Page 64 of The Wolf Moon

The oracles looked to one another briefly before one by one they began to bow forward, revealing their necks submissively. I was surprised yet again. Why did they accept me so easily despite being banished from the pack I’d just been confirmed Luna of?

“We will follow you into battle, Queen Luna,” A man declared closest to me, lifting his head determinedly. I suddenly felt uncomfortable.

“Battle?” I asked uncertainly. I looked to Cynthia once more.

“As I said, we have much to discuss.” Cynthia turned to address the wolves once more that had stood solidly once my attention was away from them. “Prepare as best as you can. We will be leaving soon.”

She then turned to speak to Cate, who was once again leaning against her lance and looking into the distance as though daydreaming. “Are you ready?”

Cate straightened abruptly with a look of pleasure upon her face.

“It’s about time,” Cate declared simply before looking to me with a small smile. I’d never seen her speak to another person before now. I felt like I had stepped into a weird and wild dream. “It’s a good night for a massacre, don’t you think?”

I opened my mouth, but Cate only began to prance ahead of us with ease. Cynthia reached for me, indicating for me to follow. After taking a moment to be bewildered, I pushed back my confusion and stepped forward. This was the only thing I could do, after all; keep pushing forward.

Twenty Seven

Chapter 26

Iwas led deeper into the cave until we were in a hallowed out pocket of a room which shimmered overwhelmingly with jewels along the wall and ceiling of the cave. In the center was a pool of water, black as the night sky, but reflective of stars just as the Crone’s Eye within the temple had been. Cynthia stepped to this smaller body of water and turned to face me patiently.

I couldn’t stop looking at Cynthia as though she might disappear at any moment. Flashes of the flames that enveloped the temple kept crossing my mind. I was relieved and happy that she had survived, but there was no sign or hint of any damage from the fire on any of her skin that I saw. There had been so many wolves nearby… and yet she had escaped.

Had there been more than one secret passageway out?

Cate leaned her lance against the wall before walking towards Cynthia to stand beside her. She looked from Cynthia to me with her own type of patience. I stood before them, filled with uncertainty. I felt out of place suddenly.

“You must feel confused right now,” Cynthia said to me wisely, clasping her hands together as she took me in empathetically.

“I have a lot of questions.” I was proud of myself for containing the questions that were spilling throughout my thoughts wildly.

“I want to tell her. Can I tell her?” Cate looked to Cynthia eagerly.

“Patience,” Cynthia scolded her. Cate crossed her arms with a frown.

“Tell me what?” I asked hesitantly.

“First, you must give me your word,” Cynthia’s tone became so serious that I was unable to take my eyes from her sable gaze. My heart was thudding uncomfortably in my chest. Why was I afraid? “You must promise you will stay and hear everything until the very end; no matter how absurd things may seem or if it angers you.”

“No running,” Cate agreed with a nod.

I paused. Where would I run to, anyway? A war was about to start, if it hadn’t already. Whether I ran to the wolves or to the humans, there was no refuge for me.

“I won’t run,” I said determinedly, “I swear.”

“Then, I suggest we begin with introductions,” Cynthia began, closing her eyes briefly before opening them again. A glow was beginning to rise along her skin. It was like her skin was turning into shining silver, warm and dangerous at the same time. My eyes widened at the sight.

“Is this something oracle wolves can do?” I asked nervously.

“I am no oracle wolf,” Cynthia responded as she stood before me. “I am no wolf, either. I have many names and many forms; Cynthia, Phoebe, Selene, Luna.” I stared at her blankly.

“The Mother,” She concluded, exuding that overwhelming and otherworldly energy I had felt so many times before. I only blinked in response. Had I heard her correctly?

Cate took a step forward to draw my attention from Cynthia abruptly. I turned to her. A shadow had begun to rise over her own form, black as night despite the glow of the jewels within the room. It looked positively terrifying.

“I am no warrior wolf,” Cate echoed Cynthia’s sentiments. “And I am no wolf. I have many names and many forms. You have called me Cate. Others call me Hecate, Ereshkigal, the Crone.” My heart was racing at this point as I took in their ethereal figures. My mind couldn’t wrap around the idea of what they were telling me. I was speechless.

“Do you understand, Mila?” Cynthia asked me gently.

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