Page 85 of A Hunter for Luna

Francesco's eyes met mine, and for a moment, I saw a flicker of the old him, my brilliant, cunning brother.

"The wolf," he whispered conspiratorially. "And the vixen. They think they're safe, but she'll tear them apart. She'll devour them."

My heart raced as I tried to make sense of his cryptic words. "Who will she devour, Francesco?"

Did he mean Luna?

Suddenly, my brother's voice rose to a fevered pitch, his words spilling out in a frantic torrent. "She's coming for her, Bene. The little fox. Your little fox. She'll bleed, and you'll watch. You'll watch, and you won't be able to stop it."

Ice flooded my veins. I squeezed both Francesco's hands. "Are you talking about Luna? Is she in danger?"

Francesco's expression contorted into a grimace, and he wrenched himself away from me, cowering by his bed.

"Always in danger," he said, his words muffled by his knees. "Always too late. Too late to save anyone."

I stared at my brother, my mind reeling from his dire warnings. Luna, my bright flame, my little fox, my, what danger did he see? Was it real?

The thought of any harm coming to her made my blood run cold.

I needed answers, but I would find none here. Francesco's mind was lost to the abyss, his lucid moments fleeting and far between.

With a heavy heart, I rose to my feet, lingering on my brother's pitiful form. "I'll be back. I swear it."

Francesco didn't respond, lost in the labyrinth of his own fractured mind.

I turned away, my steps leaden as I made my way into the hall. The attendant waited outside, his face worried.

“We’ve tried…”

I handed him the pouch of coin. “Keep trying.”

As I stepped out into the corridor, the weight of Francesco's words settled upon my shoulders like a leaden cloak. He’d had a small gift for divination, foresight, before he went mad. He’d struggled to warn me. I’d listen to him.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

LUNA

Benedetto was gonewhen I woke.

I sought out Rose and Sofia, who were already awake and in the midst of a lesson.

I waited until Sofia paused. Then I said, "If my sorceress-to-be sister is amenable, and you as well, I thought we could indulge in the purely normal activity of shopping today. I have to be leaving soon, and I want to stock up on supplies that I’ve chosen, rather than trusting someone else to pick."

Rose and Sofia readily agreed, their laughter mingling as we set for the market district of Kalion, two guards trailing discreetly behind us.

The air was heavy with a coming storm, clouds scudding across the sky. We hurried to the market, veils and clothing tossing in the gusting winds. The cobbles were slick with rain from earlier in the day, and we dodged puddles as we walked in an intricate dance with all the other people on the street.

Rose darted into a shop to admire a display of delicate glass figurines. For just this moment, everything felt normal. Peaceful, even.

The casual set of Sofia's shoulders made me relax a little. Maybe we were safe here. At least for the moment. As safe as we could be in this life.

"Look at these." Rose held up a pair of painted glass birds. "Aren't they lovely?"

I laughed, reaching out to touch one gently. "They're beautiful. You have an eye for pretty things."

The peaceful moment shattered as a tall, broad-shouldered figure stepped into the shop, blocking the door. A familiar chill of dread crawled up my spine as I turned to meet the cold, furious gaze of our father, Emiliano.No. Not here. Not now.

The relaxed atmosphere of the day vanished. Emiliano stepped closer, sneering.

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