Page 33 of Moonlit Fate

“Agreed,” Seren said determinedly.

“Ask where we can find the truth of the prophecy.”

Seren’s eyes were wide and shimmering with the connection to the unseen, and she blinked rapidly as she relayed my question to the spectral presence only she could perceive.

“Both parties must seek the seer,” she replied.

“Great. Just fucking great.” I looked skyward. “And how the hell are we supposed to do that?”

The spirit offered one last riddle before fading, which Seren repeated. “We will meet again here at the place where light and shadow dance as one.”

“Fantastic,” I scoffed. “More riddles.”

As the presence dissipated, a sharp stillness blanketed us, leaving a void where once there had been ethereal whispers. Static pricked my skin, raising the fine hairs on my arms.

“Someone’s watching us,” Seren whispered.

I turned slowly, glancing around our territory. My instincts screamed that we were not alone. That eyes lurked in the dark, coveting our secrets and our fears.

“Let them watch!” I called out. “They’ll find no coward here.”

Yet, beneath the bravado, I was uncertain, my mind whirling with whispered doubts and dark omens. It was a game of fate now, and every move we made had to be calculated because the stakes had never been higher.

9

ATTICUS

In the early evening gloom, Hale and I cautiously explored the outskirts of the forest, attuned to any whisper of threat. The Silver Claw pack lands were quiet, too quiet for comfort. The battleground memorial spread out before us, an unpleasant reminder of past conflicts.

“Something’s not right,” Hale whispered urgently.

Before I could respond, the faintest rustling alerted us to a presence. We crouched, ready for confrontation. To our shock, it was neither enemy nor prey. In the distance, Aria and another woman stood, their bodies taut with tension. The other woman was speaking to the air, to apparently an invisible entity of sorts, then relaying the conversation for Aria. The tingling sensation of electricity in the air made me wonder if there was indeed a spirit with them.

Suddenly, Aria’s friend exclaimed that someone was watching.

I turned to Hale. “I can’t lie to her. I’m going to let her know I’m here,” I said, blowing out a breath. “I’d appreciate it if you stayed, but I’ll understand if you don’t.”

Hale studied me briefly, then nodded before we left the safety of the hidden copse and made ourselves known.

“Atticus,” Aria greeted me hesitantly, her voice filled with caution.

The woman next to Aria whirled around. Her expression was haunted, as if she had caught sight of a ghost lurking among the gnarled trees.

“Did we interrupt something?” I asked, unable to ignore the charged atmosphere and the lingering traces of spiritual energy that clung around them. “We can leave if you need space.” I hoped Aria didn’t turn us away. She had a way of unraveling me, of making me feel vulnerable.

Aria turned towards her companion, and their silent communication was proof of a long friendship. Her friend finally gave a small nod.

“We’re fine,” Aria said, steady and strong like a true warrior queen. “Atticus, I’d like you to meet Seren, a trusted friend who has been invaluable in aiding my research about the prophecy.”

“Nice to meet you,” I said politely to the woman, but my attention was fixed on Aria. Standing so close to her was dangerous. I was struggling to keep my nerves from betraying me. I had to maintain distance, for both our sakes.

Aria’s talk of research did not surprise me. Somehow, I knew she wouldn’t take my word on the prophecy as gospel, that she’d search for her own information. Knowing she wouldn’t just believe or follow blindly but would actively seek knowledge and form her own opinions made me admire her even more.

Seren gave Hale and me a tense smile. I understood her wariness. We were rogues, the antithesis of the pack, but it still stung. I didn’t push my luck and offer her my hand to shake—I liked it at the end of my arm. She was scared, and a scared shifter was an unpredictable shifter.

“It’s good we’ve run into you,” Aria said, shattering the tense silence that had formed. “I came across a copy of the prophecy in the pack library. But that’s not all. Some unsettling information has been brought to my attention. There’s talk among the spirits.”

Seren, already on edge, tensed up even more. There was more going on here than a few old tomes in the pack library. But if Aria was aware of her friend’s discomfort, she ignored it.

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