In Maggie’s stereotypical image, places like this were always shrouded in darkness. She expected the room to have just one or two dimly lit wall lamps, casting their faint glow in the midst of darkness, with a large cauldron placed in the center of the room, simmering and bubbling. At the very least, there should be a star chart on the ceiling.
But inside, it was quite the opposite. Other than a few antique books and ritual supplies strewn across an aged wooden table, the floor was dominated by a massive carpet. Sunlight filtered through the window’s lattice and painted the dark walls with patches of brightness.
Maggie looked around with curiosity, her gaze filled with wonder.
She gently tugged at Aldrich’s sleeve. “Have you been here before?”
Aldrich looked at the room and didn’t feel particularly familiar with it. He used to visit this place often when he was younger. It didn’t have the oppressive feeling of the palace, and he would sit under the banana trees to read. Urania would retrieve cookies from a forgotten tin can. Back then, he believed this was the best place in the world.
Now he no longer had the same strong attachment to this place.
“I used to come here often. Back then, this place was filled with banana trees, and I’d sit under them.” The tree he once loved so much had been cut down. Urania told him that the tree had been infested with insects in recent years, and the roots had been gnawed through, so they had to cut it down. He even picked a banana leaf from the tree as a souvenir. Charlie had told him at the time that his actions didn’t befit his status. Aldrich ignored him and took the leaf back to his room, wiped it daily, and even soaked it in formalin, but even so, it quickly withered. He slowly realized that anything in life, be it people or things, would change over time.
So he no longer entrusted his heart to others, even Grace at the time.
Maggie found all of this fascinating. In the human world, she hadn’t had many opportunities to be in places like this. In the city, skyscrapers filled the landscape, and people could only choose from the limited resources left over to build their homes. There wouldn’t be a cabin nestled in the forest, at least not something people from her previous social class could access.
“I kind of like places like this, built with stone walls and wooden boards, bearing the wrinkles and ridges of time. Sunlight can pour in through the windows, and I can bake cookies and sweets in the afternoon.”
Aldrich smiled, “If you like it, we can build a cabin in the future. You can go there anytime you want. You can take the child there for an overnight stay, and we can spend a spring hunting together as a family.”
Urania cleared her throat. “I suppose the two of you didn’t come here just to express your appreciation for my abode, did you?”
Maggie felt a bit embarrassed and quickly redirected the conversation away from the previous romantic atmosphere. “Aldrich and I came here to learn more about precognition. He mentioned that, as the clan’s High Priestess, you must possess extensive knowledge in this area.”
“This is not incorrect,” she pulled a book from the wooden table, “Inside here are some descriptions about precognition, its origins, its symbols, and its manifestations. Among you, who has the gift of precognition?”
Aldrich pointed to Maggie beside him. “Her.”
Urania raised an eyebrow. “From what I can see, she seems just like a human.”
“But she’s not only genetically matched with me to 99 percent. Her child inside her occasionally manages to form a mind-link with me. More importantly, she awakened the self-awareness of the Energy Orb and it responded to her. She can also emit energy waves through the Energy Bead storage. I think she might not be just a regular human, right?”
Urania pondered for a moment. “I understand. I will conduct an energy test on her. Then I’ll determine if her precognition is indeed effective based on the results.”
Maggie felt a bit uneasy. “Do I need to do it again?”
She thought the results from the Elders’ Council would be enough to prove her abilities.
Urania noticed what Maggie was thinking. “My testing method is different from the Elders’ Council’s. The results might be completely different. Be prepared for that.”
Aldrich initially planned to stay with Maggie until Urania’s results came in, but he received a call from Charlie during the process, who said that the Barret Group had a new issue that needed his attention.
He looked at Maggie, clearly concerned. “Are you sure you’ll be okay on your own?”
Maggie encouraged him with a smile, trying to ease his worries. “I’ll be fine. It’s safe here. I won’t get hurt, and nothing unexpected will happen. You should go back and take care of your business.”
Urania stood by, watching the two of them act out a romantic separation scene like something from a TV drama. She couldn’t resist teasing Aldrich, “If you’re really worried about your partner, you can send someone tomorrow to pick her up. I don’t mind.”
Aldrich knew she was poking fun at him but didn’t protest. He left.
“Now it’s just you and me, sweetie,” Urania said as she extended her palm, placing it on Maggie’s forehead. “Close your eyes. I’ll see what kind of energy resides within you, the energy that Aldrich couldn’t help but admire.”
Maggie obediently closed her eyes, feeling a gentle force slowly flowing into her body. It didn’t feel like the force was trying to invade her. Instead, it was soothing, like a warm stream tenderly kneading her body. She was beginning to drift off to sleep in its comfort.
However, Urania could sensitively detect the powerful, unknown force within Maggie’s body. It was a force that shook and yet was familiar to all werewolves. She thought it couldn’t be wrong-it was the power of the Moon Goddess.
“Look up, dear. Open your eyes and tell me, how did you come to possess the Moon’s power within your body?”
Maggie hesitated, unsure whether she should reveal her innermost thoughts and everything that had happened to her while she was unconscious.
She countered with a question, “Can you sense the power within my body?”
Urania smiled, considering Maggie a naive girl. “I am the High Priestess of this clan. I’ve been immortal for millennia, and not even the Elder Council’s Grand Elder can compare in age. I’m solely responsible for guarding the safety of this clan and don’t get involved in other affairs. Thus, you haven’t seen me since you arrived. But I’ve met this Moon Goddess, Selene, and can feel that the energy within your body is directly connected to this current Moon Goddess.”
Maggie asked, “Do you know where the current Moon Goddess has gone?”
Urania took a sip of water and gazed at a wall painting depicting the moon casting its glow over the world, lost in thought. “I believe she has already passed away. There came a day when the Moon Goddess no longer guided the paths of mortals, issued commands to the werewolves, or arranged the matches for werewolves’ partners. I guess that this Moon Goddess is no longer among us. As we wait for the arrival of the next Moon Goddess, werewolves must rely on their own thoughts to break free from certain constraints.”
She turned back, her gaze unwavering on Maggie. “Your test should be complete. Now, tell me, where does your power come from? Or would you like to say you are the Moon Goddess herself?”