Chapter 63: Temple of the Moon Goddess

'Is it... unnatural that the Moon Goddess is helping me that I kept returning to the day before the tragedy?' I asked Henry when we were sauntering to the divine temple near the royal palace.

We were in disguise, dressing in peasant clothing since we did not want to alert the other people that the crown prince and his fiance were 'dating.' We were not. That was not possible.

'Yes. Especially if you are not a member of the divine temple and the royal lycan family.'

'Is it really alarming?'

'For me, yes. I want to confirm my suspicion of you.'

'That is?'

"We're here."

I looked up at the divine temple in the capital, Temple of the Moon Goddess. It was said that our Moon Goddess Herself built this temple so Her creations could worship her. She built the other main temples in the Waevalon, Sowinski, and Estasia Eglaria Kingdom.

"This place..." I eyed the establishment up and down. "This feels like home..."

"What did you say?"

Seeing it was enough for me to know that a warm feeling was lingering inside me. I even felt the tightening of my chest.

"Domi, you're crying...!"

"What?" I turned at Henry, who looked petrified. Then that was the moment I felt wet liquid streaming down my face. "What...?" I looked at him as I mindlessly touched my face. "I-I... I do not know why I am crying..." I looked up at the divine temple with so much longing. "Every time my eyes are lingering on that temple, I feel like... It feels like home..." My voice croaked as I inhaled sharply.

When I turned to Henry, his eyes widened as if he couldn't believe the words I had just uttered. Or perhaps, I surprised him.

Henry cleared his throat. "Shall we go inside?" As much as he had so many questions in his mind, I knew well that I wouldn't be able to answer him since he must have seen that he couldn't find an answer from me.

Nodding, I followed him behind as I saw some devoted followers of the Moon Goddess going in and out of the temple. I also happened to see some lavender flowers being surrounded the whole temple.

"What is with the lavender flowers here in the divine temple?" I asked while we were on the staircase.

"Moon Goddess loves lavender flowers," he said. "When She built Her own temple in every kingdom, along with it is her favorite flower, lavender," he explained. "They are not just ordinary lavender flowers since they cannot be transferred to a different place besides the Temple of the Moon Goddess. If one dares to steal it, there is no chance it might grow in cultivated land. They only grow here in this place. Even the other divine temples that are man-built cannot grow a special lavender garden with the blessing of the Moon Goddess. They can only use ordinary ones."

"But there is a lavender garden in the Luna Queen's Garden," I pointed out.

He nodded. "Ah, yes. The royal palace is included in Her exemptions. I forgot to add."

"I see..." I did not get to say anything as we were headed inside of it, which involved how divine, sacred, and holy the divine temple is.

The atmosphere was different from the other divine temples I had been with. The last divine temple I had been with was from the Calaren. After that, I had never been to the other temples.

I had noticed the temple's interior designs embellished with gems glowing from the sunlight. I remembered that they were glowing in the dark if it was a full moon, and they grew into a bright blue light if it was a lunar eclipse.

Henry halted when we happened to see a group of cleric apprentices in the Moon Goddess' Garden. "Is High Priest Redgrave or High Priestess Shea here?" he asked.

One of them spoke. "Her Excellency, High Priestess Shea is on her pilgrimage. It has been a month since she hasn't arrived here in the divine temple."

"How about High Priest Redgrave?"

"His Excellency is in the prayer hall for the spiritual intercession. Unfortunately, His Excellency cannot be talked right now."

Henry and I exchanged glances. If a high priest or high priestess was in the spiritual intercession, it was said that they were not allowed to be disturbed.

Being called an honorific, Your Excellency, or being called the high priest or priestess meant that they could perform the invocation. It was why they were called the sage of the Moon Goddess. Each kingdom could become a sage by the Moon Goddess. That was why they were called High Priest for a divine priest and High Priestess for a divine priestess.

However, only two people could be allowed to represent themselves as the sage of the Moon Goddess.

"When will he be finished?"

"Three days from now." My eyes widened from that. It was the same day as Demetrius' succession ceremony!

"And Her Excellency?"

"I-I am not certain. Her Excellency never tells when she arrives. She always surprises us with her arrival..." He exchanged his looks between us. "I-If you need them, I will try to intercept His Excellency."

Henry shook his head. "No need. I mean... we shall wait until he is finished with his spiritual intercession. We shall return. Thank you."

My shoulder slumped when we were out of the divine temple. "Then our efforts are in vain?" I asked, disappointed. I was actually looking forward to knowing why the Moon Goddess was intervening at the time and allowing me to return so many times before the tragedy.

"Did Redgrave appear in Demetrius' succession ceremony before you regressed?"

"Um..." I thought about it. I gasped when I remembered it. "I remember that the two Excellencies were there!" I exclaimed, shocked. "We even greeted them, Henry!"

"We did?" He looked surprised when I nodded to confirm. "If Shea is there, she shall return soon from her pilgrimage?"

"Yes." I could feel my heart pounding so fast. "You even told me you will invite them to the banquet hall..."

"Is that so?" I nodded. Henry halted as he looked up at the sky. "There is an assassination that shall be happening on that day. We must intercept your father's plan."

I agreed with him. I did not want to witness Demetrius die before my eyes. If I let that happen, I would certainly regret it if I did not happen to save him. I must do something.

The ceremony started with His Majesty's speech on the day of the succession ceremony. The speech was written by Henry himself. His father had never exerted an effort and just commanded his son to do things almost out of his reach.

I quietly roamed around my eyes to count all my siblings. All of them were completed... No one was left out. Even Arthur, Britanny, and Ingram were there.

It was the same as the last time. It was the same when Papa was not here. What bewildered me was why his wives were not here.

With Henry's elite knights, they quietly apprehended the culprit that was lurking in the gallery balcony. But I knew that things must not be supposed to end there.

This was not as easy as I thought.

"Well? It looks like you have grown taller, my dearest brother." I approached Ingram when I saw him separating himself from his peers.

"Sister!" Ingram's face brightened when he saw me.

I smiled, wanting to wince his hair. But I halted myself and maintained my solemnity. "Why are you separating yourself from them?" I glanced at those men still in their juvenile age as him.

Ingram shyly glanced at them. "I am not fond of chitchatting with them, Domi..." I almost chuckled before drinking some champagne. "How about you? Why did you separate yourself from His Royal Highness?"

I glanced at Henry, who was busy entertaining the guests here along with Demetrius. I even looked for Niccolo, but he was nowhere to be found.

Huh?

I thought that he was only here. He was supposed to be behind Demetrius' back.

Where did he go?

"He is busy..." I commented before looking at him. "I want to know where Papa is." My eyes settled on Britanny, who had just arrived.

Where did she go? Did she go to the lavatory?

I squinted my eyes, seeing her. It was enough to make my blood boil before she approached Caroline and smiled at her. Caroline looked like she enjoyed conversing with her before looking my way, raising her flute glass.

I almost smiled bitterly before returning my attention to Ingram, whose expression was crumpled. I understood his behavior. Ingram never liked Britanny and Caroline.

He turned to me. "Papa settled some business in the east," he answered obediently. 'Those two... They have gotten closer since Papa summoned them in his study room a week ago.'

My eyes almost widened. But I remained my expression as neutral as possible. I even looked at the way where Papa's wives were here now. They arrived late before they dispersed and went to their respective peers.

"I see..." I nodded. 'What is he planning this time?'

'I have no idea, sister. However, all of us are already waiting for the right time when you are going to execute your plans.' He drank his drink. "But Papa said that he shall return as soon as possible. And he picks Britanny to represent the House of Cantavalle for the upcoming hunting competition."

That surprised me. "Is it?" Ingram nodded.

My eyes glazed at the same door where Britanny exited when Niccolo also stormed out there. Some soft giggles came from Britanny's direction as I felt like a freezing liquid poured through my whole body.

Niccolo glanced at her, and the latter did the same before she giggled like a prim and proper lady.

I gripped my glass before Niccolo turned in my way when he must have felt a seething glare coming from this direction. His eyes widened when our eyes met.

For some reason, a betrayal was written in my eyes that I couldn't explain. Even my heart felt like someone was piercing it.

"May I have a dance with my future Crown Princess?"

I broke my stare at Niccolo when Henry was in front of me, offering his hand. "Pardon?" I parroted.

Henry glanced at Ingram. "May I borrow your older sister for a while, Lord Ingram?"

Ingram immediately nodded after bowing. "But, of course, Your Royal Highness."

"Great!" He turned at me, glancing at his offered hand. Hesitant, I accepted it as he gently dragged me to the dance floor.

"What is it?" I asked when I glanced at Niccolo. My heart flipped when he was still looking in my way.

"Dance with me for a moment. Then we will meet the sages of the Moon Goddess," Henry whispered, which made me put my attention on him.

When I saw how earnest he was, I knew from that moment I would be able to find the answers I needed.

I hope...