Chapter 1

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.

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