind Lighthouse, but—" he paused, "we didn't find anything."

I felt my blood freeze in my veins. Countless possibilities flashed through my mind—who was the thief? Did they know the crown's power? If all five elements fell into the wrong hands—

"Why didn't you wake me?" I heard my voice shaking, filled with barely suppressed anger and hurt. "That sacred artifact was entrusted by the Moon Goddess—you gave it to me to guard! And now you tracked the thief, searched the lighthouse, then came back to hold meetings while I slept—what am I? A child who needs to be kept in the dark and protected?"

"Ella—"

"You're making decisions for me again." I cut him off, feeling that familiar anger rising in my chest. "Just like at Silver Moon Estate. Just like everyone else has always done to me. I thought you were different, Julian. I thought you'd treat me as a true partner, as a Luna who could fight alongside you, not as a fragile thing that needs protecting."

The moment the words left my mouth, the entire room fell silent.

Brian and the other guards awkwardly lowered their heads, pretending to study patterns in the floorboards. A flash of hurt crossed Julian's face, but he quickly recovered that gentle mask.

"Ella." His voice was quiet, tinged with exhaustion and apology. "I just didn't want you to worry. The ritual had already exhausted you, I thought—"

"You thought what? That I'm too fragile to handle the truth?" My voice rose, eyes beginning to sting. "You know what, Julian? Kane did the same thing. He always said it was 'for my own good,' said he'd 'give me everything once he seized power.' But in the end, I was just a pawn in their hands, something to be protected, arranged, controlled."

The words clearly stung him. Julian's face went pale. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"You're right." He finally spoke, his voice carrying genuine remorse. "I'm sorry, Ella. I should have woken you immediately. I should have treated you as an equal partner, not something that needs protecting. I—" he opened his eyes to look at me, "I was wrong."

I stared at him, searching his expression for any trace of insincerity, but found none. He meant it. This softened my anger somewhat, though it didn't disappear entirely.

"So what now?" I asked, my voice still cold. "What do you plan to do?"

Julian glanced at Brian, who nodded. "We'll continue searching. The thief may still be hiding somewhere in Free Haven. Brian and the others are contacting local informants to see if we can find any leads." He paused, meeting my eyes. "But Ella, if you want to be involved, I won't stop you. This is your crown. You have the right to know everything and participate in every decision. I promise."

I nodded, but knew deep down it wasn't enough. Simply being "allowed to participate" wasn't enough. I needed to prove I wasn't a burden, wasn't something that needed constant protection.

So what are you planning to do? Ignis's voice echoed in my mind, tinged with worry. Go find the thief alone? Ella, that's too dangerous.

I'm not going to act alone, I answered internally, though my tone was uncertain. I just... I need to make Julian understand I'm not a burden he has to take care of.

But you know he cares about you. He just doesn't want you to get hurt. Ignis said gently. Sometimes the line between caring and controlling is blurry. But Ella, have you considered that maybe he's still learning how to treat a partner as an equal? Just as you're learning how to trust.

Her words caught me off guard. I opened my mouth but found I couldn't argue back.

"I want to go for a walk." I finally said, my voice calmer than before. "Alone. I need to clear my head."

Julian hesitated. I could see he wanted to stop me, but in the end he nodded. "All right. But don't go far, Ella. It's late, the streets aren't safe. If there's any danger, call me through our mental link immediately. Promise me."

"I'll be careful." I didn't promise, just turned toward the door.

"Ella." Julian called out. I turned back to see him standing in the lamplight, his eyes full of worry and guilt. "I truly am sorry."

I nodded, then pushed through the door into the night.