169 The Trance I
Miriam (07
I would not let Jeremy’s bitterness and hatred tear me apart. I have spent too long living with regret, but Lyla’s future was still unwritten. I would fight for my daughter’s happiness no matter what it took.
It was already evening, and I headed towards the bonfire area, where many young people were gathered. When I reached there, I spotted Lyla and Nathan laughing together near the flames.
Lyla’s face lit up with joy as she spoke, her hands gesturing animatedly – Clarissa was there too and Nathan watched her with a soft smile, his eyes filled with adoration.
For a moment, my heart swelled with pride and hope. Maybe Jeremy was wrong. Maybe Lyla and Nathan could find happiness together despite everything.
But then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a figure standing in the shadows, watching two of them.
It was Ramsey.
My heart sank as I watched the way his eyes followed Lyla, filled with a mixture of longing and
SOTTOW.
I knew then that Jeremy’s fears weren’t entirely unfounded.
Secrets and old wounds had a way of resurfacing, and the past was never truly buried.
As I watched, the young people talking around the fire, Terra’s words and Jeremy’s words took turns flitting into my mind. While Terra’s words filled me with guilt and defiance, Jeremy’s words. scared the shit out of me.
I couldn’t imagine, Lyla going through another phase of heartbreak. The mere thought of it breaks my heart. I just lingered at the edge of the clearing where the bonfire was watching them since I didn’t know what to do.
From the corner of my eyes, I caught sight of a Blue Ridge delegation. I know because he was wearing the pack’s plaid. But something was different.
This time, a chill ran down my spine as I watched the figure moving towards Lyla and Nathan- someone I hadn’t seen before.
The man’s presence was subtle, almost too subtle, but my instincts screamed at me to pay attention. I couldn’t place him, but something about him felt…wrong.
Before I could dwell on it further, a soft voice broke through my thoughts..
“Miriam.”
I turned to see Terra approaching me with a serious expression on her face.
“What now?” I asked, coldly.
Terra didn’t flinch. “You need to be careful,” she said quietly. “The Harvest Moon has a way of revealing truths – whether we’re ready for them or not.”
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My stomach tightened, but I kept my face neutral. “I know what I’m doing. Terra.”
“I hope so,” she said. “For Lyla’s sake, and yours.”
“Terra, I heard you the first time,” I sighed. “One more time and it would be pure nagging. C’mon, girl…” I turned to face her now, “The only reason why I’m still being polite to you is because you’re my friend but you should know your boundaries. Stop meddling, I don’t appreciate it.” Terra stared at me for a few seconds then shook her head. “Anyways, they need you. Superior Priestess Diana is asking for you.”
I arched a brow. “And why is that? To gloat that Jemima is a better replacement for me or what? Tell her you didn’t see me.”
“Far from it, Terra said quietly. “It’s Mother Liora,” she said quietly.
My heart leapt as I turned to her, trying not to show the fear that crept into my heart at the information. “What’s wrong with her?”
“She’s fallen into a trance and we’re trying to wake her up because a high priestess needs to open the Harvest Moon Festival. They’ve tried everything they can but she’s not responding. So, they need you.”
I paused for a minute, the details of the vision I had in the early hours of today flitting into my mind. If the dream would come true… the chances of Mother Liora waking up from the trance was tiny. But I couldn’t voice that out. Each High priestess had a gift… For Mother Liora, she had insights into seeing things that have happened in the past while I had insight into the future.
“What of Jemima?” I asked quietly.
Terra sighed. “Please, Miriam. Stop acting dumb. Only the one who bears the silver mark can orchestrate any Harvest Moon and these are delicate times, the Priestesses have all agreed that more than ever, things need to be done in the correct order to avoid calamity which is what they’re doing.”
“I can’t, Terra,” I shook my head. “I’m not ready to…”
“Miriam, for Moon’s sake!” Terra snapped. “Do you want us to cancel the Harvest Moon? The moon will be up anytime soon and we aren’t even ready. For once in your life, can you just do as you’re told? You’re driving me crazy with this logical side of you. Let’s go
She turned on her heel and started walking away. I stared at her retreating back, sighing deeply. Remembering the strange man I saw, I quickly turned back to check on him but he was nowhere. to be found and Ramsey…
Ramsey was gazing intently at me.
From across the roaring flame, our gazes met and held. I had a feeling that he wanted to give me an earful which I’ve managed to avoid since I arrived at White Moon Pack but it was inevitable.
I averted my gaze and began to walk away when I noticed someone was standing directly behind. me. I froze when I realized it was that strange man I had seen earlier. Up close, his face was
169 The Trance
I averted my gaze and began to walk away when I noticed someone was standing directly behind. me. I froze when I realized it was that strange man I had seen earlier. Up close, his face was hooded but he had this weird energy about him.
Composing myself, and not allowing him to realise that his ominous presence was affecting me, I made to brush past him when his hands shot out and grabbed my arm pulling me back. I staggered backwards; my lips pressed into a thin line.
“What the heck is that for?”
“Who will you choose, Miriam? the man said quietly. His voice was distorted, making it difficult
for me to hear the words clearly.
I shook his hand off my arm, glaring at him. “Who are you and what makes you think you can
touch me?”
He laughed, producing a throaty sound. “I ask you again,” the man said. “Who will you choose? Your daughter or the High Priestess?”
My blood ran cold as my brain put together what he could possibly mean but I decided to play it cool. “Who are you?”
“Do you want to go back to serving as a High Priestess? Imagine all the thing you would miss out on? You’ve always hated to be confined… would you want to spend your life confined in the walls of that temple – no fun, no booze and no man, the man let out a known chuckle “You like your men long and thick right?”
I blushed to my roots, looking around to make sure no one had heard him but everyone seemed to be busy with any other thing except me.
“Who are you?” I demanded again then deftly, I reached for the hood on his face, determined to
it away so as to reveal his face but my hand passed through the form. I gasped with fear, as I took a step backward realizing this was an apparition.
“Miriam!” the man laughed “Choose one. You can decide to take the pearl of your daughter’s neck and I’ll spare your dear High Priestess and make her live longer, so you wouldn’t spend the rest of your life in confinement. If you refuse, I’m not sure what I would do but there are lots of options.”
“If you want something for me, stop using people who I love to threaten me. It doesn’t work on me, haven’t you heard.”
Another throaty chuckle.
“I could walk up to her or go to her in her dreams and tell her everything you are, the voice continued “So, you need to be super nice to me. Anyways, take off the pearl from her neck and we have a deal. I would preserve your precious High Priestess and let your daughter be.”
I studied the figure of the man standing in front of me, trying to interpret the energy around it. This was definitely a Trinax and from the way it was acting with me, I was wondering if it was Mr Dupree. It was acting too familiar.
“Why? What is your reason? Isn’t it enough that you took her powers away? What else do you want with her?”
169 The Trance
There was a short pause from its end before it spoke again. “I’m not sure my master took all of her power because how can she still she fight us? And the pearls are not allowing me to contact her. With dedication and grit, I’m sure we’d be able to disable the powers in the pearl blocking her but we have a lot of things going on and little time.”
“Is that all?” I asked suspiciously. “Is that the only reason you need her for?”
“Yes! Why would we need her for something else.
That could mean one thing, they don’t know that she has a wolf yet. My eyes widened with
realization….
“Oh!” I gasped, placing my hand on my chest “Mother Liora… I need to go to her.”
I ran into the form in front of me and started sprinting towards the pack house. I need to get to
Mother Liora now.
