Whispers Of The Blue Moon

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The moonlight fell cold and silent over the vast courtyards of the BlueMoon Palace. Inside the marble-lit chamber, tension thickened the air like a suffocating fog.

Dylan stood like a statue forged in fury, his silver sword gleaming under the lantern light, its sharp edge pressing against Lia's throat. Her breath hitched, body trembling, yet she did not flinch.

"I am not a spy, Majesty," Lia said calmly, but her voice wavered slightly under pressure.

Irin stood frozen at first, her heart thundering. Then, without hesitation, she stepped forward and tried to move Dylan's sword away. "Dylan, let her go," she whispered with desperation, her hand trembling as she pushed against his unmoved arm.

But Dylan didn't budge. His gaze remained fixed on Lia—sharp, unreadable. "Tell me," he said coldly, "who are you… from your own mouth?"

Lia opened her mouth to speak, but before she could utter a word, Irin's hand flew to the table beside them. With a sudden move, she snatched a sharp fruit knife and held it against her own throat.

The room turned ice cold.

Dylan's eyes widened. Lia gasped. "Irin…!"

"If you don't remove your sword," Irin said fiercely, her eyes locked with Dylan's, "I will press this blade deeper."

The blade already drew a thin red line across her soft skin. A drop of blood slid down her neck.

Dylan's expression broke. With a growl of frustration, he pulled his sword away from Lia.

Irin immediately lowered the knife and dropped it, breathing hard.

Lia stumbled back, clutching her chest. "Yes… yes, I am Irin's friend," she confessed through rapid breaths. "We've known each other since we were little. I followed her here… not to spy, but to protect her. I couldn't leave her alone in a demon's den…"

Dylan's eyes burned, but he didn't strike. Instead, he stepped back, voice like steel. "You can stay here," he said with heavy authority. "But don't ever dream of taking Irin away from this palace."

Without another word, he turned and stormed out of the room, the echo of his boots trailing behind.

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The Next Morning

Golden rays fell softly on the palace gardens. Near her chamber, Irin stood beside rows of white lilies, watering them with quiet care. The flowers swayed under her gentle touch.

From a nearby path, Dylan walked by, lost in thought—until his eyes fell upon her.

She looked ethereal.

Bathed in sunlight, strands of her dark hair shining in the light, she hummed faintly, unaware of his gaze. For a moment, Dylan simply stood there, forgetting everything else. There was something about her… something that both calmed and unsettled him.

Ruther, walking beside him, noticed. "Why are you staring at her, Majesty?" he teased, cocking an eyebrow. "Is she really more beautiful than all the women of our kingdom?"

Dylan turned sharply, his voice low and warning. "Stop."

Ruther immediately zipped his lips.

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Inside the Study Room

Dylan paced restlessly, old scrolls and magic records scattered around him. His mind raced back to the symbol—the blooming lily tattoo on Irin's hand. Why hadn't it awakened? And why… only hers?

He remembered Ruther's words. Fiona had the same tattoo too…

Realization struck him like thunder.

He burst out of the room and strode swiftly to Irin's chamber.

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In Irin's Room

Irin sat at her dressing table, brushing her long hair. Lia stood behind her, helping arrange her locks.

The door flung open.

Dylan stepped in with force, his eyes immediately catching the sight of Lia's hand—there, on her wrist, the same blooming lily tattoo glowed faintly in the sunlight.

"You," he said sharply, pointing. "Your tattoo—it's the same as Irin's."

Lia froze, turning pale. She couldn't speak.

But Irin answered instead, looking confused and slightly annoyed. "Why are you so obsessed with our tattoos?" she asked, standing up. "It's nothing magical. On the Lantern Festival, when we were children, Fiona, Lia, and I all drew the same lily symbol on our wrists. It was just… a symbol of our friendship."

Lia slowly nodded. "That's all it is, Majesty."

But Dylan's mind whirred like a storm. Fiona… also has the tattoo. Then… why did Irin's tattoo awaken and glow in the mirror realm? Why didn't Lia's tattoo react during the Purple Spider Demon attack?

He narrowed his eyes, voice whispering to himself. "Did I get the wrong girl? If Irin's tattoo didn't awaken again… is she not the girl from the prophecy?"

His eyes flickered toward Lia. Could it be… her? No—her tattoo didn't glow either.

His expression darkened.

Which meant only one thing.

"…Fiona," Dylan whispered under his breath.

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To be continued in Chapter 9...