Chapter 64: The rise of the crescent

*~Lilith’s POV~*

I had set a timer on myself..,one that would awaken me the moment that child was born.

But I wasn’t expecting it to be so soon.

I rose from the graveyard where I had buried myself, cloaked in soil and silence, and immediately reached for the Dreamer. The child had arrived.

I needed to get to the High House. Now.

But... why so soon? I expected months—at least. Not this sudden.

Something’s wrong. The child must remain intact, untouched, whole, for me to complete the ritual. To lay my hands on it. To awaken my crescents.

It should be there. In the High House. The exact place the prophecy promised.

So I moved. And when I arrived at the gates of the High House... my jaw dropped.

This wasn’t the scene I expected.

No celebration. No music. No roaring joy of a Luna giving birth.

Only death. The front doors were wide open...careless, ominous. As if chaos had walked right in and taken residence. I stepped inside.

And froze.

The floor was littered with wolves. Some bloodied. Some groaning. Others lying too still. From upstairs and downstairs, I could feel the vibrating tension of hundreds of wolves shifting, growling, surrounding hazel..

She stood in the center of it all, dagger in hand. Her stance? Like a goddess of war. Her aura? Like nothing I had felt in decades.

I immediately looked to her stomach. Flat. No signs of recent birth. What?

Where is the child?

My eyes darted to Cayden, crumpled on the floor, held back by his parents. Caspian, too, was on his feet, watching Hazel with something between heartbreak and terror.

What the hell happened here? And then—it hit me.

Her power had awakened.

That would explain the immense strengthfrom her. The storm in her gaze. And the dominance she holds.

But how?

What could’ve triggered her crescent?

She was mid-step, about to attack rage shimmering in every part of her being...when I moved without thought.

I fired the arrow. It struck her straight in the chest.

She stumbled.

Collapsed to her knees.

And Caspian ran to her, cradling her body in his arms. His voice shook as he tried to wake her.

Cayden’s head whipped toward me, eyes wide.

I stepped forward, pulled off my wide-brimmed hat, and watched the recognition dawn on every face in that room.

"Hazel?" Cayden whispered.

into the High House, cloak still dragging the grave dirt behind

I said calmly. "It’s time I

keeping all the tension and mystery intact. This version is smoother,

immediately stood in front of me, growling, their bodies tense..sensing the danger that I am. Their instincts

fight. Not yet. Raising my hands, I took

threat," I said

it was enough. They moved back slightly, parting just enough for me to

threshold, the past

Claus. Anna.

recognize me...just as I

clean of me... just in case. Just in case Hazel turned out like me.

both and snapped my fingers. A surge of magic pulsed through the

and then her eyes

she breathed. "Oh

hit her like a strike of lightning. Claus beside her

voice low, calm. "I didn’t come here for

broken. The bruises on him told me Hazel or whoever she is now...had truly snapped something

exactly like her. Are you playing some sick game? Wearing her face like it’s

wearing anyone’s face," I replied. "This is my body. And if you’d all give me five minutes, I’d explain. But first, I want every one of

are you? Why are you

but firm. "Well... I’m simply here to help. But in

on his knees, holding Hazel’s limp body, snapped his head toward me. His eyes were filled

isn’t it?" he said through clenched teeth. "You’re just another witch coming

baby... it’s already gone?"

"What?"

baby," Caspian said, his voice almost cracking,

hands clenched. No. That’s impossible. I timed it perfectly. I awakened the moment the child

took it? Who

why should we tell you anything?" Cayden growled, his wolves now surrounding me again. They didn’t understand. But they were about to.

"Versa."

screech echoed inside every wolf’s mind. They dropped

make it stop," I said sweetly, "if you let

face twisted in horror. "Stop it...please! Stop hurting

I

Silence fell.

voice steady and

"I am Hazel’s mother."

one

joke right? Dahlia didn’t teach you how

your children who am I..." Anna

ahead, tell your sons who I am.

forgot. I didn’t remember

day," Caspian said. "You

know," Claus whispered. "I didn’t

"You didn’t fail. I wiped your memories. Just in case. But now I’ve restored them because I

My voice hardened.

care if you trust me. But that baby...Hazel’s baby must be found. Whoever took it must

demanded. "What happens

into the room, pulled my grimoire from beneath my cloak, and slammed it

we find

"Because if we don’t..."

looked up. My eyes were

won’t live to experience another

forward, still holding

are you even saying?" he barked. "You can’t just show up out of nowhere and tell us you’re Hazel’s mother! Where have you been all these years? Where were you when she suffered? When she was broken? And now you’re here for the

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