Chapter 5 - Full Moon
1243 Words
And tonight... the moon would be full.
I slumped onto the couch, exhaustion settling into every fiber of my body.
The house had finally fallen silent.
It was 10 PM.
The girls were already asleep.
I chuckled softly.
Not before the endless crying, whining, arguments, and dramatic stomping of little feet.
Today was Friday.
For some reason, all three of them had been unusually difficult since morning.
Everything became a reason to cry.
Everything became a reason to argue.
Everything became a crisis.
I sighed.
At least they were asleep now.
For the next few hours, I belonged to myself.
And since tomorrow was the weekend, I didn't even have to worry about oversleeping.
I remained on the couch, absentmindedly scanning the living room.
Most of the lights were off.
Only the wall sconces remained lit, casting a warm amber glow throughout the hall.
Almost romantic.
I snorted.
Definitely the wrong word.
My hand drifted automatically to the blue sheen moonstone bracelet around my wrist.
The crystal I always wore whenever sleep refused to come.
Or when I needed deeper rest.
For reasons I could never properly explain, its energy simply resonated with me.
Aligned with me.
And tonight...
the blue flash beneath its surface seemed brighter than usual.
Crystals.
Gemstones.
Essential oils.
I had no idea why I was so drawn to them.
It started during my confinement after the birth of my second daughter.
I had been struggling.
Emotionally.
Mentally.
There were days when I felt completely overwhelmed.
Days when everything felt too loud.
Too heavy.
Too much.
Then one night, while scrolling mindlessly online, I came across an advertisement about using crystals and essential oils to support emotional wellbeing.
I was skeptical.
Curious.
Desperate.
Maybe all three.
I bought my first bracelet.
A small crystal chunk.
One bottle of essential oil.
And somehow...
I fell in love with the entire world that came with it.
Four years later, what started as a coping mechanism had grown into a collection.
And eventually...
a small business that helped pay the bills.
I glanced at the wall clock.
10:53 PM.
Almost eleven.
I stood and made my way to my bedroom.
Ever since last year, I had started sleeping separately from the girls.
Not because I wanted distance.
Because I needed space.
A small corner of the world that belonged only to me.
Sleep still felt far away.
So I began rummaging through my jewelry box, admiring my collection of crystals and gemstones.
That was when I noticed something unusual.
A small raw stone wrapped in copper wire.
A pendant.
Black.
Yet strangely translucent when held against the light.
Saffordite.
At least, it looked like one.
I frowned.
Weird.
I didn't remember buying it.
Bracelets?
Yes.
Loose stones?
Definitely.
But this pendant?
No.
I would have remembered.
Curious, I picked it up and carried it to the rocking chair beside the window.
The night breeze stirred the curtains gently as I settled into the seat.
Then I looked outside.
The full moon hung high above the dark sky.
Ah.
That explained it.
No wonder everything felt so intense today.
The children's moods.
The migraine that came and went in waves.
The strange restlessness sitting beneath my skin.
Moonlight streamed through the window.
Silver.
Soft.
Beautiful.
The light struck the saffordite resting in my palm.
And for one brief moment—
something flashed through my mind.
A man.
Tall.
Cold.
Silver hair.
The image vanished before I could fully grasp it.
Gone.
Just like every other time.
A sharp pulse erupted behind my eyes.
The migraine returned.
Slowly.
Relentlessly.
I pressed my fingers against my temple.
And then...
I heard it.
My name.
"Zattie."
The voice was faint.
Distant.
Like an echo carried from somewhere impossibly far away.
Like it didn't belong to this world at all.
𝐀𝐫𝐣𝐮𝐧𝐚 𝐏𝐎𝐕
"Zattie."
The name escaped before I could stop it.
Silence answered.
It had been several days since our encounter.
A smile tugged at the corner of my lips as the memory resurfaced.
Our conversation.
The way her energy radiated when she spoke.
The way she challenged me without hesitation.
The way she showed no fear.
Most humans would have panicked.
Most humans would have fled.
She didn't.
I closed my eyes and reached for her presence once more.
Trying to find her.
Trying to reconnect with the energy that had occupied my thoughts for days.
Nothing.
No response.
No trace.
No glimpse of her presence.
And yet somehow...
I could still feel her.
Faint.
Distant.
Like a candle flickering behind a thousand walls.
Her essence lingered at the edge of my awareness.
Impossible.
Yet undeniable.
It felt as though a part of her remained here.
As though her energy somehow belonged within our realm.
I frowned.
That thought alone should have alarmed me.
Instead, it intrigued me.
Over the past few days, I had tried everything to distract myself.
Training with the royal warriors.
Attending council briefings.
Reviewing reports from the border provinces.
Preparing for potential disturbances along the Veil.
None of it worked.
Her name continued to surface.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Zattie.
Her energy.
Her aura.
Everything about her felt...
alluring.
I exhaled slowly.
This had become a problem.
A serious one.
After dinner, I retreated to my private chambers in the South Wing.
The highest floor of the estate.
Surrounded by balconies and open archways that allowed the cool air to flow freely through the rooms.
Below were my parents' chambers.
And Aurelia's.
On some nights, I slept with the balcony doors open, listening to the distant songs of the moonbirds drifting across the gardens.
Tonight would not be one of those nights.
My mind was far too restless.
I attempted meditation.
For nearly an hour.
It was useless.
Every time I closed my eyes, I saw her.
Not her face.
Not clearly.
But her presence.
Her aura.
The memory of her voice.
Why?
I kept asking myself the same question.
How could the essence of a human woman affect me this deeply?
"Perhaps a bath will help."
The words echoed through the empty room.
I changed into a bathrobe and made my way toward the bath chamber.
The room was silent.
I preferred it that way.
Although our household employed servants, I rarely allowed anyone into my private chambers.
The space was mine.
Untouched.
Undisturbed.
Steam drifted lazily through the air, carrying the scent of moonflowers and silver lavender.
A large marble pool occupied the center of the chamber, fed by heated spring water flowing directly from the Crystal Mountains.
The water remained warm throughout the year.
Most considered it a luxury.
They were wrong.
The spring possessed healing properties found nowhere else in the kingdom.
Only noble and royal families were granted access to it.
Normally, the water soothed me.
Tonight, it did nothing.
I leaned back against the smooth edge of the pool and stared at the silver ceiling above.
My thoughts returned to her.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Then I felt it.
A subtle shift in the air.
The human realm was preparing for night.
I could sense it.
The pull between our realms growing stronger with every passing hour.
Dangerous.
Unstable.
Tempting.
The Veil was thinning.
Somewhere beyond it...
She was awake.
And despite every warning I had been given...
Despite the Elders.
Despite Aurelia.
Despite Ravynn.
I found myself reaching for her once more.
This time...
I stopped resisting.
I had made my decision.
- Writer
