Page 81 of A Fate In Moonstone

“I didn’t know there were Fae who could look like others.” I eyed her newly wrinkle-free hands suspiciously. Magrithia laughed.

“Oh, you will. But that is nothing to worry about now. I may shift during conversations. It helps keep the brain strong. Now... the longer we put off this conversation, the more damage your mate will cause in Crystoria searching for you. So, we need to get a move on.”

Rune!

I jumped up, fell back down instantly, and Magrithia sighed.

The mention of my mate destroying Crystoria wiped away the ease I’d started to feel. “Okay, spill. You have until I can move without falling over to get it out.”

“Yes. I like this deadline, young princess. And here, you may want another round.” She refilled my cup and sat back in her chair, her red hair vanishing altogether, leaving the pale woman without any at all.

“You are dying, Sapphira. The king poisoned you, and there is only one future I’ve seen where you survive. Which all the realms need you to.”

Breathe Sapphira. In and out. Just breathe.

Seeing how I wasn’t going to interrupt, she continued laying more devastating news on me.

“As you are used to Celestine not telling you everything, then you know I will not either. Everyone has a destiny, and even I do not tamper with fate’s design.” She shifted once again and a brown-skinned woman with lavender hair and blue eyes reached for a book on the wooden table next to her chair. “This is my fate.” She placed the book on the table between us and smiled.

I kept working on that ol’ breathing function since hearing I was dying still made it difficult.

“I have been the keeper of many powers in my life,” she continued. “Books, weapons, talismans of many kinds. All too influential to be trusted in many kingdoms and their greedy leaders. This book is one of those powers. Knowledge that can change the world. Now I’m giving it to you.”

I blew out a deep breath and reached for said book with unsure fingers.

It’s just a book. How dangerous could it truly be?

“Verin has the power to drain the poison from you, but he will never do so. And while you do possess that same gift, you are untrained and lacking time and a teacher. I have seen many futures, and this book is the key to our survival.”

Okay…

It was more like a journal than anything and it belonged to a Fae named Gregory Debaru.

Chapter Forty-Five

Magrithia’s nails sparkled as she pointed at the journal. “That book is your fate and this…”

I followed her movement as she grabbed a long, rolled-up blue blanket.

“Is your fate as well,” she said calmly then barked out a laugh when she saw my confused face. Which was an appropriate expression to have. How was a blanket part of my fate?

Delicate hands unrolled the soft material and revealed a shimmering…. dagger.

“A shiny—”

“Moonstone dagger,” she added and looked at the weapon with a sad smile.

“Shiny moonstone dagger and this journal are my fate?”

She nodded as she placed her fingers against the crystal blade.

“It’s mine. My core is that of moonstone,” she said, and after what I felt like was a final goodbye, she set the sword on the table gently.

“I don’t understand.”

Being poisoned by Verin I accepted. I thought it was the stress and lack of sleep causing me to feel ill when really it was his power slithering through me, driving me mad one minute at a time. Everyone said he’d kill me if he knew who I was, I guess I just assumed he’d do it faster.

But a book and a dagger were my only hopes of surviving? My brain couldn’t compute how they’d work together. Why this dagger? Why this book?