Page 182 of Moonlit Fate

“Damn it,” I muttered. I missed Atticus. Much more than I wanted to admit. It was like missing a part of myself. I pressed my teeth into my lower lip, channeling the pain to halt the stream of tears.

I continued working with my magic, but a glimmer diverted my focus. I turned sharply to see Philesia stepping out of thin air, her form solidifying with an effortless elegance that made my throat clench.

I sighed in relief. “You’re here.”

“Training waits for no one,” she said.

I nodded, grateful for the distraction she promised. The ground around us bore the scars of elemental fury, but in her presence, I felt an odd sense of peace.

“We’ll begin with lightning.” Philesia led me to a clear space where the previous devastation hadn’t reached.

“Lightning?” I asked, squaring my shoulders and trying to concentrate on the task ahead.

“I want to see control and precision,” she said, nodding. “Go ahead. Summon it.”

I called on the storm within. My fingertips tingled as I stretched out my hand, aiming at the target—a charred stump standing solitary against the backdrop of destruction.

Holding my breath, I snapped my fingers, and a jagged line of electricity shot forth. The bright light sliced through the air, but it missed, striking the ground inches from the stump.

“Again,” Philesia said, unfazed by my failure.

I tried to shake off the frustration mounting inside me, focusing on her calm demeanor. Strike after strike, I called on the lightning, each attempt buzzing closer to the mark but never quite hitting it. Sweat beaded on my forehead, frustration turning to anger.

“Philesia, I can’t—” I began, but she cut me off with a sharp look.

“Your emotions are your strength, not your weakness. Channel them.” Her words were like a lifeline thrown into the chaotic sea of my thoughts.

With renewed determination, I drew a deep breath, envisioning the lightning as an extension of my own will. I raised my hand once more, reaching out with all the pent-up energy inside me.

“Focus,” Philesia murmured.

This time, when I released the charge, it flew true, striking the stump with a satisfying crack. The wood splintered, sending fragments flying as electricity danced over its surface.

“Good,” Philesia said, a rare smile touching her lips. “Very good.”

I let out a small cheer, and the smile vanished from Philesia’s face. “You think this is hard?” she challenged with an edge that scraped at my fleeting happiness. “What about when you face Caius? Near misses won’t impress him.”

I flinched. She knew exactly where to prod to get a rise out of me. My hands clenched involuntarily, the air crackling with my anger.

“Let it out. All of it,” Philesia demanded. “That pathetic excuse for an alpha thinks he can claim you, bind you to his will?”

“Stop,” I muttered, but she plowed forward, tearing open wounds I fought to ignore.

“Get mad, Aria! You should be mad! You are a powerful woman being held back by your own fears and a pompous piece of shit who wants to rule the realm. This is your realm. Fucking show me what you can do!”

Something snapped. The dam broke. Rage surged through me like a tidal wave, overwhelming every other thought. I reached down deep and tapped into the well of power I kept leashed.

I roared, throwing my arms wide. Lightning answered my call, a brilliant cascade of energy pouring from the sky, striking with deadly precision. It obliterated the targets, one after another, leaving nothing but charred earth in their wake.

“More!” Philesia shouted.

I unleashed hell, the raw power of the elements coursing through me unhindered. With each strike, I reclaimed a part of myself long buried under duty and fear. Bolts of white-hot electricity danced at my command, a symphony of destruction that sang to my soul.

I was fire. I was fury. I wasfree.

“Enough,” I finally gasped, the world coming back into focus as I reined in the tempest. Panting, I looked around at the devastation I had wrought, a wild thrill pulsing through me.

Hands on my knees, I panted as sweat dripped off my forehead.

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