The ruins felt different now—charged with something unseen, something waiting.
Selene stood at the heart of the crumbling city, surrounded by people who were supposed to be hers. Survivors, warriors, remnants of a kingdom that refused to die. They watched her with measured eyes, their expressions unreadable.
She had expected doubt.
She hadn't expected a trial.
The silver-haired elder, who had yet to give her name, regarded Selene carefully. "Blood may carry truth," she said, "but a queen is not made by blood alone."
Selene swallowed hard. "Then how do I prove myself?"
The woman lifted her hand, motioning toward the ruins behind them.
"There is a place," she said. "A chamber beneath these stones. It has remained sealed since the fall of the kingdom." Her gaze locked onto Selene's. "Only the rightful heir can enter."
Silence followed.
Cassius let out a low whistle. "Of course. A locked door. Very original."
Orion ignored him, his gaze sharp. "And what happens if she succeeds?"
The elder's lips curved into something unreadable. "Then the kingdom will know its queen has returned."
Selene exhaled slowly. No turning back now.
The entrance to the chamber lay beneath the ruins of what had once been a temple. The survivors led her to a massive stone door, covered in ancient inscriptions, its surface worn by time but still pulsing faintly with magic.
Selene stepped forward. The pendant at her chest thrummed in response.
She reached out—hesitated—then pressed her palm to the stone.
For a moment, nothing.
Then—
A rush of heat.
Light pulsed from the stone, racing through the cracks like veins coming to life. The ground trembled. Dust fell in thin streams from the ruined ceiling.
And then the door—a door untouched for generations—began to move.
The gathered survivors murmured in shock.
Selene barely heard them.
She was already stepping forward, into the darkness beyond.
The air inside was heavy, ancient, alive.
Selene's footsteps echoed as she moved through the passage, her fingers brushing against stone etched with forgotten stories. The deeper she went, the stronger the pull in her chest became.
Then—a light.
The chamber opened before her, vast and circular, its walls lined with crystalline structures that pulsed faintly. At the center stood a pedestal, upon which rested something wrapped in cloth.
Selene's breath hitched.
She knew—without knowing how—that it was hers.
She stepped forward and reached out.
The moment her fingers brushed the cloth, a surge of energy pulsed through the chamber. Light erupted from the crystals, filling the space with a blinding glow.
Memories—**not hers, but familiar—**flashed through her mind. A kingdom in its prime. A throne. A war. A betrayal.
She gasped, stumbling back. The glow faded, leaving her trembling.
In her hands, the cloth unraveled.
And beneath it lay a crown.
Selene emerged from the temple, the weight of the crown still warm in her hands.
The survivors stood waiting. Watching.
She lifted her gaze to the silver-haired elder.
Without a word, the woman knelt.
One by one, the others followed.
Orion and Cassius exchanged glances, but neither spoke.
Selene barely breathed.
She had passed their test.
But something inside her whispered—this was only the beginning.