Silver at Midnight: A Paranormal Romance Urban Fantasy (The Keepers of Knowledge Series Book 5) by Bridgette O'Hare (best large ereader .TXT) 📕

“Hmm. And . . . you’re just happily giving this one away?” I questioned, knowing he had to have an ulterior motive. This item seemed too powerful for Kage to simply offer it up as a gift unless there was something bigger in store.

“I never said happily . . . but it’s a small price to pay to acquire the Kanna Stone.”

Thank God there wasn’t another surprise on this unplanned adventure. I did not need another element to factor in. I hadn’t even figured out how to factor in the ones I knew about.

We stood for a while, waiting. But nothing happened.

I leaned toward Kage. “Were you supposed to do something else? Chant a mantra? Sacrifice a virgin?” I glanced over at Doppelgänger Cian and grinned, sizing him up with a squint. “Nah. That’s not why he brought you, right?”

Doppelgänger Cian snickered, thankfully. I had no idea what he looked like without the facade, and I was trying to keep the situation light, not insulting. Something told me he might be persuaded to help me out under the right circumstances. Maybe. Then again, he might be a diehard Kage fan—fight you to the death if he had to. But it didn’t hurt to keep trying to endear him, just in case.

Kage didn’t find my humor quite as amusing, but he didn’t appear pissed either. Instead, he took a step toward the Moon Orb, but was stopped in his tracks when the glyphs chiseled into the slab began to glow. Seconds later, a figure materialized above the slab. She was breathtaking. Her smooth, iridescent skin was draped in a dark blue dress, and her hands were clasped at her waist as if it were the most natural position to be in while one floated above the ground. A crown of succulents wrapped around a mass of chocolate curls that cascaded down her back. A half-moon pendant resting just beneath her collarbone caught my eye. This had to be the one they referred to as the Lunar goddess.

Kage immediately stepped back in line with me, and the otherworldly figure locked her stare on him. I watched her eyes narrow then relax into an expression of decision. Without moving another muscle, her head angled in my direction and her deep, brown gaze softened.

“Aisling O’Cléirigh.” My name sounded almost heavenly as she spoke, but I caught myself blinking rapidly. I was certain her lips hadn’t moved. “They cannot hear me, child. This message is for you alone. I simply need for you to listen.”

I never said the word aloud, but in my mind I automatically responded. “Aye.”

“Oh, good. You can communicate via this method.”

My eyes widened just slightly, but I held my expression tight to avoid giving anything away to Kage. Doppelgänger Cian stood several inches behind me and had no line of sight.

“Umm . . . This is new for me, but I am listening,” I expressed.

A hint of a smile formed on her lips. “You are a pure heart, Aisling O’Cléirigh. It is for this reason that I will grant entry to you and your . . . companion. I trust these are not companions by choice. You have a purpose here tonight. It has been foretold by the highest authority that you search for the Stone of Two Brothers. You must not fail. When you enter the sanctity of the ruins, seek out the moonwater fountain surrounded by four pillars. Drink from it, and at the peak of the Silver Moon your powers will be fully realized.”

“Midnight is quite a while t’ have t’ wait.” I fumbled over the thought, processing all she had relayed, and I still had questions about the Stone of Two Brothers.

“Dear one, midnight is not your objective. The peak occurs when the Silver Moon is directly reflected in the fountain. There will be no mistaking the appointed time.” She paused, and I wondered if Kage and Doppelgänger Cian were growing suspicious of how long she’d been staring at me. Then I noticed they seemed to be frozen in a time pause, unaware.

“Understood,” I acknowledged. “But what is this Stone of Two Brothers? I’ve never heard of that. I’m in search of the Kanna Stone. And my . . . companions. How am I t’ thwart their objective on my own?”

“What you seek and what I say are the same. But you are not alone, Aisling. Find your soul’s reflection and nothing will hinder your quest.” She folded the silvery velvet cloth back over the Moon Orb and picked it up from the stone slab. I never even saw her move, but at once she was before me, placing the orb in my hands. “Take this. Keep it hidden until you need it. Your unwelcome companion is right regarding the stories of the orb’s power. There are eight orbs, one to represent and reflect each moon phase. This is the Full Moon Orb. It harnesses all of the powers of the other orbs combined: healing, protection, illumination, water manipulation, and so much more. If you are in tune with the lunar powers, your instincts will reveal what you need. Trust them.”

She didn’t allow time for me to reply or ask more questions, only slip the orb out of sight. The time pause was lifted, and she was staring at Kage as though she’d never stopped. “Your gift is accepted, Kage Mazoku.”

The orb was no longer where Kage had placed it. It appeared as if she had used some otherworldly magic to accept the orb and whisk it away before our very eyes.

I knew the truth; it was already hidden in the pocket of my jacket.

“You and the Fae may enter. The one bound to an unfamiliar countenance must stay,” she informed Kage. “You would do well to remember that you are a guest in our sanctuary, Kage Mazoku.” The words were elegantly laced with warning. “Do no harm, and none shall fall upon you.”

Kage