Chapter Three
“This place always gives me the creeps,” Beans muttered, her voice breaking the uneasy quiet. She swung a small pouch filled with enchanted stones that clinked together softly. “Too many shadows.”
“Shadows can’t hurt you,” Mango quipped, smirking. She leaned against a tree, her auburn hair catching the faint moonlight. “Unless, of course, they’re alive. Then you’re out of luck.”
“That’s comforting,” Beans replied, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “Focus,” Karen snapped, though her gaze remained fixed on Aldric. The group exchanged puzzled glances but said nothing. It was unlike Karen to be so sharp.
Willa bit her lip, hesitating before speaking. “Karen, are you okay?” Karen hesitated, her stern demeanor faltering for just a moment. “I’m fine,” she replied, forcing a small smile. But her mind was racing. How much did Aldric know about his past—or how it connected to the conspiracy? And more importantly, could he be trusted?
Aldric suddenly stopped, raising a hand to silence the group. The air around them shifted, the faint hum of magic growing sharper, almost like a static charge. “Stay here,” he ordered, his voice low.
“Not a chance,” Liam said, stepping forward. “If there’s danger, we face it together.” Aldric turned, his piercing gaze sweeping over the group. “I’m not here to babysit.”
“And we’re not here to sit and wait while you march into who-knows-what,” Karen shot back, her frustration evident.
Willa’s heart pounded as she looked between them. She felt the pull of the moons again, stronger now, urging her forward. Whatever was ahead, it was calling to her.
“I’m going,” she said firmly, stepping past Aldric. Her voice trembled slightly, but her resolve was unwavering. “If this has anything to do with Ian, I need to see it for myself.”
The group followed her lead, their determination a unified force. Aldric sighed, shaking his head, but didn’t argue. “Fine,” he muttered. “But stay close. And be ready.”
The forest grew denser as they pressed onward, shadows deepening and the air thickening with an unspoken tension. Willa’s palms began to tingle, the magic within her responding to something unseen. Whatever lay ahead, it would be the first step in unraveling the truth—and the first test of her strength.
The forest grew unnaturally silent as the group pressed on, their footsteps muffled against the mossy ground. Even the faint rustling of leaves had stilled, as though the woods themselves were holding their breath. Willa hesitated, glancing up at the twin moons. Their glow seemed brighter now, their light casting sharp silver edges on the shadows around them.
A sudden pulse of energy rippled through the air, subtle yet unmistakable. Willa froze, her antlers tingling as though they were absorbing the shift in magic. She pressed a hand against her chest, where her heartbeat quickened in response. Whatever this was, it felt ancient—alive.
Karen slowed, her hand reaching instinctively for Willa’s arm. “Do you feel that?” she whispered, her voice low.
“I do,” Willa murmured, her eyes scanning the darkened path ahead. The pull of the moons grew stronger, tugging at something deep within her. It wasn’t just magic—it was anticipation, a call she didn’t yet understand.
Aldric stopped abruptly, his sharp gaze cutting through the group. “We’re almost there,” he said, though his tone carried an edge of caution. “Prepare yourselves. This is where it begins.”
Willa met Karen’s gaze, the unspoken tension heavy between them. Whatever lay ahead wasn’t just the first step—it was a threshold. And once crossed, there would be no turning back.
The clearing was bathed in an ethereal glow, the twin moons hanging low in the sky as though bearing witness to the gathering below. The air shimmered with a faint haze, the magic of the land thrumming in harmony with the beat of Willa’s heart.
The group stood in a circle, their breaths visible in the cool night air. Each of them felt it—the undeniable pull of something ancient, awakening within.
Karen adjusted the hem of her cloak, her hand brushing against her wand. Her expression was calm, but Willa could see the faintest flicker of uncertainty in her eyes. Mango and Beans stood side by side, their shared energy crackling with anticipation, while Tiffani tapped her foot nervously, her wolf-like senses sharpening with each passing moment.
“I don’t like this,” Liam muttered, his voice gruff but steady. “It feels... exposed.”
Payton shot him a grin, her amber eyes glinting in the moonlight. “Well, that’s the point, isn’t it? Can’t awaken if you’re hiding in the shadows.”
Willa took a deep breath, stepping toward the center of the clearing. Her antlers tingled with the surge of energy building around them, the pull of the moons stronger than ever before. She closed her eyes, letting the sensation wash over her. This wasn’t just about her—this was about all of them. Together, they would face whatever this awakening brought.
“Ready?” Aldric’s voice cut through the stillness, his gaze sweeping over the group.
Willa nodded, her resolve firm. “We’re ready.”
As the moons reached their peak, the clearing shimmered with magic, a soft hum filling the air. Willa’s breath quickened as she felt the energy around them intensify, pulling her deeper into the connection she shared with the moons. The transformations came slowly at first, then all at once, each of them remaining in human-like forms, but with unmistakable traces of their true natures.
Mango gasped as her russet fox ears unfurled atop her head, twitching in response to every sound. Behind her, two elegant, bushy tails swayed gently, glowing faintly under the moonlight. Her sapphire-blue eyes sparkled with a mischievous, otherworldly light, hinting at the playful fox spirit within.
Beside her, Beans mirrored the transformation, her silver-tinged fox ears and single tail moving with cautious curiosity. Her emerald-green eyes, deep and piercing, reflected her thoughtful and grounded nature.
The clearing was bathed in an ethereal glow, the twin moons hanging low in the sky as though bearing witness to the gathering below. The air shimmered with a faint haze, the magic of the land thrumming in harmony with the beat of Willa’s heart.
The group stood in a circle, their breaths visible in the cool night air. Each of them felt it—the undeniable pull of something ancient, awakening within.
Karen adjusted the hem of her cloak, her hand brushing against her wand. Her expression was calm, but Willa could see the faintest flicker of uncertainty in her eyes. Mango and Beans stood side by side, their shared energy crackling with anticipation, while Tiffani tapped her foot nervously, her wolf-like senses sharpening with each passing moment.
“I don’t like this,” Liam muttered, his voice gruff but steady. “It feels... exposed.”