+ Rebel +

Jon, the trusted aide of the Vampire King, said, "Sometimes, ignorance is a blessing."

Cederic, ever the provocateur, added, "But perhaps knowing a bit might ease the High Priestess's anxiety."

Fei, with age-etched hands, gestured for silence. "Foolish child," he chastised as he flung Hecate's grimoire towards Luna. She managed to catch it, though it nearly slipped from her grasp.

Cederic smirked, echoing Fei's words in a mocking tone, "Careless girl, almost losing the Witch Goddess's cherished relic. Quite unbecoming for the new High Priestess."

Embarrassment burned Luna's cheeks. She flicked the ethereal layers of her dress. "It's not as though this outfit has pockets suitable for such a tome."

Cederic leaned in, his voice dripping with amusement. "Mind your attire, My Lady. Jon seems rather taken with what's peeking out beneath."

Following his gaze, Luna's eyes narrowed on Jon, whose attention seemed anchored on the hint of leg her outfit revealed. She sent a pointed glare his way, only for him to audaciously send a kiss in return.

Feeling Cederic's steed nudging close, he suggested, "Perhaps we should continue."

In a voice quivering with defiance, Luna addressed Fei. "I refuse to accompany you and your retinue in this garb, High Priest."

Before she could assert herself further, Jon assertively took the reins of her horse. "Enough," he intoned, "A High Priestess deserves respect, not this pettiness. We are civilized beings."

The last time she had ventured into the unknown, it nearly cost her life, a fate left to the whims of these creatures of the night.

With a plea edging her voice, she addressed Jon. "Sir, there's no need to treat me like a fugitive. Enlighten me on our purpose, and I will willingly join you. I'd rather not be taken by surprise, blindfolded, and potentially cast off a precipice."

Fei exchanged weighted glances with the palace guards.

Fei shared a loaded glance with Jon, a silent understanding passed between them. They had clearly strategized their actions well in advance.

"Have faith, High Priestess," Fei urged Luna. "Jon will be at your side, ensuring your safety throughout. The Vampire King has explicitly commanded him to safeguard you during this trial. While it's designed to be painless, Jon can't intervene – his role is to ensure your survival."

"Survival?" Luna echoed, incredulity lining her tone. "You can't be serious."

Fei's gaze was unwavering. "I assure you, My Lady, I am. Do I strike you as someone who jests?"

Though Fei's argument might have merit, Luna was determined not to be cowed into submission. She sharply dug her spurs into her steed's sides, causing the horse to rear, its powerful hooves swatting Fei's reaching hand aside.

With a defiant cry, Luna sped down the road, her horse sensing her urgency and matching it with unparalleled speed.

But Jon's mount was more formidable. If Luna remained on this route, capture was inevitable.

She spied a snowy path ahead, littered with jagged rocks, and veered down it. The thorny branches tugged mercilessly at her hair and attire, while she navigated over obstacles in her path. Luna crouched lower, trying to merge with the rhythm of her horse to prevent being thrown off.

The relentless beat of pursuing hooves resonated in her ears, punctuated by Jon's menacing shouts. Cederic and Fei weren't far behind either.

The dense trees opened up, revealing a treacherously thin layer of ice over a vast lake. Riding onto it would be perilous, risking both her life and her horse's.

Yet, Luna was desperate and resourceful. She hoped to use the situation to leverage more information from them – they couldn't afford for the new High Priestess to meet a tragic end so quickly. The Vampire King would be livid, likely extracting a hefty price from her pursuers, especially Fei.

In her haste, Luna momentarily forgot her near-immortality. Casting a frantic glance behind, she saw Cederic closing the distance, anger evident in his features, one hand outstretched, dangerously close to her.

Pressing her legs against her horse, she willed it to go faster, to create more distance between them.

Then, a low-hanging branch appeared from nowhere, striking her squarely. The world blurred as she was flung from her horse, her last sight being the blood-tinged moon peeking through the skeletal trees.

Darkness ensued.