Chapter 1: Stolen Fate

The grand temple was silent. The kind of silence that felt unnatural, as if the world itself was holding its breath.

I stood at the altar, my hands trembling beneath the ceremonial veil that covered my face. The scent of burning incense mixed with the cold air, making my chest tighten. My heart pounded against my ribs, threatening to give me away.

This wasn’t supposed to happen.

I wasn’t supposed to be here.

The real bride—the noble daughter chosen by the gods—was lying unconscious in a hidden chamber deep within the city. I had taken her place.

No one had noticed.

Not the high priest, who recited his blessings with unwavering devotion.

Not the temple maidens, who had bathed and dressed me in layers of silk embroidered with silver moons.

Not even the crowd, whose gazes were fixed upon the altar, waiting for the divine union to be sealed.

I swallowed hard, my mind racing. I should have run when I had the chance. I should have found another way.

But I hadn’t.

Because my brother was dying.

I thought of his frail body curled on the straw mattress in our home, his fevered breaths growing weaker each day. The palace had medicine. Medicine that could save him.

But the only way to get close enough to take it… was to become the emperor’s bride.

I clenched my fists, the heavy silk of my sleeves hiding my shaking hands.

The ceremony was reaching its climax. The high priest raised his staff, his voice echoing through the temple.

"The Moon Emperor shall now take his bride."

The moment the words left his lips, a gust of wind swept through the temple. The sacred flames flickered violently, their light stretching into the shadows.

A chill ran down my spine.

And then—he appeared.

The Moon Emperor.

The temple doors opened soundlessly, and the temperature in the air dropped.

He stepped forward, his presence swallowing the space between us.

Tall. Regal. Otherworldly.

He was draped in flowing robes as dark as the night sky, embroidered with silver threads that shimmered like constellations. His silver hair cascaded down his back, unbound, moving as if caught in a breeze that did not exist.

But it was his eyes that trapped me in place.

Luminous, glowing like twin moons in the darkness.

They locked onto me. Piercing. Calculating.

A shudder ran through me.

Did he already know?

Did he sense that the girl standing before him was a liar?

He took another step forward, and the crowd instinctively bowed, their heads lowering in reverence. The weight of his power pressed against my skin, suffocating yet intoxicating.

I forced myself to stay still as he approached the altar, stopping just inches away.

Slowly, deliberately, he lifted his hand and reached for my veil.

The moment his fingers grazed the fabric, my pulse nearly stopped.

He pulled it back.

The air between us crackled with something unspoken.

His gaze burned into mine, unreadable. I couldn’t tell if he was amused or… something else.

For a moment, neither of us moved.

Then, ever so softly, the corners of his lips curved upward.

A smile that did not reach his eyes.

"You are not afraid?" His voice was deep, smooth, and laced with something dangerous.

I hesitated. The truth was, I was terrified. But fear would make me weak.

So I lifted my chin and lied.

"No."

His gaze sharpened, as if he could see right through me.

The high priest continued the ritual, his voice trembling slightly as he spoke. "The sacred bond shall be sealed—"

Before he could finish, the Moon Emperor raised a hand, silencing him.

His eyes never left mine.

The temple grew eerily still.

"Tell me," he murmured, his fingers brushing against my chin. "What is your name?"

My breath caught.

This wasn’t part of the ceremony. He wasn’t supposed to ask.

I had prepared for every scenario. Every possible way he could expose me.

But not this.

If I gave my real name, he would know I was an imposter.

If I hesitated too long, he would suspect me.

I swallowed, my mind spinning.

Then, before I could stop myself, I whispered—

"Yun-seo."

A name that was not mine.

A name that belonged to a girl who would never wake up.

The emperor studied me for a long moment. Then, with a slow, almost lazy movement, he traced a single finger down my cheek.

"A liar," he mused. "How interesting."

Cold fear wrapped around my spine.

But before I could react, he turned to the high priest and spoke.

"Continue."

The ceremony resumed as if nothing had happened.

But I knew, in that moment, I had made a fatal mistake.

The Moon Emperor knew I was lying.

And yet—

He had let the ritual continue.

Why?

As the final words of the sacred vows were spoken, a golden light surrounded us, sealing our fates.

The ceremony was complete.

I was now the wife of a god.

And I had no idea if I would live to see the next sunrise.

Chapter 2: Caught in the Moon’s Web

The ceremony was over.

I was now the Moon Emperor’s wife.

The moment the sacred vows were spoken, the temple doors shut, sealing the fate I had stolen. Outside, the crowds erupted in cheers, celebrating what they believed to be a divine union.

But inside the temple, silence weighed heavily in the air.

The Moon Emperor—my new husband—stood in front of me, his glowing silver eyes fixed on my face. He hadn’t looked away since I’d uttered that name.

Yun-seo.

A name that was not mine.

A name that had nearly sealed my death the moment it left my lips.

He knew.

I was sure of it.

Yet, he hadn’t stopped the ceremony.

Instead, he had let the vows be spoken, let the divine seal bind us together in a contract that could not be undone.

The thought made my stomach twist into knots.

Why?

Why let a liar become his wife?

Before I could make sense of it, the high priest’s trembling voice broke the silence.

“Y-Your Majesty, shall we escort Her Grace to the Lunar Palace?”

The emperor didn’t answer immediately. He only continued watching me, his expression unreadable.

I forced myself to stand tall under his gaze, even as my hands curled into fists beneath my sleeves.

I had come too far to be afraid now.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he turned away.

“There’s no need.”

The high priest looked startled. “B-But, Your Majesty—”

“She will come with me.”

The priest paled but dared not argue. With a deep bow, he stepped aside.

Two palace guards stepped forward, their silver armor gleaming under the temple’s lights. Without a word, they motioned for me to follow.

I hesitated.

This wasn’t part of the plan.

I was supposed to be sent to the Lunar Palace, where I’d have time to figure out my next move. Instead, I was being taken straight to his domain.

The Moon Emperor’s private quarters.

My pulse quickened.

Refusing wasn’t an option.

So I lowered my head and followed.

The corridors of the palace were eerily silent.

Unlike the temples and outer courts, which bustled with life, this part of the empire was void of servants. The only sounds were my own footsteps, echoing softly against the marble floors.

The emperor walked ahead of me, his robes gliding smoothly behind him. He didn’t speak. He didn’t look back.

He didn’t need to.

I could feel the weight of his presence, pressing against me like an unseen force.

After what felt like an eternity, we reached a set of grand doors.

With a flick of his wrist, the doors opened on their own.

Inside was a vast chamber, bathed in silver light from the enormous skylight above. The walls were lined with intricate carvings of the moon’s phases, their designs glowing faintly in the dimness. A massive bed sat in the center, draped in layers of silk so sheer they looked like mist.

A prison disguised as luxury.

I stepped inside cautiously, my heartbeat quickening.

The moment I crossed the threshold, the doors shut behind me with a deep, echoing thud.

I was alone with him.

The emperor turned to face me.

I braced myself.

Would he question me? Demand to know why I had lied?

But instead, he only watched me in silence.

Minutes passed. The air between us was thick with something unspoken.

Finally, he stepped closer, his voice smooth and unreadable.

“Do you know what happens to those who deceive the gods?”

A chill ran down my spine.

I forced my expression to remain neutral. “I wouldn’t know, Your Majesty.”

His lips curved into something that wasn’t quite a smile. “No?”

Slowly, he reached out.

I flinched but didn’t move as his fingers grazed my chin, tilting my face upward.

His touch was deceptively gentle.

“You are brave,” he murmured. “Or foolish.”

I swallowed. “Perhaps both.”

He chuckled—a sound so deep and smooth that it sent shivers down my spine.

“Tell me, Yun-seo…” He let the name roll off his tongue like a secret. “Are you afraid of me?”

I held his gaze. “No.”

Another lie.

He knew it.

And yet, once again, he didn’t expose me.

Instead, he leaned in, so close that his breath brushed against my cheek.

His fingers trailed down my jaw, slow and deliberate.

For a moment, I thought he would kiss me.

But then, just as suddenly as he had closed the distance, he pulled away.

The heat of his touch lingered, but his gaze had grown distant.

“Rest,” he said, turning toward the doors. “Tomorrow, we talk.”

With that, he left, the doors sealing shut behind him.

I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.

Tomorrow.

I didn’t know if that was a promise or a threat.

But one thing was certain.

This game had only just begun.