The morning after the moon’s declaration arrived without mercy.
Glosh woke to the sound of voices outside—low, urgent, and unmistakably worried. For a moment, she lay still, staring at the ceiling, hoping the night before had been nothing more than a vivid dream.
But the power beneath her skin pulsed softly, answering her heartbeat.
Reality settled in like a stone.
She sat up slowly, every movement deliberate, as if she were learning her body all over again. Her senses were sharper—too sharp. She could hear footsteps outside the house, smell damp earth and pine through the open window, feel the tension in the air like a taut wire ready to snap.
Princess.
The word echoed again, unwelcome.
She pushed herself out of bed and dressed quietly, choosing dark clothes that made her feel grou
