Chapter 8 #2
Erebos often wrote about a mooncaster’s powers being the strongest when they were at peace. This was the most peaceful I’d felt in a long time.
I skimmed through the pages, running a finger down the thick pieces of parchment. A sentence caught my eyes.
Send a signal
Heart hammering, I kept reading.
You wish to contact a fellow mooncaster, but lack the information of their whereabouts? This spell will come to your aid.
Sit down and close your eyes. Spread your fingers out on the ground beneath you. Sense the vibrations of the moon rebounding off the surface of your palm. Sense the heartbeats around you.
Slowly, dive into the sensation. Feel the vibrations travel from your hands, up your arms, and into your heart.
Speak now.
Call out for whoever you wish to find.
Be loud.
If any Mooncasters are in your proximity, they will hear you.
I sunk back into the water, perching on the rock.
With the refreshing water still caressing my legs, I rested my open palms on the smooth surface.
I let the gentle current pull my hands weightlessly back and forth.
With my eyes closed, I let the soothing song of birds and the whispering cascade of water overcome me.
The heartbeat in my hands intensified, and as I focused my energy on the sensation, I felt the powerful pull of the moon from the water around me. My hands tingled as I spoke.
“Hello, this is Prudence. I’m looking for any dark— mooncasters in the area.” I hesitated, wondering if I should reveal my made-up story. Taking a deep breath, I decided. “I escaped the prison, Orken. I’m lost. I’m in a forest just outside the desert. Please find me.”
I waited a moment, holding my breath. The sensation in my hands spread up my arms, reaching my heart and making me shiver.
I spoke again, this time with more power. “I escaped alone. I’m not here to do you any harm. Please.”
I sat there for a while. No one spoke back. The first wave of disappointment washed away the pleasant tingling in my chest and hands. Sighing, I opened my eyes and looked around, half-expecting someone to come to my aid. Insecurities and doubts rushed over me.
Did I travel in the wrong direction? No, Boaz definitely pointed south. It had to be my magic. It just wasn’t strong enough. I wasn’t strong enough.
I decided to forget about the rebels for tonight. This amazing place wouldn’t be wasted on me fretting over an impossible task.
I scrubbed myself raw using pine needles and moss, then got out of the water. I’d been in the pond for almost an hour, and my body felt cold and stiff from the sudden lack of warmth that I’d gotten so used to.
I laid down and stretched out on the warm grass. A light breeze rustled the trees above me, causing tiny pine needles to rain over me. I inhaled deeply, enjoying the mossy scent and sounds of nature. Closing my eyes, I felt the lingering drops of water evaporate from my skin in the heat.
I started feeling content with my temporary failure and let go of the persistent concerns still looming over me. I rolled onto my stomach, stretching out my arms to run my hands through the pond’s surface. Little fish swam around, brightening up the translucent water with bursts of color.
A sudden rustling of leaves jerked me to my feet, but it was only a deer drinking from the other side of the pond. I exhaled slowly, a mixture of relief and disappointment bubbling inside me.
For a second, I’d allowed myself to hope that the rebels had found me. Then I looked down at my naked body. Maybe it wasn’t that bad that they hadn’t. The deer trotted away, wholly unconcerned with my presence.
I put my underwear and shirt back on, leaving my leather shorts on the grass. A low rumble from my stomach forced me to leave the tranquility of the pond to find something edible.
My mood improved instantly when I saw a variety of berry bushes just a few steps away. I plucked one from the nearest bush, rolling it gently between my fingers to study it.
The birds feasted happily on these, so I popped the little purple berry into my mouth and chewed. As I broke the fragile surface with my teeth, an explosion of sour and tart covered the inside of my mouth, drying it out completely.
I grimaced, spitting the berry out and looking judgmentally at the chirping birds around me. “Is this the best you got?” I asked one of the birds, and it twittered in protest.
The bushes around here all carried the same purple menaces, so I walked to the next thicket behind them.
I plucked a pink, cloudy-looking berry and nibbled the corner.
The fresh, sweet taste that met my tongue had me pop three more in my mouth in an instant.
I snacked appreciatively on the berries, finding the best-tasting ones and stuffing my mouth full.
The sudden, unexpected noise of someone clearing their throat behind me made me jump and spin around. My heart skipped a beat as I saw a man standing before me. He couldn’t be much older than myself.
His arms were crossed over his broad chest as he stared down at me, an eyebrow raised. His dark hair stuck out in odd places like he’d been running. A look of pure confusion was plastered on his face, and I realized I was pants-less.
“Oh, Goddess,” I shrieked, leaping behind the bushes. “Who are you?”
His initial confusion melted into amusement. “Who are you? Wasn’t it you who called out?” he asked, his deep voice rumbling.
“It worked?” I gasped, continuing to stare at the stranger. The amusement on his face quickly vanished, leaving faint annoyance in its place.
He outstretched his hands, gesturing at himself, then behind him. “Obviously.”
I was taken aback by his rudeness. How could I know it’d worked? I’d tried the spell long ago.
Three other people burst from the trees, making me crouch further behind my bush.
“You called out?” a breathless older man asked, shaking leaves out of his salt and pepper hair. I nodded.
“But apparently, she wasn’t quite sure it worked, so she decided to take her pants off,” the dark-haired man said dryly.
My cheeks burned until I matched the berries in my hand, now squeezed into pulp from the shock. He gave me a lazy smile that didn’t meet his amber eyes.
“I took a bath, which you should be grateful for,” I said, trying to win him over with humor. “The desert doesn’t provide many bathing facilities.”
The older man laughed, but the other one remained cold.
I took in the two remaining people standing behind them. A tall blonde woman had her arms crossed, her face revealing nothing. Next to her stood a man that could only be her brother. His hair was equally long and blond, braided back to reveal sharp cheekbones and jawline.
“Yes, I called out,” I said, deciding I had to say something as they all stared at me expectantly. “I escaped Orken.” My voice shook vigorously, my body stiff with nerves. I couldn’t be suspicious.
“So you said,” the dark-haired man replied, narrowing his eyes suspiciously at me.
“Daegal,” the older one warned before giving me a warm smile. Staring at his kind face slowed my racing heart. He, at least, didn’t seem to suspect me. Yet. My tense muscles relaxed, allowing me to take a few deep breaths.
“You must be absolutely exhausted. I’m Hannan. We’re part of the Rebellion,” he said. Daegal jerked like he wanted to clamp a hand over Hannan’s mouth.
The blonde woman stepped toward me, and I instinctively stepped back. “Prudence, was it?” she asked, not waiting for me to answer. “Come here, I won’t harm you.”
Her face was infinitely more kind when she smiled. She shook off her jacket and handed it to me. I took it and tied it around my waist with trembling hands. “Thank you,” I breathed, stepping away from the bush at last.
“I’m Felicity, and that’s Felix,” she pointed at the blond man. Definitely siblings.
I nodded at both of them in greeting. “I left my… belongings over there,” I said embarrassed, pointing in the direction of the pond.
I kept tugging at the hem of Felicity’s jacket as we walked silently to my sanctuary. Trying to keep my gaze on the ground was hard when I could feel the group’s eyes constantly drifting to me.
“How did you escape?” asked a low voice behind me, and I didn’t have to turn around to see who it was.
“Daegal, leave her alone. We will question her later when she’s rested and dressed,” Hannan hissed, shooting me an apologetic look. I made a mental note to befriend the older man.
The others gracefully stopped a bit before we reached the pond to give me the privacy to keep the rest of my dignity intact. I hastily put my shorts on, barely able to close them as my fingers continued to shake, then retrieved my bag.
“We’re taking her to the base,” I heard Hannan whisper loudly to the others, with a finality in his voice that told me Daegal had protested this.
“Hannan, you can’t be serious. She’s clearly lying! She didn’t even know her spell had worked, and she’s supposed to have escaped the highest-security prison in the Kingdom?”
My stomach lurched. Daegal did nothing to keep his voice low, almost like he intended for me to hear him. I hadn’t expected to be a suspect the second I found the rebels, but at least they were taking me with them. To the base. My heart longed for Lili’s presence.
“I’m not discussing this with you,” Hannan said.
I tried to make as much noise as possible as I made my way back to them.
“Brilliant,” Hannan exclaimed, clapping his hands together as if to applaud my ability to dress properly. Then he got up from the rock he’d perched on and started walking the opposite way of where I’d come from earlier. At least we wouldn’t be going back to the desert then.
We walked in silence, and I acted like I hadn’t overheard their argument. Daegal’s heated gaze lingered on my back the whole time. I had to restrain myself to not whip around and snap at him.