ana

ft before I left

lver-grey under the moonlight, said to be blessed by the Moon Goddess herself. Couples came he

ll and climbed. My ribs ached, a remi

it was, weathered by time

e. Back when he protected me from b

ket knife from my je

d. I needed to scrape it off

sm now,

mp. The knife slippe

clearing. Catalina was clingi

mistake," I said, suck

looked at the carving, then at me. For a second,

ran a manicured nail over the bark. "It's superstitious no

id. "Something you w

wed. She whispered so

ed. He took the k

id to Catalina. "It i

e letters off. He s

* Throu

* Throu

o deface a Moon Tree was bad luck. T

ve new letters above

.

ina M

ife into the wood with a final, v

of the tree. It felt like he had

ou just did," I whispere

care about a reject

keys from my pocket

" I s

back. She threw the keys toward the p

Jax said, but he did

car was my only way out of

the dark water. The keys had la

groped in the mud, my fing

I gasped, clut

y legs

rning sensation erupted all over my

sed up. My li

fsba

ly plant that could paralyze a wolf's nervous system in

scream, but only

re open, stinging. Through the distorte

ripples. He frowned,

" he cal

hriek, clutching her chest. "J

e water, then at Catalina

shouted at the pond, his voice mu

I was faki

ned hi

te scoop up Catalina and walk