Chapter 10 The Moonstone's Awakening

Lila's POV

The forest was too quiet. Instead of the normal sounds of moving leaves and faraway animal noises, there was a deep silence that made my skin crawl. Kian and I had been moving for hours, trying to protect ourselves from Cyrus's force as much as possible. My legs hurt and my stomach growled, but I dared not back off. Not when danger can be found everywhere.

Kian moved ahead of me, his broad shoulders stiff, his eyes scanning the bush for anything. He hadn't said much since we'd left the cave, and I didn't blame him. We were both exhausted from carrying the weight of everything that had happened.

But there was a tiny change in feeling.

At first, I assumed it was all in my head. There was a strange tingly feeling on my fingers, like though tiny electrical sparks were dancing across my skin. I wrote it off, blaming it on worry and tiredness. But over the course of the following few hours, the feeling grew stronger, stretching through my arms and legs until I had the idea that my entire body was buzzing with electricity.

I stopped moving as my breath stuck in my throat. "Kian."

He turned to face me, his blue eyes troubled. "What's the matter?"

My voice was trembling as I responded, "I... I don't know." "I feel... weird."

Kian scowled and stepped forward. "How strange?"

My pulse pounding, I held out my hands and noticed the faint, glowing lines on my skin.

Though barely visible in the weak light, there were tiny, delicate designs that looked to pulse with a gentle, golden light.

"What is this?" I said till my voice could hardly be heard.

Kian's eyes widened as he took my hands in his, his warmth and soothing touch. "Lilia, this is the Moonstone Gift. It's rising within you.

I was looking at him, my mind running. "The Moonstone Gift? But how? I believed it might have something to do with my child's background.

"It is," answered Kian quietly. But you are connected to the power as well. As the mother, you are the channel for the Gift. It explains why these marks are happening and why you are having these symptoms.

I shook my head, my heart pounding. "I don't understand" What does this mean?

Kian paused, his look somber. "It shows that the power is real, Lila. It's also becoming more powerful. You need to be careful, though. If someone finds out, you'll be a bigger target.

I swallowed hard as my gut twisted with fear. "What should I do?"

Before Kian could reply, a powerful wind, strong enough to knock me down, blasted through the trees. I gasped and threw my hands to my stomach as the wind rushed around me, rattling the leaves overhead and raising my hair.

"Lila..." Kian looked at me and observed in a tone of doubt. "That's what you did."

I shook my head, my heart pounding. "No, I didn't. Really, I didn't mean to. It just happened.

Kian drew forward, his eyes a mixture of respect and worry. "This is the moonstone gift, Lila. The ability to control the weather. But you have to learn how to control it. If you don't, it might hurt you or someone else.

With shaky hands, I nodded while looking down at the bright lines on my skin. They were brighter now, and they throbbed with a warm golden glow that matched my heartbeat.

"Kian," I mumbled, my voice breaking, "I'm not sure if I can do this." "I'm afraid."

I felt his warm, relaxing palm cup my cheek. "You don't know how powerful you are, Lila. And you're not alone. I'm here. I'll be there for you through this.

As I looked into his eyes, a mix of fear and hope made my heart hurt. I wanted to believe him and know that he would back me no matter what. The hurt of his rejection, though, was still very much there. "Kian." I started, but a cold rushed through me before I could finish. I turned and viewed the trees, a feeling of fear forming in my breast. There was something watching us.

"What is it?" Kian's voice was low.

I said, my heart beating, "I don't know." However, I notice something, as if someone is watching us.

Kian stepped in front of me, his body tight and preparing for war, his eyes narrowing. "Stay behind me."

I nodded while holding my stomach with trembling hands. My skin's glowing lines were now more intense, pulsing with a gentle, golden light that seemed to increase every second.

The beautiful rustle of leaves in the breeze was the only sound in the calm forest. But even though I couldn't see it, I could feel a chilly, scary spirit watching us from the shadows.

"Kian." With a shaky voice, I whispered.

"I understand," he said in a steady, low voice. "I sense it too."

The stress in the air increased, and we stood motionless. Like a storm collecting just below the surface, I could feel the power within me rising stronger as the glowing marks on my skin pulsed louder.

Then the feeling went as suddenly as it had come. There was a strange silence that made my skin crawl as the icy presence left.

"What was that?" My voice was hardly heard as I inquired.

Kian winced as he shook his head. "I'm not sure. However, we must continue to go. This place is dangerous for us.

As we started our trip, I nodded, my heart still pounding. The sparkling prints on my skin disappeared, but the tingly feeling remained, a constant memory of the strength rising within me.

As we went, I couldn't shake the sense that someone was watching us. The woods looked darker, the shadows more threatening and deeper. Every sound made me jump, and every rustle of leaves chilled me.

In a tremulous voice, I finally said, "Kian." "What if this power is beyond my control? What if someone is hurt by it?

He stopped his walk and regarded me, his eyes burning with determination. "Lila, you will. You will, I'm sure. You underestimate your strength. And I'll be here to help you at every turn.