The words echoed in my head like thunder.
The prophecy has begun.
I stood frozen beneath the silver moon, its light bathing the forest in an eerie glow. The stranger's violet eyes bored into mine, ancient and unreadable. I wanted to run, scream, wake up—but I knew, somehow, that this was real. Too real.
"You really don't know," he muttered, almost to himself. "They didn't tell you."
"Tell me what?" I demanded, the shake in my voice betraying my fear.
He took a step closer. I flinched.
"About your bloodline. About the mark. About what you are."
My breath hitched. "I'm human."
His lips curved into a smile—one that didn't reach his eyes. "Not entirely."
A chill crept down my spine, deeper than the night air could explain. I looked down at my arm, at the glowing symbol—the crescent moon surrounded by stars, etched into my skin like fire and ice.
"What is this? Why did it appear?"
His gaze darkened. "Because the moon chose you. Because your time has come."
"Chosen for what?" I shouted, suddenly angry. "I don't even know you! I don't know what any of this means!"
The shadows around him seemed to pulse. "Your world is changing, Aria. You'll soon realize it was never as normal as you believed. That mark is the beginning of your awakening. And once awakened, there's no going back."
"How do you know my name?" I asked, stepping back.
He didn't follow. "We've been watching you."
My blood turned to ice. "We?"
Before he could answer, the ground trembled again. Not like before—this was sharper, heavier, like something massive approaching. The stranger's head snapped toward the trees, and in a flash, he moved in front of me.
"Stay behind me," he ordered.
I didn't argue. My instincts screamed that whatever was coming was worse than him.
A low growl rumbled through the trees, deeper than any animal sound I'd ever heard. And then it stepped into the clearing.
Another wolf. But this one wasn't like the black one from earlier. This one was pale as bone, with glowing red eyes and jagged scars across its snout. It bared its teeth and snarled, drool glistening in the moonlight.
My knees nearly gave out.
The stranger raised a hand, and violet energy crackled from his fingertips. "You're early," he said to the wolf. "She's not yours."
The creature snarled louder, crouching.
I could feel it—the malice, the hunger rolling off it like a storm. It wasn't just a beast. It was something darker. Wrong.
Suddenly, it lunged.
I screamed, stumbling backward, but the stranger moved like lightning. One moment he was beside me, the next he was clashing with the wolf mid-air, their collision sending a shockwave through the clearing.
I fell to the ground, gasping, the glow on my arm flaring bright.
The battle was a blur of shadows and sparks. The stranger wielded power I didn't understand, bending shadows like weapons, striking with impossible speed. But the wolf was fast too—vicious and relentless.
My heart pounded. I wanted to help, but what could I do? I was just… me.
Then, my mark pulsed.
Pain shot through my chest, and suddenly, I could feel everything—the stranger's strength, the wolf's rage, the energy in the earth, in the sky, in the moon above. It was like a door inside me had opened.
I gasped as silver light burst from my hands.
The combatants paused for a heartbeat, both turning toward me.
The wolf snarled, furious.
The stranger's eyes widened. "She's awakening."
I didn't know what I was doing. I only knew what I felt. I raised my hands, and the light surged forward in a wave. It struck the wolf with a force that sent it flying into the trees. The creature yelped, vanishing into the shadows.
Silence fell.
The glow around me faded, and I dropped to my knees, breath ragged.
The stranger approached slowly. "You shouldn't have been able to do that. Not yet."
I looked up at him, dizzy. "What… did I just do?"
"You channeled lunar energy. Instinctively." He knelt in front of me. "You really are her heir."
"Her who?"
He hesitated, then said, "The Moonborne Queen."
My brain stalled.
"What are you talking about? I'm just a girl from the edge of town. I've never even been in a fight, let alone cast moon-magic or whatever this is!"
"You were hidden," he said quietly. "Protected. But that protection is gone now. The moment the mark appeared, the veil was lifted. You're exposed."
"To what?"
"Hunters. Shades. Beasts like that one. And others who would use your power for their own ends."
Tears stung my eyes. "Why me? Why now?"
He stood, offering a hand. "Because your destiny won't wait any longer."
I didn't take his hand right away. "What's your name?"
He looked surprised, then said, "Kael."
I took his hand. His grip was strong, steady.
"Then you're going to tell me everything, Kael," I said. "Starting with what the hell a Moonborne Queen is."
For the first time, something almost like amusement flickered in his eyes.
"Very well, Aria," he said. "But we don't have long. Others will come looking for you now. And if we're not careful…"
His gaze shifted to the trees, where the shadows seemed to whisper.
"…they'll find you first."