The wind howled outside the narrow window of the healer’s hut as Aria stirred from a restless sleep. Her body ached, her throat dry, and her thoughts scattered like autumn leaves in a storm. She remembered the fire, the cloaked figure, and the strange whisper that had called her name—but everything beyond that was a blur. She sat up slowly, wincing. Her bandaged shoulder pulsed with dull pain, but it was the weight in her chest that made her breath catch. Something had changed. She could feel it—deep, ancient, stirring inside her like a forgotten melody awakening.“Easy, girl.” A soft voice spoke from the doorway.

  An old woman stepped into the room, her silver hair braided with strands of lavender and bone. Her eyes—sharp as flint—held wisdom, and something Aria couldn’t quite place. She wore the robes of the Moonwardens, the village’s protectors and spiritual guides.“You’re lucky to be alive,” the woman said. “The fire nearly took you.”Aria tried to speak, but only a whisper came out. “My father... the shop..."

  "Gone,” the woman answered gently. “I’m sorry, child.”A silence stretched between them. Aria gripped the edge of the cot, holding back the sting in her eyes.The woman moved closer and placed a bowl of herbs on the table. “There’s something you need to see.”

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

  Before Aria could ask, the woman helped her to her feet and led her to a mirror mounted on the far wall. What she saw made her blood run cold.Just below her collarbone, beneath the edge of her torn shirt, a mark glowed faintly on her skin—a crescent moon and a five-pointed star, etched in shimmering silver. It pulsed softly with her heartbeat.

  “What is this?” Aria gasped, fingers trembling as she reached for it.Thewoman studied her carefully. “You don’t know?”Aria shook her head.

  “The mark of Eloria,” the woman whispered. “The same as the one in the ancient texts. It hasn’t appeared in centuries. It marks the Seeker of Balance—the one destined to restore or destroy the Veil between worlds.”Aria stepped back, heart pounding. “No... that’s not me. I’m just a girl from—”

  “You’re more than that now.” The woman’s eyes bore into hers. “The prophecy has awakened... and so have you.”Aria’s mind reeled. The world she knew had shattered in a single night—and now, she stood on the edge of something vast and unknown.

  She didn’t want to be special. She wanted her father back. Her life back.But destiny doesn’t ask.And the whispers were only growing louder.