His Silent Luna (Verity and Felicity) novel Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO: THE NIGHT I WAS SEEN

Verity’s Perspective

Beyond the confines of my solitary tower lay the castle—a place so vast and radiant it felt like a world apart from everything I had ever known. Its golden walls shimmered under the moonlight, alive with an energy I had never encountered. Until that night, my existence had been cloaked in shadows, but stepping beyond my room was like stepping into a new life, a realm bathed in light.

Grace had left the door unlocked.

Was it a careless error? Perhaps. Or maybe it was something more—a chance, a miracle waiting to unfold.

Cautiously, I slipped out once the corridors had quieted down, the mingled aromas of rich food and delicate perfume drifting through the air. The unfamiliar scents pricked my senses, sharp and strange against my sheltered life. My bare feet made soft sounds as they touched the smooth marble floor, which gleamed like liquid silver under the faint glow of sconces. My fingers trembled as they traced the intricate tapestries lining the walls—wolves, stars, and slender silver trees woven with exquisite detail. My heart pounded fiercely, the sound pounding in my ears, threatening to betray my presence.

With every step, the scene around me grew more tangible, more vivid.

I had no destination in mind; I simply followed the music.

A peculiar melody, both sharp and gentle, called to me irresistibly. It was laughter, mingled voices weaving together in a chorus of joy, swirling around like a breeze. Peeking from behind a towering pillar, I caught sight of it.

The ball.

It was everything Grace had described—and beyond. Dresses glittered like constellations come to life, men wore dark suits adorned with golden crests gleaming on their shoulders. Tables groaned under the weight of unfamiliar delicacies, and candles floated mysteriously in the air, casting a soft, magical glow.

And the crowd—so many people, alive and vibrant.

I melted back into the shadows, the one place I could truly count on. Having spent my life in darkness, it had become my refuge, my protector. The shadows knew me, embraced me, kept me safe.

There I stayed, hidden and silent, watching a world I was never meant to enter.

Then I saw her.

Felicity.

She spun gracefully in the center of the room, like a radiant star at the heart of a galaxy. Clad in silver and white, she seemed touched by moonlight itself, her every movement filled with effortless elegance. People bowed as she passed, their smiles warm and admiring. She soaked in their adoration as if it were her birthright.

And standing beside her… were two others.

A man and a woman.

My father. He was tall and commanding, his sharp features unreadable, his expression cold and distant. But the woman—

She took my breath away.

Her dark curls framed her face like a crown of shadows. Her eyes, a striking green rimmed with gold, held a softness tinged with sadness. Her dress shimmered like starlight, but despite the smiles she wore as others bowed, her eyes seemed hollow, empty.

A fissure opened inside me.

I had seen my father twice before, but this moment was different.

This was the first time I was truly seeing my mother.

The first time I glimpsed my family.

And yet, they didn’t know I existed.

They didn’t search for me.

Hidden behind a velvet curtain, my heart thundered wildly, my chest aching with a nameless pain. I should have turned away, slipped back into the safety of shadows while I still could.

But the music—

It pulled me onward, like a rope tugging me away from the hall and toward the garden. Barefoot and breathless, I followed the melody until I stepped into a world I had never imagined.

The moon.

Silver and radiant, it bathed everything in its glow. The sensation was intoxicating—thrilling and liberating all at once. Around me, the garden bloomed with flowers in colors I couldn’t name, their petals reaching upward as if drawn to the moon’s light. Trees swayed gently, moving in time with the night breeze, and the air was fresh and alive, filling my lungs as though I were breathing for the very first time.

I stood in the middle of the garden path, gazing up at the luminous orb above, wondering if it could see me as I saw it.

Then I turned.

And collided with him.

He was taller than I expected, with dark hair curling slightly at the ends. His skin was a warm shade, his jawline sharp and defined, but it was his eyes—those eyes—that held me captive. They were the color of a stormy sea, dark and electric, flashing like lightning. When he looked at me, it was as if he’d found something missing from his life without even realizing it.

“Oh, thank the Goddess,” he breathed, stepping back a little, his voice a deep rumble. “You’re here. I almost thought—” He chuckled softly. “Felicity, you look… radiant.”

My body froze.

Felicity?

He thought I was her.

“Are you okay?” he asked, his brow knitting with concern. “You’re so quiet. What’s wrong with your eyes? They’re not green…”

I blinked, struggling to find words.

Felicity.

She stormed in, her dress billowing behind her, her face twisted with a mixture of horror and fury. My mother and father followed close behind, along with two tall men I didn’t recognize—strong, imposing, with eyes the color of a storm.

My brothers.

Every pair of eyes was fixed on me.

No—on us.

Their gazes flicked between me and Felicity.

Two of us.

Twins.

“What in the Goddess’s name—” my father hissed.

Felicity pointed at me, her voice trembling with rage. “She’s a witch! That’s not—That’s not me! I don’t have a twin!”

The prince—the man who had just marked me—spun toward Felicity. “You’re not her…”

He looked from one of us to the other, disbelief etched across his face. “You’re not her.”

My mother stared at me as if I were a phantom. Her lips quivered, and tears brimmed in her eyes—tears she refused to let fall.

“No…” she whispered. “Verity?”

Hearing my name on her lips shattered something deep inside me.

And in that moment—

The world fractured.

The howling ceased.

The silence screamed.

And I knew—

Everything was about to ignite.