Luna could barely hold herself upright when Nova carried in the tray. The scent of warm bread and roasted meat drifted into the room, making her stomach twist painfully. It had been so long since she'd eaten that shame burned her cheeks as she dropped to her knees, crawling across the floor.
Nova's eyes filled with tears as Luna reached the food and devoured it, trembling hands stuffing small bites into her mouth like a starved child. Her beauty and pride, still there in the tilt of her jaw and storm of her eyes, were nearly drowned beneath the sheer desperation of survival.
"My lady…" Nova whispered, voice breaking. "Forgive me. From this day on, I'll never let you starve again. Even if it costs me my life, I'll find a way to feed you when the master isn't watching."
Luna paused, bread clutched in her hand, lips trembling. She wanted to argue, to say she wasn't worth such loyalty but she was too weak, too broken. Instead, she only nodded, tears dripping onto the food she held.
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Later that afternoon, Nova coaxed her out for fresh air. They slipped quietly into the mansion's garden, where the roses lay wilted and black, as though life had abandoned them.
But the moment Luna's fingers brushed a brittle stem, light spilled across the thorns. One by one, the roses lifted their heads, unfurling into white and crimson bloom. The garden, once dead, pulsed with life again.
Nova's breath caught. The prophecy… it's true. The Moon Goddess has returned. She pressed a hand to her mouth, tears glistening in her eyes.
Luna spun among the blossoms, laughter bubbling from her lips, sunlight painting her caramel skin in gold. Her black hair gleamed, her storm-grey eyes catching shards of sky. For a brief moment, she looked like she belonged to another world.
That was when he appeared.
Tall, broad-shouldered, his golden-brown hair catching the light, and dark eyes burning like fire tamed just beneath the surface- Matteo. A man crafted by the gods, his presence was overwhelming, yet somehow soothing.
His gaze lingered on Luna as though he'd never seen beauty before. Slowly, he stepped forward and extended a hand. "I don't believe we've met. Matteo."
Luna froze, her heart pounding. No man had ever looked at her this way, as though she were precious instead of just sexy. Her lips parted, but no words came. Hesitant, she placed her trembling hand in his.
Warmth jolted up her arm. She gasped, eyes darting up to his. He smiled faintly, a smile both kind and dangerous.
But before she could breathe, a voice like thunder cut through the garden.
"Mine."
Damiano.
He yanked her aside, grip cruel on her wrist. Matteo's jaw clenched, his eyes flashing not just anger, but something hotter, wilder. For the briefest second, Luna swore she saw fire flicker in them.
"Take her back to her room," Damiano snarled at Nova. "Or I'll have your head on the garden wall."
Nova dropped into a bow, her hands shaking. "Y–yes, Master."
Luna glanced back once as Nova pulled her away. Matteo stood rooted where he was, fists clenched, eyes burning with something she didn't yet understand.
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Back in her room, Luna rounded on Nova, her stormy eyes blazing. "Enough games. I need answers. Now."
Nova hesitated, but the desperation in Luna's voice left no room for silence.
"There is… another world," Nova began softly. "The spirit world. It holds earth together, keeps it from collapsing. But it is unraveling, little by little. Because the God of Death seeks to conquer it and take earth with it."
Luna's chest tightened. "And what holds it together now?"
"The Moon Queen," Nova whispered. "But she is failing. Because of her other half."
Luna frowned. "Other half? You mean her husband?"
"No." Nova's lips trembled. "Not in my place to say. You'll know when the time is right."
Her hands twisted in her apron as she forced herself to go on. "Damiano is no ordinary man. He is the Demon King ruler of shadows, feared in both worlds. Matteo… is his rival. A half-god of Fire and Water. Together, their power stretches across both the underworld and earth. That is why they stand as trillion-dollar rulers here, and as kings there. Rivals in every way that matters."
Luna stared, her body cold and trembling.
"And us," Nova added softly, "the maids… we are but commoners from the underworld. We serve here not only as servants, but as shields. So that the master's dealings remain hidden from mortal eyes."
Her gaze lifted, sorrowful and frightened. "And you, Luna… you are not who you think you are. Which is why every moment you stay here, the danger grows greater."