skies became silver and the air sparkled with ancient magic. The villagers danced, drank honeyed wine,

on. A supersti

noise. But this year, things were different. The air w

the forest vibr

it

ted through the air. Laughter ringed around her, but her gaze was on the tree li

hest, where the crescent ma

gging on her sleeve. Aria's younger sister grinned,

"It's different tonight.

this. Magic and moonlight. You're jus

moon-tree, her lanterns blazing and elder women wrapped in s

could f

h power. Old, wi

deformed hand and

ing through the shadows like smoke. "We honor the dance o

s murmured i

t over the crowd-and

d, child of

nce dr

blood, the call of something ancient. Her bare feet b

grasped

she said softly. "Of t

allowed

The prophecy stirs

torches flickered. The leaves whispered se

on the bark," the

d as she was told. Her

of silver light ac

ree pulsed against her skin,

of stone

of frost

hat blazed th

i

teppe

ng her in place. "You are chos

into whispers. Lil

t this," Ari

t," the Seer replied. "The moo

t. As if to suppress what had just happened. The vi

orest did

ed-something

, she coul

more painfully. The dream

standing at the border

and howling. Shadows between trunks, and not men o

Wolf

glinting like steel. His eyes l

d the moon,

at. "What do yo

inister. "You. As you are.

not y

before you ever drew

ve way beneath her feet. Branches part

yelled. "But you'll al

ats of cold, win

e, ash, and something darker. Her mark pounded as if

e line of trees, was a

ar

breath

s glowe

vanishing i

and against the

ons was supposed t

the scales

orm was ap