LOGINChris shook his head, rolling his eyes. “Unbelievable,” he hissed as I smirked with satisfaction.The trip to the clinic went by a lot faster on wheels than on foot. Chris remained glued to my side, his hair falling into his eyes as he repeatedly checked on me. I simply smiled in the backseat, and w
Epilogue — Part IIAvaAs the balloon hit me square in the face, I stumbled back, nearly losing my balance. Chris’s strong arm caught me, steadying me as a chorus of “Surprise!” filled the air.Our living room had been transformed, covered with balloons and streamers in shades of blue and silver. A
Her imprisonment in New Moon was coming to an end, and soon she would be returning to Moonstone on parole. The thought filled me with a mixture of apprehension and hope, as it did all of us.But that was not coming for another month.As the Elders filed out, I leaned back in my chair, unable to keep
Before I could comment, the Elders finally filed in, their usual robes swishing around them as they moved. Fatima was now the Eldest since Elise was gone, and so she took the end of the table opposite Chris.Claire hobbled in after her; she had been leaning on a cane lately due to a sudden onset of
Epilogue — Part IAvaMy hand rested on my belly as I waddled through the doors, half-ignoring Chris’s presence. He sighed, letting the door fall shut behind me.“What’s wrong?” he asked, following me to the circular council table in the center of the room.“Nothing.”That was a lie.It was my 40th
For a moment, Chris was silent, his gaze intense as he searched my face. Then, without warning, he dropped to his knees, burying his face in my skirt. His arms wrapped around my waist, holding me close.“Goddess, I can’t wait to marry you,” he murmured, his voice muffled by the fabric.I smiled, run
Bernard’s eyes narrowed slightly, clearly still not fully trusting me. “What kind of offer?”My heart pounded a bit as I approached. “Last night, I couldn’t sleep. So I spent hours researching the beetles that have been plaguing Crescent Moon. And I realized something—they have no natural predators
AvaJust moments after Chris left to follow Bernard, Patricia quickly grabbed the seed from the table and excused herself, hurrying after them. I found myself alone with Clara, an awkward silence settling over the breakfast table.Clara cleared her throat and offered me a small smile. “More coffee,
ChrisBernard stormed out of the dining room, leaving a deafening silence in his wake. The seed that I had had Leonard send to us with an overnight courier sat in the middle of the table, unappreciated.Slowly, I turned to see Ava, Patricia, and Clara looking at me; Ava had shock and dismay written
“That must have been devastating,” I said softly, glancing over at Clara, who nodded sadly from behind her coffee cup.“It was. Is. I feel like I’ve lost a part of myself,” Patricia said with a sigh. “Those trees were more than just plants to me, you know? They were like old friends. I’m sure you un







