VALERIA’S POV
I lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling as the quiet night pressed down on me. The room was dim, bathed in the soft silver light of the moon streaming through the window. My chest felt heavy, weighted with Elijah’s words.
“You’re in denial,” his voice echoed relentlessly in my mind, each repetition cutting deeper.
Was he right?
I wanted to deny it, to push his words aside as harsh criticism, but deep down, I knew the truth. I didn’t feel special. I didn’t feel powerful. The Moon Goddess may have chosen me, but I couldn’t see why. I felt ordinary, if not worse.
I glanced at my hands, turning them over as if I might find some hidden secret etched into my skin. But they were just hands—scarred, calloused, and trembling slightly with doubt. My gaze drifted to the
