I lowered my gaze, expression cold and detached.
At Lady Evelyne’s investiture as Queen Consort, I had foreseen disaster she would bring, so I knelt before King Alaric and begged him to exile her.
Just as the king hesitated, my former apprentice–sister, Lyra Marlowe stepped forward from behind.
“Your Majesty, I must respectfully disagree with High Priestess Selene’s divination. Lady Evelyne is blessed by the god of fortune, surrounded by auspiciousness. She is a blessing to our kingdom–standing by Your Majesty’s side, she will surely bring peace and prosperity for all.”
“Your divinations contradict one another–whom am I to believe?” the king demanded.
Lyra hesitated, words caught in her throat.
At that moment, a parcel was brought to the king.
It was a bracelet His Majesty had gifted me, and beneath it lay a sealed letter–e each line a supposed confession of my undying love for him.
I had never written those words, but the king took them as truth.
His face darkened with fury. He shattered the jeweled bracelet on the floor.
“If the High Priestess is so desperate for a man, then send her to the Crimson Pavilion to serve as the lowest courtesan! Let her delusions be crushed!” The memory faded, but the pain remained.
I closed my eyes.
Lyra sneered beside me.
“Do you recall what Master said before he died?” she taunted. “As High Priestess, you must never entertain personal feelings–never defy the divine order.”
She stepped closer, her voice sharp as glass.
“Don’t pretend it was duty—you bent fate to serve the king, and now you’re paying the price.”
She laughed bitterly. “You got exactly what you deserved.”
My chest tightened. I tasted blood rising at the back of my throat.
I asked, “Is that why you betrayed me?”
“It wasn’t just that,” Lyra said, eyes gleaming with madness. “Master always favored you–taught you everything, trusted
was his disciple too! Why should you be the one to carry the title of High Priestess?”
She let out a twisted laugh. “No matter. You only have three days left to live.”
“Lady Evelyne hasn’t forgotten the debts from two years ago. Rest assured, she won’t let you die easily.”
With that, Lyra swept away, leaving my attendants in tears.
I sank slowly onto the table.
Master’s final words echoed in my mind: “One cannot defy destiny.”
I had defied destiny–saving those who should not be saved–and now this fate was mine to bear.
On the eve of Lady Evelyne’s labor, King Alaric suddenly appeared at The Moonlight Tower
He dropped a set of divination bones and my compass onto the table, smiling brightly.
“Selene, come, tell me will Evelyne’s child be born safely?”
I looked at the unfamiliar tools on the floor.
There is no strength left in these hands, Your Majesty. I can no longer divine the will of the heavens”
you with everything. But I
The king grabbed my wrist, displeasure flashing in his eyes. “A set of bones and a compass are no heavier than a spoon. What weakness? You are only putting on a show.”
I closed my eyes.
Chapter 2
3
MoboReels–Short Dramas&M
The ending is specter
Your Majesty, do you not know?
My tendons were severed long ago. I have no grip left.
“Please forgive me, Your Majesty.”
I knelt again, voice trembling. “I truly cannot perform divination. Two years in the Crimson Pavilion have made me forget the sacred rites. Please seek another High Priestess.”
The king’s face darkened like iron. “Only two years, and you’ve already forgotten your duty? I believe you’re faking it!”
He thrust the compass into my hand. I strained with all my might to hold it, but my fingers were powerless–the compass slipped, shattering on the floor in two pieces.
Fear surged through me. I bowed my head, begging, “Your Majesty, please forgive me!”
In panic, I neglected my appearance–my hair was disheveled, my collar slipping loose.
The king’s eyes darkened further. Suddenly, he yanked me up and slammed me onto the table.
“For the sake of the Crimson Pavilion, you’ve abandoned even the duties of the High Priestess. Let me see what you’ve learned down there!”
Since Lady Evelyne became his chosen woman, the rest of the women were sent away.
She’d been pregnant for months without a single visit from him, and I had assumed his appetites were being satisfied elsewhere–never did I imagine his desire would suddenly turn to me.
