Third Person POV
Selene's chant faded softly, the silver light ebbing from her hands until the apothecary was once again quiet. Flora lay sleeping, her face peaceful, her child cradled in a blanket of moonlit warmth.
For a moment, it seemed the world had stilled.
Until...
A whisper brushed through the window, low and cold.
Outside, the wind carried faint laughter, soft at first, then sharp as broken glass.
Selene froze.
Elara's head snapped up, her gaze darting toward the cradle. "Selene… did you hear that?"
Before Selene could answer, the baby stirred. Her tiny wrist shifted, and the mark, the crescent moon intertwined with the shadow and pulsed once, faint but unmistakable.
The silver glow flickered… and dark smoke threaded through it, twining around the child's skin like a living shadow.
Selene's breath caught. "No…"
Elara whispered, trembling, "It's answering… to her."
