Page 17 of A Fate In Moonstone

The tea warmed my belly, and I sighed into the cup.

“Have you been?”

I shook my head.

She poured herself a cup and sat gently on the grass. The fire’s light dancing across her pale face. “Oh, it’s lovely dear. I would absolutely recommend it. Although, I don’t know if you’ll have the time for at least thirty years. So, no matter. Now, let’s talk about your feelings.”

There was a lot to process in her words. What did she mean wouldn’t have time for thirty years to visit a human forest that wasn’t too far from our portal?

Focus Sapphira. You came here for a reason.

I shook my head and sipped from the cup before speaking. “I was connecting to my core and listening to any nudges from my intuition. At first, the feelings were good. Warm, perhaps being with a lover or mate. Then…” I shivered as phantom chills rolled from my fingers, up my arms, and shot around my body. “I got cold, and I don’t know how to explain it.” I lifted my hand to my throat. “It was like the cold tried to choke me.”

“Silence you.” Celestine tilted her head to the side.

“Perhaps.” My throat clogged thinking about it. I drank more tea, and the warm liquid soothed the stuck hesitation.

Celestine set her tea on the ground and lowered her head. “My dear, much is changing and this is only the beginning.”

I could feel it in my bones but didn’t know what to do about it.

“Can you, um, give me anything that can help? I want to do something or at least be prepared.”

Time for this seer to show me what she was made of. The last two times didn’t help me. I hoped this was different.

“Do you know what the hero’s journey is?”

I’ve read enough books from the library and even saw a few films in the human realm to understand this concept. I hopefully nodded.

“The hero carries on with life until their world changes and they cannot deny it further. They fight and battle on toward their destination. This journey evolves them, morphs them into the true hero.”

Yes, I knew this. What was she telling me this for, though?

“It’s not the destination that matters, but the journey,” she continued, thoughtfully. “If I were to tell you what the destination is and how to navigate it, then you would not experience the growth needed to survive your fate.”

My thoughts quieted, and my body froze. I absorbed her words and tried to make sense of them.

“You’re saying you can’t tell me because it would mess up my journey? But what if it’s dangerous, or someone gets hurt?” I jumped to my feet and narrowed my eyes at the “seer.”

“You can’t bypass pain, my dear,” she said softly. “It’s a part of the journey. If you know everything that’s to come, you won’t make the hero’s journey, and all hope will be lost.”

I did not like the sound of that.

I paced in front of the fire. “Can’t you give me anything? A small hope? A hint?”

“I suppose a few details wouldn’t change the course fate has chosen for you,” Celestine mused and I stilled.

A small creature walked into view from behind Celestine’s cloaked body. It moved like a kitten, but it wasn’t one. The tiny head titled to the side, wide eyes watched, and wings spread as it arched its back and stretched.

“Mehoo.” It squeaked and I waited while she pet the owlkitten’s head.

“The waterfall you love so much has a cave behind it,” she murmured. “It leads to the Hallowstags. At one point, you will find this cave useful.”

“A cave.” I said the words slowly. This was some great detail to help me on this potentially painful path?

“Yes. When the time comes to hunt a creature in the dark, show no fear.”

Um… all right. Was that it?