THE FORGOTTEN LUNA

ADESSA.

I made it back to my chamber and found Danielle there. She ushered me in and locked the main bedroom before guiding me to sit on the bed.

"Are you okay, my lady?" She asked, and I could tell she was worrying about me, even if she knew she was in a greater mess than I was.

"No," I replied, letting out a big sigh.

"I'm sorry that you don't feel good, but I have to say this first because they can take me away from you any moment now."

"I won't let that happen."

"Don't worry about me, but listen, Princess Adessa. Under this mattress is my phone. It is safer here than in mine if they ever search my room for anything.'

I nodded before I threw my arms to hug her. "I'm sorry I put you in trouble."

She rubbed my back and pulled away from my hug. "It's okay. I want to help as much as I can."

"Did he message already?"

"Not yet, when I placed it there a few minutes ago." She replied. "He must not have the chance to do it yet."

"Do you think he loves me and not just because I'm a princess?"

"Ordinary people or Alphas can also fall in love with the royals-the person, not the title they carry."

"I want that so badly for me and Kael. I want him to love me for me and not my title."

"I am certain you were so sure of your husband this morning. What did they tell you in there?"

I stared at Danielle as tears fell. She was the only one I could trust in this palace, so I decided to tell her everything what my father had told me about Kael and the doubts in my head.

She listened intently, and when I was done, she began speaking. "I'm sorry, my lady, but I overheard your conversation with Alpha Kael earlier. Didn't he tell you not to believe anything they say about him?" "What if he said that because he knew they'd say something about him? And what if those were the truth?"

"What if not? What if he said that because he knew how cruel the world is? That his good intention could be turned upside down, and he'd be the bad guy?"

My lips quivered as I looked at her. I didn't like that I felt so weak at the moment. I had always been strong, but whenever Kael was involved, I always felt helpless.

"Are you just going to let that doubt cloud your mind instead of going out there and proving they are all wrong about him?"

"What if I was the one wrong?"

"At least you will not have regret, and you will not look back and wonder if he ever did love you?" She took my hands and cupped them inside hers. "I can't assure you that he loves you because I don't know that either. But I can promise you, as long as I'm your handmaid, as long as I'm around, if we find out he doesn't love you, I will help you move on and get over him. You won't be suffering alone."

My body shook as my sobs got louder. The idea of him not being in love with me was too much. I was hurt when we divorced, but I already knew he felt nothing for me then. But this time, I held on to the idea that we felt the same way with each other.

"This is the only way we can live without regrets-to love and take risks for the person we believe is worth

it. We can be wrong, but we can also be right. Isn't it wonderful that after all this, he finds out that you still choose him despite the doubts they put into your head?"

I nodded as more tears ran down my cheeks.

"Have you fallen in love, Danielle?" I asked.

She nodded.

"Where is he?"

"Gone. He doesn't love me enough to fight for me. But I'm okay. I have moved on." She smiled, but I could tell she was forcing it.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked.

She shook her head before rubbing my hands. "As I've said, Princess Adessa. I have moved on. Pining for a man who was not willing to take a stand for me is not worth it. But your husband is willing to enter the Royal Games for you. I heard the game is not an easy task. It's dangerous, they said. So that must mean something. Give him a chance. Give both of you a chance."

Instead of feeling better, it made me worry more. "Dangerous? Do you know what the usual tasks are?" She shook her head again. "There has not been a Royal Games in a long time, and I wasn't even sure if there was anyone alive who witnessed the last one. So I'm no help in that department."

I raised my hands and covered my face. As if everything in my head was not enough, the fact that it was a dangerous game added to my anxiety T shouldn't have come he I just put Kael in danger. How could he fight in his full strength? He wasn't that strong and healthy yet. He had an accident just two months ago."

"Don't worry. He won't be entering the games alone."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know what kind of task there is, but one thing I'm sure of is that the main rule has never changed since this game started."

"What rule?" I asked as my heart thundered. I was not sure this was a good thing.

"The Alpha who enters the game gets to take his right-hand man with him." Danielle smiled widely at me.

I felt my whole world collapsing. I hoped I was wrong. "His right-hand man?"

She nodded eagerly. "Yes. Right hand, second in command. In short, to enter, he must take his Beta withnoveldrama

him."

I was just staring at Danielle with my mouth open as my mind went blank before darkness took over.

DANIELLE.

"Yes. Right hand, second in

command." I was smiling widely,

I

trying my best to make my lady not

worry too much. Her words and actions showed me how much she loved her husband, and I was trying to pacify her worries. "In short, to enter, he must take his Beta with him. Together, they must complete the task to ensure the Alpha's victory."

Princess Adessa's body began to sway just as I was finishing my explanation. I was grateful my reflexes were fast, and I was able to grab her arms. I steadied her limp body and guided it to drop onto the mattress instead of the floor.

She fainted.

My heart was hammering in my chest, but I knew what I needed to do at this point. I was trained for this.

I ensured that despite her lying down in a bit awkward position, she would not roll down. After securing

her, I rushed out of the bedroom and out of her receiving area. There were two guards outside the door, and I asked them to call for medical attention.

I was about to go back inside when I heard footsteps approaching, and the moment I turned my head to look in the direction of the noise, my heart skipped a beat-like always at the very sight of him. Prince Esriel was approaching.