I Am The Luna

| Am The Luna by Moonlight Muse Chapter 53 An Explanation ZAIA. “Well goodnight, Ms Toussaint. | am thoroughly impressed with how far you have come. Oh, and...” Alpha Robert leans forward. “I hope you are recovering well.” “Thank you, I'm fine,” | say, touching my shoulder lightly. It's obvious no one wanted to openly mentionbeing shot; not wanting it to take away from the celebration at hand.

knowing that despite surviving and experiencing that, it means someone did try to kill me. | also know that it made people think highly of me; the whispers | have heard occasionally proved that.

“That is excellent to hear. You are a hero and so brave.” He walks away and Atticus approaches, hands in his pockets.

The expression on his face clearly shows he is a man on a mission. “Not now Atticus, I'm heading back,” | say quietly. The night is over, and | just want to return hto my family.

Dad said he had things to deal with and I’m sure he means the mother-daughter duo that left earlier. He is leaving now too, and most people have retreated. Sof the pack members remain and the staff will soon clean up.

“Zaia, | need to talk to you, Now.” His words are sharp, and he suddenly grabs my good arm, pullingtowards his car.

“Atticus!” I'm about to shout for him to unhandwhen his hand clamps over my mouth, stoppingand an arm wraps around my waist. He glances around before pullinginto the shadows.

“Stop struggling. If you are smart, Zaia... don’t cause a scene...what you did tonight was incredibly stupid,” he whispers, his lips.

brushing my ear. [x] My eyes flash and I'm about to hit him with my head when | pause. My heart is still thumping violently but I'm more curious about why he has been off all night and he had said he wanted to talk to me. Does he know something? When he realises, | am calm and won't fight him any longer, he slowly releases me. “What is it?” | ask, glaring at him. “Do not manhandlenext time.” His gaze falls to my necklace before he shakes his head. “Really Zaia? You aren’t even listening.” “Then tellwhat it is?” | reply, exasperated. “Let's get out of here.” I'm not going anywhere with anyone...

“No.” “Zaia. Not here.” He mutters, glancing around. “Trust me... not out here...” “Then at my home. We'll talk at my mansion.” | state, just as my guards hurry into view and | step out of the shadows before someone raises the alarm.

“Ms Zaia...” Leon, one of the guards, says in relief when he sees me. He's one of the new ones since we lost the previous ones. Dad had assigned smore of his trusted men. Their bodies falling so easily as they were shot down is something that still givesthe chills. Oh, how easy it is to end a human life...

“We will take you home, Ma'am,” Neil, another guard says. | glance at Aleric. “I'll meet you at my mansion,” | say swiftly.

He frowns, but nods. “Very well.” The guards exchange a look before nodding and escortingto my car. With everything going on, | can’t trust anyone, not even Atticus, and with the way he’s behaving it’s makingeven more suspicious.

The journey back is fast and uneventful, but | don’t miss the way those who accompanyare on edge the entire way. Alert and ready for anything to happen. When we are at the mansion, the car is searched before we are allowed through the gates.

It's only a few moments before Atticus’s car drives in and he gets out, walking over to where | stand on the front steps. “Can we talk somewhere private?” He asks.

| nod before | motion him inside and lead him to the drawing room. Two guards flank us when | stop them at the door. “We'll be ok,” | say.

“Then we will be right outside,” Leon says firmly. | nod. “Thank you.” | close the door behind me, motioning him to take a seat.

He shakes his head, refusingbefore he shoves his hands into his pocket and exhales. “May | ask why you are wearing that symbol?” he asks. | cock a brow. “Does it mean something to you?” | counter. He looks down, clenching his jaw before his eyes meet mine before he speaks. “I know of it...

and | assyou do too...” | watch him. Nothing is surprisinganymore. “The Blood Born. | am one, and someone wantsgone.” | state as if it’s the most ordinary thing to say. | cross my arms, ignoring the twinge in my shoulder.

His frown deepens before he walks over toand, bending down, pulls up his trouser hem and pulls his sock down. My gaze falls to a symbol that is almost identical to my birthmark I’m stunned, how... how is that possible? 2 “And so am |.” He says, making my eyes widen. “You got shot, Zaia. You could have been killed if they wanted you dead. Have you forgotten?” 4 His eyes go to my shoulder. | had wrapped it in a skin-coloured wrap to blend in with my skin. He sighs and | look down. “You need to be careful. Tonight was like you were challenging them.” That is the aim...

| had a moment when | wondered if Atticus was somehow involved, but this is not what | was expecting...

He fixes his sock and stands up, frowning deeply. “Zaia... | saw your symbol years ago, but it was obvious neither you nor your family knew what it meant and | know the Sable Triquetra needs you and we can’t let that happen.” The Sable Triquetra? What is that? “What are you going on about, Atticus?” | ask sharply. He runs his fingers through his styled hair, messing it up as he looks at me, “I was told by my father before he passed away that you are the final piece of the puzzle to complete the Triquetra and that | must protect you at all costs to determine you chose the SublTriquetra. | tried... and everything was going perfectly fine since you left Sebastian, but tonight? By wearing that symbol, what did you think would happen?” | frown, trying to make sense of it all. It's too much to digest... too much to understand. | place my hand on my head, closing my eyes. “I wanted answers and it seems like | got a few. What do you mean by the Sable and SublTriquetra?” | ask.

“The two forces, one of which will decide the future. The Sable will purge the land of us all... The Sublime’s aim is to bring our people back to the Goddess. You are the final piece. Whatever you choose, the path you take will complete one of the Triquetra.” (1 “But | thought each point stood for Redemption, Retribution and Repercussion?” “The SublTriquetra does.... Only one point is the sin each trifecta, Zaia, and that is you depending on what you choose.” He says quietly.

“Then... what else makes the Sable Triquetra?” | ask. “Revenge, Rebirth and Retribution.” “And that means... | am Retribution?” He nods. “Yes, and they want you to deliver the right retribution. Yet you openly challenged them, showing them that you know what you are,” He says quietly as he glances towards the window. “You are no longer safe here.” “I'm not safe anywhere... why do they wantseparated from Sebastian? Why hurt him? Does this mean the Sable Triquetra has the other two beings who complete it?” | ask as the thought fillswith unease. The look in his eyes tellsthe answer before he even speaks.

“Yes.” “And you... the Sublime, who is the third?” He looks down and my heart sinks, so we are still missing a point...

“I haven't been able to find them.” He says quietly. Silence falls between us, and my mind is spinning even more.

One thing | do know is that he had so many chances to tell me, but he didn’t.

“Well, I wish you toldearlier so | could have actually been prepared for all of this. You didn’t tellanything when you had enough tto do so, Atticus.” | say quietly. “I know, but you had a lot going on-" “And still, I could have handled it!l don’t need people making decisions for me, Atticus. Tell me, back then it was all an act, wasn’t it? Wanting me? | was pregnant with another man’s children, yet you pretended to wantstill... correct? This is all an act, correct?” “Zaia, listen, yes in the start it was an act, but that changed... | have fallen for you.” | shake my head.

“Whatever, | am sick and tired of the secrets. Please leave.” “Zaia, you need to-" an “I need to do nothing! Goddess! It's been exhausting night, | just... | just need a break for my sanity. | will think over everything you have said, but | really just need srest. I'll go over everything tomorrow. Good night, Atticus... Please, leave.” | say, raising my hand as | turn away.

He knew of the Blood Born; he knew so much more, and he didn’t think I should know. How dare he suddenly just say I'm the final piece? The scary truth is we can destroy or rebuild who we are. | massage my temples and he sighs softly.

“I tried to do the right thing, Zaia... | didn’t know what to expect... | never wanted you hurt.” He says quietly.

I don’t reply and he sucks in a breath, and | hear him head to the door. “Good night.” He says quietly. | don’t reply.

The door opens and | close my eyes as it shuts with a small snap. | drop onto the sofa, gripping the edges as | hang my head. Atticus has an almost identical birthmark. There are three points. The SublTriquetra...

Repercussion, Retribution and Redemption. The Sable Triquetra...

Revenge, Retribution and Rebirth Trifecta needed to purge the world. | am the final point...

| have a brother with a matching birthmark that they took...

So he’s part of the Sable Triquetra? Goddess knows if he is ok.

Mom's secret...

Atticus’s secret...

Annalise’s secret regarding where she was for the three years after she disappeared...

Annalise’s pregnancy...

| take a deep, steadying breath, but I'm feeling dizzy. So many questions, so few answers...

| can’t do it tonight.

Tonight, | just need a moment to clear my head. | stagger to my feet, feeling the ground move, and I lurch forward. | grab out blindly, hitting my knee on the table before I drop onto the sofa, clutching my head.

Breathe Zaia...

You are stronger than this....

Breathe...

Suddenly, the door bursts open, and I look up, my entire vision spinning. “Zaia! Cquick! It's Valerie!”