Selena stood in the forest behind the packhouse, fists clenched, her breath fogging the air. The council's demand to seal her power wasn't just fear,it was a declaration of control.
They wanted to silence her.
Break her without chains.
> "They'll regret this," she muttered.
> "Not all of us agreed."
She spun, instinctively ready to strike,but stopped when she saw him: Elder Corvin, the youngest on the council. Quiet. Observant. The only one who hadn't spoken during the trial.
> "Why are you here?" she asked cautiously.
Corvin stepped forward, pulling a folded letter from inside his coat. "Because they've already made the next move."
He handed it to her. She unfolded the parchment,written in code, but Selena recognized the symbols. Ancient markings. First Wife language.
> "They're trying to erase you," Corvin said softly. "Not just strip your powers,but erase your bloodline from the archives. From memory."
Selena's eyes flared. "They're rewriting history."
Corvin nodded. "And sealing your power would make it easier. You wouldn't have the strength to resist what's coming next."
> "Why warn me?" she asked.
He looked away, voice tight. "Because my sister was like you. Born touched by the Moon. She died because no one stood up for her."
Selena studied him for a moment, then tucked the letter away.
> "Thank you, Corvin. You may have just saved more than one life."
He turned to leave, but paused. "There's something else. Damien's been visiting the ruins beyond the Black Pines. Alone. Whispering things into the earth. If he's calling on something dark… you don't have much time."
Selena's jaw tightened.
The Order of Shadows.
The seal.
Damien's secret rituals.
It was all connected.
> "Then I move first," she said. "No more waiting. No more defending."
She looked up at the rising moon and whispered to herself:
> "If they want to erase a storm,
then let me remind them how hard I strike."