Page 75 of A Hunter for Luna

We got it. A definite location for Moonshifter."Thank you, Naran. Your guidance is invaluable."

He grunted, waving a hand dismissively. "Don't thank me yet. The path you're choosing is not an easy one. I think you might be better going untrained than seeking Moonshifter out, especially after hunting him all these years."

No, it wouldn't be. But it was the only path we had.

Our next stop took us to a room filled with fragrant smoke and little in the way of furniture. Witse Dagovy greeted us, her long brown hair cascading down her back, her presence serene and otherworldly.

Kneeling on mats of woven reeds, we drank a tiny cup of pale tea before she set it down on the table and gazed at Benedetto directly,

“I cannot aid you in your quest. I would suggest you cherish your brother as he is and not seek out a Sorcerer. Doom lies that road, and loss.”

Benedetto tensed. “You’ve seen this?”

“Yes.”

He rose and bowed to her. “I thank you for the time you’ve given us, and the warning. Absent gods keep you.”

Benedetto walked beside me, alternating between a frown and a lighter expression. I felt the same. We had solid information, but the warning preyed on my mind.

What loss? Whose doom?

As we approached the villa, Benedetto's demeanor changed. The brooding expression became determined. He turned to me, his brown eyes serious.

"We did it," he said. "We finally have a real lead. I can almost taste it, this might be the end of the hunt for Moonshifter, if we can get away from the political intrigue. But I don’t know if you should go with me."

My heart swelled at the evidence of his concern. Warmth spread through my chest. “We can discuss that later. Once we’ve both had time to consider.”

There was no way I would let him leave me, but I didn’t have to say it outright.

A servant rushed out to meet us on the street, tears streaming down her face. She collapsed to her knees before us, her body wracked with sobs. "Th-they...took them. The men, they—" Her words dissolved into incoherent wails.

My heart seized in my chest. No.

I pulled her to her feet. "Who?”

Benedetto picked her up and hustled into the villa, giving us privacy.

More servants emerged in the foyer, their faces etched with worry and fear. One stepped forward, his hands trembling. "My lady, armed men broke in. They had swords and—and some sort of magic. Mistress Sofia tried to stop them, but her magic failed. They took Lady Rose and Mistress Sofia."

The world spun around me. This couldn't be happening. My worst fears realized. My knees buckled, the ground rushing up to meet me.

Strong arms caught me, holding me upright. Benedetto. His grip tightened around my waist as he barked orders at the servants. "Search the villa! Look for any clues they may have left behind. Ready my armor and the guards!"

I clung to him, my face buried against his chest. Sobs tore from my throat. My sweet sister. In the hands of our enemies, be it my father or Vivaldo. And Sofia...she'd protected us for so long. Now she was gone too.

Benedetto's hand cupped the back of my head, his fingers tangling in my hair. "We'll find them. I swear it. No matter what it takes, we will bring them home."

His words reached me through the haze of panic. I lifted my head, meeting his gaze. The fierce determination in his eyes steadied me. He was right. We would act.

Weeping didn’t help Rose or Sofia.

I sucked in a shuddering breath and nodded, wiping my eyes with the back of my hand. "Yes. We have to figure out who did this. Why they took them."

One of the servants ran back and slipped a note into my hand when Benedetto heard for his room to don his armor. I stuck it in my pocket. The look on the servant's face told me clearly this was meant to be private.

Had the attackers ordered the note be given in private? Had the servant been paid and betrayed us?

“How did you get this?” I asked softly.

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