Page 131 of Moonlit Fate

“Philesia,” she responded as if it should have been obvious, her eyes playful yet unreadable.

My shifter eyesight compensated for the dim lighting from the lamps, allowing me to get a clear view of her. The woman was a timeless beauty. A small, pointed chin and a slightly upturned nose gave her face a distinct and enchanting charm. Her eyes were the striking color of molten gold, shining brightly and commanding attention. The fine lines around them and her full mouth suggested she smiled often.

She wore armor that glimmered the same gold as her eyes, its polished surface engraved with elaborate runes. A chest plate offered crucial defense to her vital organs, while bracers and greaves protected her forearms and legs from attacks. Beneath the metal, she wore a delicate white tunic with ornate golden trim. Her long white hair cascaded over one shoulder.

Her weapon, a formidable broadsword, lay on the floor, a clear sign that our presence did not concern her. My attempts to gauge her intentions with my gifts proved ineffectual, and I found myself unable to gain any meaningful information.

She wagged her finger at me. “Boy, I’m on your side. I’ll let you off this once, as I’ve surprised you in Aria’s home, but don’t try that shit on me again, please. You won’t like the outcome.”

Aria put her hand on my back and stepped out from behind me.

“So, Philesia, why are you here?” I pressed.

“Well, to save your asses, of course.” Her flippant tone contrasted with the fierce expression on her face.

“Okay,” Aria said, drawing the word out. “I was outnumbered back there. Your help was appreciated. But people don’t normally just show up out of the goodness of their hearts to help in a fight. We need answers. Who were those attackers? Why did they say I have to die? What do you want from us?”

“Questions, questions,” Philesia mused, finally sitting up straight. “So many questions.”

“Answer as many as you can, then, please,” I said.

Philesia leaned back, eyeing us both. “I’m limited in what I can reveal without disturbing the fates.” She paused, her attention settling on Aria. “It’s complicated. However, I can tell you this. I hail from the realm of the gods.”

She paused, as if expecting a response. When none came, she shrugged nonchalantly. “Tough crowd. From the first moment you stepped through the seer’s door, I’ve been following your journey. And what a trip that’s been.”

“Have you seen her before tonight?” I asked Aria through our link, trying to think if I’d encountered this strange woman before.

“Never,” came the quick reply.“I think I’d remember, she’s pretty unforgettable.”

“Tut tut,” Philesia scolded playfully, wagging her finger between us, her eyes sparkling with amusement. “You both know better than to talk about people behind their backs, or in your case, telepathically in front of their faces.”

“How can you have helped us if we’ve never met you before?” I asked, refusing to let embarrassment take over.

“Do you have to see everything in order for it to exist, Atticus? Your shadows, for example. When you step into their embrace, do you cease to be? Do you have to observe each oxygen molecule to engage in the act of breathing? Just because I haven’t been holding your hand and leading the charge doesn’t mean I have been absent. Sometimes when a quest is particularly demanding, a little guidance can go a long way, don’t you think? I provided this for you. The answers may not always have been as obvious as you both would have liked, but I acted within the limitations placed upon me.”

Guidance? What was she talking about? Unless you counted the cryptic crap from the seer, we hadn’t received any guidance…

“The shack in the forest,” I muttered. “That was you?”

Philesia nodded. “Finally, you put it together. I was starting to think I’d put my eggs in the wrong people.”

“Basket,” I corrected absently as I thought about the cabin that had materialized in the clearing after our initial encounter with the seer. We had assumed its appearance was linked to the forest, but if Philesia’s claims were true, then she really had guided us.

Philesia stood and positioned herself in front of me, allowing her power to bleed through. There was something otherworldly about her now. I could sense the ancient magic that ran through her veins. She might be small in stature, but the aura she kept contained was immense.

Her intense gaze locked with mine as she questioned, “Do you seriously think the forest has the power to provide you with a hut containing answers? Books, lost to your people over time? A cozy love nest in the middle of a rainstorm? It doesn’t, not without my power.”

Aria took my hand, and through our bond she sent a quiet but firm message to proceed with caution. Philesia was clearly a powerful being who, for her own reasons, had lent us her aid. She’d saved Aria from the attackers in the forest. I didn’t want to do anything to make her reconsider.

“How do you know anything about us? Surely, Aria and I aren’t the hot gossip in the halls of the gods?”

“Patches is a good sort, isn’t he?” Philesia said, smiling slyly as she mentioned the seer’s cat.

Aria’s eyes widened, a mix of skepticism and awe running across her face. “Patchestold you?”

“Hmm,” she said vaguely. “You’d be surprised what the gods speak of. They’ve nothing to do but gossip. Anyway, what was Isaying?” She tapped a finger on her chin. “Oh, yes, your journey has to be yours. I have these vexing limitations on what I can or can’t say, but something changed tonight. An upset in the delicate equilibrium, and it is imperative that we prevent their success.”

“Are you talking about those men in the forest?” Aria interjected.

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