Page 177 of Moonlit Fate

“It’s not that simple,” Philesia warned. “This type of magic fights back. You risk more than your own life if you attempt to dismantle it.”

“That doesn’t matter,” I said. “All that matters is Aria.”

Philesia’s image flickered again, taking longer to come back into focus, and I sensed her time in this realm was drawing to a close. “Be careful, Atticus. Dark magic is more cunning than you know.”

A chill cut through me, sharper than any blade. I clenched my fists, the tattoos on my skin stretching with the tension. Ilooked at Philesia, at her grave expression, and I knew. Time was slipping through our fingers.

“I’ll get her out,” I said. It wasn’t a boast but rather a heartfelt promise—to Aria, to myself, and to the world that seemed so eager to tear us apart.

Philesia’s gaze held a profound sadness that spanned centuries. “Be wary. The path you choose is fraught with danger, and the darkness you seek to vanquish is more treacherous than any foe you have known.”

I clenched my fists, the panic morphing into steel. “I’ll face whatever it is to save her.”

“Remember,” she continued as she started to fade into the surroundings, “you do not walk it alone.”

I nodded once. “I know.”

The light that formed her presence dissipated, leaving me standing at the edge of uncertainty. Her words echoed in my head, lending me a fragment of strength.

I turned toward the manor. As I moved forward through the shortcut the shadows provided, Philesia’s final words wrapped around me like a cloak. In this fight, at least, I wouldn’t be a lone rogue wolf. Not completely.

I stepped out of the shadows at the manor’s front door. I took a moment to collect myself, mentally rehearsing how I would break the news to the others.

I opened the door and found myself inches away from Ilaric, startling both of us. I blurted out, “Caius has her.”

Nothing else was required. He stopped a passing pack member. “Ask Seren and Eldan to meet us in the antechamber off the library.” With that, he deftly navigated me through the complex network of corridors in the manor.

“Philesia came to me?—”

“Let’s wait for Seren and Eldan,” Ilaric said. “That way, you only have to tell it once.”

I nodded and followed, ignoring the curious glances from the pack members.

It took less than five minutes for Seren and Eldan to join us. Their attention snapped to me immediately. The shadows I commanded danced ominously, giving the room a claustrophobic feel, displaying my turmoil for all to see.

“I’ve confirmed that Caius has taken Aria. He’s siphoning her magic to fuel his own strength,” I said.

Seren frowned and shook her head frantically. Ilaric unfurled a map and smoothed it out on the table. He leaned over it, studying it intently.

Eldan paced back and forth, his boots thudding against the unforgiving stone floor. He stopped and whirled around, exuding an intense, almost feral, energy.

“We should hit the Crimson Fang with a surprise attack,” he suggested with enthusiasm, his fists clenched tightly. “Take the fuckers out, one by one, until they’re left wondering what happened.”

That was a suicide mission, but Eldan’s unwavering intensity told me he was serious.

“It’s not safe, Eldan. The spirits advise caution. They fear him. The magic is dark, unnatural,” Seren said.

Eldan leaned on the table, his fingers drumming a dull lament. All our careful plans were useless now, just lines and scribbles that couldn’t shield us from the truth.

The weight of a hundred battles bore down on me. “Seren’s right. It won’t work. My father has defied the natural order. Pushed the boundaries of nature, warping magic into a dark and unnatural force. His power is unbridled and merciless, unlike anything we’ve ever encountered. If we attacked, we would be massacred.”

Seren and Eldan stared at me, despair etched on their faces, and Ilaric’s intense stare bore into me. They didn’t have to voice what they were thinking because we all knew the truth.

Aria’s life was at stake because of my father.

The tension in the room thickened, amplifying the growing sense of unease. Caius’s power loomed over us, a threat that left no room for doubt or false hope. We were cornered, outmatched, and we all felt it.

“I’ll go,” I said. “I need to speak with him face to face.”

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