Chapter 5

Shadows flickered on the cave walls as the fire flared between us. Despite the roaring wind outside, Kane's words continued to reverberate in my head.

He had declared, "I know who killed your parents."

With my heart racing in my chest, I sat still. I responded, scarcely raising my voice above a whisper, "You're lying."

With a look of sadness and resolve on his face, Kane shook his head. "I wish I was." However, you are entitled to the truth.

Tightening my throat, I pressed my legs to my chest. "How on earth could you be familiar with my parents? For years, they have been absent.

With a forward tilt, Kane stated, "Because their death wasn't random." He spoke calmly yet firmly. "They were the target. And the culprit is someone I've been following for a while.

"Who?" The pressure of this moment caused my voice to break.

"Raven is her name," Kane stated. The mention of her name caused his eyes to darken. She is a dangerous and crafty rogue witch. She has been searching for anyone connected to the Silver Luna prophecy.

"Luna Silver?" I scowled. Like a dream echo, the words seemed familiar.

After hesitating, Kane nodded. One of the wolves' legends. A Luna who will rise during the darkest hours, bring the broken packs together, and vanquish the greatest danger. Raven was afraid of what your parents were aware of and guarded. She killed them for that reason.

I felt cold when he said it. Suddenly, the fragments of my shattered past felt sharper and heavier.

With a faltering voice, I confessed, "I don't understand." What am I supposed to do with any of this? I'm not unique. In exile, I was unable to defend myself at all.

"You're mistaken," Kane firmly stated. You believe that because you've been told you're weak for so long. But you have strength, Melissa. You simply haven't noticed it yet.

I spat out a sour laugh and shook my head. "Power? You have the wrong individual.

Kane extracted a little item wrapped in dirty clothing from within his coat. He gave it to me with care, as if it were a delicate object.

"What is this?" As I unwrapped it, my fingers shaking, I questioned.

"Your parents owned it," Kane remarked quietly.

There was a pendant inside the cloth. It was a teardrop-shaped crystal set in silver, simple but exquisite. The gem glowed faintly as soon as my fingers touched it.

I nearly dropped it as I gasped. "What is this, exactly?"

Kane had a stern look on his face. It's a legacy you have left behind. Knowing that you would eventually need it, your parents left it for you.

The pendant's light pulsed softly, like a heartbeat. My thoughts were racing as I gazed at it. "Why does it glow?"

Kane explained, "Because it recognizes you." "It could only be activated by someone connected to the prophecy."

I stared up at him, feeling confused and afraid. "This is not what I want. None of it was requested of me.

"I understand," Kane answered softly. "But sometimes we have no choice because of fate."

Memories I hadn't considered in years started to come back to me as I touched the pendant.

I caught glimpses of my parents my father's comforting voice, and my mother's kind smile. In late-night whispers, I recalled how they had always urged me to have courage in the face of adversity.

Then I thought of the night they passed away.

I whispered, my voice just audible, "I was there."

"What?" Kane leaned closer and asked.

"I saw her," I said, the recollection rushing through me. "The sorceress. That night, she was present. I looked through the closet door despite my parents' warnings to hide. Her laughing and her crimson eyes were visible to me. My voice cracked. "Then they vanished."

Kane's mouth clenched. Melissa, there's a reason you survived. It must have been obvious to your parents that you would be the key to stopping her.

The glow warmed my palm as I gripped the pendant securely. "However, I have no idea how to combat someone like her."

Kane said, "You don't have to yet." "You must first discover your true self."

The pendant gleamed brighter, as though in response to his words. Abruptly, it emitted a ray of light that projected against the cave wall.

"What's going on?" I stepped back in surprise and inquired.

The image created by the light was a detailed and complex map.

Kane's gaze expanded. "That's a map," he declared.

"To what?" With my heart racing, I inquired.

With wonder in his voice, Kane answered, "To your destiny."

With a notation at what appeared to be an old ruin, the map depicted a route that wound through mountains and thick forests. There were faint words in a language I didn't recognize beneath the map.

"What is it saying?" I pointed to the words and asked.

Kane narrowed his eyes at them. It is in an archaic dialect. I only see a portion of it. He whispered to himself as he traced the words with his fingertips. "The truth is found where the moon's light never goes out," it states.

"What is meant by that?" With frustration brewing inside of me, I asked.

Kane stated in a firm voice, "It means we need to find this place." "You will learn about yourself and how to defeat Raven from whatever is there."

My feelings were a jumbled mess as I gazed at the shimmering map. There was a part of me that wanted to flee, to pretend that nothing was happening. But there was a glimmer of optimism in the back of my mind.

I had a purpose for the first time in years.

"Are you certain we can locate it?" My question was hardly audible above a whisper.

Kane looked back at me with a determined expression. "We must."

A howl rang out in the distance as the map dimmed and the cave grew black again. It was a more menacing, darker howl than a typical wolf's.

Kane jerked to his feet, looking around the cave entrance. His voice was low and strained as he continued, "We're

not alone."

I held on to the pendant, its dim light the only solace in the approaching night.