Chapter 133 133
Venessa’s POV
I watched Orville continue spewing his madness, and shock rippled through the room as his words landed.
“Yes don’t look so surprised,” he said fervently. “I’m telling the truth. Tremaine’s mother is the Moon Goddess herself, and his father is the Lycan King. Does that not count for something? My loyalty is not misplaced. I swore an oath to serve the goddess and the throne and that is exactly what I am doing.”
“If Tremaine’s father was the late King, then he is still of Morrison blood,” Elder Craig snapped, fury blazing in his voice. “Which means the Moon Goddess still required a Morrison to procreate. Stop spewing nonsense. Goddess-born or not, he is a bastard and you have betrayed your King.”
By then, I had reached Orville.
The slap echoed through the hall.
“Do not call that vile creature the Moon Goddess,” I said coldly. “Do not ever refer to the goddess of destruction and corruption as Mother Moon again.”
Gasps erupted around us.
“What do you mean, Your Highness?” one of the elders asked, stunned.
I turned to face them all.
“The Morrison bloodline has always been and will always remain the true descendants of Mother Moon,” I said evenly. “Eshera, the goddess of corruption, seeks to poison that bloodline and rot our world from within. Tremaine is her son, and the bastard offspring of the late King. Through him, she grants false life.”
I stepped forward as understanding slowly dawned on their faces.
“She offers immunity to silver, but in truth, your life force is being drained and replaced with her essence. Your natural life is stripped away. You are no longer tethered to this world neither living nor dead. And because you are no longer bound to this realm, the laws of this world no longer apply to you. That is why silver does not burn you. That is why an Alpha’s command fails. Those things are tied to life.”
The room was silent.
“They cannot be killed only destroyed by beheading because evil magic sustains them. Darkness itself is what keeps them moving.”
I realized as I spoke that this knowledge had not originated from me alone. Atabey was speaking through me.
“You’re lying!” Orville snarled. “You can’t stand the idea of someone greater than you or your father!”
I laughed.
“Oh, really?” I asked softly. “As heir to the throne and bearer of the Morrison bloodline, the Moon Goddess resides within me. I am her representative. Would you like a demonstration?”
The silence that followed was absolute.
I removed the silver restraints from Orville and took his hand.
Light surged from me pure, living energy and I forced it into him. Instantly, thick black smoke began to pour from his body as his skin drained of color.
Panic erupted.
People leapt from their seats, scrambling away from the light pouring out of me and the darkness bleeding from Orville.
“I am pushing life into you,” I said calmly. “And Eshera’s essence cannot coexist with life because her darkness is death.”
I released him.
Orville staggered back, trembling.
“Never dare call an impostor Mother Moon again,” I said, stepping away. “You were deceived nearly damned. Every ritual you took part in drained your life force and replaced it with Eshera’s corruption. You were becoming a shell. A tool. A puppet cloaked in the illusion of free will.”
I met his eyes.
“There is darkness in your heart now. Your soul has been corrupted.”
Orville collapsed to his knees, bowing his head.
“Forgive me, Mother Moon,” he sobbed.
“I believed them,” he cried. “The King was ill. Rochelle planned a hostile takeover. Fabian and Donovan fought over the throne. I wanted peace I didn’t want bloodshed. Ashani told me it was for the best. His reasons were personal, but mine were for the greater good.”
His voice broke.
“When I joined Tremaine, he showed me wonders power beyond anything mortal. I believed him. I truly thought it would make the world better. I never doubted him. Please… forgive me.”
“Never.”
The word sliced through the air.
I turned.
Rage and fear filled the room but one look struck deeper than the rest.
Rayon stared at me like I was a monster.
My chest tightened.
I looked to Denzel, who remained seated. He met my gaze and smiled gently steady, reassuring.
“Rayon is in shock. Please help him,” I linked my husband.
Denzel immediately turned toward Rayon.
My father observed everything in silence, unreadable.
“A true Morrison,” Elder Craig murmured. “The one who inherited the goddess’s gift.”
Rayon’s rigid expression slowly softened.
Denzel was already speaking to him.
I reached out mentally. Please believe him.
Rayon had been with me from the beginning. He helped me survive. He helped me rise. He brought Denzel and me together.
I couldn’t lose him now.
“I’ll explain everything later,” I linked him. “Please don’t look at me like that. It’s breaking my heart. I’m still the same Venessa. You know me.”
He hesitated… then nodded.
Relief flooded me.
I turned back to Orville, who still knelt, shaking and weeping.
“How many people have you recruited for Eshera?” I demanded. “How many kings have you whispered to, Whisperer?”
Shame crushed him. He covered his face, sobbing.
I knew my command shouldn’t bind him but fear had him in its grip. He bowed his head, unable to speak.
“If you truly believed this was for the greater good,” my father said sharply, pain lacing his voice, “why didn’t you stop when I returned and named my heir?”
The question hung heavy in the air.