Page 117 of Moonlit Fate

The earth beneath my feet felt like it hummed with the same unrest I saw in Seren’s eyes.

“Tell me,” I said.

“The balance is still shifting,” Seren said. “The spirits speak of a darkness growing exponentially. It’s tied to the land, to the very essence of magic that binds us. We already knew this to a certain extent, but I’m hoping I can get enough information from them so we can come up with a plan to stop it.”

I nodded slowly, a chill crawling up my spine despite the lack of cold. The seer had murmured similar things about the balance mere days ago. “Thank you. Whatever you’re doing, keep at it. We need more to go on. Can you find out more?”

I might find some insight in my father’s study, but the room was so uniquely his, so deeply infused with his presence. I hadn’t mustered the courage to enter it since he died. To tell the truth, I wasn’t emotionally prepared to face it yet.

“I’ll try.” She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and squared her shoulders. “They don’t always speak plainly, but I’ll figure it out. It’s not just about listening; it’s about understanding the balance. A lot of the spirits speak in riddles. Echoes of the past and possibilities of the future. It’s so much.”

“Great. More riddles.” My life had become a maze of them, and clarity seemed a distant dream.

A sudden tingle raced across my skin, a jolting buzz of energy that set my nerves on edge. Seren saw me wince.

“Are you okay?” She looked worried, and I hated that it was because of me.

“Just feeling off,” I muttered, tamping down my discomfort. There were bigger things at stake. “We need to understand this darkness, so we can confront it. Your connection with the spirits might be our best shot.”

Seren nodded. “I’m with you.”

“Thank you.” Our unity was our strength against whatever lay ahead. “Are you finished here?” I asked, gesturing towards the meadow and the wispy apparitions that continued to drift.

“Not yet. I want to make sure everyone who wants to be heard has had their say.”

I nodded and watched her, willing her to hurry. The tingling sensation had intensified from a minor irritation into an intense, pulsating ache that matched the rhythm of my heartbeat, relentless and unyielding. I’d have left, but I didn’t want to be alone. When I was alone, my brain started racing. I was having to come up with all sorts of ways to keep my mind off the uncomfortable buzzing beneath my skin. I’d even resorted to counting different species of birds to distract myself.

“Okay,” Seren said after a while, “I’m done, let’s get out of here.”

We walked the well-worn path through the forest, back to the manor. We chatted about mundane things, neither of us quite ready to talk about the heavy stuff.

Seren and I had just cleared the edge of the forest, the manor looming ahead, when I felt the unmistakable sensation of being watched. Since the same three men had dogged my steps for days, I didn’t need to turn around to know who was there. Suddenly, Seren wasn’t beside me. She’d melted back into the trees.

“Alpha Aria.” Elder Branan’s voice grated all through me.

I suppressed a snort. Before my father’s death, they never remembered my name, now they did.

“Good evening, Elders,” I greeted without enthusiasm, looking past them toward the safety of the house. If only I could disappear there. And stay hidden. Maybe forever? Ha. Yeah, right.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Elder Miren stepped forward, his tone accusatory.

“Back to the manor,” I replied flatly.

“Without acknowledging us?” Elder Corin added, his eyebrows knit together in disapproval.

“I just did. Was there something you needed?” I asked, though I already knew the answer.

“Your leadership—” Branan began, but I cut him off with a raised hand.

“Is there something specific, or are we just chatting about the weather?”

“Your father—” Miren started.

“Is no longer with us. And I am the alpha now,” I stated firmly.

“Your decisions have been... questionable at best,” Corin said sharply.

“Thank you for your input,” I said, keeping my face neutral.

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