Page 122 of The Moonborn's Curse

Then it split.

With a hiss like tearing silk, the fog peeled open—glowing silver at the seams—and something stepped through.

The world seemed to hold its breath.

First came the sound of anklets—clink, clink, clink—and then the flash of bare feet, dark and dusted with ash. Her silhouette was enormous. Not bulky, but boundless—like it refused to be contained by the dimensions of reality.

A woman.

Or... something wearing the idea of one.

She moved like smoke and fire, each step echoing with the weight of stars. Her skin was dark as midnight, luminous, shifting like oil under moonlight. Her hair was a wild halo of coiling shadow, crowned in gold and skulls that grinned with secrets. She wore almost nothing—just gold and bone, silk and flame.

Four arms moved in a slow, fluid rhythm—serpentine. In one hand she held a golden trident that sparked like lightning. In another, a severed lotus dripping with black nectar.

Her lips curled into a red smile, too wide, too sharp.

Her eyes—oh gods, her eyes—were pools of endless darkness. No pupils. No light. Just void.

A halo flickered behind her head, not of holiness, but power—untamed and ancient.

Seren staggered back a step.

The woman grinned, full of delight and danger.

"Well," she purred, voice velvet and venom, showing gleaming silver fangs. "Aren't you a pretty little mortal."

Seren's breath caught.

She had expected moonlight and gentleness.

She got something else entirely.

The creature cocked her head and smiled, wide and fang-toothed.

"Oh, darling. Let me guess—you were expecting pale glowing skin, flowing white hair, and the personality of a doe-eyed saint?" She gave a breathy mock sigh and rolled all four wrists. "That's the PR team's version. I'm the real deal."

Seren just stared.

The creature beamed. "Surprised? I AM the Moon Goddess, pretty morsel. But this"—she gestured to her own glorious monstrosity—"is the part they don't put in the stained glass."

She circled Seren slowly, all four arms moving with sinuous grace. "Now. Let's talk about your fated. That arrogant, tragically attractive arse." Her eyes glittered with malice. "Time to make him pay."

She rubbed her four hands together gleefully. "Should we boil him in oil? Curse him with premature male pattern baldness? Ooooh—give him a tiny male part?"

Seren just blinked.

The goddess blinked innocently. "No? Not your style? Fine. You're no fun."

Her tone changed—sharp now, colder.

"The bond. The one you are going to beg me to sever." She twirled her trident like a baton. "I cannot break it."

Seren's heart dropped.

"Buuuuuut," the goddess purred, eyes narrowing, "I may have written in a loophole. I do love a good twist. Let’s keep this between the two of us. The sisters of fate don't need to know, right?"

Seren nodded like a puppet controlled by her master.

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