The Last of the True Luna

Chapter 4

I spent the night together with Juliet. The second she stepped into the house, she kicked off her shoes, tossed her coat onto the couch, and made herself at home as if she'd lived there all her life. In a way, she had. We’d been through every stage of life side by side—childhood, awkward adolescence, and now this strange in-between phase of not quite being adults but definitely no longer kids.

We ate the entire pizza she brought. We argued playfully over the last slice, and she ended up winning, but only because she distracted me by throwing a pillow at my face. The moment dissolved into laughter as we leaned back into the couch, bloated with carbs, content and safe in our little bubble.

After that, we sifted through an old box of board games. Some had missing pieces, others had bent cards, but that didn’t stop us. We played “Guess Who” using made-up characters, then a round of “Life” where she insisted on naming her fictional children after Greek gods. The house was filled with our laughter, the kind of carefree sound that only exists when you’re with someone who knows you deeply—flaws, weird quirks, and all.

Eventually, we curled up under a big blanket on the living room floor and watched some old fantasy movies. The kind with low-budget effects, glowing amulets, and long-winded prophecies. Halfway through the second movie, we got distracted and just started talking.

"Do you know there are different types of witches? Like I think there's a rainbow-type witch," I said, trying to keep a straight face but failing. The words left my mouth as a half-laugh, half-thought, something whimsical and fleeting.

Juliet blinked at me, caught between confusion and amusement. Then she burst into laughter so strong she snorted. “What do you mean rainbow? There’s only white witches and dark witches,” she said, sitting up straighter and adjusting the blanket over her lap.

I raised an eyebrow at her, giving her my best smug expression. “Huh! And how do you know that, Miss Wikipedia?”

She tapped my forehead gently with her finger. “It’s all over the internet. Like, you can literally search for it.”

“Oh, well. We don’t have internet here. Sorry,” I replied with an exaggerated pout. The truth was, we didn’t. Nana’s place was in the middle of nowhere. No signal. No Wi-Fi. Just trees, birds, and a silence that got under your skin if you let it.

I leaned back and stared at the ceiling. "I should also research wolves and vampires. There should be news about them too. Like sightings or rumors. Especially vampires... they feed on humans, right? What do witches even do, anyway?"

Juliet looked thoughtful for a moment. “There are different kinds of white witches, but they’re all good witches. More like fairies or elves than what people think of when they hear the word ‘witch.’ Dark witches, on the other hand, are like those creepy old ladies from fairy tales—think ‘Snow White’ evil queen vibes. Curses, dark rituals, all that.”

I narrowed my eyes at her and grinned. “Why aren’t you a nerd again?”

She rolled her eyes and laughed, tossing a throw pillow at me. “I’m just curious, okay? And for your information, I fantasize about having a werewolf daddy!”

Her eyes sparkled with mischief, her voice dreamy as she leaned back and smiled at the ceiling. She was clearly picturing some rugged, brooding, half-shirtless werewolf protector straight out of a paranormal romance novel.

I laughed and threw an arm around her shoulder. “Werewolf daddy? You’re still not over that phase? That was like, what... eight, ten years ago?”

“What? They’re hot, alright?” she retorted with a dramatic shrug.

“Yeah, yeah,” I said, still chuckling. Truthfully, she wasn’t wrong. They were hot. But in my mind, I couldn’t help but compare that image with Callisto—cold, poised, and sharp like a blade. He was like an ice prince from another world. Unreachable. Unreal.

I sighed and stood up. “Right. I should pack some things. I can’t stay for long.”

Her face dropped. “You’re leaving already? Like... tomorrow? Where will you go?”

I shrugged as I opened my closet and began pulling out clothes, throwing them onto the bed haphazardly. Juliet followed me silently and began folding them without being asked. That’s just the kind of person she was.

“I don’t know,” I muttered.

“Right... Anyway, it’s 11:55 PM. Come here,” she said suddenly, springing up with renewed energy. “I saw this thing online. It says you should recite this phrase before midnight on your 18th birthday. Supposed to be a blessing or protection ritual. Wouldn’t hurt to try, right?”

She handed me a piece of paper, the ink smudged slightly but still legible. It looked like some spell from an online forum or a Tumblr post. I raised an eyebrow.

She grabbed my hand and dragged me outside.

“You really are into this,” I teased.

“Shut up. Now, here’s the deal: when the moon is shining brightly, you say that phrase out loud when I tell you to. Got it?”

I rolled my eyes but nodded. She checked her phone and held up three fingers, counting silently. Then she nodded at me to start.

I cleared my throat. “I, Lilla Anselet Wellington, daughter of the goddess Luna. By the silver glow of Luna's guiding light, I pledge my spirit, heart, and might. Shield me, O goddess fair, with your celestial embrace, in shadows and daylight, in every sacred space.”

As I spoke, a wind stirred through the trees. The leaves rustled, and the air suddenly felt charged with something unseen. I looked up and gasped. The full moon looked massive, luminous like a silver eye watching me from the sky. My breath caught.

Juliet stood quietly beside me, whispering something under her breath. Her tone had changed—soft, reverent, almost like prayer.

‘…As they tread the labyrinth of fate, let your torches illuminate their way, and your wisdom be their guiding star, under the moonlit sky, near and far…’

Her words chilled me. Not in a frightening way, but in a way that made me feel like I was part of something older, something bigger than myself.

‘…Through the sacred flame and the crossroads’ key, protect and guide, blessed by thee…’

She looked up and locked eyes with me. Just for a moment, I swear I saw her irises shimmer with violet light. I blinked—and it was gone. She just smiled and reached for my hands.

“This is perfect! I just knew the Trinity Goddess would protect you,” she said, beaming.

“Trinity Goddess? Like Luna the moon goddess, Sol the sun goddess, and Hecate the goddess of witchcraft?”

She nodded enthusiastically as we walked back inside, rambling about blessings, divine protection, and the balance between light and shadow. I listened quietly, letting her voice wash over me. Mythology had never been my thing. But it was hers. She believed in it so much that, in that moment, I kind of wanted to believe too.

Later, she helped me finish packing and tidy the house. Even then, she wouldn’t shut up about wolves, full moons, and magical destiny. I tried to focus, but something strange was happening in my chest. A tingling, fluttering feeling right where my heart was. It wasn’t painful—but it wasn’t exactly comfortable either. It felt like something inside me had been stirred awake.

“Anyway,” Juliet said as she tucked a shirt into my bag, “why don’t you go to where Art is? Remember him? That little boy who followed us everywhere when we were kids?”

I laughed. “Little boy? Juliet, he’s like seven years older than us.”

She giggled. “Okay, fine. But he was tiny! I could’ve kept him in my pocket.”

“Yeah, he really did trail after us like a bodyguard,” I mused. “Until they moved back to Pennsylvania…”

“Exactly. It’s the opposite side of the state, but maybe it’s a good place to start.”

“Good idea,” I agreed. “But where in Pennsylvania? You have his contact info?”

She paused. “I have an old number of his mom. But it’s probably outdated.”

We both shrugged. There was a quiet understanding between us now. I was leaving. She was staying. And that was just how things had to be.

“I’ll take care of everything here. So enjoy your life, okay?” she said with a soft smile. She always acted older, wiser—like a sister, a mother, a best friend all rolled into one.

I pulled her into a hug and whispered, “I will. Thank you, Juliet. I’ll really miss you.”

She didn’t answer. She just held me tighter.

We stayed like that until I fell asleep in her arms, wrapped in blankets, dreams, and the promise of something new waiting just beyond the horizon.