Luna. Chapter 161

Lyra's POV

That evening, I watched Asher say his prayers before bed. His small voice was so earnest, so full of faith.

"Please keep Dad safe wherever he is. And help Mom stay strong. And help the baby grow healthy. And please make the bad king go away so we can all be a family again."

He paused, then added, "And if you're real, please give us a sign. Mom seems sad when she prays now, and I don't like seeing her sad."

My throat tightened. This beautiful, innocent child still believed so completely.

"Amen," he finished.

"Amen," I echoed.

"Mom, do you think the Moon Goddess is real?"

The question I'd been dreading. How do you tell your child that everything they've been taught to believe might be a lie?

"What do you think, baby?"

"I think she might be. But even if she's not, I think our love for each other is real. And maybe that's enough."

Out of the mouths of babes.

"I think you're very wise for someone so young."

"I learned from you."

"You learned from yourself. You have a good heart, Asher. Don't ever let anyone tell you different."

After he fell asleep, I sat by the window looking out at the night sky. The moon was full and bright, casting silver light across our yard.

If the Moon Goddess was real, was she looking down at us right now? Did she care about our struggles?

Or were we truly on our own?

The shadow's words came back to me: Your precious Moon Goddess is dead. Has been for centuries.

But if that was true, where had my power come from? Where did the light that drove back the darkness originate?

Maybe it didn't matter. Maybe the important thing was that the light existed, regardless of its source.

I placed my hand on my belly, feeling the baby move.

"What do you think, little one? Are we doing this alone, or do we have help?"

A strong kick against my palm made me smile.

"I'll take that as encouragement either way."