After discovering that the eldest brother of my grandfather's clan had survived and built a life deep within the Appalachian Mountains, we decided to remain with their tribe for the Lunar Year festivities.
Honestly?
My father was going to lose his mind when he found out.
Not only had I located our lost brother clan, but the Moon Goddess herself had apparently been guiding me here for years.
Mom would probably panic first, then cry, then panic again.
And me?
I'd simply stand there thinking:
I told you so.
The Appalachian tribe was unlike anything I had ever seen before. Their territory blended perfectly with the mountains, hidden beneath waterfalls, ancient trees, and layers of mist that made the entire place feel enchanted. Lanterns glowing silver and gold hung from tree branches while wolves and humans moved together preparing for the celebration.
Children laughed freely through the village while elders painted moon symbols along the stone pathways.
For the first time in my life…
I felt like I belonged somewhere beyond Silver Lake.
Suddenly, a small figure darted past me.
I immediately recognized the little girl Serenity and I had rescued a few nights earlier.
She stopped several feet away from me and tilted her head curiously.
Now that I could finally see her clearly in daylight, my breath caught slightly.
Her crystal-blue eyes were almost identical to Serenity's.
Not similar.
Identical.
The resemblance sent chills down my spine.
Her blonde hair framed soft ivory skin while moonlight seemed to naturally cling to her like a blessing.
Maybe she was like us.
Moon-kissed.
Before I could speak, her eyes widened suddenly and she darted behind a nearby wooden post, hiding from whoever approached.
A second later, Matthew appeared.
He looked mildly irritated but also worried.
"Yui," he called, "have you seen my daughter Valissa? She's about four foot two, blonde hair, sapphire eyes—"
He stopped talking briefly while scanning the area.
Behind him, hidden perfectly from his sight, little Valissa crouched low like a wolf preparing to hunt.
I bit the inside of my cheek trying not to laugh.
"No," I answered innocently. "I haven't seen her anywh—"
"RWAAR!"
Valissa launched herself onto Matthew's back like a tiny lioness attacking prey.
Matthew nearly stumbled forward from the impact.
"There you are!" he groaned dramatically while she giggled uncontrollably.
I burst into laughter watching the two of them together.
It reminded me so much of my relationship with Dad that my chest suddenly ached with homesickness.
Gods… I missed him.
Matthew finally grabbed his daughter and tossed her gently over his shoulder while she continued laughing proudly at her successful ambush.
"You are entirely too sneaky for your own good," he muttered.
"She gets that from you," I teased.
Before Matthew could answer, another male voice called out from behind us.
"Matthew! The festival is about to start!"
The entire village suddenly came alive around us.
Drums echoed through the mountains.
Lanterns flickered brighter.
And somewhere deep inside me, Serenity stirred uneasily.
As if she knew tonight was going to change everything.