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The throne room:

The master of the six Lunas, the warrior wolf, The Great Destroyer and shape-shifter, The Merciless Emperor Kurani; he gripped the lion's heads on the armrests of his golden throne so tightly that his knuckles turned white. Fury consumed him. His sharp, shrewd mind was possessed by a red haze, his deep, searching eyes red with uncontrollable rage. His athletic frame and powerful muscles were contracted in a spasm of anger.

—By all raging fires of hell, Cassandra! How the fuck could this happen? - he roared.

The woman who was lying prostrate on the ground trembled, andfor the first time in many cycles Lady Cassandra feared for her life.

—How is it possible that after almost twenty cycles in which your predictions and visions have always been correct, something like this can happen? - The Emperor nervously caressed his forehead, with the tips of his fingers, trying to alleviate the incessant hammering that had taken over his hundreds.

—Do you realize the catastrophe that could have befallen us if I hadn't noticed the mark on the slave's back?

Before him, his royal highness had his prime minister and the commander of his army. Lady Cassandra remained motionless, prostrate on the ground. The privy council kept their heads down and silent, as a sign of their deep respect.

— Enough of bowing Cassandra, I need an explanation. Now! - He bellowed.

Slowly, Lady Cassandra sat up, placing both hands modestly together, palm to palm, in prayer, keeping her eyes cautiously focused on the marble floor of the throne room.

—My lord, I have no way of explaining what happened today.- she said in a low, sweet voice. -You know, better than anyone, that no prophecy has come to me in the last few moons.

For a few seconds there was total silence.

— Regarding this matter. Cassandra continued quietly. - I am not capable of pronouncing judgment, only suppose that it is a test from the gods.

—A test of the gods, you say?- The emperor inserted. Glaring at Cassandra piercingly.

—My lord-. She gasped and fell back on her face.

The Monarch impatiently drumming on the lion heads with his long fingers. Something is not right here, I feel it.

—Sir, if I may... -

The king frowned and raised an eyebrow at his prime minister.

—Cassius, speaking.

—Forgive me for my impertinence, Your Majesty, but if Lady Cassandra was not given warning of the imminent appearance of a Seventh Luna in our realm, how could we have foreseen such an event? The prophecy only mentions six, sir.

The Emperor caressed his lower lip with the knuckle of his forefinger, a gesture indicating that the question was making him think. Emboldened by such a reaction, the minister continued.

—It is true that, until now, Lady Cassandra's vision had given us the upper hand and the other five moons had been easily removed from their lands; but if you do not recognize that this is a test from the gods, you should at least consider it It is a great mystery.- The minister finished his speech with a bow.

—A mystery, you say.-His Highness smiled, amused. - I thought that after my almost thirty cycles, and after having enlarged the borders of this Empire as I have done, there would be no more mysteries that I could solve.

—Sir, if you allow me...- whispered the commander of the golden army softly.

His Majesty reclined in his throne, settling himself on the feather cushions.

—Go ahead, Amir.

— I must agree with the opinion of your prime minister.

The king did not leave his growing astonishment. Did your commander and your prime minister agree on anything? This day was getting weirder and weirder by the minute.

—Until today, sir, we have always found the moons easily. Not only because of the gifts that Lady Cassandra possesses, but because until today, all the suns have come from a noble birth.

— Your point is…?- The Emperor inserted.

Emir licked his lips nervously.

—I mean, sir, the finding of the mark on a slave is, in my opinion, an unprecedented event and a frankly puzzling event. Has the authenticity of the mark been verified? Couldn't it be a hoax?

—It is not. I myself have made sure that the mole on the back of the slave is the sign. - answered the monarch.

—So, My Lord...either the prophecy is incomplete or this matter is more mysterious and complex than we think." Emir concluded.

The king absently caressed the rings on his ring and small fingers of his right hand, what was stated by his advisers was not without merit and logic. With a nod of his head, he informed them that he would give the matter further consideration. And with a wave of his hand he let them know that he was ending the council meeting.

The emperor smiled to find himself alone, the members of his council seemed perplexed at the arrival of a new and apparently unexpected moon, however he was not at all surprised. Not in vain the prophecy consisted of two parts, and only he knew the second stanza of it, since his father had made every effort to keep it hidden.

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