Lumosa smiled gently, her tall, shimmering form bathed in the silvery glow of the lake. The moon loomed high and radiant overhead, unchanging in this otherworldly realm that always seemed suspended in twilight. She glanced down at Cleo, who lay quietly at the water’s edge, her eyes fixed on her reflection that rippled ever so slightly in the still water.

Cleo's ears twitched with the breeze, but she didn’t speak. Her mind was a whirlwind.

“If something is bothering you, you can always speak of it with me,” Lumosa said softly. “A god’s wisdom is a magnificent gift, so I’m told.” Her airy chuckle danced across the surface of the lake like wind through tall grass. Cleo lifted her head slowly. Lumosa’s warmth had always been comforting, and right now, she needed that.

“Celeste told me…” Cleo began, hesitating only for a breath, “that she received a vision. One where she was told her life was going to be in danger soon. As her familiar and her friend, I can’t help but feel worried for her.” Her eyes locked with Lumosa’s. The goddess’s smile faded as she listened, and a calm seriousness overtook her expression.

“And… you’re also worried about how I would feel about you telling her about me, correct?” Cleo flinched at the accuracy of the statement. Her tail tucked slightly, and she looked down again, shame clear in every line of her posture.

Lumosa let out a soft hum and leaned back on her hands, gazing up at the moon. “You don’t need to worry about having told the girl anything about me, dear Cleo. No one can enter this space unless I allow them to do so, and I happen to know that a sweet child like her isn’t the type to mouth off a secret entrusted to her.”

Cleo looked up at her just in time to catch a playful grin on Lumosa’s lips. But just as quickly as it had come, the grin faded.

“As for the vision she received…” Lumosa’s voice grew quieter, heavier. “It just might be true.” Cleo’s fur bristled. Her heart picked up speed.

“But why is she going to be in danger?” she asked quickly. “Is it related to the quest you want me to go on?”

Lumosa didn’t answer right away. Her gaze stayed fixed on the lake, as if the rippling water could carry her thoughts far away.

“I can’t say anything more on the subject,” she finally said. “Just know that she should trust in that vision. It will come true—sooner than either of you might expect.” Her voice trembled ever so slightly, and that frightened Cleo more than anything else.

Suddenly, the faint sound of a voice reached them—muffled but familiar. Celeste’s.

“Ah,” Lumosa said, adjusting herself to rest against the large tree behind her. “She must have finished earlier than expected. I suppose our time is up.” But the weight of the conversation still lingered; there were still too many questions unanswered to leave it like that.

Cleo stood but didn't move to leave, turning her head upward to Lumosa with urgency.

“Just one more question, please. Who sent her that message?” Lumosa hesitated. Her jaw tensed. The goddess seemed to wrestle with herself, fingers brushing nervously through the soft fur of her long tail. The barrier shimmered faintly in the distance as Celeste’s voice grew clearer.

“It’s not a simple answer…” Lumosa began. “But if you must know, it was—” 

“Cleo? Are you here?” Celeste’s voice broke through the air as she stepped past the barrier, finally spotting her companion. “Why do you keep coming over here? There’s nothing here but open fields…” Cleo said nothing. Her mind was still stuck on the moment Lumosa was about to respond. 

“Oh well, it’s time to go anyway. Come on.” Celeste turned and began walking away, not noticing that Cleo still remained rooted to her spot. Cleo eventually followed, though her steps were hesitant. Once she stood on the edge of the invisible threshold, the barrier shimmered again.

But just before she completely stepped through it, she heard Lumosa’s voice—quiet, distant, but clear.

“Thalvaris.”

Cleo froze, eyes wide. She spun around, but the barrier was already closed behind her, the lake and goddess hidden from view once more. ‘Thalvaris?’ she thought, stunned. ‘But… isn’t Thalvaris dead? How could he have given Celeste a warning then?’

There would be no answers here. Not now. She hurried after Celeste, thoughts heavy.

By the time the trio—Cleo, Celeste, and Notham—returned to the mainland, the sun had dipped low behind the trees. The scent of roasted vegetables and fresh bread beckoned them toward the dining hall. Dinner was mostly quiet. At least, until Celeste noticed an unexpected sight.

Kai sat at the very end of the teachers’ table. He wasn’t speaking to anyone, his head down, face unreadable. He ate his food quickly, mechanically, like someone who hadn’t eaten in days but still managed to uphold table manners. He didn’t even glance up when she entered.

Celeste had barely taken her seat when he stood and left, his tray wiped clean and Luna following closely behind him. She didn’t stop staring until he vanished into the hallway.

“Oooh, does our Celeste have a crush on a certain beastman?” Lily teased, her voice sing-song as she grinned. Celeste groaned, burying her face in one hand. 

“It’s not like that! It’s just…” She trailed off, sighing, and leaned into her palm. “I don’t know. I just feel like I should understand why he reacted like that when we met. He looked furious when… when his tail popped out.” Her fork swirled mindlessly in her spaghetti.

“Actually,” Ophelia chimed in brightly, “I was reading about that earlier in the library before we came here. Apparently, beastmen don’t grow their tails until they’ve met their soulmate. It’s like… an announcement to the world that they're taken!”

Celeste blinked. Once. Twice. Her fork clattered against the plate as she dropped it.

“I—I… HUH?”

“Oh, sorry about just blurting that out,” Ophelia said quickly. “But I wouldn’t worry about it too much. If it was that serious, he would have approached you about it, right?” She reached across the table and placed her hand on Celeste’s, offering a kind smile. Celeste squeezed it, grateful.

“She’s right!” Lily said with finality. “You don’t need to stress over that rude guy! He probably won’t be around for much longer anyway.” Celeste let out a small giggle, nodding. 

For now, she’d let it go.

But later that night… Celeste would find Kai in the most unlikely of situations. And nothing would feel simple anymore.

To be continued…