Fin was pulled from his thoughts by Marra's voice, suddenly firm with resolve. He listened closely, aware that Jax had also lifted his head.
Marra drew another breath. "First, do not let my father see your blood. I saw silver. I know your wolf is white. I have seen it in my dreams. Do not shift in front of him. He is an ally to you, but you cannot trust him completely. Do you understand?"
"Yes," Nova answered.
"I dreamed there will be a summit. An emergency council called for war, and you will be there in the Alpha's stead. I do not know why he is not." Her eyes flickered with something caught between fear and certainty.
"There will be meetings every day. Alpha Starfang…" Her jaw tightened. "He is going to try to touch you. Your face. Your hands. He will brush against you as though by accident, but it will not be."
She continued, precise now. "Some of the Alphas I saw looked stunned that he would be so forward with a Queen and Luna. That does not happen until the third meeting. Before that, starting with the first, he will try to kiss your hand when you arrive. And anytime you are outside, he will find reasons to run into you."
She paused, studying Nova's face with careful attention.
"But I saw you wearing gloves," Marra said quietly. "In the council chamber, Cael and Jax were constantly on the defensive." Her gaze sharpened. "I do not mean to frighten you, Nova, but I doubt they would listen if I were the one to speak. This summit has not been called yet. When it is, will you tell them not to let that man touch you? I feel it is important, though I do not yet understand why. Will you?"
"Yes," Nova whispered, swallowing.
Marra inclined her head once, then continued. "Nova, I want to accompany you to the summit, if you will allow it. There are politics at play that you may not see. Alliances. Power games woven beneath every word." Her voice was calm, assured. "I was raised among them. I learned from the best beta in Varos. I know how to move within that world."
She drew in a slow breath. "You do not need to tell me more than necessary. Just let me help you. I can enter my father's tent without suspicion. I still have ties to Redmoon, to Michael's pack. His father was like a second father to me. The Alpha was like an uncle. They will listen if I ask."
Nova nodded. "If that summit council does happen, and Fin is not able to attend, Jax would be the one making the final decisions. If he agrees, then I do."
"Good," Marra said simply. "Next on the list."
Her tone sharpened again. "There will be two council meetings where you are completely alone. Cael and Jax will not be with you. Fin is not there either. I do not know why." She hesitated, then continued. "In both, I saw my father and Alpha Redmoon standing in for them. They did not allow Starfang near you. They were aware."
Her eyes held Nova's. "In both meetings, they are armed. Full armor. They sit to your left and your right."
Marra studied Nova's face, choosing her words with care, unwilling to frighten her.
"I think that is another reason I need to be there with you," she said gently. "I can secure you a private audience with Ragnar Redmoon. He was a friend to your mother and your father." Her gaze remained steady. "If I am permitted to attend the summit and can arrange that meeting, will you be willing to see him? I will stay with you if you wish, but I believe he is important, especially with Fin not being there."
"Of course," Nova said, a little stunned by the amount of forethought Marra had clearly given this.
"Good. Then we will begin with the Redmoon and Bloodmoon packs," Marra continued. "Their loyalty will be to you and to Fin from the outset. They are the core. Both are powerful, respected, and tied to your parents. With Fin absent, that is where my instincts lead."
She paused, then went on more carefully. "There are others I have in mind, but those two come first."
Her expression shifted. "Next… forgive me if I frighten you, Nova, but do you have armor? Fitted armor?"
"No," Nova said quietly.
Marra swallowed. "Nova, I…" She drew a breath and rubbed at her face, eyes dropping to the floor, momentarily wide with unease.
She continued, voice lower now. "How strong are you with a sword? With hand-to-hand combat, without shifting? I have seen you in my dreams with a golden arrow, and you are exceptional with that." Her gaze lifted again. "But there will be a moment when that is not an option. In other forms of combat… are you trained?"
"I… I have an adequate grasp," Nova admitted, rubbing at the back of her neck. "But I have never been to war."
Marra's voice softened, threaded with worry. "I hope I am wrong. But I fear something may happen to Fin." She hesitated. "He does not appear in any of these dreams."
Marra shook her head once, slow, as if lining the facts into order rather than dismissing them.
"I have seen nothing to suggest he is in immediate danger. If I do, you will be the first to know," she said calmly. "But I am struggling to understand why he would permit this at all. Why he would allow you to attend in his stead. Why both your Beta and Gamma leave you for two separate councils. And why you are expected to stand alone in what is, by all accounts, an actual battle."
Nova sputtered, tea going the wrong way. She coughed hard, eyes watering, then looked up at Marra. Marra's expression had not softened. It was not accusing. It was concerned in the way only very intelligent people ever were. Quiet. Focused. Surgical.
"Do not answer if you feel bound not to," Marra added, tone gentler but no less firm. "I will not press you."
Nova swallowed, set the cup aside. "Is it the same location as the High Council meetings?"
"Within the same week," Marra replied. "Similar climate. Similar terrain."
She hesitated, then continued, choosing her words with care rather than mercy.
"Don't take offense to this Nova. You weigh as much as I did when I was twelve. Why would you, the Luna of this pack, be in that situation? You have no war experience, no armor, and I assume you will not shift. You cannot reveal your wolf." Her gaze held steady. "That leaves you exposed. And effectively immobile."
Nova exhaled, shoulders dropping slightly. "No offense taken," she said calmly. "I will figure it out if that ever happens."
Marra studied her for a long moment.
"You will be giving commands on top of that. To a colonel I saw here at your ceremony. Sterling I believe is his name." Marra said.
"Why would I be giving commands? I have zero war experience," Nova said, unsure whether she should laugh or cry.
She chose laughter.
It slipped out of her before she could stop it. Real, unpolished, a little dark. The kind of laugh you used when your life made absolutely no sense but you were too tired to argue with it anymore. Just another thing. Another Tuesday.
"Don't worry about me, Marra," Nova added, lifting her cup. "If I ever end up in that situation, will you make this tea?" She gave a calm smile. "I'll probably need it when I'm done."
"Yes. But there's something else Nova. A bit disturbing." Marra started.
Nova froze. Of course there was.
Marra hesitated.
"I see you falling … and a dragon catches you." She said.
Nova choked on her tea again, coughing. She looked at Marra like she grew another head.
"Marra… I promise that was just a dream. I've never even seen a dragon before." Nova said.
"It was a little unclear… " Marra said, rubbing the back of her neck. "But I've had a few dreams involving you and dragons Nova. There's one where you are on a dragon, I think as a sniper but I couldn't tell. But there was another one where…"
She hesitated, opened her mouth, but then shut it again and didn't elaborate.
"But there was another one," Marra said.
Nova watched her, the color draining out of her face. "Tell me, Marra."
Her voice came out darker than she meant, tired in a way that surprised even her. Then, softer, steadier, "You aren't frightening me. I promise."
Marra studied her for a second, then exhaled.
"I saw what looked like thick rope laced with dark magic, wrapped around your dragon's leg. You were trying to save it with silver magic." She frowned slightly, like she hated every word of it.
"It became foggy from there. Cael jumped onto a green dragon and tried to get you. But you refused to abandon your dragon. You said you were sorry, but no. You told him it was okay. You told him to let you go. I saw you hurtling toward the void, and then I woke up," Marra said.
While listening, Nova lifted the cup again and took a solid, deliberate sip.
Nova choked. Wrong pipe. Immediately.
She coughed hard, eyes watering, barely managing not to spill the tea everywhere.
"I promise," Nova said hoarsely once she could breathe again, "that had absolutely nothing to do with what you just told me."
She cleared her throat, waved one hand vaguely in the air.
"Tragic timing."
Marra stared at her.
Nova sniffed once. "If I were actually reacting, I'd be crying. Instead I'm dying because tea betrayed me."
"You are such a poor liar, Nova." Marra said and bursted out laughing.
Not a quiet laugh. A real one. Sudden and uncontrollable. She laughed so hard she had to bend forward, one hand braced on the table, shoulders shaking.
It went on long enough that Nova started laughing too, even though she was still annoyed and absolutely did not appreciate being laughed at.
"Oh gods," Marra said, wiping her eyes.
She took a steadying breath and sobered after.
"I can't imagine why you didn't bring Jax," Marra said. "There had to be a reason. But the attacks kept coming. Constantly. I saw you using silver magic again and again. You and your dragon both looked exhausted."
Nova's smile faded just a little.
"If Jax can't," Marra said, "I know the best dragonrider in the world. I saw him in a council meeting in my dream. Will you let me ask him?"
"Of course," Nova said. "How do you know him?"
"Redmoon's son. Rex," Marra replied easily. "Michael's best friend. Family, as far as I'm concerned." She paused, watching Nova carefully. "If Fin isn't there, and Jax can't be, will you let Rex help you? He's a good man. I would trust him with my life."
Nova didn't hesitate. "Yes."
"He's what Cael is to you," Marra added, softer now. "To me."
Marra reached out and patted Nova's hand. "Don't worry, Nova. I'll be the best Gamma Luna in Varos."
She tilted her head, a playful glint slipping in. "What Jax is to Fin."
Then she smirked. "But better, obviously."
Nova laughed.
Marra continued, "Perfect. No need to look worried. Last order of business, once we return here, I need you to help me with something. Can I have your word, you will?"
Nova answered, "Yes, I will help you."
Marra continued, "I need you to kill me after the summit by whatever means necessary."
Nova froze, shocked.
Marra nodded, "On our way here, we were attacked. I was taken. Something happened to me, and I didn't realize. I am starting to remember bits and pieces… and Nova, I think there is something inside of me that is dormant. It frightens me."
Marra swallowed, "I think I am going to try to kill Jax. I won't be in my right mind, but I won't have any memories or control of it. I had a dream, not as vivid, and I feel this fate is not set in stone. I want to prevent it."
Nova stared at her for a minute and blinked, formulating her response.
"Why would I kill one of the best Gammas in our realm? That would be a loss to me. Absolutely not. I will come up with another way."
"There is no other way."
Nova hesitated, should she go against what the ancestors said and tell Marra? They must not have known that Marra was already aware.
"Marra, I think I'll need you after the summit. As my friend, and as my Gamma."
Marra's expression shifted, attentive now.
"So no," Nova continued. "I won't. If and when it starts, we'll lock you in at night until we get to the bottom of it. You'll be comfortable and no one has to know." She shrugged lightly, like she was talking about rearranging furniture instead of fate. "Jax always says there's a solution. We'll find one. I'm sure he'd say the same thing about this."
Marra watched her closely, not interrupting.
"Aeron might be able to help," Nova added. "And… I remember something from a book I skimmed a few months ago. Just the table of contents. I was looking for something else, but I'm certain it mentioned this phenomenon."
She took a small breath. "I'll pick it up today. But it's written in Morbian Vellum, so I'll need a few days to translate it. Can you give me that time?"
Marra's eyebrow lifted. "How do you know a language that's been dead for over a thousand years, Nova?"
"It's not far from High Morbian," Nova said. "Queen Velora used it when addressing certain audiences. I… remember enough of it to work through the text."
Marra stared at her for a long, assessing moment.
Then she grinned.
"Oh, Hyran is going to adore you," she said. "Gods. How many languages do you speak, Nova?"
Nova flushed instantly. "Oh, I don't really—"
Marra lifted a finger, stopping Nova mid-sentence.
"Don't insult me, Nova," she said flatly. "I've dreamed of you speaking Draken-Vorah and Veridian Script. Those were the times your eyes were silver, so I assumed you were in some kind of trance."
She tilted her head, then continued.
"But," she added, ticking her fingers one by one, "I've also seen you speak Umbrael Lexicon, High Aerentis, Old Elaric, Vexari, and Cimmerian with perfectly green eyes." Her gaze sharpened. "And now we're adding High Morbian to the list and Morbian Vellum."
A beat.
"There's more outside of those. Would you say somewhere between eight to ten tongues is a fair estimate?"
Nova just stared at her, completely silent.
"I'll take that as a yes," Marra said with a smirk.
Nova swallowed and rose to her feet. "Marra… how many languages do you speak to even recognize all of those?"
Marra lifted her chin. "Recognizing and speaking are very different things." She flicked her hand lightly.
"And honestly," she went on, "no one seems to realize how brilliant you are. Jax must have known. At least some of it." Her mouth curved. "It's probably one of the many reasons he loves you so fiercely."
She studied Nova for a moment. "But I doubt even he knew you speak eight languages. Probably more."
Nova blinked, stunned again, but her thoughts snagged hard on one phrase.
Loves you so fiercely.
That needed addressing. Immediately.
Marra waited.
Then smiled. "I'll take your silence as confirmation."
"Marra," Nova said quietly, shaking her head, "I promise you he does not love me fiercely." She hesitated, choosing her words carefully. "You are his fated mate for a reason. I can already tell you're an asset to this pack. You're supposed to be here."
She looked up at her, earnest. "So please don't think you're lesser. You're not. Give him a few weeks. Just keep being you. He'll see it."
Marra nodded, then stepped forward and wrapped Nova in a hug.
Marra was taller. Plumper. From the outside, it would have looked like an older sister pulling a smaller one in.
But in that moment, Nova was the one holding steady.