EPISODE 200
Caleb watched Syrus struggle to catch his breath, his small face completely devoid of worry. Instead, he tilted his head and stated matter–of–factly, “He just overused his ability. He was already using it on the trip, so now it’s catching up to him. Don’t worry, he’ll be fine after some rest.”
1 blinked at him, my mind reeling
“His ability?” My voice was cautious, almost hesitant, as I looked between Caleb and Syrus, who was still lying on the bed, his chest rising and falling in uneven breaths.
“How do you know about this?”
Caleb frowned, as if I had asked something obvious.
“Everyone in the Moon Shard Pack has an ability,” he said, his tone carrying an edge of caution, like he was explaining something I should already know. “The Alpha has the strongest one. Alpha Sayeru comes second. He can stop natural disasters, you know? That’s why he always travels to places where disasters happen.”
My breath hitched. “And Syrus? What’s his ability?
Caleb crossed his arms and answered without hesitation, “Disguise.
A sudden thought struck me like a bolt of lightning. My mind reeled, replaying the scene from earlier. The warriors, the accusations, the tense stares as Syrus removed my shirt they all expected to see something that wasn’t there.
The crescent moon mark. X
I stiffened, my eyes widened.
“No… I muttered under my breath. Could it be?
I turned abruptly, tugging at my collar and baring my back to Caleb.
“Do you see anything?” My voice was sharper than intended, laced with an urgency I couldn’t control.
Caleb leaned closer, his small hand reaching out. He touched my upper spine near the neck and pointed with his tiny finger
ing that i you saying I only have one too.
“It’s right here,” he said simply. “A crescent moon. I remember
Caleb voluntarily turned his back to me. Unlike mine, which could be hidden by my long hair, his mark sat directly on his nape, visible to anyone who glanced at him.
A shudder passed through me. So that was it. That was why no one had seen the mark during the confrontation. Syrus he had been using his ability the whole time. He had disguised me to protect me.!!
A low chuckle came from the bed. I turned, my heart pounding, to see Syrus watching us with tired but amused eyes. His lips were no longer as pale as before, and though his face still showed signs of exhaustion, there was a ghost of a smirk playing on his lips.
I didn’t know what to say to him. A part of me felt foolish for never realizing the truth about the Moon Shard Pack. I had always believed their connection to the Moon Goddess was purely spiritual. But now, I saw there was something much deeper, something powerful.
us.“%
i hesitated before stepping closer. “Are you okay?” I asked softly.
Syrus nodded weakly.
“Just need to sleep for a while… His voice was barely above a whisper before his eyes fluttered shut.
1 turned to Caleb again. “You said Syrus had been using his ability during the trip? For what?“%
Caleb shrugged. “He was disguising the caravan. Making us look simple and scentless, so wild animals wouldn’t attack
That made sense. Traveling through the wild was dangerous, and if Syrus had been keeping us hidden all along…
Caleb frowned, his gaze drifting back to Syrus. “I just don’t get why he suddenly used more than what he could handle.
I pressed my lips together, my stomach twisting. I knew exactly why. Because of me. Because he needed to hide my mark
“It’s nothing.” I murmured, brushing a hand over Syrus’s arm in silent gratitude.
Since that day, things have changed. Warriors patrolled more frequently. The tension from before lingered in the air, but no one dared to cause trouble, at least not openly.”
- of.
But I noticed the way people looked at me.., twice, three times even, as if trying to decipher something they weren’t sure
Still, it was nothing compared to what happened to Lucas.&
Without Deanne, the child became eerily silent. He spent most of his time sitting alone in a comer, not playing, not speaking. Just existing.
One day, I saw Caleb talking to him. The sight made me pause. In a sense, these two were brothers, though neither of them acknowledged it. I watched them from a distance, wondering what Caleb was saying to him. Lucas didn’t respond much, but at least he wasn’t alone.
As for Seram, I never saw him again. He had vanished, as if swallowed by the very shadows that had always clung to him!!
A month has passed. The pack exchange was finally over, and it was time to leave.
We set off with our newly acquired goods, our own products successfully sold. The journey back home stretched across vast lands, and for three days, things were uneventful. But something felt… off!
Caleb started acting differently.
At first, I thought it was my imagination. But then I noticed the way he kept checking the carts, his small hands gripping the edges as if expecting something to jump out.
“What’s wrong?” I finally asked Syrus one evening as we set up camp.
Syrus only smiled. “Nothing.
But I didn’t believe him.
By the third night, my patience snapped. I couldn’t ignore it anymore.
As the moon hung low in the sky, casting eerie shadows over the camp, I followed Caleb. He moved quietly between the carts, small and swift, his tiny figure barely noticeable in the darkness. But I saw him.!
I watched as he crept toward one of the covered carts, his hands moving with certainty as he unlatched the wooden door
I stepped forward, my heart pounding in my chest. “Caleb…
He pushed the door open.
And inside, curled up among the supplies, was Lucas.
My breath caught in my throat.
Both Lucas and Caleb jolted, staring at me with wide, frightened eyes. Lucas had the most intense reaction, his tiny body trembled, his lips pressed together as if expecting to be scolded.
I couldn’t move, I couldn’t speak.
Lucas had stowed away.
I looked at Caleb, and it was clear he was the one who had made this possible !!
