Chapter 61 – "Echoes Beneath the Moon"
The night had fallen soft and silver upon the palace, and a hush of anticipation hung in the air. Mei sat atop the tiled roof of the west wing, knees hugged to her chest, her golden eyes reflecting the moonlight. Ever since the confrontation with the cultist envoy in the cellar, she had been restless. The words he left behind haunted her: "The hidden flame cannot be caged."
Below, the garden's pond shimmered like a mirror, and the cherry trees swayed with quiet grace. Rei had promised to meet her after his meeting with the Queen's Circle, but he hadn't returned yet. Still, Mei waited. Not out of duty—but something far more fragile and warm.
A rustle behind her.
"You're going to catch a cold up here," Rei's voice broke through the quiet.
Mei turned, offering a small smile. "You're late."
Rei joined her, sitting beside her and handing her a soft woolen shawl. "The Circle is stirring. Too many questions. Too many eyes on you."
"On us," she corrected, drawing the shawl around her shoulders.
He chuckled. "You sound more and more like a courtier every day."
They sat in silence for a moment, listening to the wind.
"Do you ever wonder," Mei began, "why the dragons disappeared? Were they hunted? Or did they choose to leave this world behind?"
Rei looked up at the stars. "Maybe they feared what they'd become if they stayed. Power invites fear. But perhaps... they just wanted peace."
"I want that too. Peace." She placed a hand over her heart. "But I feel like something's calling me. Not just memories. It's deeper. Older."
Suddenly, a flash lit the horizon. A red sigil burst in the sky, forming the symbol of a winged flame—one only Mei would recognize.
Rei stood. "That's the eastern shrine. That ward hasn't activated in centuries."
Mei's voice was quiet, but certain. "Someone opened it. And it was meant for dragons."
Chapter 62 – "The Shrine of Embers"
The eastern shrine stood in forgotten ruins, vines choking its once-proud archways. The townspeople avoided it, whispering of curses and old gods. But tonight, the place pulsed with ancient magic.
Mei and Rei arrived before dawn, cloaked and silent. As they stepped over the mossy threshold, the wind changed. Warm. Smoky. Familiar.
Inside, dragon carvings lined the walls—depictions of flight, flame, and fierce battles. In the center of the shrine was an obsidian pedestal. Upon it lay a glowing feather, burning gently with orange light.
Mei reached out. The feather rose of its own accord and hovered before her.
Words blossomed in her mind: "Child of Flame, Heir of Sky, the seals weaken. Return. Remember."
The feather burst into light and dissolved. A warmth filled her chest, and her spine arched as ancient memories flowed through her—soaring skies, scales gleaming in sunlight, a lullaby in an unknown tongue.
When she opened her eyes, she was crying.
Rei knelt beside her. "Mei? What did you see?"
"My mother. She left me here… to protect me. And this shrine was her promise—that one day, I'd reclaim what was lost."
"Do you remember her name?"
"Yes," Mei whispered. "Her name was Ilyara, Flame of the South Wind."
Chapter 63 – The Weight of Wings
Morning sunlight streamed through the palace windows, filtering in soft gold over the velvet curtains and floor tiles. The stillness was deceptive—a breath before a storm. Mei sat by the window, absently tracing the edge of a feather that had fallen from her cloak the night before. It shimmered faintly in the light, a reminder of the truth she tried so hard to hide.
Rei entered quietly, carrying a tray of morning tea and sweet rice cakes. "You didn't sleep much again, did you?"
She gave a weak smile. "Too many dreams." Her voice trembled slightly, but she didn't hide it.
He set the tray down gently beside her. "Was it your mother again?"
Mei nodded. "She's calling to me. Or... something wearing her voice. I can't tell anymore."
They sat in silence for a while, the hum of the waking palace buzzing just beyond the balcony. In the distance, bells rang out for a council meeting—one Mei was not invited to, yet deeply affected by.
The queen had not spoken to either of them since the Blood Moon Ball. Whispers circled about the court, hinting that Lord Kaien had presented evidence of "unholy magic." Tension hung like fog, thickening by the day.
"I've been thinking," Rei finally said. "If things grow worse, we need a way out. A path to safety."
Mei turned to him. "You mean exile?"
"I mean freedom. You weren't born to hide in shadows. And I won't let them tear you apart to appease their fear."
She looked away, heart pounding. He spoke with such quiet certainty, and yet, the weight of what they both knew was unbearable.
"Rei," she whispered. "If I change again, fully... If I lose control, I could hurt you. Or worse."
"Then I trust you'll protect me, just as I will protect you."
At that moment, something shattered beyond the doors—a maid's shriek, followed by hurried footsteps. They both rose.
Kaien stormed into the room moments later, flanked by guards. "Lady Mei. By order of the royal court, you are to be placed under observation until the Council's final judgment."
Rei stepped forward. "On what grounds? This is madness!"
"Relic evidence," Kaien said, producing the charred parchment Mei had received days ago. "And sightings of her shifting form. The people grow nervous."
Mei's wings, small and hidden most days, fluttered instinctively beneath her shawl.
She stood tall. "I will not run."
Kaien nodded once. "Then follow me."
But as they stepped out, Mei caught sight of something etched into the stone wall just beyond her chamber door. A symbol—draconic in origin, ancient and glowing with faint blue fire. She froze.
Rei saw it too. "What does it mean?"
Mei's eyes widened. "That... that wasn't meant for me. It's a warning. They're not after me alone. They're hunting something else."
Kaien narrowed his gaze, but before he could question her, the mark faded.
As they descended the palace halls, watched by silent courtiers and murmuring nobles, Mei reached for Rei's hand.
"Then it's begun," she whispered. "The Second Awakening."
To be continued...