THE REJECTED LUNA
He lunged for my hand.
The Oak moved first.
One of its dead branches, thick as a man’s leg, creaked and dropped fast between us, slamming into the ground right at his knees, kicking up dead leaves in a violent spray.
Kaden scrambled back, terrified.
No, a voice said. Not Mara’s. Deeper. Older. The tree itself, vibrating up through my feet, through my hair, through the mark on my neck. No second mark in my circle.
Mara nodded, like this was expected.