The moon goddess chose wrong: twice
For grounding, the way I had learned in Gia’s back room, finding the anchor point before the power moved, making sure the direction was chosen rather than reactive.
I was trying not to harm anyone, while Jessica was using hers for evil.
We were both walking toward our separate storms at the same moment.
The forest thinned ahead. A clearing appeared through the last trees, the morning light falling into it at an angle that made everything look briefly peaceful.
Jessica stood in the center of it.
She was alone, which was the first thing I noticed. No earriors by her side No backup visible.
She wore dark clothes, her hair loose around her shoulders, and she stood with the absolute stillness of