LUNA: The Rebellion

30: The Queen and The Witch

It took 32 hours for everyone to wake up from the damage the Emperor have given to our bodies. While it was lesser hours for the others, kinailangan pa naming hintayin na magising ang lahat bago kami gumawa ng plano. We had decided to discuss things here in the war room but it had been minutes since we stared at nothing in particular, only silence coated the cold room. Everyone had been inside their heads, and I wasn't an exception.

Unintentionally, my eyes wandered to the vacant seat located at the head of the table. I have been glancing at it ever since I stepped into this room, secretly praying to the Triple Goddess everything was just a horrible nightmare and Midnight was still here. With us. Doing the things he usually does. Calling for my attention.

But he wasn't here. And the chair was still empty and he wasn't calling for me and he was—- he's not here.

I didn't care about the effect it had on me, I went back and repeated every single scenario inside my head. Carved every horrified, maddening, furious faces of the Pack— of the Emperor. Heard the shattering of glass as Midnight was pushed against it. I gripped onto the armrests of my chair and suppressed the growing infuriation in me.

I forced myself to avert my eyes from the vacant seat and observe the Pack, who decided to express their frustrations by being quiet. Some part of me was convinced Midnight was only taken away from us because of my selfish choices. I've let my emotions get the best of me when I was fully aware of the ongoing war and acted unnecessarily. Killian was there to warn me about the undoing but I didn't listen. And Midnight... he didn't want me to get mad—- he knew the risk and yet he still did it. Still chose to proceed the undoing with me. Not only I was being stupid and conceited of myself, I was incompetent as his royal guard.

I couldn't even use my light. I couldn't even transform. It was as though the Emperor knew exactly the right time to steal the sole foundation of this group.

He had purposely raided Severus in other to mark it with his military. He was expecting to lose his army the first time he attempted an attack, then proceeded to use those dead bodies. He knew Midnight crossed the ocean and didn't do anything to stop it. He knew Princess Tatiana arrived here. He might have concluded Midnight's and King Inias's Royal Seal--- kahit sabihin nating hindi niya alam kung ano ang buong detalye sa kontrata ng dalawang kaharian, if I were in The Emperor's place, I would automatically assumed they have formed an alliance. Then it would go back to Princess Tatiana's visit here in the empire of Ursa. Why she was sent here. It was obvious enough. For political convenience: marriage.

He knew Midnight was not the person to get married so easily.

He knew Midnight cared for me.

He waited for this right time.

And if the Emperor's magic wasn't foreseeing, if his magical ability was to resurrect the dead--- it only meant he had a celestial mage in his court. It was possible his Advisor was a celestial mage, then it'd make sense why he was keen on knowing every movement his people were doing.

That wasn't the only problem. His brain wasn't the only problem we need to figure out. He was as strong as an Emperor should be. Na kahit pinagsama sama na kami ng buong Pack, hindi man lang namin ito nasugatan.

There was something off. Something more. Something deeper.

Ni hindi namin nahuli kung sino ang may kakayahan na gumawa ng butas sa barrier ni Vlad. Ni hindi nagawang mailigtas ng mga shadow demons si Midnight nung nahulog ito sa bintana.

I once again looked at the Pack.

I wouldn't deny it any longer. Kahit sabihin pa nilang hindi ako ang sinisisi nila kung bakit nagkaganito ang lahat.