In the celestial realm where moonlight never faded, Willow stood with her head bowed before the towering throne of shimmering silver and starlight. The air smelled of night-blooming jasmine and ancient power. Her mother, the Moon Goddess, sat upon her throne, her radiant form glowing with barely contained fury. Beside her sat Hera who glared at her elder sister.
"Willow," Selene's voice rang out like a silver bell, sharp and cold. "You had one mission. One simple sentence to speak. Yet you returned to me empty-handed, still bonded to that boy."
Willow's hands clenched at her sides. The memory of Lucien's golden eyes made her heart race. The way he had looked at her in that classroom, like he wanted to devour her whole, made her insides twirl with excitement.
"I'm sorry, Mother," she whispered. "I tried to do it but..."
