The moon bunkers closest to the the capitol were filled to capacity with scared Lunars, visiting Earthens, and countless others. Tucked between Lunars on all sides, Terry shared a look with Ajay, chewing her bottom lip until she drew blood. “If we survive this, we go home, and we never speak of this to my parents, okay?” Ajay snorted in disbelief. “Terry, war and destruction of this magnitude can’t possibly be contained to the moon. Venus is involved, and it’s only a matter of time before earth is too.” Terry blanched. “If the earth people possess even an ounce of intelligence, they’ll leave the fighting to Lunar. This is a moon war,” a Lunar with orangish-red hair and a harsh face lines spoke. Her husband nodded in agreement. “Guess it’s a good thing it isn’t up to you,” Terry muttered, earning a look of pure disgust from the Lunar couple. Terry felt their heated stares and blushed. The last thing she wanted was confrontation.
“You’re correct, it’s up to Lune, and may she have mercy on your soul,” the noble Lunar grunted in response, unimpressed as he appraised the offending Earthen. Terry shrunk. “Considering she is your goddess, I hope she can see past your insufferable prejudice and have mercy on your soul,” Ajay snapped, intertwining his fingers with Terry. She gave his a hand a grateful squeeze. She was happy when the Lunar couple had nothing else to say. The small moment of triumph was interrupted when the bunker shook forcefully, hardly absorbing the impact from the ongoing battle outside. “That was stronger than the last blast!” Terry had to yell to be heard. “The magic barrier must be weakening,” someone screamed, and a state of panic enveloped everyone in the moon bunker.
** ** **
“Splitting up was a bad idea!” Erin cried, swinging her staff in a fast, circular motion, pushing back the attacking raiders. “We have to trust her!” Malcolm yelled back, slashing at two raiders who approached from behind. “Yeah, except we’re stronger together than apppAARRTT,” Clint yelped, running from raider hot on his tail. “What the-” Erin watched in disbelief. “Clint! Use your weapon!” she shouted as Malcolm focused all his energy on the group of raiders who followed after Clint. “Erin!” Natalie’s voice carried from Erin’s wrist band, slightly distorted thanks to the damage the device had taken in battle. She’d taken to scanning the perimeter of the city.
“I’m here, Nat. Barely!”
“Good news, they’re mostly concentrated in Selene,” came Natalie’s response between bursts of static. “Selene? What’s in the capitol? The queen mother is gone, and King Rory is stuck on Venus…”
“Are they after a someone? Or something?” Natalie wondered, just as a raider nearly decapitated Erin. “New theory Nat! New theory!” Erin screamed, as one of Malcolm’s knives came flying, piercing the raider’s chest. He evaporated into a cloud of smoke, just as Malcolm jogged over, his guardian robe crusted with blood and dirt. His breath came in and out in shallow beats. Malcolm fell to his knees, bracing himself on his forearms. His connection to his Lunar weapons was slipping. It was a foreign sensation that left Malcolm’s core cold. Was Lune taking back her blessing? “MEGHAN!” he yelled in alarm, forcing himself to move his leaden body forward. If he was being affected, she was in danger as well. Erin watched as Malcolm stumbled back into the battle, alarmed. “Oh no you don’t!” Erin took her staff and smacked the raider who reached a fiery limb out to the weak guardian. Malcolm give her a weary smile as she helped him up.
** ** **
Meghan’s eyes opened, and she took in the splendor of the Lunar palace, standing dead center in the throne room. She took a turn about the room, confusion muddling her thoughts. She looked down at her clothes, guardian attire gone and a simple, red gown its place. Meghan absently took the fabric between her fingers, brow knitted. Laughter came from behind, and she turned around to see more empty space. “Hello?” Meghan asked, taking a tentative step forward. She could still hear the laughter, but the sound were stronger with each step forward. Her twin and Skye appeared and Meghan halted. “Guys?” Malcolm bent over to whisper something in Skye’s ear, and she doubled over in laughter. Meghan’s fist clenched tightly as she watched the two, unsure why she was so angry all of a sudden.
“Meghan?” Meghan turned around to face the new voice, unprepared for the next scene in front of her. It was her and Erin, a few moon years prior. Younger Meghan was in the thick of Earthen adolescence, face covered in scars just beginning to fade. Younger Erin’s flawless, perfect skin reflected in her friend’s eyes, puffy and red. They sat in Meghan’s childhood room, both ignoring the knock at the door. “Moon bug? Please open the door,” Meghan’s mother called, and Erin looked over at her friend, a question in her eyes. Meghan watched her younger self shake her head, burying her face into a pillow. “Moon bug…” her mom tried again, but Meghan’s attention strayed back to herself and Erin. “What kind of comfort was she?” Meghan heard herself saying, shocked to give those negative thoughts from long ago a voice.
Meghan shut her eyes. Upon opening them, the throne room was empty and quiet again. Tears blurred her vision, and the tight anger she’d felt before hadn’t completely dispelled. “I’ve got to get out here. Lune, goddess of….” Meghan’s call was cut short when she spotted a young Venusian, head bent in prayer, Seraphine’s crown adorning her curled hair. Her lips moved but Meghan couldn’t hear what she was saying.
She dresses in Lunar clothing like she isn’t Venusian born.
The anger in Meghan’s chest blossomed into something sharper.
Is this not the exact same thing she accuses you of? Does her royal blood excuse her?
“No,” Meghan barked, drawing her guardian sword out. Her mind pounded and she could hardly question where the weapon had come from. It glowed hot in her hand but not it’s typical blue color. Pure envy flowed through her veins as Meghan stalked up to Danielle’s figure.
She leads the Lunar king to his death and assumes his duties. It should have been you.
“Me,” Meghan echoed, lifting her sword high above her head, posed to strike. Noticing another presence, Danielle turned around, and Meghan faltered. Those eyes. They weren’t hers, they were his. Rory’s. Meghan brought her sword down, blinking to clear the image, but Rory’s eyes still looked back at her. “This isn’t real. None of this is real!” Meghan gasped, watching as her surroundings shifted and her pretty dress became her dirty guardian robe once more. Danielle’s shape shifted as well, until it was Rory who lay bruised and very still.
“Terra must be very proud of her work,” a silky voice spoke, and a beautiful female figure appeared draped over the Lunar king. She gave a lazy shrug, but Meghan could see the fury clear in her features. “Release him, please,” Meghan begged, afraid to approach.
“What, you’ll do anything?” Belluma mocked, a wicked grin on her lips. “I don’t take orders or requests from mortals, especially ones Terra has marked.” She was suddenly before Meghan, causing her to stumble back. “Terra? I’ve been given a Lunar blessing,” Meghan argued, but Belluma frowned. “Lune protects her own. She always has…” she waved Meghan off, losing interest and appearing above Rory again. “I’m only returning the favor,” she whispered, her voice taking a sharper tone. “W-what was his name?” Meghan blurted, desperate to stall time.
Belluma looked up and Meghan watched Rory twitch, eyes fluttering open. “Nothing you should worry your little head over.”
“But-”
“Ahh, I see exactly how you stumbled upon Lune’s sights,” Belluma chuckled humorously. In two quick steps, she was right in front of Meghan, gently tucking a curl behind the guardian’s ear. Everyone of Meghan’s instincts told her to run, fight, move, but she didn’t. “Sweet child, have you ever wondered how you could wield such power from a Lunar deity when you hail from Terra’s people?” Meghan shivered at Belluma’s touch. Of course Meghan had wondered. But the older she became, the less it had mattered. Why ponder over a past she had no personal recollection of? “His name was Sellis, and your spilled blood will join his,” Belluma turned to Rory and fused her ancient hurt into him. Rory stood, eyes glowing orange and locked eyes with Meghan. “She’s the enemy. Destroy her,” Belluma smirked, and Rory growled, charging towards the guardian with glowing fists.
“NO!” Meghan stumbled out the way of his path, watching as the Lunar King crashed into the wall. If it hurt, he could feel no pain as he hauled himself up and shot a blast at Meghan. She dove to the ground, covering her head with her hands, then scampered away from another blast of heat and light. “Rory! It’s me!” Meghan yelled, quickly growing fatigued from the repetitive running and dodging . “It’s Meghan! Snap out of it!” she screamed as a blast grazed her shoulder and knocked her to the ground. Meghan clutched her burning shoulder, tears pooling before they fell. “Fight, little Meghan,” came Belluma’s silky voice. “If you don’t kill him first, he won’t hesitate to strike you where you stand.” Meghan quickly got up to her feet as Rory launched a piece of the crumbling wall at her, knocking her against her head. “Do you value your life so little?” came Belluma’s voice again, and with it, Meghan’s sword. Meghan dashed across the room, ignoring the ache in her head and her injured shoulder as she snatch it up. Rory shot more blasts, enraged as Meghan managed to deflect each one with her weapon. It was more than love that kept her from wanting to kill him. She felt it deep in her being that his survival was paramount to the Lunar kingdom, and she couldn’t let her people down. Her home down.
Belluma appeared beside Meghan, arms behind her back. “But they aren’t your people,” she laughed, invading Meghan’s inner thoughts and making it harder for the guardian to concentrate on protecting herself. “There’s nothing you can say to make me doubt,” Meghan gritted out, rolling out of the way as Rory slashed at her. Her injury burned and made it hard to hold her sword steady. “Your loyalty is tied to the Lunars who makes you prove your worth because you weren’t born like them. That sounds like the perfect grounds for doubt, betrayal even,” Belluma responded, flickering out like a candle. Rory was on top of Meghan instantly, forcefully targeting his blast as Meghan struggled to hold him back. “You took her from me,” Rory growled again, his eyes blazing. Meghan had no idea who he thought she was, nor who he was referring to, but it didn’t matter. She could not end his life, no matter the growing threat to her own. Belluma appeared again, annoyance underneath her boredom. Just as Meghan kicked Rory off, her sword disappeared. “I’ve grown tired of this show,” she snarled and raised Meghan’s sword to stab the king’s heart. Faster than she’d ever moved in her life, Meghan threw her body over Rory’s, taking the fatal stab to her back and clean through her heart. The guardian never took another breath.
** ** **
On La Lune, Malcolm stumbled, then fell to the ground, creating a blast that knocked away anyone or anything with a few feet of him. An ache from within hurt so acutely, he began to cry, unable to locate the source of the pain. In the Venus palace, Rory grew in charge of his senses once more, awaking to see the bloody sword erect from Meghan’s back. It clattered to the floor as Rory adjusted, taking her lifeless body in his arms. “No.” His nightmare had come true. “Meghan?” he whispered, eyes glassy as he carefully flipped her over, hands slick with sweat and her blood. Meghan’s hood and the clothes underneath were soaked as well, and it was all Rory could do to keep from screaming. He pulled her lifeless body to his chest, which heaved with each strangled breath. He cared no longer for La Lune, or the moon goddess. He could taste his rising anger and thirst for revenge. His gaze landed on the guardian’s sword, and without a sliver of a plan, he reached for the hilt.
Rory wasn’t sure what transpired, but his surroundings suddenly consisted of blinding, white light. He shielded his eyes, trying to adjust. The sword had taken him someplace, but the where remained a question. Rory pulled his arm away from her face to look down at his body, outlined in silver, like he’d been painted. He inspected each hand, bringing them out in front of him in confusion. “What in the galaxy…?” he whispered in awe. His clothes were clean, and any wounds or injuries he’d sustained were gone. “Rory!” His head snapped up, knowing that voice as well as he knew anything beyond the shadow of a doubt.
“…Meghan?”
“Over here,” came the sweet voice again, and Rory scanned until his gaze rested on Meghan. The gaping, bloody hole in her chest was gone, and her guardian robe was clean from any lingering dirt or stains. Meghan’s body was outlined as well, but in turquoise colored light. Rory cared nothing for the reason. He ran to her, lifting her up in his arms as she shouted in happy surprise. They spun once, twice, a third time, before Rory finally set her down, arms still wrapped around her. A breath of hesitation, then his lips were on hers. Rory melted against Meghan, hardly able to contain his grin. Meghan threw her arms around his neck, hungrily deepening the kiss. “I thought… you died,” Rory finally said once they broke away. They were still close enough to hold hands, and Rory gave hers a gentle squeeze. Meghan’s golden smile dimmed a little. “I did.” Rory’s brows knitted in confusion.
“But Meghan…”
“And you can’t stay here, King. You still have to seal Belluma away. A goddess you and your mother never bothered to tell us about.”
Rory shook his head vigorously, gently taking Meghan’s face in his hands. He ignored her sudden bitterness. “I’m not leaving here without you. I can’t.” Meghan frowned. “You must. You’re the Lunar king, Rory.” He leaned forward and touched his forehead to Mehgan’s. “But I love you,” he whispered. “I love you too,” Meghan’s eyes fell closed, seeming to enjoy his touch as much as he enjoyed hers. “I’ve loved you for such a long time,” Rory argued, even though he knew Meghan was right. He couldn’t stay here. He couldn’t stay with her. A lone tear trailed his cheek and Meghan thumbed it away. “I don’t want to leave you,” he choked up. “I’ll be right there with you. I won’t leave your side,” she promised.
Meghan pulled away first, her mind set. “You’ll need all the guardians. And you’ll need this,” Meghan handed him her sword, shiny and pristine. “Rory,” she spoke again, waiting for him to meet her gaze. “Go, Rory. We don’t have to treat this like a goodbye.” Rory figured it wasn’t goodbye, it was something quite close to it. As quick as snap, he was back in the Venusian throne room, hand tightly gripping the sword hilt. Meghan’s still body and bloody sword reminded him of his reality, and he inhaled sharply. “Focus, Rory,” he told himself. He’d watched Meghan call upon the collected strength of her fellow guardians countless times, and now it was his turn. Raising the sword up, he felt a warmth settle in his belly, and he imagined it was Meghan. The realization made him smile He slammed it down, shouting with all his might. “Goddess Lune, heed our warrior cry! For La Lune!” Behind his closed eyelids, Rory could see six outlines, four in silver, two in turquoise. He felt his own strength grow, closer to the Lunar guardians than he’d ever been before. When his opened his eyes again, the sword crackled with energy, matching his glowing hands. It was time to destroy the goddess of war once and for all.
*** *** ******* *****
Belluma felt the presence of the other ancient goddess, even though Terra and Solla had been dead for millenniums. Belluma disappeared from the throng of enchanted Venusians and her Mars Raiders, tracking the source of dip in her own power. She didn’t’ have to travel far, finding King Rory on La Lune with the guardian sword. A smile stretched across her face as she wondered if he’d driven her back to his home for an unseen advantage. She found him alone, but Belluma knew better than to underestimate his charged up appearance.
Rory stood a few feet away from his adversary, Meghan’s sword in his tight grip, and the collective power of the guardians ready on Rory’s command. “She’s going down!” he heard Erin yell in his mind, and the rest joined in. “Stronger together than apart,” came Meghan’s soft whisper, and Rory took off, heading straight for the ancient goddess. “HIYA!” Rory yelled, raising his sword, but when it touched down, Belluma had dodged out of the way. “You think I’m going to make this easy for you?” she huffed, trying to smile through her apprehension. “She knows she won’t win,” Meghan chuckled sadly. Rory was hot on Belluma’s tail, going to strike her again but missing. “I could do this forever,” Belluma’s silky voice sang, and something new dawned on Rory. “How do I seal her away?” Rory asked himself, but forgot he had a listening audience.
“You’re the king and you don’t know how to defeat her?”
“Oh Erin, so you have a suggestion?”
“I suggest that everyone shut up, but what do I know?”
“Guys!” The last voice was Malcolm, who’d been silent since Rory traveled back to La Lune. The sudden quiet gave the king clarity, and instantly he knew what had to be done. Belluma sent an army of her raiders after him, but Rory didn’t flee. On one knee, he struck the blade of his sword into the ground and stared straight up to the cosmos. His entire body hummed and he smiled as raider after raider swiped at him but dissipated into smoke, leaving him unharmed. Maybe his mother hadn’t been keeping everything from him; some things were innate. “No…no!” Belluma screamed, appearing in front of Rory with a crazed expression. She reached out to grab his throat, but that was her final mistake. The moment her slender fingers grazed his skin, Belluma seized up, her body locking as she tumbled backwards. Like pieces of glass, her form shattered, sinking into the ground. “Sigillum intacto,” Rory spoke aloud. An unbroken seal, never to be altered or reversed again.
** ** **
Healed from Belluma’s tampering, and touched with Lune’s magic, the moon began to heal itself, everything wrong now righted. In the aftermath of war goddess’ defeat, Venus declared an official apology to the moon, and annulled the marriage arrangement between the two heirs. La Lune held a celebration for the return of her new king while once again, Venus began the road to recovery.
Malcolm shared a similar fate to the planet, now resting in a healing chamber. Skye never left his side, all of her energy focused on him so she wouldn’t have room in her heart to grieve for another guardian. Someone would have to inform the Earthen parents, but neither Skye nor Rory possessed the strength and courage to do so. On hands and knees, the Lunar king prayed to the moon goddess from his private chamber, begging for the return of Meghan’s soul. Her body had been delivered and awaited a proper burial, but Rory couldn’t bring himself to look upon her lifeless body.
“I know her sacrifice was not in vain, but if you could just bring Meghan back to me…” Rory implored of Lune, banging his fists against the floor. “You’ve taken my mother,” he tried again. “Must you take the love of my life as well?” Rory thought back to his short time in the guardian’s sword, how fleeting yet precious time had been as he held Meghan in his arms. He yearned for that once more. “If I can’t go to her, please bring her back to me. Please,” Rory tried again, his limbs aching from the pressure he put on his bent knees. When his silence continued to go unanswered, Rory slowly stood on shaky legs, resigned to his reality. Meghan wasn’t coming back. He turned around to exit the room, when the sight of a woman blocking the door stopped him. Rory blinked, convinced his tired eyes were playing tricks on him. But when he rub the tears and exhaustion away, the woman remained; tall, ethereal and radiating silver light as her gown billowed around her. She struck him as familiar. Had her met they previously? Where had he seen her before?
Suddenly it clicked and Rory fell to his knees again, embarrassed for not showing the proper respect before. “Lune,” his response breathless and almost disbelieving. “Rise, young king,” came the moon goddess’ musical lilt. Rory stood again and observed her more carefully. Though there was aesthetic beauty in all the ancient goddess, Lune had chosen the form of a Lunar to speak to Rory, a crescent mark under her eye. He knew this was a momentous occasion. The last time a reigning Lunar had spoken to the goddess had been during the reign of the first Lunar queen. “To what do I owe this pleasure?” Rory tried and failed to keep his voice from shaking and his posture straight. “Your pain and grief is my own, King Rory.” His heart quickened its pace, Meghan coming to mind. “Can you bring her back? Have you come to answer my prayers?” Rory asked, afraid to feed even the tiniest bit of hope in his heart. But Lune shook her head sadly. “I cannot bring her back. My legacy is the destruction of love. I sealed my own fate the day I sent Sellis to die in battle.”
Rory hung his head, truly heartbroken. “You care very much for Terra’s marked,” he heard Lune again, not daring to look up at her crestfallen face. It wasn’t a question, but a statement. “Is that the true reason you can’t restore her?” Rory asked bitterly.
“Because she isn’t Lunar?”
“No. Please do not harden your heart.”
Those were her sudden parting words; Lune was gone. “Don’t harden my heart,” Rory mocked, leaving the room to locate Malcolm. It was time to stop hoping, and Meghan’s brother deserved to be the first to know.
“Malcolm! Stop moving, so much!”
“These healing chambers don’t do anything, Skye! You know this!”
“Well I can’t heal your entire body! Your wounds are internal.”
Rory entered the healing chamber to see Malcolm weakly pushing Skye away as she struggled to hold him up. “Rory!” Skye yelped, as Malcolm swayed on his feet. If Malcolm wasn’t already weak, Rory was sure Skye would have let him flail. “Maybe you’ll listen to your illustrious king and get your butt back into the chamber,” Skye snapped, but Malcolm let out a bark of a laugh instead of another snappy remark. Rory sensed an inside joke in the tender way Skye eyed him, and his heart ached. “You might want to sit for this,” Rory began, but Malcolm’s stance grew rigid as he stumbled into Skye’s embraced. She helped him to the floor as he scowled. “Rory, she’s gone. No praying to the moon goddess was going to change that! We should have tried the Venus princess for treason!” Skye bit back a bitter smile. “Malcolm, it’s not treason if she hails from another planet.” Malcolm turned his scowl on her and Rory gasped. Lune said she couldn’t bring Meghan back, but hadn’t specified who could. Hence, don’t harden his heart!
“We need Princess Danielle,” Rory stated, and the two guardians stopped their bickering long enough to give him blank stares. “She may be able to help us,” he explained but Malcolm shook his head. “I don’t want her anywhere near Meghan, and you shouldn’t want her anywhere near our moon,” he gritted out as Skye tried to put him back into the healing chamber. “She mentioned something about Venus being love starved,” Skye agreed. “I don’t know what that means, but it doesn’t sound good.” Rory frowned, his mind made up. “Skye, gather the other guardians,” Rory commanded, ignoring Malcolm’s rising protests. “Now!” he shouted, the door slamming shut behind him. Skye took advantage of Malcolm’s distracted anger towards Rory and pushed him down. “OW!” Any retort Malcolm had, he bit back, shrinking under the weight of Skye’s glare. She grin once she was sure he wouldn’t move.
Once Danielle had been retrieved, Rory hovered above Meghan, who’d been placed inside the glass in casement, similar to his mother’s. He motioned for Danielle to mirror him. Skye, Erin, Clint, and Natalie made it no secret the close eye they kept on the Venusian. Danielle felt her temper rise in an attempt to dispel the nervousness. “Why don’t you have one of your guardians help? I possess no Lunar magic,” Danielle gave an angry wave to her watch guards, but when she glanced over at Rory, her anger cooled. He wasn’t a Lunar king demanding her attention to the impossible task at hand. Rather, a young man desperate to save his lost love. “Neither does Meghan,” he responded coolly. Danielle had been determined to save her planet, bring love back through her marriage with Rory, but her eyes were suddenly opened. Danielle glanced back at the guardians, able to discern the worry over their fallen friend underneath their distrust of her. This must have been what Venus was missing, if not a core part of it.
“I’ll do whatever it takes. It’s the least I can do to atone for the trouble I’ve caused,” Danielle smiled at Rory. He returned it with a distant nod, attention fully focused on Meghan. Shimmery hands gentle lay across Meghan’s torso. Rory’s hand rested on Meghan’s forehead, hand glowing pink rather than blue. Danielle looked over at him in growing excitement, but Rory continued to scan Meghan’s body for signs of life. Meghan didn’t move, and Danielle felt her confidence falter. Then…
Meghan shot up, taking deep gulp of air, frightening everyone except for Rory. The room froze as she came to, clutching her chest, just above her stab wound. “Meghan…?” Rory asked cautiously, as Meghan patted herself, reassuring she was solid. “I’m living?” Meghan laughed, turning to look at Rory in disbelief. His lips split into the biggest grin, and instantly, the other guardians clamored to embrace her. Danielle quietly slipped out, not wanting to intrude any longer on the private moment. “Oh thank the goddess,” Natalie cried, her and Clint smothering her with great affection. “For the love of Lune, you’re going to kill her again,” Erin snorted, pulling back her friends, but her relief was no secret. Skye caught the look of longing in the king’s eyes and followed Erin’s lead. “We should give her some space. And tell Malcolm the good news,” she added. Erin winked and tugged on Clint while Skye pushed Natalie from the room.
Before they were completely alone, Rory swooped down and pressed a kiss to her lips. “What ever happened to giving me space?” Meghan giggled, and Rory stepped back, suddenly unsure. “I…I can leave if you wish.” The last thing he wanted was to be separated from her but he’d honor her request if she asked. He’d do anything she asked. Meghan attempted to to climb out of the encasement, tripping into Rory’s arms. “I guess I’ll stay here,” she giggled again as Rory helped her stand. Too weak for even that simple task, Meghan leaned against Rory’s side while he wrapped an arm around her. He walked the short distance to the window, helping her onto the ledge. Meghan leaned back against the cold glass, exactly level with Rory. She bit the inside of her cheek, searching Rory’s face for truth. “Be honest with me. How angry are my parents?”
Rory laughed and brushed his lips against her cheek. Meghan pushed him back, attempting to feign seriousness. “Rory?” she prompted. “Well, I imagine they would be furious.” Meghan’s eyebrows shot up.
“You imagine?” Her poor, soon to be frightened parents!
“Meghan, it’s not often I get to be selfish, so forgive me when I say I’m having a hard time letting you out of my sight so soon.” Meghan fell silent, and Rory would have given anything to know what she was thinking. “Take me to the gardens?” she finally asked, and though he was puzzled, he didn’t question it. Gathering her in his arms, Rory lifted her up and carried her, relishing in the way her head fit perfectly against his chest. Meghan should have found her parents and maybe her brother too, but death put things into perspective. She knew nothing with certainty except that she would do it all over again if it meant her friends and her lunar home were safe. Rory pressed a kiss to the top of her head, and she was thankful he carried her. It was never duty that bound her to the Lunar king. It was love.