Page 122 of Treasured

Inky fog, like an early morning mist, filled the sphere. It twisted and turned, churning rapidly. Within it, swirls of purples and blues spun in a tiny tornado as Jehanne continued her silent chanting.

Several moments went by, and I wiped my free hand on my trousers. When it seemed like the air was so thick that I could cut it with a sword, Jehanne inhaled sharply.

A golden flash filled the ball, pulsating three times before a single strand of the same color wove through the mist. It was a beam of light cutting through the fog, bringing light to the darkness.

Three drawn-out, seemingly endless heartbeats went by. Luna’s grip tightened on my hand. My chest tightened. Jehanne slammed her hands down on the table, opened her mouth, and sang. It was not a song, per se, but a humming deep in her throat. The wordless tune was eerily, achingly familiar, and yet it held notes of ancient power. Goosebumps dotted my arms, and time crawled.

I couldn’t help but wonder if this was why Jehanne lived without a pack’s protection. I’d heard tales of her strange ways, but I hadn’t witnessed them until now. Perhaps it was simply a side-effect of her age. Jehanne was one of the oldest werewolves in Eleyta, having moved here several centuries ago.

The crystal ball vibrated, the tabletop shaking beneath its force. I gripped Luna’s hand and released a few shadows. The threads of power hung around my middle, out of sight, but they were there if I needed them.

Jehanne’s face contorted, and she hummed even louder. I could’ve sworn I heard words now. Show me, show me, show me.

Maybe they were in my head, but I didn’t think so.

As soon as the ball stopped moving, the strange mist shifted. The colors separated into individual strands. Shapes formed. They were fuzzy at first, but soon they were as clear as the werewolf sitting in front of us.

Three forms stood side by side. One was smaller than the others, and they had a flickering light within their chest. The second was bright like the sun, and the third was taller than the other two, wielding twin swords of darkness.

A jolt of surprise ran through me. I was the third figure.

The scene was frozen, a captured moment of the future, but it was clear enough. My jaw fell open, and Luna made a sound of surprise. Neither of us spoke, however, because the humming stopped.

The sudden silence that befell the cabin was deafening. It was a black hole, a silent, singular moment in time, a calm that preceded absolute change.

Then a log popped in the fireplace.

The sizzling fire shattered the silence. Jehanne slapped her palms on either side of the crystal ball. She opened her eyes. They were black, swirling pits of darkness.

Luna sucked in a breath. Do you see that?

I nodded. Yes.

It would be hard to miss.

“Night is here; death has come; betrayal is in the air,” Jehanne intoned in a guttural voice that was not hers.

The hairs on the back of my neck prickled, and my shadows swirled in warning. Few times in my life had I ever felt such a sense of impending doom.

The werewolf continued, “In fourteen nights, the prophesized moon will rise. Blood will be shed, and light and darkness will converge.” Her unnaturally black eyes widened, and she pinned me with a stare.

I swallowed. “Jehanne—”

A shriek. Then, “Shadows will battle the sun, and only one will survive the crimson night.”

Her nails dug into the sphere, scratching against the glass. “The balance is broken, and death is here.”

Then, her head snapped back, and she cried out. The horrifying wound was like an animal being torn in two by an invisible force.

Shit.

Unsafe, unsafe, unsafe, my shadows throbbed in warning.

Gathering Luna in my arms, I shoved away from the table. Even more shadows slipped from my palms, and I prepared to leave.

Not even a second later, the scream came to an abrupt end. In the silence, my heartbeat was a thunderous drum. I tightened my grip on Luna and stared at the werewolf.

Jehanne straightened, her eyes returning to their normal orange, as she tilted her head. “Did the stars speak?” she asked quietly.

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